BHACF: Capacity Building Grant
Funding Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Expected ~March
Based on past cycles
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Annual
- Current deadline
- March 15, 2027
- Tracked since
- April 2026
Deadlines typically fall in: March
From the program guidelines: “Offered once a year (applications open Feb.”
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Eligible organizations
- An IRS 501(c)(3) public charity, school, government entity or religious organization
Geography
- Operating in specified counties
Required status
- 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
Other requirements
- Requested support must be for organizations or activities that take place within the following counties: Oglala Lakota, Fall River, Custer, Pennington, Meade, Lawrence, and Butte counties.
Not eligible / not funded
- Not eligible: Ineligible projects:Grants will not be awarded to support religious activity, political activity, fundraisers or benefits, debt retirement or organizations working to primarily influence legislation.
- Not eligible: Supported organizations and activities may not discriminate against any individual or group based on race, gender, gender expression, age, disability, religion, ethnic or national origin, or otherwise legally protected groups.
- Not eligible: Funding for multi-year projects.
- Not eligible: Funding can’t be used for reimbursement of any expenses incurred prior to the grant notification date.
- Not eligible: Capital campaigns.
Overview
The BHACF Capacity Building Grant provides funding to strengthen nonprofits' effectiveness, sustainability, and efficiency. Offered once a year (applications open Feb. 1 and close March 15), it supports projects in areas like strategic planning and technology needs. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations operating in specified counties. The grant focuses on long-term sustainability rather than short-term expenses, ensuring that supported projects create lasting impact in the community.
Capacity Building Grant applications open on Feb. 1 and close on March 15. The grants address capacity building needs to strengthen an organization’s effectiveness, sustainability or efficiency.
An organization cannot be awarded two consecutive Capacity Building grants unless it is invited to apply for a second round of support.
The information shared by the applicants will help our organization grow in understanding the issues and concerns of people in our community.
What Types of Projects Are Funded?
Requests for support must be addressing one or more of the following categories of capacity building:
Measurements and Evaluation Partnership Development Strategic Planning Board Engagement/Development Marketing and Donor Engagement Technology Needs and Technical Support Staff Development/Retention
Requests must address the long-term sustainability of the organization. For example, BHACF would not consider a request to support three months of utilities but would support hiring a consultant to improve financial management or donor relations.
Eligibility
Applicants must be an IRS 501(c)(3) public charity, school, government entity or religious organization. Requested support must be for organizations or activities that take place within the following counties: Oglala Lakota, Fall River, Custer, Pennington, Meade, Lawrence, and Butte counties.
Ineligibility
Ineligible projects:Grants will not be awarded to support religious activity, political activity, fundraisers or benefits, debt retirement or organizations working to primarily influence legislation. Supported organizations and activities may not discriminate against any individual or group based on race, gender, gender expression, age, disability, religion, ethnic or national origin, or otherwise legally protected groups. Funding for multi-year projects.Funding can’t be used for reimbursement of any expenses incurred prior to the grant notification date. Capital campaigns.
What Black Hills Area Community Foundation actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 120
- Total given
- $5.73M
- Median grant
- $15K
- Range
- $5,200–$1.18M
- By dollars: South Dakota 90%, Minnesota 4%, Nebraska 2%. Top recipient cities: Rapid City, SD; Sioux Falls, SD; Spearfish, SD.
- 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
- 62% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.
Example grants
Bhacf Match to Agency · Rapid City, SD
Matching grant funds
$1.18M
Oneheart · Rapid City, SD
Social services
$597K
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Black Hills · Hill City, SD
Youth
$325K
Feeding South Dakota · Sioux Falls, SD
Basic needs
$303K
LPL Financialbhsu-Center for American Indian Studies Departmental Needs Fu · Rapid City, SD
Education
$220K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Nonprofits
- Foundation
- Capacity building
Categories
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Listed date — confirm with the funder
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