In conjunction with National Philanthropy Day, the South Dakota Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals recognized individuals, businesses and communities on Thursday, Nov. 12, for their extraordinary work in philanthropy in South Dakota. The National Philanthropy Day Awards were held virtually for the first time to recognize those who have given time, talent and treasure to improve the lives of South Dakotans.

Black Hills Energy of Rapid City was honored as the 2020 Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation. In 2019, Black Hills Energy invested more than $1.6 million in their South Dakota communities. This included charitable support both from the South Dakota electric utility as well as Black Hills Energy’s corporate foundation, the Black Hills Corporation Foundation (the Foundation). In 2020, the Foundation demonstrated agility to take unprecedented action. In collaboration with state leaders and community affairs teams, the Foundation devoted substantial portions of their annual giving budget to take an early lead in addressing basic needs as communities were first being impacted by COVID in the spring of 2020. These are just a few examples of the culture of philanthropy that makes Black Hills Energy this year’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation.

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