A Culture of Philanthropy with Doug Sharp
South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) has developed a culture of philanthropy that has only grown stronger since its start. This culture is greatly influenced by those who dedicate their time and ability to serving on the Board of Directors.
SDCF Board Members are community leaders from all over South Dakota. They are one of the Foundation’s greatest assets. SDCF Board of Directors meets regularly throughout the year to help guide resource development, investment policy and grantmaking efforts. They are experts in their fields and generous supporters of this great state.
SDCF President and CEO, Stephanie Judson, recently sat down with former SDCF Board Chair and current Board Member, Doug Sharp, to talk about his time leading the organization’s Board of Directors and how he helped to cultivate a culture of philanthropy at SDCF.
Sharp is a Watertown native raised with the mindset to give back. His family founded Sharp Automotive, which has served the community for more than 50 years now. Doug is the current owner of Sharp Automotive and continues his parents’ legacy of giving back to the community they call home but does so in a humble way.
“You know, Lynn and I do most of our giving anonymously because I don’t want to be seen as making donations as a form of advertising,” shared Doug, “It can be a catch 22, because if people don’t know that a donation has brought something to fruition, they may not know that opportunity to give is available to them.”
Inspiring others to give back is a big reason Doug was interested in joining SDCF’s Board of Directors. Doug joined the Board by volunteering to fill in for another individual’s term, allowing him to serve nearly 11 years by the time he wraps up his time on the Board. This has given him a keen sense of the inner workings of SDCF.
“Once people see all of the different ways they can impact their community, SDCF helps them give back with confidence, making sure their dollars are going where they want them to go.”
Past SDCF Board Chair, Doug Sharp
As Board Chair, Doug’s focus was bringing continuity to the organization, from staffing needs to succession planning within leadership roles. He felt strongly about supporting the staff to help with the organization’s overall success. Doug’s ability and guidance around systems of processes have led to the development of new employee training and efficiency in day-to-day operations.
Beyond serving in a leadership role, Doug and his wife Lynn partnered with SDCF to see their own charitable goals come to life through the Doug & Lynn Sharp Family Foundation.
Recently, Doug and his wife Lynn received the Christen Larson Heritage Circle, a part of the SDCF Legacy Society. Doug attributes Paul Christen, for whom the honor is named, as an inspiration and mentor to his own giving.
“It's just really gratifying to be a part of something that Paul Christen and Dale Larson started. It was truly meaningful to my wife and I.”
In his concluding thoughts during this conversation, Doug emphasized that in his opinion, philanthropy is giving back to make your community a better place to be. He is doing that in a humble and caring way in Watertown, South Dakota.