Fairy Godmother's Fund
To provide immediate, short-term, critical financial support to individuals throughout South Dakota.
Fund Details
Fairy Godmother Fund Brochure 10 2025
Small grants that make a big difference
It isn’t always easy to make ends meet. Sudden illnesses, loss of employment, abuse, and other issues can spring up and devastate strong individuals in our communities. We help them get back on their feet.
The Fairy Godmother’s Fund was created to improve the health and well-being of people in South Dakota with limited resources. The fund helps them address immediate, short-term, critical needs that can't be met by traditional funding options. An Advisory Council of individuals throughout the state works to ensure the funds are directly paid to benefit individual's needs throughout the year.
A fairy godmother is always ready to lend a helping hand.
Through your contribution to The Fairy Godmother’s Fund, you can help the people of South Dakota. With your involvement, this can be a never-ending story of people helping people.
Every first-time contributor of $100 or more will receive a fairy godmother lapel pin. We invite you to wear these to spark interest among other donors.
Advisory Council:
The Fairy Godmother’s Fund’s Advisory Council consists of individuals from across the state. They volunteer their time to ensure funds are paid to the most pressing needs.
- Beth Benning of Spearfish
- Bonnie Bjork of Rapid City
- Chris Buche of Mitchell
- Linda Buri of Milbank
- Sally Christenson of Pierre
- Linda Daugaard of Garretson
- Linda Erickson of Sioux Falls
- Erin Fouberg of Aberdeen
- Marilyn Grossenburg of Winner
- Barbara Harms of Brookings
- Amy Mickelson of Sioux Falls
- Penny Porter of Sioux Falls
“The Fairy Godmother’s Fund continues to gain momentum. Donations go to meet pressing needs in the lives of those who are struggling with medical challenges, striving for a brighter future or are being mistreated. South Dakotans don’t think twice about helping their neighbors in need, so consequently, I find it fairly easy to ask friends and neighbors to support those who need it most.”
the late Glenna Fouberg, Fairy Godmother’s Fund Advisory Council Charter Member
Grants from the Fairy Godmother's Fund benefit individuals in a variety of ways including:
- An individual with two young children was at risk of losing their daycare because of circumstances beyond their control. You made it possible to keep the children in daycare so that they could retain their employment.
- A grandparent caring for their grandchild who was born with a disability needed vehicle repairs. To keep their jobs and to transport their grandchild to their appointments, your gift made this possible for a very happy grandparent.
- A single parent and child found themselves homeless and residing in their car. A gift assisted them with the funds they needed while housing was secured
- A single parent, recently diagnosed with scoliosis, was able to purchase a washing machine for themselves and their 5-year-old child. They was unable to drive to a laundromat due to their disability.
- A single parent with four children was approved for housing after living in a Domestic Violence Center. Your gift helped them get the necessities to make their house a home.
How to Make a Referral to the Fairy Godmother's Fund
All requests for assistance must come from nonprofit organizations or community members. The Fairy Godmother’s Fund does not accept self-referrals. Contact the SDCF at (800) 888-1842 to obtain a referral form.
Lending a Helping Hand
Your generous contributions make a huge difference in the lives of individuals all across South Dakota. Your assistance in their time of need is greatly appreciated. So far, donors have contributed over $790,000 to the fund. Join your friends and neighbors in supporting the Fairy Godmother’s Fund and help make an impact in your community!
| Amy Mickelson |
| Ann Sigelman |
| Anne Gormley |
| Ardelle & Orin Johnson |
| Barbara Reed Harms |
| Beth & Jim Benning |
| Betty & Rickter Clay |
| Bobbie & John Brown |
| Bonnie & Rees Mielke |
| Bonnie Bjork |
| Bonny & Charles Schroyer |
| Brittany Schmidt |
| Bruce Brandner |
| C. Anny McKay Thompson |
| Carmen Meyer |
| Carol & Bradley Johnson |
| Carolyn & Donley Lang |
| Catherine Clark |
| Cathy Sonnenschein |
| Connie Colwill |
| Cynthia & G. Mark Mickelson |
| David & Sean Potas |
| Dawn & Milt Morris |
| Deanell Backlund |
| Deanna & Darrel Kaiser |
| Deb & Greg Johnson |
| Deborah Olson |
| Deena Ronayne |
| Diane & Dan DesLauriers |
| Diane Ness |
| Dody Hopkins |
| Dolores Lauinger |
| Donna Masters |
| Eileen Bertsch |
| Ellen & Thomas Lee |
| Emily Guhin |
| Erin & Robert Fouberg |
| Ethel & Garry Swenson |
| Gail & Fran Sommerfeld |
| Gene Fastnacht |
| George Allen |
| Ginger & Dan Niemann |
| Gloria Hanson-Schreiner |
| Halley Lee |
| Heidi Gullickson |
| Jacki Koehler |
| Jaqueline & Burton Sly |
| Jacquelyn & Dusty Johnson |
| James Abbott & Debroah Vander Woude |
| Jan DeBerg |
| Jane & Joel Albrecht |
| Jean A. Koehler |
| Jean Holle |
| Jenna Wickersham |
| Jerolyn Dean-Dubro |
| Judith Payne & Dennis Doerr |
| Julia & Scott Jones |
| Karen & Corey Brown |
| Kathy & Mike Mueller |
| Kathryn Johnson |
| Kay & Doug Decker |
| Kay Crawford |
| Kelly & Jim Weaver |
| Kelsey & Chase Smith |
| Kendra "Birdie" Childress |
| Kris & Steve Egger Charitable Fund of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation |
| Leah Dewald |
| Linda & Doug Buri |
| Linda & William Roth |
| Linda Mickelson Graham |
| Linda Pietz |
| Linda's Fashion Employees |
| Linda's Fashion |
| Lori & Bob Sutton |
| Lori & Steve Finnesand |
| Lori & Tom Oster |
| Margaret Lehr |
| Margot Hood-Rogers |
| Marilyn & Barry Grossenburg |
| Marilyn Hoyt |
| Mary & Jeffery Smith |
| Mary & Ron Pesek |
| Mary Ann & Patrick King |
| Mary Bridget Jensen |
| Monica & Steve Hardin |
| Morgan Finley |
| Nancy & John Sternquist |
| Nancy & Richard Gowen |
| Pat & Shawn Costello Advised Fund of the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern SD |
| Peg Seljeskog |
| Peggy Urquhart |
| Penny & John Porter |
| Presentation Sisters |
| R. Sally & Daryl Isburg |
| Rita & Dean Soresnson |
| Roberta Ambur |
| Rodney Fouberg |
| Sally Christenson |
| Sandy Zinter |
| Sandy & Cy Farner |
| Sharon Stroschein |
| South Dakota Community Foundation |
| Steve & Marty Kalkman Charitable Fund |
| Susan & Clayton Johnson |
| Susan R. & Curt A. Wischmeier |
| Susan Edson |
| Theresa Henehan |
| Todd Fulmer |
| Trish Delaney |
| Valerie Simpson |
| Vicki & Jim Lust |
| Victoria Mettler |
| Virginia Larson |
| William Haugen |
A Strong Start
The Fairy Godmother’s Fund began in 2009 with $11,000 in donations from hundreds at a women’s conference in Pierre, including $5,000 from the South Dakota Community Foundation.
With that strong foundation, the fund has continued to grow. The endowment fund at the South Dakota Community Foundation has awarded over 330 grants totaling nearly $153,000.