South Dakota Income Security and Social Services Grants

This grant provides funding to states and territories to develop a coordinated early childhood education system that integrates various programs, including Head Start, to improve access and efficiency for families with children from birth to age five.

Grant opportunity for non-profit and charitable organizations in South Dakota through the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF). The foundation does not fund grants that discriminate based on race, color, creed, or national origin. They award grants through the South Dakota Fund to charitable organizations across the state and have provided grants to nonprofit organizations in all 66 counties. Funding good across the state. The South Dakota Fund The South Dakota Fund is an unrestricted fund that makes grants to non-profit and charitable organizations across the state in support of culture, economic development, education, financial literacy, health and human services. South Dakota Fund grants are awarded by the SDCF Board of Directors throughout the year. Take a look at our past award recipients below and see if your organization qualifies. Grants South Dakota Fund Grants Beyond Idea Grants Bush Prize: South Dakota Nonprofit Savings Account Challenge Grants Local Grants Basic Eligibility Applicants should be a public, nonprofit organization as defined by IRS Publication 78. You can also work with a verified fiscal sponsor who can receive funds on your behalf. The SDCF does not make grants in support of political campaigns, discriminatory practices, or for personal gain. Before you start the application, view our sample application (PDF). This will help you ensure that you have all you'll need for a formal application. Then visit our online application to begin your grant application. If you've previously submitted a grant application to the SDCF, visit eGrant to submit an application. 1. Discrimination The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF or Foundation) closely scrutinizes all grant proposals for discriminatory practices and will not fund grants that discriminate based on race, color, creed or national origin. 2. Application Procedures 2.1. Innovation SDCF funds both ongoing, well established projects as well as innovative projects designed to address South Dakota community needs. Staff is available, on a limited basis, to offer support. 2.2. Volunteerism Projects which have paid staff but involve significant and continuous community volunteer support to enhance their existing programs will be favorably considered. 2.3. Statewide Distribution SDCF funds will be distributed statewide to best meet the needs of the statewide constituency, except for the endowed funds designated for specific charitable purposes by the donor. Grantmaking decisions will be made by the Foundation Board of Directors based upon their evaluation and the recommendations of the Grantmaking Committee and staff. 2.4. Public Nonprofit Organizations The SDCF will concentrate on funding public nonprofit corporations but will consider other organizations which meet grant guidelines. 2.5. Capital Improvements Costs of building, remodeling, and capital bricks and mortar projects are funded on a limited basis and receive low priority. The SDCF generally will not provide transportation vehicles or equipment purchases over $10,000. 2.6. Minimum & Maximum Awards Grant applications requesting less than $2,000 and over $20,000 will usually not be considered, although there can be exceptions. 2.7 Total Project Cost Applications that are requesting more than half of the total project cost will receive low priority. 2.8. Challenge or Matching Grants The SDCF encourages matching funds from all grant applicants. When the Grantmaking Committee sees the need for more local involvement and support of a given project to establish ownership in the community, it may require challenge grants in any proportion. Funding may be contingent upon acquisition of the required matching money. If the Foundation perceives a need is not being met, it may issue a challenge grant or request for proposal to participate in a challenge grant to address that need. 2.9. Seed Grants Applications requesting startup money must provide feasibility data indicating a need for the project, support for the project and the ongoing probability of success. 2.10. Collaborative Projects Applications received from collaborative applications of two or more organizations will be considered if their proposal meets the guidelines of the Foundation. All communications and accountability must be established with only one of the organizations. 2.11. Financial Literacy Projects Applications may be submitted for credit or debit education or other charitable or consumer education purposes. Requesting funding for financial literacy opportunities, does not preclude applying for other projects within the South Dakota Fund in a 12-month period. Applicants may apply for more than $20,000. 