Harvest Initiative Receives Nonprofit Enhancement Grant

May 24, 2010

The Harvest Initiative was one of five organizations selected by the South Dakota Community Foundation to build the capacity of nonprofits in South Dakota.

The grant awards are part of the second year of a two-year grant awarded to the South Dakota Community Foundation by the St. Paul, Minnesota based Bush Foundation aimed at building capacity of South Dakota’ nonprofit sector. These organizations will expand the work that was initiated in 2009 aimed at developing a support framework for the nonprofit community that enhances their sustainability.

Since its founding, The Harvest Initiative has worked with nonprofits that serve the Crow Creek Sioux Reservation. The majority of The Harvest Initiative's support has focused on legal structure and governance. The Harvest Initiative has also assisted several organizations with their IRS application for tax exemption.

The South Dakota Community Foundation funding will allow The Harvest Initiative to expand its services even further by providing the opportunity for Crow Creek nonprofits to consult with a Certified Public Accountant to improve financial management.

The Harvest Initiative will also provide small grants to Crow Creek nonprofits that will allow the organization to enhance their services through access to training and financial management software.

The Harvest Initiative was founded in 2008 to invest locally in Native grown ideas and support socially responsible business development to move Crow Creek Sioux Reservation toward a commercially viable, self-sustaining economic environment.