
The Aberdeen BID II Board exists to increase the economic and cultural growth benefiting the Aberdeen area and its hotels by the enhancement, expansion, marketing and promotion of visitor events, attractions and activities with an emphasis on the overnight guest.
Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Inc has used event sponsorship to draw overnight visitors to Aberdeen through sports, tournaments, and community gatherings. The largest recent awards in the record are $20,000 grants for college basketball tournament support, one to NSU Foundation for the 2023 College Basketball Tournament Nov. 17-18, 2022 and another to Northern State University for the College BB Tourney Nov. 18-19. That pattern continues across the rest of the grant file, where the bureau backs events that can fill hotels and activate the local visitor economy. Its recent funding includes recurring support for hockey, softball, soccer, wrestling, and specialty competitions such as BMX, water ski, and clay target shooting. Grants also reach community programming, including Arts in the Park. The recurring focus on tournaments and event infrastructure shows a funder oriented toward bringing participants and spectators into Aberdeen for scheduled events rather than broad charitable programs. The presence of multiple awards to the same sports organizations across different years suggests sustained sponsorship relationships, especially where events return annually or seasonally.
Sports dominate the recent grant list, with support for teams, tournaments, and event infrastructure across several disciplines. Aberdeen Cougar Hockey received $18,000 for the Aberdeen Hockey Association 22/23 and 23/24 Season and Tournament, while Aberdeen Amateur Hockey Association received $10,000 for 2024/2025 Hockey Events. Youth and amateur field sports are also prominent. Aberdeen Youth Wrestling Club was awarded $15,000 for 2023 Wrestling Events, and Hub City Soccer Club received $8,000 for 2024 Events Winter & Summer Soccer Tournaments plus another $8,000 for the Geffdog Winter Invitational & Dacotah Bank Cup Tournament. Beyond team sports, the bureau supported event-specific facilities and programming. Aberdeen Parks Rec & Forestry received $15,000 for SDHSAA Softball Tourney Portable Fencing, and Aberdeen Area Arts Council received $6,500 for Arts in the Park.
Typical grant size clusters around $10,000, with p25 at $7,625, median at $10,000, and p75 at $15,000. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, including Aberdeen Swim Club, Aberdeen Gun Club, Hub City Soccer Club, and Aberdeen Softball Association. That points to ongoing sponsorship rather than isolated awards. The foundation gives locally and operates through event sponsorship programs tied to the Aberdeen Hotel Alliance and Aberdeen BID II. Both active programs accept unsolicited proposals.
$52K
$727K
$847K
$766K
Most grants fall between $8K and $15K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$15K
Casey Weismantel
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Grantmaking is concentrated entirely in South Dakota, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Most awards land in Aberdeen, including Northern State University, Aberdeen Cougar Hockey, Aberdeen Youth Wrestling Club, Hub City Soccer Club, and Aberdeen Area Arts Council. A smaller share goes elsewhere in-state, such as Special Olympics South Dakota in Sioux Falls. The county-level sponsorship program also covers Brown County, SD.
The recent grants focus on tourism-linked events, especially sporting events and special events. Funded activities include college basketball tournaments, hockey, wrestling, softball, soccer, BMX, water ski, bowling, clay target shooting, and a community arts event, Arts in the Park.
Yes. The grant list shows repeated awards to the same organizations across different years, including Aberdeen Swim Club, Aberdeen Gun Club, Hub City Soccer Club, and Aberdeen Softball Association. One grant to Aberdeen Gun Club is labeled the 4th year of a 5-year sponsorship.
Typical awards are modest and centered near $10,000. The distribution shows p25 at $7,625, median at $10,000, and p75 at $15,000, with several grants at $6,000 to $8,000 and a few larger awards at $18,000 and $20,000.
The foundation gives locally. All 22 recent grants went to recipients in the United States, and 100% of grants went to recipients in South Dakota. Most recipients are in Aberdeen, with a smaller number in Sioux Falls.
