Pembina

The Larry Wilwant Fund for Pembina gave a grant in 2014 to help with the renovation of the community center.

The Larry J Wilwant Fund for Pembina ND has awarded over $583,000 in 140 grants since its inception in 2007. Recent grant awards are listed below.

Grants Awarded in 2024

• City Fire Department - $5,000 Gas Fire Hose Tester
• Community in Action - $1,000 CIA Enrichment and Engagement
• Lamoure Memorial Golf Course - $5,000 clubhouse updates, greens maintenance, mower upkeep
• Neche Park District - $3,780 pool building/warming house
• North Border Pembina School - $3,780 Sound System for football field/park
• City of Pembina - $5,000 4th of July Celebration
• Pembina Ambulance Service, Inc. - $5,000 10 NEW ambulance pagers
• Pembina Cemetery Association
  • $2,200 75 Flags
  • $2,000 straightening of Tombstones
• Pembina County Imagination Library - $350 Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
• Pembina Recreation Board - $5,000 Baseball Field updates & maintenance, community events
• Pembina Skating Rink - $5,000 final Tin Project 

Grants Awarded in 2023

• Fort Pembina Historical Society - $4,000 for painting St. John's Church museum
• North Border Pembina School - $5,000 lawn maintenance 
• City of Pembina - $10,000 for 4th of July Celebration 2023
• Pembina Ambulance Service, Inc. - $5,000 Ambulance Chassis
• Pembina Catfish Committee - $5,000 Boat Dock repair and extension
• Pembina Recreation Board - $5,000 maintaining the Baseball/T-Ball program
• Pembina Skating Rink - $5,000 general funding
• City Fire Department - $4,220 for Fire Equipment

Grants Awarded in 2022

• Pembina Fire Dept. - $5,300 for confined space and grain bin rescue equipment
• City of Pembina - $5,000 for Pembina 4th of July Celebration
• North Border Pembina School - $5,000 for playground upgrades
• Lamoure Memorial Golf Course - $5,000 Greens Maintenance Program & Clubhouse Repairs
• Pembina Ambulance Service - $5,000 Ambulance Chassis
• Pembina Recreation Board - $5,000 for baseball uniforms and equipment
• Pembina Skating Rink - $5,000 for Tin Project, skate helpers, and maintenance
• Fort Pembina Historical Society - $2,000 for painting St. John's church museum
• Pembina Cemetery Association - $2,000 for flags for cemetery
• Great Plains Food Bank - $2,000 for hunger relief for Pembina County
• Faith in Action Health Coalition - $2,000 for volunteer travel stipends

Grants Awarded in 2021

• City of Pembina - $3,000 4th of July Celebration
• City of Pembina - $2,450 Fort Daer Beautification
• Fort Pembina Historical Society - $1,000 Signs, Security & Repairs
• Lamoure Memorial Golf Course - $4,700 Greens Maintenance Program & Decking Project
• Pembina Ambulance Service - $5,000 Ambulance Chassis
• Pembina Cemetery Association - $3,000 Cemetery Kiosk
• Pembina County Backpack Program - $1,800 Program Support
• Pembina Fire Dept. - $5,000 Upgrade LED Lighting on Pumper Truck
• Pembina Skating Rink - $4,700 Tin Project & Improvements
• City of Pembina - $10,000 Community Center Renovation Installment

Grants Awarded in 2020

• City of Pembina - $10,000 toward bond payment of Community Center (payment 13 of 14)
• City of Pembina - $4,500 for the City 4th of July Celebration
• Pembina Lamoure Memorial Golf Course - $3,700 for greens maintenance 
• Faith in Action - $759 for travel vouchers for volunteers
• Pembina Ambulance Service Inc, - $5,000 to purchase a chassis for ambulance
• Pembina Catfish Committee - $3,500 to support prizes for the summer Catfish Tournament
• Pembina Cemetery Association - $2,000 to purchase new flags for cemetery and $2,000 toward maintenance of the cemetery grounds
• Pembina Fire Department - $5,000 to upgrade to LED lighting on pumper truck
• Pembina Skating Rink - $4,000 for security features and maintenance of the rink

Grants Awarded in 2019

• City of Pembina - $10,000 toward bond payment of Community Center (payment 12 of 14)
• Pembina Ambulance Service, Inc. - $5,000 toward the purchase of a Zoll Monitor (heart monitor)
• Pembina Skating Rink - $5,000 toward payment on cement for year round use of the rink
• Pembina Rural Fire Department - $5,000 toward purchase of new personal protective gear for firefighters
• Pembina (LaMoure Memorial) Golf Course - $3,887 toward greens maintenance program and upkeep of mowers/fairway mower
• Pembina 4th of July Committee - $5,000 toward the purchase of fireworks for the 4th of July celebration
• City of Pembina - $5,000 for new signage promoting various amenities in town including the South Pembina Recreation Area, golf course and cafe
• After Prom Party - $500 to help defray the costs of prizes and expenses for the After Prom Party

How to Apply for a Grant from the Larry J. Wilwant Fund for Pembina

Guidelines

• Grants will be made only to those organizations designated as a government entity or a non-profit, tax exempt group under IRS code 501(c)(3). Grants will not be made to individuals.
• Grants shall be awarded to organizations that serve the city of Pembina as determined by an Advisory Board of local residents.
• Grants will generally not exceed $5,000 per application.
• Low priority will be given to grants requesting funds for day-to-day operations.
• Grants to religious organizations will be limited to those activities which are non-denominational and serve the entire community.

