South Dakota Humanities Council
South Dakota Humanities Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that delivers free humanities programming statewide through reading initiatives, book distribution, author tours, grants, and community partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersBrookings, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What South Dakota Humanities Council does
South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 and headquartered in Brookings, South Dakota, operating as the designated state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). It is the only cultural organization in South Dakota whose sole mission is to deliver humanities programming, doing so free of charge across the state through grants, statewide reading programs, author tours, and educational initiatives. Programs are delivered via partnerships with libraries, K-12 schools, museums, tribal colleges, historical societies, community organizations, and the South Dakota Newspaper Association, which distributes the weekly We the People constitutional column authored by David Adler.
SDHC's core program portfolio comprises One Book South Dakota (annual statewide reading program since 2003), Young Readers One Book (free book distribution to every South Dakota third grader since 2014, delivering over 14,000 books to 381 schools in 2024), Book Club to Go (lending library of book sets for community reading groups), Humanities Cafe (bi-weekly virtual discussions via Zoom), the annual Festival of Books (23rd edition in 2025), Museum on Main Street traveling exhibitions in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, the Knowledge Keepers cultural programming initiative, and competitive Humanities Grants up to $10,000. The SD Stories book series and MMIP-focused lending selections extend the publishing and cultural preservation surface area. The underlying technology stack is conventional: a WordPress/YOOtheme website, Wufoo application forms, and PayPal for donations, with no proprietary software platform.
The business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding structure with primary revenue from federal NEH and NEA pass-through grants, supplemented by private individual donations at $50/$100/$200 tiers, corporate and foundation support (notably the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's $15M nationwide humanities councils commitment in 2025), and modest program hosting application fees ($50 in-person, $25 virtual). The current federal funding environment creates material concentration risk in the upstream revenue stack. The organization operates with a lean staff of approximately five employees and is governed by a Board of Directors that includes gubernatorial appointees.
South Dakota Humanities Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- South Dakota Humanities Council
- Legal name
- South Dakota Humanities Council
- Website
- https://sdhumanities.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- South Dakota Humanities Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that delivers free humanities programming statewide through reading initiatives, book distribution, author tours, grants, and community partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
South Dakota Humanities Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanities Programming Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils) (EDAAAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAE)
Keywords
Where South Dakota Humanities Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brookings
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
South Dakota Humanities Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Federal Funding: Primary revenue source from National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants and program funding. Loss of federal funding would significantly impact programming.
- Private Donations: Individual donations at various levels ($50, $100, $200) supporting local humanities programs, book distribution, and Festival of Books.
- Corporate/Foundation Support: Support from corporations, foundations, and annual endowment funding.
- Program Application Fees: Program fee of $50 for hosting programs ($25 for virtual events), required prior to grant approval.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Programs - Programs offered at no cost to attendees |
| Subscription | One time | $50 Donation - Supports local humanities programs & events |
| Subscription | One time | $100 Donation - Sends books to over 200 elementary schools |
| Subscription | One time | $200 Donation - Provides programming for annual Festival of Books |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Program Hosting Application Fee - $50 for in-person, $25 for virtual |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
South Dakota Humanities Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
South Dakota Humanities Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free humanities programming across South Dakota through statewide reading initiatives, direct book distribution to third graders, lending library services, bi-weekly virtual discussions, civic education columns, and grant funding. The organization partners with libraries, schools, museums, tribal colleges, and community organizations to host programs and reach residents across the state.
Product overview
The South Dakota Humanities Council operates as a single nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected humanities programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include One Book South Dakota (statewide reading program), Young Readers One Book (3rd grade book distribution), Book Club to Go (lending library), Humanities Cafe (virtual discussions), We the People (constitutional education column), and the annual Festival of Books. These programs are complemented by Museum on Main Street exhibitions, humanities grants, Knowledge Keepers cultural programming, and the SD Stories published book series. Programs are offered free of charge and designed to reach communities across South Dakota through partnerships with libraries, schools, museums, and local organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Festival of Books: Annual literary festival featuring authors and cultural programming
- One Book South Dakota
- Young Readers One Book
- Book Club to-Go
- Humanities Cafe
- We the People
Products and services
- One Book South Dakota A statewide reading program that encourages South Dakota residents to read and discuss the same book throughout the year. Groups receive book sets on loan from SDHC's lending library and host a SDHC scholar for their discussion events. The 2026 selection is 'A Biography of a Mountain' by Matthew Davis.
- Young Readers One Book A program launched in 2014 that provides a free book to every third grader in South Dakota annually. In 2024, over 14,000 books were delivered to 381 schools across the state. The 2025 selection is 'Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills' by Donna Janell Bowman, illustrated by S.D. Nelson.
