BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota FFA Foundation has had a big start to 2025, beginning on Jan. 18, when the Governor’s Heritage Foundation announced during Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s inaugural ball a $200,000 donation to the FFA Foundation. That’s the largest single monetary donation the foundation has ever received.

“As you can imagine, it was incredibly overwhelming,” said

Laiken DeMorrett, executive director of the North Dakota FFA Foundation

. The Governor’s Heritage Foundation also gave $200,000 to Great Plains Food Bank.

The donation to the North Dakota FFA Foundation was followed by more than $73,000 in donations during Giving Hearts Day, a one-day online fundraising drive for charities in North Dakota in February. That was about $5,000 less than the foundation’s goal but still more than raised in previous years at the event, which launched in 2008. Giving Hearts Day has become a major fundraiser for the foundation and even has inspired a similar effort for National FFA — Give FFA Day.

DeMorrett said the board is meeting soon to begin making plans for the $200,000 donation from the Governor’s Heritage Foundation, but it’s uncharted territory.

“We’ve never gotten to deal with so much at once,” DeMorrett said.

The Governor’s Heritage Foundation did not put any restrictions on how the money needed to be used.

“It’s completely unrestricted funding, which is huge for a nonprofit organization when there are no strings attached. So we can use it exactly how we need it, and we can have some fun with it, too,” DeMorrett said.

She anticipates a portion will be used on existing programs supporting FFA and agriculture education in the state.

“But it’s going to give us an opportunity to dream a little bit and maybe kick off something that is unique to North Dakota FFA that we can maybe borrow from some other states who are doing some really cool things,” she said.

The North Dakota FFA Foundation was established in 1980 to support agriculture education in the state. DeMorrett said that encompasses more than just supporting FFA and extends to things like the North Dakota Association of Agricultural Educators, North Dakota Farm Management Education Program, state FFA alumni and some collegiate agriculture education programs.

When it comes to supporting FFA, DeMorrett said one of the foundation’s “hallmark programs” is “Blue Jackets, Bright Futures,” which provides new students with a blue FFA jacket. The jackets cost $85, and National FFA kicks in $5, leaving $80 to be covered by members. Blue Jackets, Bright Futures picks up the remaining $80 for students who qualify, which gives them a jacket and a tie or scarf.

“The jacket’s kind of the equalizer, so regardless of financial position at home, or anything else in that student’s life, when they put that jacket on, they’re an FFA member, and they can focus on being an FFA member,” DeMorrett said.

The program has provided almost 4,000 jackets to students so far.

The foundation also provides college scholarships, funds for supervised agriculture experiences, stipends for travel to the Washington Leadership Conference or the National FFA Convention, funds for awards and sponsorships to reduce costs of events and other things that can reduce barriers to participation.

“Something that might not be known is FFA members in North Dakota actually only pay to attend two of the events that are available to them every year, and that’d be the State FFA Convention, and then the Leadership Convention,” DeMorrett said.

Removing financial barriers to participation means more students can learn skills that may lead to future employment or get to use their unique skills outside of the classroom. And DeMorrett said it also can help them find their place to belong.

“Everybody wants to fit in. Everybody wants to find a place, find a home where they belong,” she said.

She remembers a memorable FFA bus trip of her own, where the wheels fell off the bus, leading to her chapter spending eight hours together waiting for a replacement bus. She got to know fellow members who weren’t in the same social circles or the same FFA contests with her on a different level. That’s how she got to know her best friend, who later would officiate her wedding.

“It puts you in a different environment, where you can really allow yourself to be kind of more authentic and explore what those friendships could look like with somebody outside of your of your circle,” she said of her FFA experience.

DeMorrett emphasizes that the foundation team works closely with the North Dakota FFA Association to provide opportunities to students. She recently took a statewide trip with Nikki Fideldy-Doll, North Dakota state agriculture education supervisor and FFA advisor, and a National FFA officer. Seeing the passion Fideldy-Doll and others in the association, including Darin Spelhaug, agriculture education supervisor and executive secretary, and Breanna Mueller, agriculture education assistant supervisor, have for agriculture education and FFA was inspiring, she said.

“I’m lucky to be in this position and be able to support them in this way,” she said.

The North Dakota FFA Foundation has other long-standing sources of funding, notably including

the Bakk Farm, a large North Dakota farm that was willed to North Dakota FFA by farmer Fridtjov “Fred” Bakk. 

Anyone who wants to donate toward the foundation’s goals should reach out to foundation staff. But DeMorrett said needs exist beyond finances, including volunteers to help judge contests or mentor students.