Black Hills Area Community Foundation
Black Hills Area Community Foundation is a public charity based in Rapid City, South Dakota. It funds charitable work, provides educational scholarships, works with donors, and manages initiatives addressing community needs. The foundation says it is the only community foundation solely focused on serving the Black Hills area.
Key facts about Black Hills Area Community Foundation
In short: Black Hills Area Community Foundation gave $5.7M across 120 grants in 2025 (avg $48K), mostly in South Dakota. 62% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 36-3608635
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,729,537
- Grants made (2025)
- 120
- Average grant
- $47,746
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 62% first-time grantees (74 of 120, 2025)
- Total assets
- $95,092,021
- Primary geography
- South Dakota (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation’s website directs applicants to its grant application portal for the $20,000 Community Action Grant and provides a process for submitting a letter of intent for the $50,000 grant. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The listed 2026 Community Action Grant dates are April 1–May 3 for the $50,000 opportunity and June 1–July 6 for the…
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$95.1M
+42.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.7M
+46.9% YoY
Grant Count
120
+17.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$48K
+24.8% YoY
Is Black Hills Area Community Foundation open to new grantees?
62%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 74 of 120 grantees (62%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $50K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is “to lead solutions, give with purpose, and thrive together.” Its 2024 filing describes its purpose as educational, scientific, literary, and charitable support, including supporting economic growth in the Rapid City and Black Hills area.
Its grants include community welfare, education, and scholarships. The organizations it supports work across varied fields: for example, OneHeart describes its mission as helping people overcome crisis and achieve self-sustainability; Re-Member says it responds to immediate needs and improves quality of life for members of the Oglala Lakota Nation; and Wambli Ska Society describes its work as empowering Native American communities, reviving cultural traditions, and fostering education. St. Olaf College describes its work as providing a liberal arts education, while Sequel says it supports elders through services.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 102 grants totaling $3,901,071. Grant amounts ranged from $5,720 to $771,369, with a median grant of $18,790. The largest grants included $771,369 to OneHeart for community welfare; $150,000 to World Vision Inc. for community welfare; $148,205 to NAU Foundation for education; $129,860 to Re-Member for community welfare; and $126,300 to Rapid City Catholic Schools for scholarships. Other large awards included $109,212 to Children’s Home Foundation and $109,158 to Youth and Family Services, both for community welfare.
Review Cycle
.
Open Grants
13 open opportunities from Black Hills Area Community Foundation
BHACF Capacity Building Grant
Black Hills Area Community Foundation
Amount
$5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
BHACF: Capacity Building Grant
Black Hills Area Community Foundation
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
BHACF: Community Action Grant ($20,000)
Black Hills Area Community Foundation
Amount
US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Black Hills Area Community Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it serves Butte, Meade, Lawrence, Pennington, Custer, Oglala Lakota, and Fall River counties. In its 2024 grants, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Dakota, 6% to Minnesota, 2% to Montana, and 1% each to North Carolina and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 120 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
426 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BHACF MATCH TO AGENCY Rapid City, SD | MATCHING GRANT FUNDS | $1,182,199 |
| ONEHEART Rapid City, SD | SOCIAL SERVICES | $597,222 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE BLACK HILLS Hill City, SD | YOUTH | $325,000 |
| FEEDING SOUTH DAKOTA Sioux Falls, SD | BASIC NEEDS | $303,356 |
| LPL FINANCIALBHSU-CENTER FOR AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES DEPARTMENTAL NEEDS FU Rapid City, SD | EDUCATION | $220,000 |
| CITY OF BELLE FOURCHE Belle Fourche, SD | YOUTH | $145,589 |
| ST OLAF COLLEGE Northfield, MN | EDUCATION | $137,119 |
| SD SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY-CARA Rapid City, SD | EDUCATION | $116,800 |
| YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES INC Rapid City, SD | YOUTH | $113,542 |
| REMEMBERING THE CHILDREN MEMORIAL INC Rapid City, SD | ARTS AND CULTURE | $109,354 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $66,897,711 | $13,865,682 | $9,857,761 | $3,901,071 |
| 2023 | $56,009,000 | $7,342,365 | $7,308,625 | $7,049,993 |
| 2022 | $53,430,728 | $16,934,227 | $5,280,754 | $3,753,361 |
The 2024 filing reports 102 grants; the 2023 and 2022 filings report 75 and 68 grants, respectively.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $95,092,021 | $66,897,711 | $56,009,000 |
| Revenue | $25,934,630 | $13,865,682 | $7,342,365 |
| Expenses | $9,035,532 | $9,857,761 | $7,308,625 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $4,008,072 | $1,694,212 | $1,941,023 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Chris Huber as CEO; Terry Hermann as chair; Elizabeth Zieglermeier as vice chair; Kelly Buntrock as treasurer; Steve Flanery as secretary; Steve Helmers as past chair; and Urla Marcus, RC Scull, Willie Hustead, and Brad Benham as directors. The foundation’s website identifies Chris Huber as President & CEO.
