Simplified: A change in how the city supports local nonprofits is set to bring about the end of a nearly three-decade long partnership bringing welcoming and support to the cultural and ethnic diversity of Sioux Falls. Here's a look at what's next for the Multi-Cultural Center now that it's no longer a city budget priority.

Why it matters

  • The city late last month revealed that it would no longer be funding the Multi-Cultural Center, among several other nonprofits, due to budget cuts. Those cuts also came with a new process requiring nonprofits to apply for funding for work fitting specific criteria laid out by the city.
  • Through this new process – called the "community partners program" – the city has identified 10 organizations who will split a combined $1.65 million. By contrast, last year the city had 17 separate agreements with various nonprofits, meaning several nonprofits were left on the chopping block.
    • The city denied a request from Sioux Falls Simplified to see a list of all applicants for the community partners program. Finance Director Shawn Pritchett said that info will be released once contracts are signed and approved by the City Council.
  • Unlike other affected nonprofits, though, the Multi-Cultural Center was founded as a direct result of city actions. The city, in partnership with Minnehaha County, helped form the center nearly 30 years ago as a way to support the city's increasing diversity, welcome immigrants and "build bridges of friendship," as then-Mayor Gary Hanson stated in a 1997 Argus Leader article.
    • The center then merged with Lutheran Social Services in 2022. Currently, city funding supports two of the center's full-time employees.
"The work of the Multi-Cultural Center is not work that is easily funded in other places," said Rebecca Kiesow-Knudsen, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services. "It’s not something you can charge fees for. It's the work of welcoming. It's the work of creating a community that everyone wants to live in."

Tell me more about the Multi-Cultural Center

The Multi-Cultural Center provides a number of services, including fee-based translation, youth outreach, education programs, providing space for community events at the Coliseum and hosting the annual Festival of Cultures.

  • The Coliseum, especially, serves as a gathering place for cultural celebrations, events, even things like soccer practice during the winter months. It's affordable rental rate also makes it very accessible, but it's a lot of work to manage the building, Kiesow-Knudsen noted.

Tell me more about the community partners program

In its first year, the program identified three key priority areas for the city. Here's a look at those priority areas and which organizations were selected to receive city funds

  • At-risk populations ($450,000 total)
    • Bishop Dudley Hospitality House
    • East River Legal Services
    • Solace
    • St. Francis House
  • Culture, arts and community programming ($300,000 total)
    • Levitt at the Falls
    • Reach Literacy
    • Sculpture Walk Sioux Falls
    • The Premiere Playhouse
  • Economic vitality and growth ($900,000 total)
    • Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc.
    • Sioux Falls Development Foundation

The city hasn't yet said how much each individual organization has received – only the total bucket of funds it'll pull from.

What happens next?

City Council will have to approve any contracts awarded to selected nonprofits through the city's new community partners program, and those will likely come through in the coming weeks.

As for the Multi-Cultural Center, Kiesow-Knudsen said LSS is doing everything it can to preserve the work the center is doing and to find funding to cover the gap – at least for the next two years until the center can re-apply for city funds.

"We're problem-solvers at LSS," she said. "We try to figure out ways to adjust."

Anyone interested in financially supporting the Multi-Cultural Center can learn more and reach out to LSS here.