2026 SD Ag Foundation Grant Awardees

PIERRE, S.D. (June 4, 2026) — The South Dakota Ag Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of their annual Ag Innovators (AI) Youth Education and Building Rural Communities (BRC) grants. This year, the SD Ag Foundation has awarded 16 grants totaling $21,450 to support innovative youth ag education programs and rural community projects.

“Supporting programs that connect young people to agriculture is at the heart of what the South Dakota Ag Foundation does,” said Kyle Holt, CEO of the South Dakota Ag Foundation. “These grants represent our continued commitment to building the next generation of agricultural leaders and strengthening the rural communities that make South Dakota’s agriculture industry strong. We are proud to invest in organizations and educators who are doing this important work across our state.”

The SD Ag Foundation’s Ag Innovators Youth Education grants fund supports public nonprofit organizations that implement or enhance agriculture education, innovation, and leadership development. This year, the Foundation awarded Ag Innovators Youth Education grants totaling $20,250 and included, but is not limited to, a variety of projects such as:

  • Providing hands-on agricultural learning experiences for youth through hydroponics, crop science, and farm-to-table projects at Boys & Girls Clubs in Aberdeen and Brookings

  • Expanding FFA and 4-H leadership programming statewide, including at the South Dakota State Fair’s FFA Ag Adventure Center, regional leadership workshops through SDARL, improving Gregory County’s 4-H livestock facilities, and teaching essential life skills through 4-H in Brown County

  • Supporting classroom-based agricultural education including a pollinator and value-added ag unit for third graders in Pierre, hydroponic systems hands-on experience at Cheyenne Eagle Butte High School, and agricultural STEM curriculum development through GroundWorks Connect

  • Funding the Agriculture Innovation Award through BIG Idea, Inc., recognizing youth entrepreneurs who incorporate innovation, technology, and leadership into agriculture

  • Supporting the Cattlemen’s Leadership Academy, a leadership program for emerging cattle industry leaders led by the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association

  • Supporting specialty crop apprenticeships through South Central Resource Conservation and Development in partnership with the SD Specialty Producers Association, connecting students across five regions of the state with master producers.

The South Dakota Ag Foundation’s Building Rural Communities grant program is for 4-H clubs, FFA chapters, and FCCLA chapters to support community improvement or public safety projects. This year, the Foundation awarded BRC grants totaling $1,200 and included a variety of projects such as:

  • Funding facility improvements at the Corson County Fairgrounds in McIntosh, including construction work to complete the interior of a practice building for the growing Corson County 4-H Shooting Sports program

  • Funding updated equipment for the Mellette County 4-H Shooting Sports program to expand participation and improve safety for youth members

  • Supporting Scotland FFA’s project to assemble and distribute farm first aid kits to agricultural families throughout Bon Homme County.

Organizations awarded through the AI and BRC grant programs are listed below. For more information on the South Dakota Ag Foundation, contact Kyle Holt at 605.222.5981 or kyle@sdagfoundation.org.

2026 Ag Innovators Grant Program Awardees

  • Boys & Girls Club of Aberdeen Area

  • Boys & Girls Club of Brookings

  • Let ‘er Buck 4-H Club

  • South Dakota FFA Foundation

  • Pierre School District

  • Cheyenne River Long Term Recovery Group

  • Groundworks Connect

  • SDARL - South Dakota Ag & Rural Leadership Foundation

  • Brown County 4-H Program

  • South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association

  • Gregory County 4-H Leaders Association

  • BIG Idea, Inc.

  • South Central Resource Conservation and Development (SCRCD) in partnership with SD Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA)

2026 Building Rural Communities Grant Program Awardees

  • Corson County 4-H Leaders Association

  • Mellette County 4-H and Shooting Sports

  • Scotland FFA

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