basic needs
As one of the only large funders in the region, we help meet other urgent basic needs for our community members. Our grantmaking and collaborative efforts help meet needs in the following areas.
Food
Physical and Behavioral Health
Safety
Social Belonging and Culture
Transportation
Grantmaking Strategy
Invest in programs that meet the basic needs of low-income families
Fund existing and new programs that support basic needs of low-income families
Our Stories
Current Grantees
Value of basic need grants as of March 2024
Food
Black Hills Area Community Foundation – $68,000Support of the Friends of Food Security work to include staff support, convenings and food security grants
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Feeding South Dakota – $100,000General Operations |
Fork Real Community Cafe – $50,000General Operations |
One Spirit – $50,000Support for their food distribution program |
Western South Dakota Senior Services Inc (Meals on Wheels) – $300,000Delivery Truck and Operating Costs
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Physical or Behavior Health
Good Shepherd Clinic, Inc – $70,000Immunization Program
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National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – $55,000One-year operating support for mental health education and supports in the Black Hills
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Volunteers of America Mommy’s Closet – $120,000Two-year operating support to meet needs of low income families with young children. |
United Way of the Black Hills – $100,000Support a regional Mental Health Initiative
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Safety
American Red Cross – $50,000For families affected by disaster, and to increase capacity of volunteers and assist with disaster preparation for at-risk populations
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Bethany Christian Services of Western SD – $25,000For the Recovering Mothers with Newborns (ReNew) Program in Rapid City
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Fourth Circuit DUI Court – $10,000Assist participants and their families with miscellaneous expenses while in the program
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Lawrence County Teen Court – $10,000Juvenile diversion programming
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Northern Hills Drug Court – $10,000Assist participants and their families with miscellaneous expenses while in the program
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Pennington County Drug Treatment Court Association – $20,000Assist participants and their families with miscellaneous expenses while in the program |
Pennington County DUI Court – $20,000Assist participants and their families with miscellaneous expenses while in the program
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Pennington County Mental Health Court – $10,000Assist participants and their families with miscellaneous expenses while in the program
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Seventh Circuit Court Appointed Special Advocates – $150,000Support for staffing, training, and volunteer support of the CASA program
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Volunteers of America Northern Rockies – $250,000Coordination of the Black Hills Regional Homeless Coalition
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Working Against Violence, Inc. – $300,000One-year general operations stabilization support after decrease in Victims of Crime Assistance funding |
Wellfully – $305,000Adolescent Crisis Care Center to support youth in crisis in a trauma-informed manner
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Social Belonging and Culture
Boys & Girls Club of Rosebud – $150,000Funding for three youth center sites and one teen center site
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Chamber Music Festival of the Black Hills – $22,000One-year support for educational music programming for underserved and low-income yout
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Cheyenne River Youth Project – $195,000$100,000 for Building the Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Institute
$95,000 for Youth Leadership and Workforce Development
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Helpline Center – $110,000Volunteer Connections Program |
Main Street Square – $300,000$200,000 General operations of Main Street Square
$100,000 Capital improvements
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Oaye Luta Okolakiciye (OLO)- $75,000Rapid City Middle School Talking Circles |
Rapid City Club for Boys Inc – $283,000Afterschool and summer program for at-risk boys |
Rapid City Arts Council – $65,000Arts education and outreach programming to continue to provide youth and young adults equitable access to the arts |
South Dakota Education Equity Coalition – $25,000Support for coalition efforts in their work to close the gap in education outcomes between Indigenous students and other students in South Dakota
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YFS Girls Inc. of Rapid City – $25,000Two-year operating support for out-of-school time programming for Rapid City girls
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Transportation
Journey On – $100,000Dedicated medical and recovery transportation team and vehicle to support access to services for those strugging with addiction
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SHIFT Garage – $50,000One-year general operations for the UPSHIFT car purchase program
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Collaborations
Systems of Care Collaborative
JTVF facilitates a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is organized to meet the behavioral health challenges of children, youth and families to help function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life. The SOCC advocates for eliminating gaps in services specific to the needs of children.
Our role: JTVF facilitates this collaborative monthly.
West River Behavioral Health Alliance
Our role: Alan serves on this alliance.
Western South Dakota Funders Group
Our role: Founding member
Community Services Connections
This coalition of non-profits gather monthly to keep each other informed on what’s happening in their organization. They describe new or changing programing, staff etc.
Our role: Participant
Learn more about the grant application process.