More wonderful than a batch of warm cookies, this month’s grantees nourish our community in more ways than one! In July, we awarded $905,000 to grantees that meet the basic needs of our community members from all walks of life. Here’s more on the grants that got us to $100 million awarded in the community since 2007:

• • Wellfully: $305,000 in one-year general operating support for the Adolescent Crisis Care Center.
  • Black Hills Area Community Foundation: $300,000 in two-year matching support for the nonprofit endowment program.
  • Rapid City Arts Council: $150,000 in two-year support to provide youth and young adults equitable access to the arts.
  • Western South Dakota Community Action: $100,000 in one-year operating funds to support low-income families.
  • Passages Women’s Transitional Living: $50,000 in one-year general operations to provide reentry services to women making the transition from incarceration, homelessness, and treatment centers.

Welfully Adolecent Crisis Care Center

$305,000 – This one-year Basic Needs grant provides operating support to the Adolescent Crisis Care Center is a free-will, walk-in resource for middle and high school age youth who are in crisis or may be considering suicide.

About Wellfully

Through residential and after-school programs, Wellfully helps at-risk youth develop effective coping skills leading them to make better life choices about their own health, education and employment. Their Addiction Recovery program provides healthy recovery options for youth ages 11-18 who have substance abuse issues and co-occurring disorders. Their Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility is an inpatient treatment option for teen girls struggling with ongoing behavioral, emotional and/or psychiatric problems.

Black Hills Area Community Foundation

$300,000 – This two-year Basic Needs grant provides up to $20,000 in matching funding to regional nonprofits beginning or expanding an endowment at the Black Hills Area Community Foundation.

About the Black Hills Area Community Foundation

The Black Hills Area Community Foundation team inspires donors to give, invests in charitable work, and manages select community initiatives. They are the only Community Foundation solely focused on serving the Black Hills area, spanning Butte, Meade, Lawrence, Pennington, Custer, Oglala Lakota and Fall River counties. As of 2024, the Community Foundation manages $60 million in assets and has granted more than $35 million since its establishment in 2006. Their endowment program helps nonprofits generate ongoing revenue to support their own operations. 

Rapid City Arts Council

$150,000 – This two-year Basic Needs grant supports equitable arts education for Rapid City youth for the next two years, supporting their educational journey and social well-being.

About Rapid City Arts Council

The Rapid City Arts Council champions the power of art to bring all kinds of people together, making art more accessible, more integral and more inspiring for the communities we serve. Celebrating 50 years at the Dahl, the region’s premier arts center, RCAC has expanded opportunities for diverse artistic experiences, showcasing the exceptional talent of the rural western South Dakota region.

Western South Dakota Community Action

$100,000 – This one-year Basic Needs grant provides operating funds to support low-income families.

About Western South Dakota Community Action

At Western South Dakota Community Action (WSDCA), their mission is not just to address the symptoms but to revolutionize the very causes and effects of poverty. At the heart of their approach is a commitment to providing those in need with the essential tools and support to break free from the cycle of poverty. WSDCA connects low-income families to health insurance, energy assistance, housing weatherization, and even help during tax season.

Passages Women’s Transitional Living

$50,000 – This one-year Basic Needs grant supports reentry services to women making the transition from incarceration, homelessness, and treatment centers.

About Passages Women’s Transitional Living

Passages Women’s Transitional Living provides reentry services to women making the transition from incarceration, homelessness, and treatment centers. They help women put the pieces of their lives back together. Initiated in 2008, with the first residents housed in 2013, Passages’ loving home environment replaces the lies women believe about themselves with the truth that they are valued human beings: providing hope, opportunity and skills to reach their full potential.