As the cost of rent in Rapid City increases, rent payment and other discretionary assistance is reaching fewer people.

It’s why the John T. Vucurevich Foundation (JTVF) is re-awarding Pennington County Human Services [PCHS] a two-year, $300,000 discretionary funding grant to support housing stabilization and essential assistance in the community. That’s a 25% increase from the last round of funding.

“These flexible resources are often the determining factor in preventing eviction, homelessness, or deeper system involvement,” said PCHS director Barry Tice.

Tice said the dollars allow PCHS to respond quickly to urgent needs, adapt to changing community conditions, and prevent crises that would otherwise place greater strain on county systems.

The Foundation, which pays around $8 million in grants to Rapid City area nonprofits annually, has partnered with PCHS on these discretionary dollars since 2008.

Demand for this assistance continues to grow as essentials become harder to afford. The discretionary dollars help with security deposits, rental assistance, past due utilities, birth certificates, hygiene items and employment-related expenses. They’re meant to help save county taxpayer dollars.

“When the price of necessities rises faster than wages, it becomes even more difficult for families to stay stable. That’s why the work of PCHS is so critical,” said Jacqui Dietrich, CEO of the John T. Vucurevich Foundation. “Their rental assistance program provides immediate stability for hundreds of local families while our community rises to the challenge of more long term solutions to affordability. We are grateful for their leadership and proud to support efforts that keep families housed and our community strong.”

For years, rental assistance has been identified as the number one community need in Rapid City and South Dakota, according to data from Helpline Center.

Between August 1, 2024, and January 27, 2026, PCHS processed 1,130 applications reflecting increased reliance on PCHS as the primary access point for last-resort assistance. That’s averaging 3 applications for assistance a day. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, PCHS averaged around 1 application per day.

The grant has increased triple fold during the last ten years – from $50,000 to $150,000 annually.

The Foundation is seeing an increase in costs associated with rent and housing assistance in other, adjacent programming, as well, where the trend is similar—funding has increased, but dollars reach fewer people.

This is a byproduct of current economic pressures in the city and county.

“Although there is seemingly enough housing to go around, the need for supports for households facing housing insecurity is even greater due to the slow growth of wages when compared to the rapid growth of housing costs over the past 5 years,” said Laura Jones, housing and community development manager for Elevate Rapid City.

During that time, average weekly employee earnings in Rapid City increased by 15 percent. Whereas the median rent increased twice the rate during the same period—by 30 percent.

With costs continuing to rise, and assistance not going as far as it used to, the health and future of our region depend on an economy that works for everyone.

At JTVF, we are proud to partner with Pennington County Human Services on this flexible funding. Lack of stable, affordable, and maintained housing is a driver of poor health outcomes and leads to diminished social and economic mobility. Providing discretionary assistance through PCHS is a nimble stopgap to help people during downturns in their lives. 

Lee Strubinger is the research and reporting director for the John T. Vucurevich Foundation in Rapid City, which assists nonprofit organizations in supporting low-income residents. A former national award-winning journalist, he spent nine years covering the Legislature for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He holds a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois-Springfield.

The John T. Vucurevich Foundation catalyzes philanthropy in western South Dakota by aligning organizations, funders, community leaders and people around the region’s most pressing challenges. We turn shared priorities into coordinated action through strategic grantmaking, research-based education and community engagement. By connecting the dots between housing, education, health and economic opportunity, we work to create lasting change and improve lives across the Black Hills region. Learn more at www.jtvf.org.

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