2.12. Fiscal Sponsorship The SDCF accepts grant applications from organizations serving as a fiscal sponsor for charitable projects. Fiscal sponsors may apply multiple times in one year on behalf of different applicants but only once per year for any single applicant. Fiscal sponsors will be required to submit application attachments if applicable to entity. Checks will be issued to the fiscal sponsor for use by the applicant. 2.13. Operating Expense for Governmental Entities No SDCF funds will be awarded to pay for operating expenses for governmental entities. 2.14. Loans The SDCF does not make loans. 3. Exceptions to Application Procedures The SDCF may make an exception to any grantmaking guideline upon motion duly made, seconded and carried by a majority of the members present and voting. Motion must state rationale for the exception. Exceptions taken in one instance do not constitute precedent exceptions for future grant decisions. 4. Letter of Inquiry, Review Process and Communications 4.1. Grant Review Process Letters of Inquiry (LOI) will be accepted throughout the year. The Foundation will respond to all applicants in a timely manner. Staff will eliminate LOI’s that do not fit the mission of the Foundation or clearly do not qualify. Following review of the LOI, applicants may be invited to complete a full grant application. All grant applications will be forwarded by staff to the Grantmaking Committee. The Grantmaking Committee will review the applications and make their recommendations to the board of directors who will review the recommendations of the Committee and may approve the awards. 4.2. Communications with Applicants All applicants will be informed by e-mail in a timely manner of any action taken on their grant application. The Grantmaking Committee will hold decisions in confidence until publicly announced by the SDCF. 5. Re-applications Multiple or repeat applications from one organization in less than a twelve-month period are not allowed, except as may be allowed under Section 2.10. 6. Project Updates 6.1. Due Diligence A due diligence form shall be completed and returned to the Foundation before a grant of funds is disbursed. Applicants shall inform the Foundation office by e-mail of any significant changes in grant applicant status, organizational status, or project status. Funding may be changed based upon the significance of changes in project status. 6.2. Final Evaluation Report A final evaluation report shall be submitted to the Foundation office immediately following project completion. A grant file is considered complete only after the final evaluation report is received in the Foundation office, and until received, no additional grant requests will be considered. 7. Verification Organizations applying for funds from the SDCF must be verified by the Internal Revenue Service under Publication 78. Ready to apply? Follow these steps to complete your application. If you have not already done so, read the grantmaking guidelines above to ensure you meet all eligibility requirements. Download our sample grant application (PDF) to see what information you will need. Submit a Letter of Inquiry through our online eGrant system. We'll respond within approximately 15 business days with a decision. If you have not accessed eGrant before, you will need to register. If the Letter of Inquiry is accepted, you will be invited to complete a full application in eGrant. An email confirmation will be sent to you when your application has been received by the South Dakota Community Foundation. The SDCF staff and board of directors will review your application. We will notify you of our decision within approximately 90 days after you submit your application with a decision. Access the eGrant portal to complete your application online. Ginger Niemann Senior Program Officer Since 1998, Ginger has been a member of the South Dakota Community Foundation team. Nearly a decade of her time at the foundation has been spent overseeing the administration of grant programs. Currently, Ginger works closely with the Grant Making Committee to make distributions from the South Dakota Fund and Community Innovation Grants program, which is a partnership with the Bush Foundation. In addition to managing the grant application process from application to selection, she also oversees the Fairy Godmother Fund, which meets urgent needs of women in the state. Crystal Ortbahn Grant Program Coordinator Crystal joined the South Dakota Community Foundation in September 2021. She brings experience in public service in South Dakota and overseas, having completed assignments with the United States Peace Corps in Uganda and Burkina Faso. Crystal grew up in Pierre and is a graduate of Augustana University. She is eager to support good work being done across the state as a member of the grant team. [email protected] [undefined:[email protected]]

