Rolla

The Volunteer Fire Dept received new breathing equipment.

The Rolla Community Endowment Fund has awarded over $145,000 in 117 grants since its inception in 2002. Recent grant awards are listed below:

Grants Awarded in 2024

• City of Rolla - $1,500 Rolla Community Center flooring
• Fred C Wagner American Legion Post 235 - $1,000 building rebuild
• Our Saviors Lutheran Church - $1,500 Vacation Bible School
• Rolette County Public Health District - $2,000 ADA-accessible automatic front door/window replacement
• Rolla Community Day Care, Inc. - $1,860 shade structure for outside playground
• Rolla Park Board - $5,000 park mower
• Rolla Public Library - $1,500 Arts in the Community
• Mt. Pleasant Public School District #4 (Rolla High School) - $5,000 Football Field Lights, payment #3 of 3

Grants Awarded in 2023

• City of Rolla Forestry - $2,000 Flowers for Main
• Mt. Pleasant Public School District #4 (Rolla High School) - $5,000 Football Field Lights,                         payment #2 of 3
• Rolette County Historical Society - $1,500 to light the Wheat Sculpture for winter in recognition of 10th anniversary
• Rolla American Legion Baseball - $2,500 baseball program
• Rolla Chamber of Commerce - $1,841 Rolla's 135th Ragtop Festival
• Rolla Public Library - $1,639 full STEAM ahead for Summer Reading
• Rolla Volunteer Fire Dept. - $2,000 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) cylinder replacement

Grants Awarded in 2022

• City of Rolla Forestry - $1,200 Flowers for Main
• Our Saviors Lutheran Church - $489 Community Garden & Food Forest
• Mt. Pleasant Public School District #4 (Rolla High School) - $5,000 for football field lights
• Rolla Community Center - $1,897 for new flooring in the Senior Center
• Rolla Park Board - $2,400 for swing set equipment
• Rolla Public Library - $1,200 for Makerspace
• Rolla Volunteer Fire Dept. - $1,500 for fire truck equipment enhancement

Grants Awarded in 2021

• City of Rolla - $1,000 Flowers for Main
• Our Saviors Lutheran Church - $585 Community Garden & Produce Pantry
• Rolette County Public Health District - $1,000 Clinic Expansion Project
• Rolla American Legion Baseball - $3,769 New Equipment Field Management
• Rolla Park Board - $2,500 Resurfacing & New Toddler Play Area
• Rolla Public Library - $1,033 Shelving Replacement
• Rolla Volunteer Fire Dept. - $1,500 Pagers & Scene Lights

Grants Awarded in 2020

• Rolla Public Library - $1120.73 to purchase DVD's, a Learning Easel with Storage, new shelving, new novels and craft supplies 
• City of Rolla Forestry - $800 for Flowers for Main Street
• Revitalize Rolla - $8804.27 toward the construction of a Family Entertainment Center in Rolla

Grants Awarded in 2019

• Rolla Cemetery Committee - $1000 for general upkeep, removal of intrusive shrubs and repairs to sod
• Rolette County Public Health - $1500 to purchase portable drape kits, room dividers and carrying bags
• Rolla Volunteer Fire Department - $2000 toward the purchase of 7 sets of Techgen level 3 protective gear
• Rolla Park Board - $2300 to bring baseball diamonds up to standard code to start a Legion Baseball team for summer of 2019
• Northern Lights Baseball - $1125 toward the purchase of new jerseys for the high school baseball team
• Rolla Public Library - $1000 toward the purchase of new books and library furniture
• Rolla Elementary School - $1000 toward upgrades to playground equipment

Custom-made bookshelves for the Rolla Public Library

How to Apply for a Grant from the Rolla Community Endowment Fund

GUIDELINES

• RCEF makes grants only to those organizations designated by the IRS code as 501(c)3 non-profit tax exempt groups or government agencies
• RCEF does not make grants to individuals
• Project beneficiaries shall be limited to the city of Rolla
• RCEF will not provide funding for day-to-day operations
• Organizations shall limit requests to one per year. Generally, the RCEF shall not award multi-year grants (ie pledges)

In funding decisions, the board will consider:

• Organizational management and integrity
• Level of local involvement and community support to include fundraising
• Degree to which the organization can demonstrate successful or unsuccessful attempts to leverage monies through other granting agencies or programs
• The number of citizens served and the overall impact on the community
• Innovative solutions or a new approach to an existing or recurring problem
• Degree to which the RCEF grant will affect the success of the project

Deadline: April 15

How to Apply:

We made it easy for you to apply online for a grant!

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. (PDF)

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 help the Rolla Community Endowment Fund (RCEF) continue to support important projects and programs in our area forever.

Gifts to the RCEF are carefully invested by our partner foundation - the North Dakota Community Foundation - 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 the RCEF. 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 Rolla Community Endowment Fund 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 include the Rolla Community Endowment Fund 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 Rolla Community Endowment 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.