Program areas at DMF
Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF) and its supporting organization, Dakota Medical Charities (DMC), (the "Foundations") are recognized leaders dedicated to addressing societal health problems and improving the health and quality of life for people across North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. The Foundations focus their grants and initiative programs in support of the following areas: Access to Healthcare, Chronic Disease Prevention, Organizational Effectiveness, and Innovation. ACCESS TO HEALTHCARELend A Hand Up Initiative: In 2007, Dakota Medical Foundation established the Lend A Hand Up Initiative to provide financial and fundraising assistance to a defined charitable class of families and individuals in Cass County, ND and Clay County, MN that experience financial hardships due to catastrophic medical issues. In 2019, the mission was expanded to include residents of Becker County, MN. In 2022, the mission was expanded to include financial hardship due to a traumatic event or recent loss of life, in addition to critical health issues. In 2023, the Lend A Hand Up program helped raise $2 million for 70 qualified families. Lend A Hand Up participated in Giving Hearts Day 2023 and raised nearly $125,000 to support financial boosts distributed to each family served by the program. The Foundations have provided boost funding totaling more than $3 million since 2008.
ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESSIn 2023, the Foundations provided $113,000 in grants to Impact Foundation for training and coaching nonprofit leaders involved in Giving Hearts Day across the region. Impact Training and Coaching: The High Impact Institute's ultimate goal is to help individuals and organizations unlock their potential to serve. The High Impact Institute works to help charities build a systematic approach to fundraising and a high impact approach to Board-CEO-team leadership. The High Impact Institute also serves as a co-host and fundraising coach for charities in Giving Hearts Day, one of the first and longest running giving days in the United States. Since 2008, Giving Hearts Day has helped charities raise more than $165 million to improve health and quality of life in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. DMF Center for Excellence & Innovation: In March 2013, DMF opened a newly-constructed 18,800 square foot building as a gift to the community serving as a nonprofit community center to educate and train area nonprofits, as well as a gathering space for local nonprofits. In 2023, 228 nonprofits used the facility at little or no cost for nearly 500 training, education, and retreat events with more than 8,000 community members in attendance. Since March 2013, over 1,500 nonprofits have utilized the space for 3,100 events with more than 93,000 combined attendees.GivingHeartsDay.org: This technology platform allows charities to accept online contributions from donors, share their stories, and engage volunteers. The website received several upgrades including an update to the admin features to improve charity satisfaction, functionality and overall user experience. The platform also leveraged a stress testing environment to refine high-performance system architecture.Giving Hearts Day Initiative: Together, with Impact Foundation and the Alex Stern Family Foundation, Dakota Medical Foundation hosts an annual 24-hour giving day to boost charity awareness and volunteering and giving in our region. Since inception in 2008, Giving Hearts Day has generated contributions for charities across North Dakota and northwest Minnesota totaling more than $165 million. In fiscal year 2023, Foundation staff led and coordinated the complex undertaking of managing 562 charitable causes and nearly 42,000 donors' experience in our region's most generous day. In 2023, the Foundations expanded ways to give through donation of goods and food items. Area businesses and food pantries hosted the first-ever statewide Giving Hearts Day Food Drive with more than 8,500 pounds of food donated and distributed to food pantries and charities across North Dakota. The Foundations have provided nearly $7.3 million in matching fund grants and incentive grants for participating organizations since inception.