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Souris Valley United Way’s fundraising campaign to support area charitable organizations is officially underway. SVUW recently announced it already is at 42% of its campaign goal of $625,000. The campaign runs through Jan. 31.
SVUW serves the counties of Bottineau, Burke, McHenry, McLean, Mountrail, Renville and Ward. Its yearly fundraiser raises money to split among the programs it oversees and to provide grants to charitable programs in the community. SVUW oversees the Backpack Buddies program, a program providing weekend meals to children in need, and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a program that mails books to children each month.
SVUW Executive Director Christy Miller said the majority of the campaign’s efforts go toward workplace campaigning, in which a representative visits a business and speaks with the employees about giving to the cause.
The campaign also offers the opportunity to give online or drop off donations at the SVUW office.
Miller explained that in March of each year, SVUW opens the grant application period. Local nonprofits can apply for funding and are interviewed by the Community Impact Panel, composed of community volunteers, who help decide where funds go. The input of the panel helps ensure the money from the community goes where the community chooses to invest it.
Miller said SVUW takes the responsibility of distributing donor money seriously. SVUW undergoes an independent financial audit voluntarily each year to make sure that money is being used efficiently.
Miller said that when a grant is awarded to an organization, SVUW requires that, twice a year, a report is sent back to it to show how funds were used, including how many people were served, which counties the money was used in and more. If SVUW has reason to believe funds are not being used in an appropriate way, it has the ability to pull funding to ensure donors' dollars are not wasted.
SVUW partner agencies in 2026 were Community Action Partnership, Companions for Children, Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Lutheran Social Services Senior Companions, Minot Commission on Aging, Minot Literacy Volunteers, Northern Plains Children's Advocacy Center, Peer Vision, The Village Behavioral Health and Youthworks.
Miller also mentioned SVUW’s Adopt a Backpack Buddy program. The program enables donors to pay for 33 weeks of meals for a student at $8 a week.
Miller said SVUW received large donations to the Backpack Buddy program from the Airstream Club International Rally in Minot in August and from a golf tournament hosted by Farstad Oil.