Foundations & Grantmakers in South Dakota
528 grantmakers in South Dakota reported grants on their latest 990s. The 174 that made at least 5 grants gave $346.9M. The largest by giving are Sanford Health Foundation, Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation and South Dakota Community Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse South Dakota grants
Foundation giving in South Dakota at a glance
Active grantmakers
528
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$346.9M
from the 174 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$24K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$67K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in South Dakota by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanford Health Foundation | Sioux Falls | $55.0M | 6 |
| 2 | Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation | Sioux Falls | $53.8M | 9 |
| 3 | South Dakota Community Foundation | Pierre | $39.7M | 390 |
| 4 | Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation Inc | Sioux Falls | $38.0M | 308 |
| 5 | Seeds of Change Foundation | Sioux Falls | $11.1M | 6 |
| 6 | NDN Collective Inc | Rapid City | $10.3M | 72 |
| 7 | Waitt Foundation | North Sioux City | $9.9M | 42 |
| 8 | The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Foundation | Sioux Falls | $9.5M | 8 |
| 9 | SFS Foundation | Sioux Falls | $8.4M | 22 |
| 10 | Sioux Empire United Way Inc | Sioux Falls | $7.0M | 48 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 7 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 29 · 26%
- Health 15 · 14%
- Religion Related 10 · 9%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 10 · 9%
- Human Services 9 · 8%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 8 · 7%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (39% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in South Dakota
- South Dakota Community Foundation $39.7M · 390 grants
- Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation Inc $38.0M · 308 grants
- Black Hills Area Community Foundation $5.7M · 120 grants
- Schoenhard Community Foundation Inc $44K · 33 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Most open to new grantees in South Dakota
Foundations based in South Dakota whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NDN Collective Inc | 63% (40) | 63 in 2024 | $147K |
| 2 | Black Hills Area Community Foundation | 62% (74) | 120 in 2025 | $50K |
| 3 | Waitt Foundation | 59% (24) | 41 in 2024 | $19K |
| 4 | Kenneth V Moncur Memorial | 57% (29) | 51 in 2025 | $1K |
| 5 | Sioux Empire United Way Inc | 48% (23) | 48 in 2024 | $136K |
| 6 | The Robert and Rita Elmen Foundation | 47% (26) | 55 in 2024 | $28K |
| 7 | Sanford Group Return | 46% (79) | 171 in 2024 | $449K |
| 8 | Orrion and Edith Barger Memorial | 43% (18) | 42 in 2025 | $6K |
| 9 | Pine Rock Foundation Inc | 37% (11) | 30 in 2025 | $23K |
| 10 | Valley Queen Charitable Foundation | 35% (28) | 79 in 2025 | $6K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 174 grantmakers in South Dakota with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Sanford Health Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
6
Total Given
$55.0M
Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$665.6M
Grants
9
Total Given
$53.8M
South Dakota Community Foundation
Pierre, SD
Assets
$939.2M
Grants
390
Total Given
$39.7M
Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation Inc
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$390.9M
Grants
308
Total Given
$38.0M
Seeds of Change Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$10.7M
Grants
6
Total Given
$11.1M
NDN Collective Inc
Rapid City, SD
Assets
$49.7M
Grants
72
Total Given
$10.3M
Waitt Foundation
North Sioux City, SD
Assets
$136.3M
Grants
42
Total Given
$9.9M
The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$102.2M
Grants
8
Total Given
$9.5M
SFS Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$23K
Grants
22
Total Given
$8.4M
Sioux Empire United Way Inc
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$12.3M
Grants
48
Total Given
$7.0M
Avera Health
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$2.6B
Grants
109
Total Given
$6.2M
The Roth & Letch Family Charitable Foundation
Dakota Dunes, SD
Assets
$30K
Grants
32
Total Given
$6.0M
Pine Rock Foundation Inc
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$94.3M
Grants
35
Total Given
$5.8M
Black Hills Area Community Foundation
Rapid City, SD
Assets
$95.1M
Grants
120
Total Given
$5.7M
Sam F Weller Family Foundation
Mitchell, SD
Assets
—
Grants
19
Total Given
$5.6M
Aditi Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$4.3M
Grants
19
Total Given
$5.4M
Sanford Health Foundation North
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$107.3M
Grants
11
Total Given
$4.6M
The Robert and Rita Elmen Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$86.4M
Grants
57
Total Given
$4.4M
Black Spring Foundation Inc
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$17.5M
Grants
12
Total Given
$4.2M
Ch Robinson Worldwide Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
87
Total Given
$4.0M
Branches Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$28.2M
Grants
34
Total Given
$3.8M
Houston Family Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$58.0M
Grants
44
Total Given
$2.7M
NDN Foundation Inc
Rapid City, SD
Assets
—
Grants
38
Total Given
$2.4M
Oahe Foundation
Pierre, SD
Assets
$25.8M
Grants
38
Total Given
$2.4M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in South Dakota
What are the largest foundations in South Dakota?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Sanford Health Foundation ($55.0M across 6 grants), Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation ($53.8M) and South Dakota Community Foundation ($39.7M). Together the top 10 account for 70% of the $346.9M given by the 174 grantmakers in South Dakota that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in South Dakota?
The typical grant is about $24K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $67K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in South Dakota?
Yes. We found 4 community foundations in South Dakota with grant activity. The largest by giving are South Dakota Community Foundation, Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation Inc and Black Hills Area Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find South Dakota foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in South Dakota from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.