South Dakotans Identify Their Toughest Public Problems and Offer Ideas for Solutions

Findings Released from Prospects & Possibilities and Community Conversations

• Prospects & Possibilities findings report (PDF)
• 2010 Wilder Household Survey for South Dakota (PDF)

South Dakota’s Prospects & Possibilties findings were gathered through a series of 35 community conversations in 29 communities held between October and December 2010, and include the viewpoints of more than 950 citizens. Convening partners included the Northeast South Dakota Community Action Program (NESDCAP) and Northeast South Dakota Economic Corporation (NESDEC), the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service, the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation and the John T. Vucurevich Foundation. Learn more about the process in the findings report and on CitiZing.org.

Briefly, the findings show that South Dakotans:

• Are concerned about the economic impact of businesses and highly educated young people leaving the state,
• Value high-quality K-12 education and access to higher education,
• Worry about access to and the cost of quality health care, and
• Envision improved race relations in their state.

The associated Wilder Research survey report supports these findings.