Share your voice. Strengthen your community.
Join our Thriving Communities Initiative in 2025!
BLACK HILLS RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO VOTE FOR A CAUSE.
We’ve identified four key issue areas that need more awareness and support in the Black Hills. Vote for the issue that you believe will make the most meaningful difference!
At year’s end, we’ll direct at least $100,000 to nonprofits working on the issue area that you helped choose.
Vote for a cause,
share why it matters.
The anonymous survey closes on May 31, 2025.
Which cause will you choose?
YOUTH MENTAL WELLNESS
Many young people struggle with depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. With quality support, youths can build the resilience needed to face these challenges and thrive. Your vote would support nonprofits dedicated to strengthening the mental wellness, healthy development, and overall wellbeing of our youth.
QUALITY CARE FOR elders
Elders enrich our community with deep wisdom drawn from diverse life experiences. In turn, they benefit from quality care that helps them enjoy their stage of life with health and ease. Your vote would support nonprofits that care for our senior generation by promoting health and wellness, cultivating connections, and fulfilling basic needs.
ARTS FOR ALL
The Black Hills has a long history of bringing people together around artistic events and workshops. These gatherings build strong connections across generations, skillsets and backgrounds. Your vote would support nonprofits that cultivate community and expand access to the arts through gatherings such as concerts, festivals, and creative workshops in all types of art forms.
CHILDCARE FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES
Access to quality childcare strengthens our workforce and reinforces the wellbeing of parents, grandparents, and children. However, many guardians struggle to afford childcare, while providers struggle to cover the costs needed to keep their doors open. Your vote would support nonprofit childcare providers, filling gaps needed to keep quality childcare available to families.
What’s Next?
SPRING-SUMMER: Vote
Vote for a cause by the end of May 2025.
Stay Tuned
Follow our Facebook to stay updated and learn about the community's chosen cause.
FALL-WINTER: Celebrate
Nonprofits working on the community's selected cause will collectively receive at least $100,000 in grants.
Stay updated on Thriving Communities and other initiatives
Sign up for our quarterly newsletter to learn the latest news and updates from the Black Hills Area Community Foundation.
Let’s create a thriving Black Hills together.
Past Thriving Communities Causes
2024 Cause: Beautiful Black Hills
In 2024, Black Hills residents voted to support “Beautiful Black Hills.” This issue area focuses on caring for the outdoor spaces that make the Black Hills such a wonderful place to live.
With the support of private donations, BHACF directed $125,000 in grants to 10 nonprofits. The 2024 grantees are listed below.
• Black Hills Trails: Supports construction and maintenance on the Centennial Trail.
• Black Hills Bike Hub: Supports strategic planning and operational expenses.
• Hanson-Larsen Memorial Park: Supports updated signage along the trail.
• Black Hills Parks and Forests Association: Supports interpretive art installations at state and federal parks.
• Booth Society, Inc: Supports the Junior Ranger Program and updated signage.
• The Nature Conservancy: Supports a stewardship project in the Southern Hills.
• Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary: Supports upkeep of Pathways Sanctuary.
• Black Hills Environmental Coalition: Supports a projects pool, where organizations can collaborate on outdoor spaces work together.
• Casting for Recovery: Supports a fly-fishing retreat for women affected by breast cancer.
• Casting Vets: Supports three ice fishing retreats for veterans in the Black Hills.
From Our Community
The responses below were anonymously submitted through the Thriving Communities 2024 survey for the winning cause, “Beautiful Black Hills.” Photos were provided by BHACF staff members.
Local Parent
“Our family is drawn to outdoor recreation, which is why we chose to live in the Black Hills. This is the primary factor for our quality of life in this region."
Black Hills resident
“Western south Dakota is defined by the Black Hills. We know our directions because of it. We often define our hobbies around it. The smell of pine helps us know we are home. I want to see projects that support the preservation of the forests in sustainable and sound ways for us and future generations.”
Local Father
“There is no better way to improve one's physical and mental health than to be outside in the beautiful Black Hills areas. You get to grow and live with your communities there and make ever lasting memories at a cost free location.”
Black Hills Resident
“With our ever expanding population in the Black Hills, it will take increasing funding to maintain, preserve, and protect the outdoor spaces that make our area unique.”
Give to Thriving Communities
Help us support a meaningful cause selected by people who know and love the Black Hills.
At the end of the year, your gift will go straight to nonprofits growing positive change in the community’s selected issue area.
Have questions? Connect with Carrie.
Carrie Robley, Director of Community Impact, manages the Thriving Communities Initiative. She’s happy to answer your questions or share ways to partner with us.