Black Hills Area Community Foundation is led by Chris Huber, CEO on every filing since 2023; 2 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chris Huber
CEO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$133K (2024) → $153K (2025)
Kelly Buntrock
Chair
Director → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Litton
Director of Strategic Housing
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Steve Flanery
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Lux
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kassie McKie Shiffermiller
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry Hermann
Past Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Tennyson
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Priscilla Romkema
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roger Knutsen
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brad Benham
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rc Scull
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Urla Marcus
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Justin Dibona
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marie High Bear
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rishard Wahlstrom
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jd Williams
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Steve Helmers (2020–2024) — Past Chair
- Former: Elizabeth Zieglmeier (2023–2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Willie Hustead (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Hamburg (2020–2023) — Executive Di
- Former: Maegen Wallum (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Patrick Burchill (2020–2023) — Officer
- Former: Anita Silver (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ed Starr (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jacque Fuller (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Laura Schad (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Margaret Prahl (2020–2022) — Past Chair
- Former: Sandra McFarland (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Frances Becker (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jim Hess (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Marnie Herrmann (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Roger Wilson (2020–2021) — Past Chair
- Former: Everett Hoyt (2020) — Director
- Former: Haven Stuck (2020) — Director
- Former: Kay S. Jorgensen (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
Contact
Mailing address: 803 St Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 718-0112
Website: https://bhacf.org
Frequently asked questions about Black Hills Area Community Foundation
How much does Black Hills Area Community Foundation give each year?
Black Hills Area Community Foundation gave $5.7M across 120 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.9M across 102 grants.
What is Black Hills Area Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Black Hills Area Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $47,746, across 120 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Black Hills Area Community Foundation that year got $50K on average.
Where does Black Hills Area Community Foundation give grants?
Black Hills Area Community Foundation gives mostly in South Dakota: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rapid City, SD (59 grants), Sioux Falls, SD (10 grants), Spearfish, SD (7 grants) and Sturgis, SD (5 grants).
Does Black Hills Area Community Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 120 grants with a stated purpose on Black Hills Area Community Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social Services" (29 grants), "Youth" (22 grants) and "Faith Based" (15 grants).
Who are Black Hills Area Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Black Hills Area Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Bhacf Match to Agency ($1,182,199), Oneheart ($597,222) and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Black Hills ($325,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Black Hills Area Community Foundation?
Black Hills Area Community Foundation reported $95.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $25.9M.
What does Black Hills Area Community Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to lead solutions, give with purpose, and thrive together.” Its 2024 filing describes its purpose as educational, scientific, literary, and charitable support, including supporting economic growth in the Rapid City and Black Hills area. Its grants include community welfare, education, and scholarships. The organizations it supports work across varied fields: for example, OneHeart describes its mission as helping people overcome crisis and achieve self-sustain…
How do I apply for a grant from Black Hills Area Community Foundation?
The foundation’s website directs applicants to its grant application portal for the $20,000 Community Action Grant and provides a process for submitting a letter of intent for the $50,000 grant. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Black Hills Area Community Foundation's EIN?
Black Hills Area Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3608635. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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