Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: A lovely long weekend, but be mindful of potential rain
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This week, we got a closer look at how the city is changing up how it supports nonprofits. Plus, you'll learn more about how to tailor your workouts to what your body needs thanks to our friends at Barre3 Sioux Falls. And then catch some Super Simplified Stories to carry you through the long weekend.
And now, news:
CITY
How nonprofits feel about the city's changing approach to supporting them
Simplified: It's not so much the process changing that's concerning – it's the overall funding cuts. That's the tone several local nonprofits took when talking to Sioux Falls Simplified this week about changes to how the city supports them.
Why it matters
- The city administration is switching up the process for funding services that support at-risk populations, arts and culture, and economic development. Previously, there were individual subsidy agreements with nonprofits, but now there'll be a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process in which the city reviews proposals and awards funding based on stated goals.
- The switch-up also comes with a smaller pool of funds overall. In 2025, the city is spending about $2.58 million supporting nonprofit partners, according to data presented to the City Council back in June.
- Meanwhile, the 2026 budget (still pending council approval) proposes spending $1.2 million.
- Several nonprofit leaders said, while city funding isn't going to make or break them, this loss of city funding would have an impact and, in many cases, come with a decreased ability to provide the services on which folks rely.
"It adds another level of uncertainty," said Betsy Schuster, president and CEO of Active Generations, which received about $63,000 from the city the last couple years. "What we received last year is important to our budget, and if we weren't to receive that, we would have to look at how do we adjust for those dollars not being there."
Tell me more about the new process
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
How to coordinate your workout with your cycle
This is a paid piece from Barre3 Sioux Falls.
Simplified: Barre3 is all about finding balance within your body and mind, and that balance is all the more possible when you align your movement with your menstrual cycle.
Why it matters
- Your cycle is your "fifth vital sign," said Jada Dobesh, founder of Selah Space, a holistic wellness nonprofit. That means it provides important information about what your body needs, and tuning into that information can help your workouts compliment your overall wellness.
- It's also helpful to know where you're at in your cycle, which starts with identifying your last period and then moving through the phases: follicular, ovulation, luteal and then back to menstrual again. When in doubt, Dobesh said, your best bet is to treat each phase as one week until you've got a closer feel for your specific phases.
- Knowing which phase of your cycle you're experiencing can also help you decide which Barre3 classes to take in a given week, how heavy of weights to use, when to lean in to cardio and when it's a good time to spend a few extra minutes for mindfulness.
"You should listen to your body and support it all cycle long," Dobesh said. "When you do that, your period is kinder to you because you're kinder to your body."
Tell me more
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Makin' it official. Sanford Health announced this week that it'll acquire Lewis Drug, the pharmacy and retail store. The two companies have long had a partnership, with Lewis having pharmacy locations in various clinics, and Sanford already co-owns more than three dozen Lewis stores outside of Sioux Falls.
- “At a time when the health care field is facing a variety of challenges, our partnership provides stability and helps safeguard access to essential health care services for the patients and communities we serve,” said Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health.
- What happens next? Lewis will continue to operate under its current brand, and its roughly 1,500 employees will become employees of Sanford Health.
- The state of local media. The state's media landscape is changing quite a bit, and South Dakota News Watch this week looked into cuts, changes and new voices (hi, it's me – and quite a few others). Find the full story here.
- Tips for parents. The Gathering Well, a nonprofit supporting the adoption and foster care community, is offering a new parenting class focused on positive self-worth and building strong connections with your kids. It's an eight-week program, and both scholarships and payment plans are available. Learn more and register here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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