An additional $8.5 million in federal coronavirus economic aid is coming to South Dakota.
The U.S. Commerce Department is splitting the money among seven organizations in the state. They include economic development groups and councils of local governments.
The Commerce Department announced the grants Wednesday, just hours before Gov. Kristi Noem was scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention.
The money is from the congressional CARES Act passed in March.
Here is the Commerce Department's summary of the grants:
- Areawide Business Council, Inc., Yankton, South Dakota, will receive a $4 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to capitalize and administer an RLF to provide loans to coronavirus-impacted small businesses in Aurora, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Davison, Douglas, Gregory, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Lyman, Sanborn, Tripp, Yankton counties.
- First District Association of Local Governments, Watertown, South Dakota, will receive a $1.7 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to capitalize and administer an RLF to provide loan to coronavirus-impacted small businesses in Brookings, Codington, Clark, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Moody, Roberts counties. The First District Association of Local Governments will also receive a $376,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by coordinating recovery efforts to diversify the regional economies, create jobs, and foster economic resiliency.
- Black Hills Community Economic Development, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota, will receive a $1.1 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to capitalize and administer an RLF that will provide gap financing and loans to coronavirus-impacted businesses in Lawrence County to help them respond to and recover from the pandemic.
- South Eastern Council of Governments, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by providing technical assistance to local businesses and communities.
- Central South Dakota Enhancement District, Pierre, South Dakota, will receive a $398,677 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by developing a technology platform with resources for small businesses and economic developers in the region; incorporating cloud-based technology to assist local governments with maintaining vital government functions; and developing a regional economic development response and resiliency plan.
- Black Hills Council of Local Governments, Rapid City, South Dakota, will receive a $292,870 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by hiring additional staff to assist local governments and regional economic development organizations; providing technical assistance and support for remote and virtual meetings; and implementing planning mechanisms to help offset long-term impacts on the economy.
- Northeast Council of Governments, Aberdeen, South Dakota, will receive a $253,670 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by assisting communities and businesses with tools to boost their local economies.
-Seth Tupper is SDPB's business and economic development reporter.