In funding decisions, the board will consider the following:

• Organizational management and integrity
• Level of local involvement and support
• The number of people to be served
• The impact of the grant on the success of the project

Deadline: March 15

How to Apply

Step 1 - Review

Review the grant guidelines above to make sure your organization qualifies.

Step 2 - Register

Create an account on our Grants Portal. You will need your organization’s name, EIN, and executive officer's name. Be sure to write down your user name (email address) and password.

Step 3 – Complete Your Application

After registering or logging in, you will arrive at the application section. Click “Apply” to the right of the grant program to which you wish to apply. If you do not see your desired grant program on the list, contact our office. You will be able to save your application and return later to complete it.

Click here for more detailed instructions and tips for using our online grant system.

Other Funds Managed by NDCF in Pembina

Scholarships for Students from Pembina

Alice Olson Byron Memorial Music Scholarship:  The fund was established in 2010 with a gift from the family of Alice Olson Byron and the Alice Olson Memorial Fund, to assist students who have graduated from a Pembina County, ND high school to continue their post-secondary education.  Preference will be given to students who are pursuing a music major, but anyone actively involved in music may qualify as well.

Other Funds from Pembina

Laurel & Betty Koehn Family Charitable Endowment Fund:  Established in 2012, to support the philanthropic goals of the Koehn family.

Save Our Screen Fund:  Established in 2012, the purpose of the Save Our Screen Fund is to provide monies for the costs associated with the renovation/upgrade of the historic Theatre in Cavalier. Grants from the fund will be used to update/preserve the historic Cinema Theater in Cavalier, ND.

Plan Your Legacy

Making a lasting difference in our community or for future generations may be easier than you realize.  With very simple language in your will or trust, you can support important projects and programs in our area forever.  Larry Wilwant created a named fund to support the community of Pembina forever, and you can do the same if you like or support specific organizations in our community.

Gifts to any endowed fund at the North Dakota Community Foundation are carefully invested to generate a  permanent source of charitable income.

If you have children or other relatives, you can leave a portion of your estate to them and a percentage to a fund at NDCF. Doing so provides for your heirs while honoring your charitable values.

Brothers Russell and Dale Brown left gifts to the communities of Lisbon and Milnor, ND, in their estate plans.

Getting Started

1.  Download our free Estate Planning Guide - it contains helpful information and things to consider as you develop your own unique plan.

2.  Reach out to a Pembina Community Foundation committee member to learn more about the charities and needs in our area.

3.  Consider discussing (confidentially) your vision with our NDCF gift planner Amy Stromsodt.  She has many years of experience helping donors create their charitable vision and better prepare for their discussions with financial planners. Amy's cell is 701-741-3193 or you can email her at Amy@NDCF.net.

4.  Contact your professional advisors (financial planner, attorney and/or accountant) and ask for help in establishing a charitable gift to our foundation.

5.  Make sure your will or living trust is up-to-date and reflects your charitable goals.

6.  Consider notifying the charitable organizations about the gift you plan to leave them.  They will appreciate your generosity and will want to know what you’d like them to do with your eventual gift if it isn't clear.

Language for Your Will or Living Trust

Susanne Mattheis wished to support several different charitable organizations in Bismarck after she passed. NDCF helped her craft a plan that accomplished her charitable goals and provided long-term support to the Public Library, Symphony Orchestra, and five other local entities.

If you would like to make a gift to your hometown in your will, here is some sample language to consider:

“I give and bequeath to the North Dakota Community Foundation (Tax ID Number 45-0336015), a qualified charitable organization under IRS 501(c)(3), located in Bismarck, North Dakota, ___________ (a percentage of the estate, specific dollar amount, or remainder of estate) for the __________________ (name of new or existing fund), a permanent component of the North Dakota Community Foundation.”

*  Be sure to contact your legal advisor.

There are many other ways to make a deferred gift to your community, including

• Making NDCF (and your specific community fund) the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, IRA, 401K, or commercial annuity
• Establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity with NDCF
• Other more sophisticated tools, depending on your unique situation

To investigate options and learn more about how other North Dakotans have given back, visit our planned giving website at www.NDCF.net/Plan.