2024 Bush Prize: South Dakota Winner: Call to Freedom
October 22, 2024 // Bush Prize: South Dakota, Grants
“It is our honor to support Call to Freedom with the Bush Prize grant, recognizing their unwavering commitment to victims of human trafficking.”
Stephanie Judson, SDCF President & CEO
The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) is proud to partner with the Bush Foundation to introduce the 2024 Bush Prize: South Dakota winner: Call to Freedom (CTF). CTF will receive the maximum award of $500,000. As finalists for the award, Black Hills Works, Inc., Face It TOGETHER, Inc., LifeScape, Love INC of the Black Hills, One Spirit, and Volunteers of America Northern Rockies will also receive $10,000 each.
“It is our honor to support Call to Freedom with the Bush Prize grant, recognizing their unwavering commitment to victims of human trafficking,” says Stephanie Judson, SDCF President & CEO. “Their compassionate and innovative approach to education, healing, and advocacy is making a profound impact in the lives of those they serve, allowing survivors to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.”
SDCF received 75 applications for the 2024 Bush Prize: South Dakota. Applications were evaluated on how the organization demonstrated being inclusive, collaborative and resourceful in their processes, how the organization demonstrated patterns of innovative solutions and how the organization leadership fosters a culture of innovation, in addition to being strong in terms of governance and finances. Out of the 75 applications submitted, 6 organizations were selected as finalists for the Bush Prize: South Dakota and CTF was selected as the winner.
CTF advocates to bring wholeness to all individuals impacted by sex and labor trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation by navigating a healing path through their continuum of care model. Through this model, CTF provides phases of services that respond to survivors needs over time: emergency, supportive, and transitional services. CTF also supports survivors through comprehensive services tailored to their needs, whether through addiction recovery services, housing, or court-advocacy. CTF has begun to expand their advocacy efforts through youth prevention education programs. CTF provides age-appropriate, evidence-based training to school-aged youth on the elements of human trafficking, exercising consent, and establishing healthy relationships.
“Call to Freedom exemplifies what it means to be a Bush Prize winner. In every area of their work within their organization and with those they serve, they represent innovative solutions. We are excited to be able to lift this organization up as an example of what it means to be a Bush Prize winner,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer.
The Bush Prize celebrates organizations that are highly valued within their communities and have a track record of successful community problem solving. It’s a recognition of the transformational impact these organizations are having throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the 23 Native American nations that share that same geography. Bush Prize winners have a drive to bring communities together to think bigger and differently about their approach to solving problems in innovative and collaborative ways. Bush Prize awards are up to 25% of an organization’s last fiscal year expenses, with a maximum of $500,000.
"We congratulate the 2024 Bush Prize: South Dakota winner, Call to Freedom. We know their work throughout the state to end human trafficking, support survivors and raise awareness is important to make our region better for everyone," says Eileen Briggs, Grantmaking Director at the Bush Foundation. "Congratulations to CTF and our community grant partner, South Dakota Community Foundation, for selecting the 2024 Bush Prize: South Dakota winner and finalists."
Bush Prize: South Dakota will be made available to nonprofits again in 2025.
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.
The Bush Foundation works to inspire and support creative problem solving – within and across sectors – to make the region better for everyone. They do this by investing in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the 23 Native nations that share that geography. The Foundation works through open grantmaking programs to support efforts to: develop, test and spread great ideas that will make the region better for everyone; and inspire, equip and connect people to more effectively lead charge.