For Immediate Release: April 30, 2021

Contact: Julie.Ramsey@state.sd.us  

SD-DOH Announces Available Grants for
Mosquito Control Programs

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Health (SD-DOH) today announced that cities, counties, and tribes can apply, or reapply, to obtain state grant funding to help control mosquito populations and prevent the spread of the West Nile virus (WNV). $500,000 is available for this grant program.

“Working with local jurisdictions to help prevent West Nile Virus is of public health interest to everyone in South Dakota,” said Daniel Bucheli, SD-DOH Communications Director.  

South Dakota’s first human case of WNV was reported back in 2001, and since then 2,617 cases have been identified, resulting in 46 deaths. Since WNV first emerged, the state has provided millions of dollars in support of local control programs and worked with local partners to best identify and respond to virus spread.

Individual grants range from $500 to $20,000 and are to be used exclusively for local mosquito control programs. Grant awards will be based on the population of the applying jurisdiction and its number of human cases through the year 2020.  To apply for the WNV Prevention grant, all eligible South Dakota city, county, and tribal officials should complete that application located here: http://westnile.sd.gov. 

All applications are due by June 1^st and funding awards will be announced and available starting July 1, 2021. 

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