Campaigning for quality of life

Community Appeals

The Community Appeals Committee provides orderly scheduling of qualified capital fund drives. By vetting capital fund drives, the Community Appeals team affirms that the project is a sound community investment and worthy of donor consideration. This allows Chamber member businesses to feel confident that their corporate donations are supporting projects that improve quality of life in our community.

Community Appeals Scheduled Fund Drives

The next scheduling period is April 1, 2027 to July 31, 2027.

Sioux Falls Zoo & Aquarium

11/1/2024 to 3/31/2025
$1.3 million
To expand zoo and unite the Butterfly House and Aquarium onto one unified campus, supporting the creation of a 350,000-gallon shark reef aquarium, an expanded education center, and a butterfly rainforest.

Forward Sioux Falls

11/1/2025 to 3/31/2026
TBD
To provide programs that improve the economy and quality of life in our region, continuing a long tradition of working collaboratively with private and public stakeholders to drive growth and innovation.

Abbott House

4/1/2026 to 7/31/2026
$1.8 million
To expand services to Sioux Falls by providing two therapeutic foster homes for at-risk youth.

St. Francis House

11/1/2026 to 3/31/2027
$1.5 million
To create safe and affordable housing through an addition to an existing facility, moving people from homelessness to hope.

The Process

Our Community Appeals process is intended to provide our members with assurance that a Community Appeals campaign is worthy of investment. All requests for capital fund drives must be made by submitting an application and supporting documents to the Community Appeals Committee. Applications are considered in two areas: Social and Educational—for review by the entire committee.

The Community Appeals Committee will accept applications from May 1 through Aug.1 each year, with appeal presentations to the full committee conducted beginning in September. The committee will make scheduling decisions no later than calendar year-end. Approved requests are scheduled for a predetermined campaign timeslot, with campaigns typically taking place 21-23 months following approval.

Please submit application inquiries to Brittany Hanson at brittanyh@siouxfalls.com.

Community Appeals Policy Manual