USDA Announces $1.97 Million for New Community Center on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

“Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD, June 22, 2015 – Today, Leslie Wheelock, Director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Tribal Relations joined other federal, state, and Tribal leaders to announce $1.97 million to Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation (CDC) for a community center serving the Oglala Lakota community on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The announcement was made at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Regenerative Community which plans to build additional housing, a small farm, an aquaponics greenhouse, a grocery store, powwow grounds and a youth center on the Reservation. Today’s funding announcement is for Phase One of the project.”

For more information, visit the USDA Rural Development website at http://www.rd.usda.gov/sd.

For expert assistance in community development funding projects: don@sparrowhawkco.com

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Looking Forward to Sharing with Local Environmental Groups Next Week in Olympia

Thanks to Amber Smith, Education Manager at the WET Science Center in Olympia.  She’s arranged for me to present to a monthly meeting of environmental groups next week on Wednesday, June 10.

Here’s the announcement:

Don Chalmers, President, brings over 40 years of experience as a community development professional to the SparrowHawk Consulting Company team. Don has worked with state agencies, Tribes, other governments, Colleges and Universities, and a host of non-profits and their governing boards and planning committees. His career includes successful community and organizational development for scores of clients through project management, grant preparation, other resource development, facilitation, training and strategic planning. For many years Don has served as an Adjunct Member of the Faculty at The Evergreen State College, teaching Grantwriting and Nonprofit Development in the Evening and Weekend Studies Program. He is a member of a number of related affinity groups. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Olympia.  He holds a law degree from the University of Oregon.

We will  start our session with Don doing brief self-introductions.  During those each of us will be asked to briefly share any learning objectives we have for our time with Don.  In addition we’ll learn about trends modern non-profits are facing and how best to respond to them.  We’ll delve into developmental readiness and how those activities help make non-profits sustainable and able to secure needed resources.  Developmental readiness includes board recruitment and development, board education and training and strategic planning among other components.

Come join us for a lively and fun session designed to help each of our organizations flourish!