Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc
The Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1992 and based in Rapid City, South Dakota. The foundation was created from the estate of Margaret Hillenbrand Lally, a community philanthropist who was dedicated to improving downtown Rapid City and the quality of life for all residents. Members of the Hillenbrand family serve as directors of the foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.2M
-49.6% YoY
Grant Count
19
-17.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$63K
-39.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission is giving for education and human services. Beyond these core areas, the foundation also supports:
- Community and economic development
- Charitable causes
- Religious and cultural initiatives
- Native American causes
- Museum sponsorship
- Conservation efforts
- Community improvement and events
- Counseling for those in need
Grantmaking
The Dakota Charitable Foundation makes grants through a proactive funding approach and does not accept unsolicited letters of inquiry or applications from nonprofits. The foundation awards both general operating support and program support to nonprofit organizations.
Grant Range
$500 to $765,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While the foundation maintains a national geographic focus, its primary grantmaking concentrates in South Dakota, particularly in the Rapid City area. However, education and environmental funding tends to extend to other states, including Washington and Nevada.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $20.3–$21.7 million
- Total Annual Giving: $1.2–$2.4 million
- Revenue (2024): $1.24 million
- Expenses (2024): $2.6 million
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $21.7–$23.7 million
- Total Annual Giving: $2.4 million
- Total Revenues: $1.87 million
- Total Expenses: $3.73 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
125 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Monument Health Foundation ($250,000), National Buffalo Foundation ($250,000), Oneheart ($249,765).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BLACK HILLS POW WOW ASSOC RAPID CITY, SD | NATIVE AMERICAN | $20,000 |
| NATIVE POP - PEOPLE OF THE PLAINS RAPID CITY, SD | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES BALTIMORE, MD | COUNSELING FOR NEEDY | $60,000 |
| CLOUD HORSE ART INSTITUTE KYLE, SD | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| ELEVATE FOUNDATION RAPID CITY, SD | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT | $50,000 |
| FRIENDS OF SD PUBLIC BROADCASTING RAPID CITY, SD | EDUCATIONAL | $5,000 |
| KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS RAPID CITY, SD | CHARITABLE | $500 |
| LAKOTA NATION INVITATIONAL RAPID CITY, SD | CULTURAL | $20,000 |
| MAIN STREET SQUARE RAPID CITY, SD | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT | $150,000 |
| MONUMENT HEALTH FOUNDATION RAPID CITY, SD | CHARITABLE | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Margaret Hillenbrand serves as a Director of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARGARET HILLENBRAND | DIRECTOR | 5 | $10,000 |
| HEIDI HILLENBRAND | DIRECTOR | 5 | $22,000 |
| GRETCHEN HILLENBRAND | DIRECTOR | 5 | $22,000 |
| JULIAN DESTEFANO | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| MAGNOLIA ARLT | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| TIGERLILY ARLT | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's primary mission is giving for education and human services. Beyond these core areas, the foundation also supports: • Community and economic development • Charitable causes • Religious and cultural initiatives • Native American causes • Museum sponsorship • Conservation efforts • Community improvement and events • Counseling for those in need
How do I apply for a grant from Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc?
The Dakota Charitable Foundation makes grants through a proactive funding approach and does not accept unsolicited letters of inquiry or applications from nonprofits. The foundation awards both general operating support and program support to nonprofit organizations. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $500 to $765,000 • Median grant size: $20,000–$23,000 • Recent grant activity shows 23–26 grants awarded annually **Recent Grant Recipients (2023):** • OneHeart: $604,793 • BH Area …
Where does Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc make grants?
While the foundation maintains a national geographic focus, its primary grantmaking concentrates in South Dakota, particularly in the Rapid City area. However, education and environmental funding tends to extend to other states, including Washington and Nevada.
What size grants does Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc awarded 19 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $63K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-0422869. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dakota Charitable Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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