The Black Hills Area Community Foundation (BHACF) is offering its Summer Capacity Building Grant, a program designed to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability, and efficiency of eligible organizations within specific counties of South Dakota. While the description doesn't explicitly detail the BHACF's overarching mission, the focus on "capacity building needs" suggests an alignment with fostering a robust and resilient non-profit sector in the Black Hills area. This grant directly supports the foundation's implied strategic priority of empowering local organizations to better serve their communities through enhanced operational capabilities. The target beneficiaries for this grant include IRS 501(c)(3) public charities, schools, government entities, and religious organizations operating within Oglala Lakota, Fall River, Custer, Pennington, Meade, Lawrence, and Butte counties in South Dakota. The core impact goal is to strengthen these organizations, enabling them to achieve greater effectiveness, sustainability, or efficiency. This focus on internal organizational health indicates a theory of change where by investing in the operational capacity of these entities, the foundation expects a ripple effect of improved service delivery and community impact. The grant prioritizes several key areas for capacity building. Eligible projects include measurements and evaluation, partnership development, strategic planning, board engagement/development, marketing and donor engagement, technology needs and technical support, and staff development/retention. These focus areas are indicative of the foundation's understanding that a holistic approach to organizational development is necessary for long-term success. The expected outcomes are directly tied to improvements in these areas, leading to more effective and sustainable organizations. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond the types of eligible projects, the emphasis on "measurements and evaluation" as a funding area suggests that grantees will be expected to demonstrate how their capacity-building efforts lead to tangible improvements in their operations and service delivery. The grant duration of one year and a maximum grant amount of $5,000 further indicate a focused approach on achievable, short-to-medium term improvements in the selected capacity-building areas. Ineligible projects, such as religious or political activity, fundraising, debt retirement, or multi-year funding, further define the boundaries and strategic intent of this capacity-building initiative.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is offering the 2024 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund (Pollinator Fund) to advance pollinator conservation. The core mission of this fund is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. This aligns with NFWF’s broader Monarch Butterfly Business Plan, indicating a strategic, long-term commitment to these species. The fund aims to support both technical assistance for private working lands and direct habitat improvement projects. The target beneficiaries of this grant program include monarch butterflies and other at-risk native insect pollinator species, such as the rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Karner blue butterfly, Dakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperling, and Mitchell’s satyr. The program also indirectly benefits private landowners, farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, especially those in Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories, by providing resources and incentives for conservation practices on their lands. The overall impact goal is to significantly enhance the quality, quantity, and connectivity of pollinator habitat across eligible states. The Pollinator Fund has two main categories of focus. The first is Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands, which prioritizes increasing voluntary engagement of private landowners in conservation practices through staff resources and targeted outreach for Farm Bill programs like CSP and EQIP. The second category, Habitat Improvement, focuses on on-the-ground restoration and enhancement of pollinator habitat, emphasizing regionally appropriate milkweed and diverse native nectar plants, as well as increasing the supply of native seeds and seedlings. These priorities align with NFWF's strategic goal of fostering sustainable ecosystems through direct habitat restoration and incentivizing private land stewardship. Expected outcomes and measurable results are central to this program. All proposals must demonstrate how they will directly and measurably contribute to the Pollinator Fund's goals, specifically by providing the number of acres restored or enhanced. A minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states must be restored or enhanced. Historically, successful projects have averaged 2,120 acres, indicating a substantial scale for expected impact. The program's theory of change posits that by providing financial assistance and technical support, and by focusing on key geographical areas and species, NFWF can effectively reverse declines in monarch and other native pollinator populations, thereby contributing to broader ecosystem health and biodiversity. The total funding of up to $5.1 million in 2024, contributed by a diverse group of partners, underscores the collaborative and impactful nature of this strategic initiative.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that deliver high-quality early childhood education and family services to low-income children and families across multiple states in the U.S.

This funding opportunity supports programs that promote youth mental wellness and other initiatives benefiting young people in Rapid City, South Dakota.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and qualified government units in South Dakota to address basic human needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and education.

This initiative provides $50,000 financial gifts to Black individuals in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota who are descendants of enslaved Africans, aimed at fostering intergenerational wealth and self-determined prosperity.

This grant provides funding to local organizations in underserved states and territories to implement educational programs that encourage youth aged 10 to 19 to avoid non-marital sexual activity and promote healthy life choices.