- Book Club to Go A free lending program that provides sets of books (up to 30 copies) to book clubs, libraries, and community groups across South Dakota to support community reading and discussion. Books are available in accessible formats through the South Dakota State Library's Braille and Talking Book Library. The program also includes MMIP (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons) focused book selections.
- Humanities Cafe (formerly Brainstorming) A bi-weekly virtual discussion program held via Zoom that brings together presenters to discuss important issues affecting Americans. The program aims to be informative and conversational, discussing topics that often go unaddressed in society. Sessions occur Thursdays at 12 p.m. CT.
- We the People A weekly newspaper column written by constitutional scholar David Adler that promotes public understanding and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution. Published free-of-charge throughout South Dakota via the South Dakota Newspaper Association, covering topics such as constitutional provisions, Supreme Court decisions, and civic education.
- Festival of Books The annual South Dakota Festival of Books brings nationally recognized authors, performers, musicians, and artists to the state. The event features author readings, discussions, book signings, and cultural programming. The 2024 festival marked the 23rd annual event.
- Museum on Main Street A Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition program that brings museum-quality exhibits to rural communities across South Dakota through the Museum on Main Street initiative, including 'Crossroads' and 'Spark!' exhibitions.
- Humanities Grants Grant funding available to organizations across South Dakota to support humanities programming. Grants up to $10,000 are available for eligible applicants including libraries, schools, museums, historical societies, and community organizations.
- South Dakota Stories Series Five collections of stories written by and about South Dakota residents, documenting themes of life in the state including rural schools, country churches, farm and ranch life, wartime experiences, and what it means to be a South Dakotan. The series includes 'One-room Country School,' 'Country Congregations,' 'On the Homefront,' 'Life on the Farm & Ranch,' and 'What Makes a South Dakotan.'
- Knowledge Keepers A program referenced in the site's navigation dedicated to cultural preservation and knowledge sharing within South Dakota communities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 14,000 books distributed to 381 schools in 2024
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use South Dakota Humanities Council
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
South Dakota Humanities Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
South Dakota Humanities Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)corePrimary federal funding source and strategic partner guiding SDHC's humanities programming. NEH principle 'Democracy demands wisdom' underpins SDHC's mission. Loss of NEH funding would significantly impact programming capabilities.
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)coreFederal arts funding partner collaborating with NEH to bring nationally respected authors, performers, musicians, and artists to South Dakota communities.
- South Dakota Newspaper AssociationcoreDistributes the weekly 'We the People' column by David Adler on constitutional topics to newspapers across South Dakota.
- Black Hills ReadssecondaryPartner in Young Readers program, collaborating to create 'storytime' videos with authors/illustrators for educator curriculum.
- SFEC (South Dakota Fiction/Eilm)secondaryPartner in Young Readers program, creating special storytime video content with authors and illustrators.
- South Dakota State Library (Braille and Talking Book Library)secondaryProvides audio format books for Book Club to Go program, making titles accessible to readers with visual or print disabilities through BARD mobile app and cartridge downloads.
- Smithsonian Institution (Museum on Main Street)corePartnership bringing Smithsonian traveling exhibitions to South Dakota communities, including 'Crossroads' and 'Spark!' exhibitions through Museum on Main Street program.
- SDSU ExtensionsecondaryPartners on Humanities Cafe programming, with staff participating in discussions on South Dakota culture and traditions.
- Sinte Gleska UniversitysecondaryHost site for Smithsonian Spark! Exhibition opening in January 2025.
- Oglala Lakota CollegesecondaryHost site for 2026 One Book South Dakota author tour event in Kyle.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
South Dakota Humanities Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
South Dakota Humanities Council social profiles
Digital presenceSouth Dakota Humanities Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
South Dakota Humanities Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
South Dakota Humanities Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
South Dakota Humanities Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about South Dakota Humanities Council
What does South Dakota Humanities Council do?
South Dakota Humanities Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free humanities programming across South Dakota through statewide reading initiatives, direct book distribution to third graders, lending library services, bi-weekly virtual discussions, civic education columns, and grant funding. The organization partners with libraries, schools, museums, tribal colleges, and community organizations to host programs and reach residents across the state.
Is South Dakota Humanities Council a public or private company?
South Dakota Humanities Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was South Dakota Humanities Council founded?
South Dakota Humanities Council was founded in 1972. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is South Dakota Humanities Council based?
South Dakota Humanities Council is headquartered in Brookings, United States, in the North America region.
How does South Dakota Humanities Council make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Federal Funding is the primary driver. The others are private Donations, corporate/Foundation Support and program Application Fees.
Does South Dakota Humanities Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for South Dakota Humanities Council.
What industry is South Dakota Humanities Council in?
South Dakota Humanities Council's product category is Humanities Programming Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAFAD, Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils), with a secondary code of EDAGAFAE, Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.