Share your voice. Strengthen your community.
Learn about our Thriving Communities Initiative.
about thriving communities
Every other year, Black Hills residents vote online for a meaningful cause to receive a significant investment.
Over two years, $200,000 are invested in the chosen issue area, following community input submitted in the survey.
In 2026, community members directed us to invest in “Quality Care for Elders.”
From Our Community
Nearly 500 community members voted in the 2026 Thriving Communities Survey. “Quality Care for Elders” received the most votes (39%), with more than 120 people writing about why the cause matters to them.
Community input included 3 themes:
1.) Seniors need services that keep them safe and healthy while they age.
2.) Many elders are facing a lack of companionship, purpose, and belonging in the community.
3.) Family caregivers need more resources and stronger support networks.
Many emphasized that elders have valuable wisdom and gifts to share; it’s important to respect and honor our older generations.
Teacher
“Too many of the seniors in our community want to continue to make an impact that helps everyone but are prevented from doing so by their life circumstances.”
75 year old
“‘Elders’ are the only growing demographic, easily ignored or dismissed. We have invaluable wisdom to share.”
RAPID CITY RESIDENT
“Every senior deserves to feel safe, connected, and cared for in their own homes – through companion visits, home-sharing matches, and personal support.”
FAMILY CAREGIVER
“As a caregiver for my mother who had Alzheimer’s, I struggled with the ‘weight’ of caregiving. Finding adult daycare allowed me to get a much-needed break during the day.”
Black Hills physician
“As a physician making home visits, I see the overwhelming challenges that elders face: aging, chronic disease, transportation, caregiver exhaustion, and limited rural resources that threaten their independence and the joy in their lives.”
2026: Nonprofit Grantees
In year one, six nonprofits received grants to strengthen care and support for older adults across the region:
Catholic Social Services – St. Anne’s Aging Services (Rapid City)
Companion and Home-Sharing programs that ease isolation and help seniors age in place.
Black Hills Center for Aging (Custer, Fall River, Meade, Pennington)
Adult Day Center, caregiver education, and a Memory Café for people living with memory loss.
Prairie Hills Transit (all counties)
Affordable, accessible rides to medical appointments, shopping, and other daily needs.
Meals on Wheels Western South Dakota (all counties)
Hot home-delivered and congregate meals plus daily safety checks for older adults.
Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity (all counties)
Habitat Handyman repairs and accessibility improvements that keep homes safe.
Black Hills Senior Center Collaboration
Support leadership gatherings and mini-grants for senior centers across the Black Hills region.
Read the full grantee stories on our blog:
Coming Soon: Golden Years Grants
Do you have an idea that would bring joy or connection to seniors or caregivers in the Black Hills? Golden Years Grants are a one-time opportunity shaped by what residents shared in the 2026 Thriving Communities survey.
BHACF will award grants of $1,000 to $7,000 to at least 10 nonprofits.
Funding Areas
- Belonging and Companionship for Seniors: Projects that help seniors feel engaged, honored, and connected, especially those who may feel isolated.
- Support and Resources for Caregivers: Projects that connect caregivers to local support and bring them joy and renewal.
who can apply
501(c)(3) public charities, schools, government entities, and religious organizations serving Butte, Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Meade, Oglala Lakota, or Pennington counties. Individuals with an idea can partner with a local nonprofit
The application page will be released in 2027.
Timeline of Initiative
SPRING 2026: Vote
Vote for a cause by June 5 2026.
Fall 2026: Grants Announced
BHACF announces $110,000 in grants responding to community feedback.
SPRING 2027: Golden Years Grants Open
Apply for funding to bring connection and belonging to seniors and caregivers in the Black Hills.
SUMMER 2027: Grants Announced
BHACF will announce grant recipients for projects that build connection and belonging for seniors and caregivers.
Focus Areas in the
2026 Survey
We will focus on “Quality Care for Elders,” the community’s selected issue, through the end of 2027! In 2028, leftover issue areas will be recycled in a new survey. New causes are added based on the previous year’s survey responses and community input.
Community information
A healthy community is built on trusted sources of place-based knowledge. When we understand local issues, history, and culture, we can work together to strengthen our region. Your vote would support libraries, museums, and news organizations that keep Black Hills residents informed, connected, and engaged in the community they share.
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.
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
BHACF launched the Thriving Communities Initiative in 2024. Starting in 2026, Thriving Communities is a two-year Initiative.
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.
2025 Cause: Youth Mental Wellness
In 2025, over 500 Black Hills residents voted in our survey. “Youth Mental Wellness” received 45% of the votes, with over 70 residents submitting additional thoughts.
Community members wrote that youth mental health services need more resources to meet the demand. They said prevention services are critical, and learning coping skills can make a big difference.
Survey responses also emphasized that open conversations about mental health reduce stigma and help young people feel more comfortable seeking support.
BHACF and giving circle members directed $145,000 in grants to nine nonprofits.
West River Mental Health: Supports a pilot summer wellness camp and regional mental health awareness campaign.
Lost & Found: Supports resilience training, education, and mentoring services for college students across western South Dakota.
Oyate Teca Project: Supports the Youth Teen Center in Kyle, a safe space for Native youth to receive culturally responsive wellness services.
The Helpline Center: Supports the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s operations in western South Dakota, which provides 24/7 crisis and prevention services.
WellFully: Supports trauma-informed programming such as therapeutic art. The grant will also help customize an adolescent recovery unit to meet the specialized needs of those in their care.
Lawrence County Coalition: Supports school-based prevention programs focused on youth engagement, resilience, and early intervention for mental health conditions.
Boys & Girls Club of the Black Hills: Supports quality programs and lifelong learning skills that enable all young people to reach their full potential.
Family Services Connection: Supports programs that empower at-risk and homeless youth and young adults, families, and survivors by providing housing, supportive services, and access to mental health services.
Wambli Ska Teen Center: Supports a safe, supportive space where Native youth reconnect with their purpose and build self-determination allowing them to strive for a life of healing, health, and wellness.
Give to Thriving Communities
Help us support a meaningful cause selected by people who know and love the Black Hills.
Your gift will go straight to nonprofits growing positive change in the community’s selected issue area.
Thriving Communities Initiative News
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.