Happy Friday! Megan here.
First things first: This issue is brought to you by a special collaboration between the Good Night Theatre Collective and Monstrous Little Theatre Company as they present "In the Next Room or the vibrator play."
- "In the Next Room or the vibrator play" hearkens back to the dawn of the age of electricity. The three-time-Tony-nominated work by Sarah Ruhl depicts the way doctors often treated 'hysterical' patients, and trust me, it'll live up to the buzz. You've only got three chances to catch the show May 8-10. Get your tickets here.
Weather check: Literally SO nice
đź©· A Little Help check: We are SUPER close to hitting our $5,000 fundraising goal for Owen's Outfitters with a total of just over $3,800. Today is the last day to be a part of our second annual A Little Help campaign. Learn more about this amazing organization here, and, if you can, send a little help their way.
This week, I heard from more than a dozen nonprofits about how they're faring in the face of federal funding cuts and economic uncertainty. You'll also find the next part in our series on Sioux Falls school board candidates, get smart about supporting pollinators and find some fun Super Simplified Stories.
And now, news:
COMMUNITY
How federal funding cuts are affecting Sioux Falls nonprofits
Simplified: Sioux Falls nonprofits are losing out on millions of dollars due to federal cuts, according to a Sioux Falls Simplified survey of more than a dozen local nonprofits. Even nonprofits who aren't directly impacted by funding cuts are facing financial uncertainty amid economic disruptions as well as an overall decrease in donations.
Why it matters
- Nonprofits are the safety net for many Sioux Fallsians who are at risk of falling through the cracks – whether it's organizations providing food, shelter, workforce development, youth activities or any number of other services available in the community.
- Sioux Falls Simplified heard from a wide variety of organizations from newly founded nonprofits all the way to nonprofits that have been operating for more than a century.
- The specifics vary, and most folks surveyed wished to remain anonymous, but all told local nonprofits reported that they anticipate losing or have lost up to $9.3 million as a direct result of federal funding cuts over the last few months.
- Every single organization surveyed reported at least some level of funding uncertainty – not unlike how many donors may also feel.
"Uncertainty doesn't make it easy to give," said Jada Dobesh, founder of Selah Space, a holistic wellness nonprofit formed earlier this year.
Tell me more
ELECTIONS
How school board candidates feel about book bans and the dismantling of the U.S. Dept. of Education
Editor's note: This is part of a series of stories ahead of the May 13 Sioux Falls school board election. You can find the first story here, and keep following Sioux Falls Simplified for more details ahead of election day.
Simplified: Four people are vying for two open seats on the Sioux Falls School Board. Sioux Falls Simplified sat down with each of them and asked a slate of questions related to various issues relevant to public schools. Here's what they had to say about their priorities as they seek to lead the state's largest school district.
Tell me more. Who are the candidates?
The four candidates are (in ballot order):
- Elizabeth Duffy
- Trish Ringold
- Nan Kelly
- Thomas Werner
Here's a look at how each candidate answered some questions from Sioux Falls Simplified.
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
This plan will help make Sioux Falls better 10 years from now
This is a paid piece from Forward Sioux Falls.
Simplified: A new, long-range strategic plan for Sioux Falls outlines plans for more collaboration across the region, an increase in corporate responsibility and a number of steps we can all take to make our community better in 2034 than it is today. Here's what you need to know about Sioux Falls Tomorrow 4.
Why it matters
- Sioux Falls Tomorrow is led by a steering committee with representatives from local government, schools, and the business community. It's not owned by any one entity and is truly a collaborative effort, said Brittany Hanson, program director for Forward Sioux Falls.
- The first Sioux Falls Tomorrow plan was released in 1994 and has come out every decade since then as an intentional effort to encourage leaders to look outside their own walls and think strategically about what's next for Sioux Falls as a whole.
- The latest plan, released earlier this year, has four areas of focus – all of which are different or updated from previous plans – and goes beyond big goals to focus on tangible action items.
"We are set up to take this plan and turn it into action," Hanson said.
