The Black Hills Area Community Foundation has announced a permanent endowment for its Beautiful Black Hills Initiative, bolstered by a $500,000 investment from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust over the next three years.
Foundation officials unveiled the endowment during a June 28 event at Outdoor Campus West in Rapid City. Additional matching contributions from local donors and partners have helped strengthen the fund.
Since launching in late 2025, the initiative has awarded more than $200,000 in grants to organizations focused on conservation, outdoor recreation and community engagement across the Black Hills. Another round of grant funding is planned for next year.
The initiative supports three key areas: Healthy Natural Spaces, Outdoor Recreation and Community Building. Recent grants have benefited a variety of regional organizations, including the Black Hills Watershed Collaborative, Spearfish Trails Coalition, South Dakota Wildlife Federation, Journey Museum and Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation.
More information about the initiative is available at bhacf.org/beautiful-black-hills.
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