Fairy Godmother's Fund | South Dakota Community Foundation

Fairy Godmother's Fund

To provide immediate, short-term, critical financial support to women in South Dakota.

Fund Details

The Fairy Godmother's Fund Logo

Small grants that make a big difference

It isn’t always easy to make ends meet. Sudden illnesses, loss of employment, abuse, and other issues can spring up and devastate strong women in our communities. We help them get back on their feet.

The Fairy Godmother’s Fund was created to improve the health and well-being of South Dakota women with limited resources. The fund helps them address immediate, short-term, critical needs that can't be met by traditional funding options. There are no grant applications, no long forms or dense financial paperwork to fill out. Our advisory council of women throughout the state works to ensure the funds are directly paid to benefit women’s needs throughout the year.

A fairy godmother is always ready to lend a helping hand.

Through your contribution to The Fairy Godmother’s Fund, you can help the women of South Dakota. With your involvement, this can be a never-ending story of people helping people.

Every first-time contributor of $100 or more will receive a fairy godmother lapel pin. We invite you to wear these to spark interest among other women. Contact us or see our brochure.

Advisory Council

The Fairy Godmother’s Fund’s Advisory Council consists of women from across the state. The women volunteer their time to ensure funds are paid to the most pressing needs.

  • Beth Benning of Spearfish
  • Bonnie Bjork of Rapid City
  • Linda Buri of Milbank
  • Sally Christenson of Pierre
  • Linda Daugaard of Garretson
  • Linda Erickson of Sioux Falls
  • Erin Fouberg of Aberdeen
  • Marilyn Grossenburg of Winner
  • Barbara Harms of Brookings
  • Jean Koehler of Mitchell
  • Amy Mickelson of Sioux Falls
  • Penny Porter of Sioux Falls

The Fairy Godmother’s Fund continues to gain momentum. Donations go to meet pressing needs in the lives of women who are struggling with medical challenges, striving for a brighter future or are being mistreated. South Dakotans don’t think twice about helping their neighbors in need, so consequently, I find it fairly easy to ask friends and neighbors to support those who need it most.

the late Glenna Fouberg, Fairy Godmother’s Fund Advisory Council Charter Member

Grants from the Fairy Godmother's Fund benefit individuals in a variety of ways including:

  • A Mother of two young children was at risk of losing her daycare because of circumstances beyond her control. You made it possible for her to keep her children in daycare so that she could retain her employment.
  • A grandmother caring for her grandson who was born with a disability needed vehicle repairs. To keep her jobs and to transport her grandson to his appointments, your gift made this possible for a very happy Grandmother. A single mother and daughter found themselves homeless and residing in their car. A gift assisted them with the funds they needed while housing was secured
  • A single mom, recently diagnosed with scoliosis, was able to purchase a washing machine for her and her 5-year-old son. She was unable to drive to a laundromat due to her disability.
  • A single mother of four children was approved for housing after living in a Domestic Violence Center. Your gift helped her get the necessities to make their house a home.

How to Make a Referral to the Fairy Godmother's Fund

All requests for assistance must come from nonprofit organizations or community members. The Fairy Godmother’s Fund does not accept self-referrals. Contact the SDCF at (800) 888-1842 to obtain a referral form.

Lending a Helping Hand

Your generous contributions make a huge difference in the lives of women all across South Dakota. Your assistance to these women in their time of need is greatly appreciated. So far, donors have contributed over $620,000 to the fund. Join your friends and neighbors in supporting the Fairy Godmother’s Fund and help make an impact in your community!

