The Dakota Foundation Program-Related Investments and Grants

The Dakota Foundation seeks to combine business discipline with charitable intentions to address social issues through grants and program-related investments. With a focus on empowering individuals and fostering sustainable practices, the Foundation supports initiatives that improve economic conditions, particularly in Arizona, North Dakota, New Mexico, Colorado, and North Carolina. Organizations that collaborate effectively and demonstrate measurable results are prioritized, while projects involving unlawful discrimination or certain funding types are discouraged.

With grants and program-related investments (PRIs) we take an investment approach: we want the total social return of our investments to be higher than the cost.
General Rules of Thumb
The Dakota Foundation generally makes PRIs with non-profit groups whose programs empower people and increase their control over their own economic destinies.
The Dakota Foundation opposes unlawful or unfair discrimination in all its activities, and our resources are available to organizations that serve their constituencies without unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or national origin.
We support organizations that collaborate with other community groups to create bottoms up solutions to common issues. It is important to us that a project or program is sustainable, scalable, and that benchmarks and indicators are in place to ensure meaningful and measurable results.
Requests We Encourage
This list is not exhaustive, but is provided to be representative of the spirit of the requests we are likely to consider:

• Entrepreneurial endeavors with high social impact
• Programs that develop education or specific job training that empowers individuals to become more economically self-sufficient
• Programs supporting improved employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged members of the community

Eligibility

We prefer engaging in program-related investments (PRIs) and social impact bonds, although we will consider grants on a limited basis. Ideally, those seeking support will have met with a Dakota Foundation representative (Board Member, Senior Advisor, or Executive Director) prior to submitting a request, and that representative has expressed their willingness to advocate for our potential partnership.Our geographic focus is domestic, primarily in North Dakota, New Mexico, and Colorado, where we have board members living and able to interact directly with investment candidates.. However, particularly exciting proposals supporting other regions may be considered, such as Social Impact Bond partnerships.

Ineligibility

While we are well-aware of the many human service, educational, cultural and civic needs of the communities we serve, and are grateful for the outstanding and tireless work being done by non-profits to solve a wide range of societal problems, the Dakota Foundation is unlikely to consider requests for support of the following:Annual fund drivesGeneral fund-raising eventsBudget deficitsCampsMedical researchTheatrical productions and other artistic or media projectsBuilding endowmentsHistorical preservation, museums and interpretive centers