South Dakota Discovery Center Granted $77,400 from South Dakota Community Foundation
October 5, 2024 // Beyond Idea Grants, Grants
South Dakota Discovery Center recently received $77,400 from South Dakota Community Foundation’s (SDCF) Beyond Idea Grant (BIG) program for the Less Virtual, More Reality workforce development program. Offered in partnership with the Bush Foundation, the BIG program supports community-based problem-solving efforts in South Dakota.
“Rural communities struggle to attract, train and retain the next generation of skilled workers, especially in central South Dakota,” said Rhea Waldman, SD Discovery Center Executive Director. “With our partners, the SD Discovery Center builds impactful experiences for students that address the challenges of living in rural areas by increasing knowledge of local careers and growing access to training. The Beyond Idea Grant funding from the South Dakota Community Foundation allows us to connect hundreds of students to area industry leaders and secondary education, using community-driven approaches to increase community resilience and build a workforce for central South Dakota.”
SDCF has awarded nearly $3.6 million dollars from the Beyond Idea Grant program in since 2022. Interested organizations can visit SDCommunityFoundation.org/BIG to review the grant guidelines and application instructions. SDCF will offer the BIG program again in 2025, with more details to be announced later this year. To qualify, a nonprofit must be IRS Publication 78 verified or have a fiscal sponsor.
“Together with the South Dakota Discover Center we are proud to be a small part in building impactful experiences that help create the leaders of tomorrow for central South Dakota,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer.
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 invests in great ideas and the people who power them. Established in 1953 by 3M Executive Archibald Bush and his wife Edyth, the Foundation encourages individuals and organizations to think bigger and think differently about what is possible in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geographic area.