Tell me more
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Levitt announces 2025 season. Levitt at the Falls this week released its 2025 lineup of 50 free concerts that'll be held on the Levitt lawn all summer long. It's a banger line-up with everyone from Beyonce's bassist to a double-header performance of Brulé. There will also be performances by Minneapolis-based artist Dessa and the 21:11 Choir, Sioux Falls-native Julie Eddy, and my personal celebrity crush, Mato Wayuhi. You can find the full lineup and concert details here.
- $100,000 worth of hot dogs. It's National Beef Month, and to kick it off, the South Dakota Cattlemen's Foundation, alongside Jorgensen Land & Cattle of Ideal, S.D. are teaming up to make a $100,000 donation of all-beef hot dogs to Feeding South Dakota. For what it's worth, that's about 23,000 pounds of hot dogs.
- Zoo literacy initiative to expand. After a successful pilot project with Garfield Elementary, the Promising Futures Fund – in partnership with the Sioux Falls School District and the Sioux Falls Zoo & Aquarium – is expanding its literary initiative to students at all 24 elementary schools. The goal is to tie in field trip experiences with lessons on both science and literacy because research shows when students connect reading with experiences, they learn better. This work is funded by a $50,000 grant from the the Dorothy Day Davenport Grant as part of the Mary Chilton Chapter DAR Foundation.
- Even more good zoo news. The zoo's Greater Sioux Falls Chamber Community Appeals campaign was a smashing success, and the organization was able to raise more than $2.35 million. For context, the goal was $1.3 million with a $2 million stretch goal – both of which were surpassed. Those funds will help the zoo move forward with its master plan. Find more context here.
- Know the signs. May is American Stroke Month, and Avera Health shared a handy little acronym to help you identify the signs of a stroke: BE FAST. (sudden Balance loss, sudden Eyesight loss, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 911).
GET SMART
Get smart about pollinators with Alina Hedman
Alina Hedman is the urban conservation education coordinator with the Minnehaha Conservation District. She sat down with Sioux Falls Simplified to talk about spring yard work and how to support pollinators in your own back yard.
Answers are edited for length and clarity.
Let’s start with getting to know you. How did you “get smart” about conservation? What in your background prepared you for your job today?
I grew up in Wisconsin, which has a heavy curriculum about conservation in schools – plus, I come from a family that's pretty conservation-minded. In college, I started off with planning to become a chemistry teacher, then pivoted, and I actually have an art degree.
My position now is more based on being an educator, combining my passion for education and my passion for conservation. I've always had an interest in urban conservation after taking classes in college.
- I don't think any person goes into a position knowing everything, so it's really just listening to the people who have more expertise than you.
We’re all about simplicity here. Can you describe an environmentally or pollinator-friendly yard in 10 words or fewer?
Lively native cover with a variety of blooming plants.
It’s the time of year where folks are planting, planning their gardens, clearing out debris from over the winter and generally in a yard-work mood. Can you offer any suggestions for folks who want a yard that’s friendly to pollinators and to the environment?
Theres so many spectrums about how you can go about being pollinator-friendly.
- It doesn't mean you have to tear up your entire yard. It could be something as simple as, I’m going to – instead of buying my traditional pants at the nursery – see if they have some native plants and incorporate them in.
Something very simple they could do is just be like, I'm going to go low-pesticide this year, and I'm going to look at more native ways I can handle pest management.
It could be learning about some of the nesting stuff – maybe leaving a small area where you don't clear out just yet.
- A lot of bees do ground nesting. You could just create a little insect haven in your yard. If you have an old stump, leave it – bugs like that.
Your average person might not be like, I can tear up my whole yard, and I’m cool with it being long grass. But you can make a pollinator garden or integrated stuff into your personal garden – there's ways to do it.
See the full interview 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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Thank you
Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Live on Stage, the Sioux Falls YMCA, EmBe, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Barre3 Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, the Washington Pavilion, and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.
Oh, by the way
Your feedback is extremely helpful – hit the reply button and send any news tips, typos, complaints, compliments or cups of coffee my way. ❤️
Special thanks to our theatre friends!
Don't miss "In the Next Room, or the vibrator play" next week only co-presented by Monstrous Little Theatre Company and Good Night Theatre Collective. Snag your tickets here. Note, this production does have adult themes and sexual innuendo, and it's intended for mature audiences.
