South Dakota Community Foundation Awards $20,000 to Avera Research Institute
April 17, 2025 // Grants, South Dakota Fund Grants
South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $20,000 South Dakota Fund grant to Avera Research Institute (ARI). Funding will provide assistance for ARI’s study, in partnership with the South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative (SDHNC), to support a statewide food environment system, and policies landscape assessment, focusing on access, affordability, availability and assistance.
“The South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative is excited to lead the effort in conducting a comprehensive statewide food systems landscape analysis,” said Christy Hockett, Ph.D., Director of Community Research, Avera Research Institute. “Once completed, the data will be hosted as a dashboard by the South Dakota Department of Health. The findings will enable SDHNC to identify efficiencies and opportunities for enhancing the statewide food system.”
ARI, a department of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Center, conducts research focused on improving the health of the population where renowned researchers engage in partnerships with rural and American Indian communities, community-based organizations, and clinics and hospitals. Through this comprehensive study, ARI aims to uncover actionable insights and recommendations that could enhance the effectiveness of nutrition security initiatives in South Dakota. The study will also help the SDHNC and other communities prioritize actions to build new policies, systems, and environments to address food and nutrition security, paving the way for a healthier and more resilient South Dakota.
“SDCF is proud to partner with ARI and SDHNC on this statewide assessment of the food environment in South Dakota,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer. “
To learn more about funding opportunities offered by SDCF, please visit our website at SDCommunityFoundation.org.
SDCF is a public non-profit organization established in 1987. SDCF, with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen administers 1,300 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations annually. The Foundation distributed nearly $40 million in grants in 2024 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.