With the South Dakota Community Foundation Nonprofit Assessment, the Government Research Bureau at USD will gather information from more than 10,000 of South Dakota's nonprofit agencies through surveys to better understand training and organizational requirements.

Bob Sutton, president of the South Dakota Community Foundation, says the Government Research Bureau came highly recommended and that their selection was based on "strong work they've done in the area of statewide surveys."

"The survey is one component to this project," adds Sutton, who says the Government Research Bureau will send the survey to 10,385 nonprofit organizations over the next couple of weeks. "We received $2 million from the Bush Foundation specifically for the purpose of capacity building for nonprofit organizations."

The U's Government Research Bureau, which has compiled a database of the more than 10,000 nonprofits operating in South Dakota, will use the data from the surveys to create a training strategy for the South Dakota Community Foundation. William D. Anderson, Ph.D., director of the USD Government Research Bureau, says the project will also serve as a springboard for nonprofit organization growth and development in the state.

"The work that the South Dakota Community Foundation is doing with us is intended to help USD become a central place for nonprofit sector expertise in South Dakota," notes Anderson. "It's something that we're already known for, but this project solidifies that."

Many nonprofits have been operating on limited budgets and limited resources, so training issues have become commonplace. However, money from the Bush Foundation grant will not be used to fund nonprofits but to enhance them with increased grant making opportunities, improving fundraising capabilities and strengthening nonprofit boards.

The overall program, entitled the South Dakota Nonprofit Enhancement Project, will also see the re-launch of the South Dakota Nonprofit Association, an organization being re-built to provide a sustainable network for capacity building activities for the state’s nonprofit community.

More information about the Government Research Bureau at USD is available online at www.usd.edu/grb/ or by calling (605) 677-5708.

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