2022 Sustainable Community Grant Recipients Announced

The Sustainable Community Grant is a City of Sioux Falls Public Works initiative that supports and amplifies community-based sustainability efforts that help meet the City’s Sustainability Program goals. This is the seventh year the grant has been awarded to help achieve goals relating to waste minimization, natural resource protection, and community vitality.

The City received seven applications from Sioux Falls-based nonprofits and has elected to fund three applicants. Grant funding totals $10,000. The following nonprofits have been awarded grant dollars:

• SoDak Compost will receive $6,234. SoDak Compost works to strengthen the community’s connection to the problem of food waste, the potential of food scraps, and the promise of compost. Grant dollars will support Sioux Falls’ first community food waste composting pilot program. The project will provide a drop-off for food scraps for participating residents, create compost from food scraps, and provide compost to community members, while also providing education to residents on the value of food waste composting.
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls will receive $2,766. The Habitat ReStore prevents more than 475 tons of material from being landfilled each year through reselling goods that would otherwise be discarded and recycling items that cannot be resold. Grant dollars will provide support to replace aging infrastructure for Habitat ReStore’s waste diversion program and increase waste diversion efforts.
• IronFox Farm will receive $1,000. IronFox Farm is an urban farm that provides an educational gardening space where elementary students and other community members can learn about soil health, plants, pollinators, and more. Grant dollars will allow the organization to construct a rainwater collection system that will allow plants to be watered while addressing water conservation.

“Funding these three applicants allows the City of Sioux Falls to support efforts that increase waste diversion, resource conservation, and food access, all of which are growing needs and important for a vibrant, sustainable community,” says Sustainability Coordinator Holly Meier. “We’re happy to partner with these organizations to help strengthen the sustainability impact and community benefit they have in Sioux Falls.”

For more information on the Sustainable Community Grant, view the Sustainable Community Grant fact sheet (next page) or visit siouxfalls.org/green.