To protect and preserve South Dakota's agriculture, environment, and natural resources through effective regulatory services, natural resource conservation, and financial and technical assistance.
The Small Community Planning Grant Program is designed to assist small communities in adopting a proactive stance towards water and wastewater infrastructure management. Its primary aim is to provide financial support to small communities for hiring an engineering consultant to produce a detailed engineering report. This report should align with the standards of the facilities plans required for State Revolving Fund (SRF) projects. The grants cover 80% of the engineering study's cost, with a cap of $8,000 for water studies and $10,000 for wastewater studies. The community is responsible for covering the remainder, which could be met through local cash or non-state financial aid, although in-kind contributions are not eligible. Payment is released to grantees upon the satisfactory completion of the engineering report, as determined by the administering department.