Grants Benefit Young Readers Statewide, Honor the Legacy of Murdo Native
April 24, 2026 // Grants
Nineteen community libraries across South Dakota have been awarded funding through the Stephanie Miller-Davis Charitable Fund at South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF). The libraries will receive nearly $96,000 to benefit young readers and library users in small, rural communities.
The annual grants traditionally have supported summer reading programs. This year, they included funds for infrastructure as well.
"The family of Stephanie Miller-Davis is incredibly excited to support the cornerstone of a local community: the library,” said Kate Davis, one of Miller-Davis’s daughters. “This year, we added a 2nd grant for one-time, larger projects to enhance and update children's spaces within those libraries."
The grant program honors the legacy of Stephanie Miller-Davis, a mother, wife and community volunteer known for her kindness and passion for reading. Miller-Davis began her legacy of giving by donating children’s books and bookcases to the school library in her hometown of Murdo, S.D. She also helped establish the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Jones County, which provides free books to children under the age of five.
"Stephanie would be thrilled to hear about all the projects being undertaken this year, from new floors to new shelving to makerspaces,” Davis said.
Following Miller-Davis’s passing, her family established a fund in her name through SDCF. Since then, the grant program has distributed more than $317,000 to rural libraries, providing children and communities with countless books, educational materials and summer reading events.
The program is made possible through a partnership between the family, SDCF and the South Dakota State Library.
“The South Dakota Community Foundation is proud to partner with the Miller-Davis family and the South Dakota State Library in promoting childhood literacy,” said Jeff Veltkamp, SDCF Director of Development. “It’s an honor to be a part of perpetuating Stephanie’s passion for literacy and learning.”
| Library | Grant Amount |
| Armour-Carnegie Public Library | $8,000 |
| Beresford Public Library | $1,000 |
| Britton Public Library | $8,000 |
| Cozard Memorial Library, Chamberlain | $6,005 |
| Deadwood Public Library | $8,899 |
| Doland Community Library | $8,579 |
| Freeman Public Library | $6,561 |
| Grant County Public Library | $7,900 |
| Gregory Public Library | $1,000 |
| Haakon County Public Library | $1,000 |
| Hudson Public Library | $8,000 |
| Lake Andes Public Library | $1,000 |
| Langford Public Library | $9,000 |
| M.P. Beebe Memorial Library, Ipswich | $1,000 |
| Parkston Public Library | $9,000 |
| Tripp County Library Grossenburg Memorial | $7,961 |
| Viborg Public Library | $1,000 |
| Whitewood Public Library | $1,000 |
| Woonsocket Community Library | $1,000 |
SDCF is a public non-profit organization established in 1987. SDCF administers over 1,300 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations across the state. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the foundation distributed over $40 million in grants in 2025. To learn more, visit https://sdcommunityfoundation.org or call 800.888.1842.