Amber Arlint Insurance & Financial Services
Amy Mickelson
Amy Penning
Andrea & Kenneth Giedt
Andrea Fouberg
Andrew Bialek
Angela Contreras
Anita & Douglas Eilers
Ann & Evan Buckmiller
Ann Paradise
Ann Sigelman
Arnold Waldner
Ashley Podhradsky
Barbara Reed Harms
Bernie & Sally Christenson Family Fund
Beth & Jim Benning
Beth Davis
Betty & Rickter Clay
Bonnie & Rees Mielke
Bonnie & Tim Bjork
Brittany Schmidt
Bruce Brandner
Bury Farms Inc
Carmen Meyer
Carol & Bradley Johnson
Carolyn & Donley Lang
Catherine Clark
Cheryl & William Taylor
Connie Williams
Cynthia & Richard Korman
Cynthia G. & Mark Mickelson
Daugaard for South Dakota
Davison County
Deanna & Darrel Kaiser
Deb & Jerry Soholt
Deb Fischer-Clemens
Deborah Olson
Deena Ronayne
Delta Dental of South Dakota
Diana & David Olson
Diane & Thomas Agnitsch
Diane Ness
Dody & Boyd Hopkins
Donna Masters
Doug & Linda Buri Charitable Foundation
Edith Lien
Emily Guhin
Erin & Robert Fouberg
First National Bank Philip
Gail & William Fuller
Georgia Ramos
Ginger & Dan Niemann
Gloria & Gene Fastnacht
Grossenburg Cattle Company, Inc.
Heidi Gullickson
Holly & Mark Engelhart
Jacqueline & Burton Sly
Jane & Joel Albrecht
Janet Grasse
Jean A. Koehler
Jean Holle
Jeff & Linda Erickson Family Fund
Jill Sigelman
Joan Hogan
John T. & Penny L. Porter Family Fund
Julia & Scott Jones
Karen & Brad Wallenberg
Karen & Corey Brown
Kari Bevers
Kathi & Mike Mueller
Kathleen & Charles Riter
Kay Crawford
Kellie & Scott Kolb
Kelly & Jim Weaver
Kelsea & Billie Sutton
Kelsey & Chase Smith
Kendra "Birdie" Childress
Kendra & William Jr. Calhoun
Kim & Steve Malsam-Rysdon
Kris & Steve Egger Charitable Fund of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation
Laura & Jay Mitchell
Linda & Dennis Daugaard
Linda & Doug Buri
Linda & James Breckenridge
Linda & Stephen Peters
Linda & William Roth
Linda Mickelson Graham
Lois & Larry Nebben
Lori & Bob Sutton
Lori & Clayton Moen
Lori & Steve Finnesand
Lori & Tom Oster
Lori Wilbur
Margaret Amundson
Margaret Lehr
Margie & Gary Caviezel
Margot Hood-Rogers
Marilyn & Barry Grossenburg
Marilyn & Lynn Hurley
Marilyn Hoyt
Mary & Richard Carter
Mary C. Schmidt
Mary Jane & Elliott Nelson
Mary Lamont
Mary Louise Miller
Matt & Stephanie Judson Family Fund
MeChelle & Chad Lang
Molly & Jared Daniel
Nancy & John Sternquist
Nancy & Richard Gowen
Nichole & Jerry Bury
Nini & Jim Hart
Paige & Matt Bock
Pam & Clay Roberts
Pamela & Gregory Sands
Pamela & Robert McLaughlin
Pat & Shawn Costello Advised Fund
Paul Christen
Paula & Craig Meyer
Peg Seljeskog
Penny & John Porter
Pioneer Bank & Trust
Presentation Sisters
Rhonda Rylance
Rita & Dean Sorenson
Roberta Ambur
Rodney Fouberg
Roxane Fouberg
Sally & Daryl Isburg
Sally Christenson
Sandra Spencer
Sandra Zinter
Sandy & Cy Farner
Sandy & John Lown
Sara & Tonnis Venhuizen
Sharon McGovern
South Dakota Community Foundation
Supporters of Fairy Godmother's Fund
Susan & Kent Edson
Susan & Todd Fjelland
Susan Evans
Susan R. & Curt A. Wischmeier
Suzanne & Randal Welter
The Wellmark Foundation
Theresa Henehan
Tina & Bill VanCamp
Todd Fulmer
Valerie & David Mickelson
Valerie & Rick Melmer
William Haugen
Yvonne Streight

A Strong Start

The Fairy Godmother’s Fund began in 2009 with $11,000 in donations from hundreds at a women’s conference in Pierre, including $5,000 from the South Dakota Community Foundation.

With that strong foundation, the fund has continued to grow. During our fourteen years of grantmaking, the endowment fund at the South Dakota Community Foundation holds over $640,000 and has awarded 279 grants totaling nearly $125,000.

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