President’s Report: Forward Sioux Falls – Home Stretch
- September 16, 2025
By: Bob Mundt, President & CEO
September 11, 2025, marked the kickoff of the public phase of Forward Sioux Falls IX. Campaign co-chairs announced that the private phase of the campaign had met its goal of raising 60% of the $18 million goal. The public campaign will now focus on expanding the number of investors involved to over 400 companies.
Campaign IX Leadership has set some aggressive outcomes including:
- Creation of over 5,000 new direct jobs averaging $40/hour
- 8,800 indirect jobs averaging $30/hour
- Almost a billion dollars in annual direct and indirect payroll
- Acquiring 800 –1,000 acres of land for Foundation Park II
- Creating over $3 billion in new capital investments
- Creating over $700 million in new property tax value
- And growing the population of the region by 30,000 people
Supported by both the public and private sector, Forward Sioux Falls has become a national model for successful economic development fundraising and program implementation. Focusing on Economic & Business Development, Talent and Workforce Development, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Advocacy & Community Enhancement, Forward Sioux Falls has been the economic engine of the community for almost 40 years. In that time, the population of the Sioux Falls metro has tripled from 85,000 to nearly 250,000.
The four pillars of Forward Sioux Falls will be implemented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and several strategic partners including educational institutions, non-profits and related economic and community development entities.
In addition to continuing some ongoing programs, Forward Sioux Falls IX will assist in the creation of the SDSU Metro Center for health sciences, expansion of the Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Center at STC, creation of the Housing Trust Fund for workforce housing and the creation of a special projects management program to help fund worthy projects that may be proposed in the future.
If you haven’t been approached by a representative from the Forward Sioux Falls IX campaign team, we encourage you to reach out here. With your help, we can continue the momentum we have established over the past 40 years and responsibly grow our region.