Abbey of the Hills Inn & Retreat Center Celebrates Endowment Success with SDCF Challenge Grant

Success with SDCF Challenge Grant

PIERRE – When Margaret Artz, the new Chief Development Officer at Abbey of the Hills Inn & Retreat Center (the Abbey), attended the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) Good Grants Guidance seminar in Watertown in June 2024, she was intrigued by the Nonprofit Savings Account (NSA) program. Little did she know that just six months later, she and the Abbey would be celebrating a successful challenge grant and a growing endowment fund.

The NSA program offers nonprofit organizations a unique opportunity: if they establish an endowment fund with SDCF, the Foundation provides a challenge grant of 25% of what they raise—up to a $20,000 grant—within two years. Though Margaret had only recently joined the Abbey, she saw an opportunity not just to leverage the challenge grant but also to create a permanent source of support for the Abbey, which has a rich history of service. She applied for the NSA grant with a goal of raising $80,000 to secure the full $20,000 challenge grant. SDCF approved the grant in the fall of 2024.

Located near Marvin, about 12 miles west of Milbank, the Abbey was originally established as Blue Cloud Abbey in 1950 by Benedictine monks who came to South Dakota to build schools among Native American communities and share the Gospel. After its closure in 2012, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was formed in December 2013, transforming the space into The Abbey of the Hills Inn & Retreat Center. Thanks to dedicated donors, volunteers, and supporters, the Abbey continues the Benedictine tradition of hospitality, offering a peaceful retreat for all. Today, it hosts a diverse range of programs, including self-help groups, 12-step programs, grief and trauma support, veterans’ retreats, foster family training, educational events, and corporate gatherings. Its mission has garnered widespread support from those who attend its various events and activities.

“We’ve long recognized the need for the long-term sustainability that an endowment can provide,” Margaret said. “For the past decade, most of our funding has been focused on daily operations and facility improvements. We’re excited to partner with the South Dakota Community Foundation and invite our supporters to join us in this effort.”

Launched in late 2024, the Abbey of the Hills Inn & Retreat Center Endowment Fund quickly gained momentum. Within a few months, it surpassed $10,000 in contributions. A turning point came when Margaret connected with a couple deeply moved by the Abbey’s spiritual mission, who generously pledged $100,000 to the fund. Thanks to this incredible support, the fund met its goal in record time, unlocking the full $20,000 challenge grant within three months of its creation. The Abbey will take its first distribution from the fund in 2026.

While still actively fundraising for annual and capital needs, Margaret remains focused on the endowment’s long-term impact. “It’s a key part of every conversation with our supporters and always a priority in our communications,” she said, smiling as she shared her vision of adding a few more zeros to the fund’s balance.

For more information on how to support the Abbey of the Hills Inn & Retreat Center, visit www.abbeyofthehills.org.