Oliver County Community Foundation Grant Program

The Oliver County Community Foundation (OCCF), a component of the North Dakota Community Foundation (NDCF), offers a grantmaking program designed to enhance the quality of life for residents of Oliver County, North Dakota. The foundation was established by local residents with the mission of supporting community-focused projects and nonprofit organizations throughout the county. OCCF benefits from the support structure of NDCF, which has over 40 years of experience in managing charitable contributions and providing services such as accounting, donor support, and financial oversight. OCCF provides funding to IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and governmental entities operating within Oliver County. This year, OCCF will offer two competitive grant rounds with distinct timelines and funding levels. The spring round features a submission deadline of March 31 with $31,000 available for distribution, while the fall round closes on October 13 and offers $25,000 in funding. The application portal for both rounds is open from July 1 through October 13, 2025. Projects eligible for OCCF funding should have broad community impact and serve a significant number of Oliver County residents. The Advisory Committee prioritizes applicants with limited access to other funding sources and projects that are not already heavily funded by government resources. Specific project examples include new playground installations, technology enhancements for schools, food pantry support, and emergency service improvements for hospitals and fire departments. OCCF does not fund individual scholarships, multi-year pledges, or projects tied to political or divisive activities. Religious institutions may apply only for community-wide, non-sectarian programs like food assistance. Applications must be submitted via OCCF’s online grant portal, where applicants will register using their organization name, EIN, and executive officer's contact information. The process includes an in-person or phone call from the committee to further discuss the proposal. All submitted applications are subject to full or partial funding based on Advisory Committee discretion, and the foundation reserves the right to extend deadlines or add additional rounds as needed. To support long-term sustainability, OCCF is also growing a qualified endowment fund. Contributions to this endowment may qualify for the 40% North Dakota State Tax Credit. This fund is intended to generate annual grantable dollars for Oliver County causes well into the future. Grid United, an independent transmission company, provided an initial gift that helped launch recent OCCF grant rounds. For additional information or questions regarding eligibility or fiscal sponsorship, applicants are encouraged to contact Deb Clarys at deb.clarys@securityfirstbank.com or the foundation inbox at OliverCounty@NDCF.net. For more specialized giving arrangements, inquiries can be directed to John Heinen, NDCF Western ND Regional Director, at (701) 590-4614 or via email at John@NDCF.net.

Review grant criteria, be prepared to explain project impact in committee call