Yes. Both active programs listed for the bureau accept unsolicited proposals: Aberdeen Hotel Alliance Event Sponsorship Funding and Aberdeen BID II / Hotel Alliance Sponsorship Grant Funding.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Swim Club | Aberdeen, SD | $12,000 | 2025 | 2024 Swim Meets |
| Aberdeen Aqua Addicts Ski Team | Aberdeen, SD | $10,000 | 2025 | Midwest Water Ski Regional Tournament |
| Aberdeen Amateur Hockey Association | Aberdeen, SD | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024/2025 Hockey Events |
| Hub City Soccer Club | Aberdeen, SD | $8,000 | 2025 | Geffdog Winter Invitational & Dacotah Bank Cup Tournament |
| Special Olympics South Dakota | Sioux Falls, SD | $6,000 | 2025 | State Tournament |
| Aberdeen Gun Club | Aberdeen, SD | $6,000 | 2025 | SD State High School Clay Target Tournament |
| NSU Foundation | Aberdeen, SD | $20,000 | 2024 | 2023 College Basketball Tournament Nov 17-18, 2022 |
| Aberdeen Cougar Hockey | Aberdeen, SD | $18,000 | 2024 | Aberdeen Hockey Association 22/23 and 23/24 Season and Tournament |
| Aberdeen Youth Wrestling Club | Aberdeen, SD | $15,000 | 2024 | 2023 Wrestling Events |
| Aberdeen Swim Club | Aberdeen, SD | $10,500 | 2024 | 2023 Events Sponsorship |
| Aberdeen Softball Association aka Hub City Softball Association | Aberdeen, SD | $10,000 | 2024 | 2023 Softball events |
| Hub City Soccer Club | Aberdeen, SD | $8,000 | 2024 | 2024 Events Winter & Summer Soccer Tournaments |
| Aberdeen Gun Club | Aberdeen, SD | $6,000 | 2024 | SD Clay Target Tournament (4th yr of 5 yr sponsorship) |
| Special Olympics South Dakota | Sioux Falls, SD | $6,000 | 2024 | State Bowling Tournament 2023 Sustaining Partners |
| Northern State University | Aberdeen, SD | $20,000 | 2023 | College BB Tourney Nov 18-19 |
| Aberdeen Parks Rec & Forestry | Aberdeen, SD | $15,000 | 2023 | SDHSAA Softball Tourney Portable Fencing |
| Aberdeen BMX | Aberdeen, SD | $15,000 | 2023 | BMX Hub City Nationals & Facility Funding |
| Aberdeen Hockey Association | Aberdeen, SD | $10,000 | 2023 | Girls Varsity Tourney |
| Aberdeen Softball Association | Aberdeen, SD | $10,000 | 2023 | Softball Events - State Rec Tournament - July |
| Aberdeen Youth Soccer Association | Aberdeen, SD | $8,000 | 2023 | Winter & Summer Soccer Tourneys |
| Aberdeen Area Arts Council | Aberdeen, SD | $6,500 | 2023 | Arts in the Park |
| Aberdeen Gun Club | Aberdeen, SD | $6,000 | 2023 | SD Clay Target Tourney 3rd of 5 yr sponsorship |
Aberdeen Swim Club
$12,0002024 Swim Meets
Aberdeen Aqua Addicts Ski Team
$10,000Midwest Water Ski Regional Tournament
Aberdeen Amateur Hockey Association
$10,0002024/2025 Hockey Events
Hub City Soccer Club
$8,000Geffdog Winter Invitational & Dacotah Bank Cup Tournament
Special Olympics South Dakota
$6,000State Tournament
Aberdeen Gun Club
$6,000SD State High School Clay Target Tournament
NSU Foundation
$20,0002023 College Basketball Tournament Nov 17-18, 2022
Aberdeen Cougar Hockey
$18,000Aberdeen Hockey Association 22/23 and 23/24 Season and Tournament
Aberdeen Youth Wrestling Club
$15,0002023 Wrestling Events
Aberdeen Swim Club
$10,5002023 Events Sponsorship
Aberdeen Softball Association aka Hub City Softball Association
$10,0002023 Softball events
Hub City Soccer Club
$8,0002024 Events Winter & Summer Soccer Tournaments
Aberdeen Gun Club
$6,000SD Clay Target Tournament (4th yr of 5 yr sponsorship)
Special Olympics South Dakota
$6,000State Bowling Tournament 2023 Sustaining Partners
Northern State University
$20,000College BB Tourney Nov 18-19
Aberdeen Parks Rec & Forestry
$15,000SDHSAA Softball Tourney Portable Fencing
Aberdeen BMX
$15,000BMX Hub City Nationals & Facility Funding
Aberdeen Hockey Association
$10,000Girls Varsity Tourney
Aberdeen Softball Association
$10,000Softball Events - State Rec Tournament - July
Aberdeen Youth Soccer Association
$8,000Winter & Summer Soccer Tourneys
Aberdeen Area Arts Council
$6,500Arts in the Park
Aberdeen Gun Club
$6,000SD Clay Target Tourney 3rd of 5 yr sponsorship