South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $100,000 Beyond Idea Grant (BIG) to the Codington County Welfare Office. Funding will support establishing a sustainable Collective Impact Program (CIP).
"Codington County is so excited for the opportunities the Beyond Idea Grant will provide for our community. Over the past two years, there have been great successes as the result of community members working together. This grant is essential for moving to the next level of addressing community needs. It will allow us to better identify those needs and work together more effectively,” says Sara Fouse, Director, Codington County Welfare Office. “We cannot wait to see the accomplishments this next year holds with the support of this grant.”
The Codington County Social Services Advisory Council started a strategic planning process in 2022 which identified five priority areas: Housing, Mental Health, Childcare, Community Transformation, and Centralized Services. Action Teams have been established to address these needs and the community is meeting the identified goals. The grant will allow the establishment of the Collective Impact model so the progress made is not only sustained but expanded.
"We see the partnership with the Codington County Welfare Office a very positive one,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer. “Their grass roots approach encourages fellow residents to contribute to improving the social, cultural, and economic concerns in the Watertown area.”
SDCF is a public non-profit organization established in 1987. SDCF, with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen administers 1,200 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations annually. The Foundation distributed nearly $31 million in grants in 2023 which made a tremendous difference in communities statewide. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. If you have a specific cause you would like to support or would prefer to give for the general good of our state, please visit https://sdcommunityfoundation.org/giving to learn more or call 1-800-888-1842.