South Dakota Historical Society Foundation Awarded $10,000 by South Dakota Community Foundation
September 29, 2025 // Grants, South Dakota Fund Grants
South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) has awarded a $10,000 South Dakota Fund grant to the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation to support the digitization of a rare and historically significant Native American photo collection.
The project aims to preserve powerful images of Indigenous cultural heritage, iconic leaders, and scenes from daily life. By digitizing these materials, the Foundation will help ensure broader access to these invaluable records while safeguarding them for generations to come.
“We’re deeply grateful to the South Dakota Community Foundation for supporting the digitization of this important Native American collection,” said Catherine Forsch, CEO of the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation. “Their gift helps preserve and share powerful images of cultural heritage, iconic leaders, and everyday life for future generations.”
The digitized collection will serve as a rich educational and cultural resource for researchers, students, tribal communities, and the public.
“Preserving our state’s history is vital—and this project ensures that a significant part of South Dakota’s Indigenous heritage will not be lost to time,” said Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer. “We’re proud to support this important work.”
To learn more about funding opportunities offered by SDCF, please visit our website at SDCommunityFoundation.org.
SDCF is a public non-profit organization established in 1987. SDCF, with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen administers 1,300 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations annually. The Foundation distributed nearly $40 million in grants in 2024 which made a tremendous difference in communities statewide. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. If you have a specific cause you would like to support or would prefer to give for the general good of our state, please visit https://sdcommunityfoundation.org/giving to learn more or call 1-800-888-1842.