Williston Area Community Foundation

NEWS RELEASES

LAUNCH ARTICLE

Since the Williston Area Community Foundation’s inception in 2014, & the George & Helen Christensen Family Charitable Fund in 2013, over $10,000 in grants have been awarded. Recent grant awards are listed below.

Grant Awarded in 2023: Coyote Clay Target League - $4,350 for their range build

Grants Awarded in 2022

• Acro Stars Gymnastics:  $1,200 for their building expansion
• BIO Girls:  $1,200 to start a program in Williston
• Injured Military Wildlife Project of North Dakota:  $1,200 for program support

Grant Awarded in 2021: Dakota Children's Advocacy Center - $2,500 Child Abuse Outreach

Grant Awarded in 2020: Summit Counseling - $2,330 for COVID-19 Protection

Grants Awarded in 2019

• MonDak Gymnastics Support Group - $715.60 for Window & Door Replacement, Roof Repair
• Williston Council for the Aging - $1,073.40 for Northwest Dakota Public Transit Software & Vehicles

Applications Open February 1st & Close on July 27th

APPLY OR REACCESS YOUR PAST APPLICATION

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 Grant 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.

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 Williston Area Community Foundation (WACF) continue to support important projects and programs in our area forever.

Gifts to WACF 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 WACF. Doing so provides for your heirs while honoring your charitable values.

Getting Started

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

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 Williston Area 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 John Heinen.  He has many years of experience helping donors create their charitable vision and better prepare for their discussions with financial planners. John's cell is 701-590-4614 or you can email him at John@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 Williston Area Community Foundation 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 Williston Community Foundation, 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.