The Rapid City Strategic Housing Trust Fund (the “Strategic Housing Trust Fund”) was created in 2020 to address the affordable housing shortfall in Rapid City. Housed at the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, the Strategic Housing Trust Fund takes a long-term approach to the affordable housing issues faced by our community through revolving funds for housing development.

Our role: Founding member, funder. Alan from the JTVF team sits on the Advisory group for this work.

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This committee reviews requests for City funding for social services programs and the Community Development Block Grant, and makes recommendations to the Common Council regarding the selection of sub-grantees.

Our role: Alan from the JTVF team participates in this committee through mayoral appointment.

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Housed at the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, the JTVF Child Care Innovation Fund will be used to pilot a program where local businesses, philanthropy, and employees themselves equally share the costs of child care. It’s a bold step towards addressing a growing concern in the modern workforce—child care affordability. The Tri-Share Program aims to make child care affordable and accessible for working parents, help employers retain and attract employees, and support child care providers’ sustainability.

Our role: Founder

Early Learner Rapid City is an effort under the ELSD umbrella with a vision that all children have access to high quality early learning experiences and environments to create a solid foundation for lifelong success. Early Learner communities, such as Rapid City, engage their community stakeholders to improve early learning in their community. Rapid City is using the Early Learning Community Action Guide from the National League of Cities which helps communities take action to become an Early Learning Community.

Our role: Jess from the JTVF team is on the Advisory Team.

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Early Learner South Dakota (ELSD) is a community-driven, grass roots effort, led by the South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children (SDAEYC) bringing awareness and support to the importance of how access to a variety of early learning environments impacts our community’s future. ELSD advocates for child care providers and acts as their voice at the state policy and legislative levels. Additionally, ELSD provides guidance and support to communities wishing to become a designated early learning community, a community where young children are a top priority. Thirdly, ELSD acts as a connector for organizations that serve adults who affect children’s lives- parents, caregivers, and educators. 

Our role: Jess is on the statewide leadership and advocacy committees for ELSD.

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SDAEYC promotes high-quality care and early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

Our role: Jess from the JTVF team is the Public Policy Chair.

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South Dakota is one of 9 states invited to participate in a pilot cohort to connect the business sector with the childcare industry. The South Dakota Child Care Business Collaborative works to find solutions that address the child care crisis in South Dakota. Early Learner South Dakota acts as the facilitator in this process, provide innovative solutions to the group, and bring research from other states working on the child care crisis. 

Our role: Jess is on the Advisory Team

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The South Dakota Childcare Task Force is made up of 24 South Dakota lawmakers, business leaders, parents and early childhood professionals. Led by South Dakota state senator Tim Reed, the group plans to tackle what government can do to better support quality access to child care across the state.

Our role: Jess is on the Task Force

In 2018, JTVF invested in Elevate Rapid City, an economic development entity for Rapid City and the Black Hills region. Its mission is to achieve the shared economic and community development goals that will elevate the quality of life and employment opportunities for all those who call Rapid City home. Our investment focuses on Elevate’s workforce development strategy and aligns with our economic mobility strategies.

Our role: Funder, Alan from the JTVF team is a member of the Board of Directors and executive committee.

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The purpose of the OneHeart transformation campus is to elevate the human spirit and the spirit of the Rapid City community. By providing transitional housing and co-locating a variety of services - from childcare to healthcare, from counseling to financial education, and from job-training to higher education– OneHeart creates a way to more efficiently, effectively, and collectively help our neighbors without homes move into permanent housing and a better quality of life.

Our role: Funder, Alan from the JTVF team serves in an advisory capacity to the OneHeart executive leadership.

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The Uplifting Parents Program (UP Program) empowers single parent families by providing resources to support their advancement in education. Those selected to participate in the Uplifting Parents Program have the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentoring,  a monthly financial stipend, parenting education and support, and crisis-diversion case management. All within a community of peer and professional support. UP Coalition Members a serve in an advisory capacity to inform the program's vision, strategy, and processes.

Our role: Former Funder, Jess from the JTVF team serves on the Coalition.

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Workforce Connections convenes quarterly meetings to discuss various programs and how to align services to clients in the Rapid City area. 

Our role: Participant

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The coalition is a collaboration of 40+ organizations that advance best practices in homeless services, engage in joint problem-solving, and create shared solutions to both individual and community issues affecting those experiencing homelessness.

Our role: Funder, Participant

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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

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Rapid City is in the process of updating its 2014 Comprehensive Plan. This document will guide the City’s development and decision-making at all levels while incorporating existing studies, sub-plans, and community input. 

Our role: Alan and Callie participate on this committee.

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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 quarterly.

Initiated and convened by JTVF to bring together local funders to discuss each other’s priorities, processes and grantmaking. Regular participants include Foundation representation from Bush Foundation; Black Hills Area Community Foundation, South Dakota Community Foundation, Stearns Foundation, Black Hills Energy, Monument Health Foundation, Black Hills Energy Foundation, United Way of the Black Hills, and NDN Collective.

Our role: Founding member

The Oyate Prevention Coalition is a non-profit group whose members come from all walks of life and are committed to promoting a drug-free environment for youth and young adults in the Rapid City area.The mission of the Oyate Prevention Coalition is to prevent and reduce the prevalence of substance use and abuse by providing life skills and education that allow American Indian youth, young adults, and their families in the Rapid City area to lead healthy and productive lives.

Our role: Participant

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