As we close the books on our 17th year at JTVF, we are incredibly grateful for the community of grantees, partners, community leaders and advocates who made the past year a success.

In 2024, we proudly awarded $9.01 million to 40 organizations, helping to fuel impactful work across our community. Today, over $20 million is actively driving progress in affordable housing, early learning, economic mobility, and meeting basic needs. But these dollars represent more than funding—they carry the hopes, vision, and dedication of our grantees, who work tirelessly to build a better future for all of us.

Here’s just a small glimpse of what was accomplished last year: seven daycare centers improved their facilities and paid their hardworking staff, over 500 individuals received scholarships to pursue advanced education, 200 youth participated in visual arts classes, and 252 new affordable housing units are on their way to our city. And that’s just the beginning. 

You can explore the full list of 2024 grant recipients and their inspiring work here.

10 Years of the Coaches Network

Since 2014, Social Services professionals from the Rapid City area have gathered for a monthly meeting called the Coaches Network. This group typically welcomes 35-40 attendees each month, with a community presentation to share the work being done in the community. Nearly half the group has been attending these meetings since 2020. In a group survey, highlights of the many reasons to join the Coaches Network include:

• Networking and relationship building
• Community Engagement and Support
• Access to Resources and Information
• Professional Development

One respondent wrote, “I find it very helpful in my working practice to be up to date on resources offered in the community… I have seen so many wonderful connections and partnerships made through this group.”

The meetings are free to attend, with lunch included. Want to learn more? Put me in, coach!

A Final Emerging Leaders Chort

At the start of 2024, we celebrated the 5th and final cohort of  Emerging Leaders with over 100 members of the community. Over its span, the Emerging Leaders program empowered 166 participants to discover their role in addressing community issues and build the lasting, cross-sector relationships needed for systems change. We decided it was time for others to take the lead, and United Way is continuing to host a program with similar goals. 

Investment in Mental Health Workers

The JTVF Mental Health Builder Scholarship program supports staff at mental health nonprofits participating in our Systems of Care Collaborative. Our goal is to ensure those providing essential mental health services have the support and education they need to thrive. The program encourages nonprofit mental health organizations to invest in their own people, fostering growth from within. Over the six cycles of this program, we have awarded a total of $367,877 to 76 recipients. Our next grant cycle will open in Spring 2025. 

Welcomed New Board Members

We proudly announced the latest addition to our dynamic team – not one, but two stellar individuals joined our esteemed board of directors. Whitney Rencountre II and Claudia Vucurevich bring a wealth of insight, passion, and a deep commitment to our community. 

…And a New CEO

In December we bid farewell to Alan Solano as he accepted a new role at Monument Health and welcomed Jacqui Dietrich as our new CEO, and only the third in our 17-year history. With an impressive background in nonprofit leadership, economic development, and community engagement, Dietrich brings a wealth of experience—and community commitment– to the Foundation.

Looking Ahead to 2025

While we know our community will face many challenges this year, we know the commitment to this work to create a fairer, brighter world together is enduring.  

We cannot wait to see what will be built as we gather, connect and co-create our vision for the future.

The JTVF Team
Jacqui Dietrich, President & CEO
Jessica Olson, Grants Director
Shelly Adams, Grants Manager