Grant funders / South Dakota / Higher Education
Higher Education Grant Funders in South Dakota
237 foundations with a documented higher education focus have made grants to South Dakota nonprofits in recent years, together directing $466.8M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 237 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
237
Higher education funders
$466.8M
Given to South Dakota nonprofits
2,543
Grants on record
2026
Most recent giving
Most active higher education funders in South Dakota
| # | Funder | Based in | Total South Dakota giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota State University Foundation | South Dakota | $172.0M | 6 | 2024 |
| 2 | University of South Dakota Foundation | South Dakota | $115.2M | 17 | 2024 |
| 3 | Dakota State University Foundation | South Dakota | $39.1M | 2 | 2024 |
| 4 | Great Plains Education Foundation Inc | South Dakota | $28.4M | 8 | 2023 |
| 5 | Sioux Falls Area Community | South Dakota | $19.0M | 81 | 2024 |
| 6 | Northern State University Foundation | South Dakota | $18.1M | 6 | 2024 |
| 7 | Sanford Group Return | South Dakota | $13.6M | 25 | 2022 |
| 8 | Larson Foundation | South Dakota | $12.8M | 6 | 2022 |
| 9 | Western Dakota Vocational Technical | South Dakota | $6.2M | 5 | 2021 |
| 10 | Avera Health | South Dakota | $4.4M | 26 | 2023 |
| 11 | South Dakota Education Access | South Dakota | $3.8M | 45 | 2018 |
| 12 | Hardrock Club | South Dakota | $3.3M | 9 | 2024 |
| 13 | Southeast Technical Institute Foundation | South Dakota | $2.6M | 5 | 2024 |
| 14 | Avera Health Plans Inc | South Dakota | $2.3M | 4 | 2024 |
| 15 | Prairie Lakes Health Care System Inc | South Dakota | $2.1M | 8 | 2024 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest higher education funders in South Dakota — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 237 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Higher Education funders in other states
Other causes funded in South Dakota
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented higher education focus and that have funded South Dakota nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to South Dakota recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.