The Helen R Ernst Charitable Trust focuses almost exclusively on postsecondary scholarships and financial aid for colleges in North Dakota, with a strong emphasis on tribal and regional institutions. Most grants support scholarships for students at Cankdeska Cikana Community College and United Tribes Technical College, indicating a commitment to Native American higher education and local student access. The foundation’s giving is small-scale but targeted, prioritizing direct aid to enable college attendance rather than broad programmatic initiatives.
Concentrated, modest-dollar scholarship grants primarily to a few repeat grantees; funding is targeted rather than widely distributed and emphasizes continuing support to tribal and regional colleges.
$5K
$92K
$17K
$8K
Most grants fall between $550 and $3K, with a median of $684.
25th Percentile
$550
Median
$684
75th Percentile
$3K
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Notable grantees: Cankdeska Cikana Community College, United Tribes Technical College, Mayville State University, University of North Dakota
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE | BISMARCK, ND | $1,988 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CANKDESKA CIKANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | FORT TOTTEN, ND | $790 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY | ADDISON, IL | $500 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA | GRAND FORKS, ND | $500 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE | BISMARCK, ND | $395 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| LAKE REGION STATE COLLEGE | DEVILS LAKE, ND | $395 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| TURTLE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE | BELCOURT, ND | $198 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CANKDESKA CIKANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | FORT TOTTEN, ND | $4,750 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE | BISMARCK, ND | $2,014 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA | GRAND FORKS, ND | $1,056 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| LAKE REGION STATE COLLEGE | DEVILS LAKE, ND | $682 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| MAYVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY | MAYVILLE, ND | $375 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| FORT LEWIS COLLEGE | DURANGO, CO | $276 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MORRIS | MORRIS, MN | $276 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE | BISMARCK, ND | $276 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CANKDESKA CIKANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | FORT TOTTEN, ND | $3,353 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE | BISMARCK, ND | $3,162 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE | BISMARCK, ND | $542 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA | GRAND FORKS, ND | $375 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CANKDESKA CIKANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | FORT TOTTEN, ND | $4,066 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| MAYVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY | MAYVILLE, ND | $1,231 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $751 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA | GRAND FORKS, ND | $616 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE | BISMARCK, ND | $573 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MORRIS | MORRIS, MN | $151 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE
$1,988SCHOLARSHIPS
CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY
$500SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
$500SCHOLARSHIPS
LAKE REGION STATE COLLEGE
$395SCHOLARSHIPS
TURTLE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$198SCHOLARSHIPS
UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE
$2,014SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
$1,056SCHOLARSHIPS
LAKE REGION STATE COLLEGE
$682SCHOLARSHIPS
MAYVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY
$375SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MORRIS
$276SCHOLARSHIPS
BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE
$276SCHOLARSHIPS
UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE
$3,162SCHOLARSHIPS
BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE
$542SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
$375SCHOLARSHIPS
MAYVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY
$1,231SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
$751SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
$616SCHOLARSHIPS
UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLEGE
$573SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MORRIS
$151SCHOLARSHIPS