Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Region receives statewide award

GRAND FORKS — The Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Region has been recognized with the 2023 North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organization’s Partnership Building Award.

The Partnership Building Award is awarded each year to a nonprofit that has built partnerships and demonstrated community leadership, according to a release from the Community Foundation.

“We are committed to transforming collective generosity into the greater good for the region,” Becca Baumbach, Community Foundation executive director, said in a statement. “From strengthening local nonprofits and helping students reach their educational goals, to empowering women leaders and investing in new opportunities for area children, we plan and collaborate to ensure that regional philanthropy has a real impact.”

The Community Foundation manages more than 145 charitable funds and provides grants to a variety of nonprofits, schools, libraries, civic agencies and charitable causes with the goal of fostering a spirit of philanthropy.

The organization is now in its 25th year. In that time, the Community Foundation has given more than $12 million to improve the quality of life of the region’s residents and enhance the vibrancy of local communities, the release states. In the last year alone, the organization received 462 gifts from donors and distributed a record $1.35 million to improve health and education, aid community and human services, amplify creativity and culture, and support economic development across Grand Forks, Walsh and Polk counties.

“It is an honor to present this award to an organization whose work has reached across so many charitable sectors,” Dana Hager, NDANO executive director, said in a statement.

Among the Community Foundation’s most successful programs is the Arts Regrant Program, funded by the city of Grand Forks and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2022, the Arts Regrant Program distributed $260,000 among 14 local nonprofits, including Arts for Vets, a young organization encouraging the creative expression of military veterans, and the Golden Link Senior Center, a Crookston-based program that aims to improve quality of life throughout the region.

The Community Foundation also joins several other local organizations each year to host the Longest Table, which gives 1,000 residents the opportunity to sit down together for a free meal to foster stronger connections and promote community engagement. This year’s Longest Table will be held Sept. 14 in Grand Forks.