April 2025 – Minot, N.D. – Providing financial hope for the future by strengthening a community’s well-being defines the intended impact of INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation, formerly St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation. The foundation operates under the auspice that a healthy community provides mental, physical, spiritual and emotional well-being, achieved through meeting basic needs, providing clean and safe environments with stable ecosystems, quality education, transportation, and health care options. Founded in faith and constructed by deeds, the vision of providing healthy and sustainable financial gifts continues to stand strong.
More than a century ago, the Sisters of St. Francis brought their zeal, compassion and unfaltering desire to provide services to those with lesser means. Devoted to the values of its founders, INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation (ICHF) was established in 1998 with funds from The Sisters of St. Francis. Throughout the last 27 years, organizations have been aided with grants and greater sustainability through endowment funds with INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation.
In 2021, ICHF completed an extensive strategic planning review and needs assessment that revealed the need for a name change. Surveys found the foundation to be highly respected, but more than half believed it was directly affiliated with a hospital and a Catholic church. The new name Inspiritus means “into life, into soul, to inspire, to move or guide by divine providence,” with a Latin origin paying homage to the Catholic roots of our benefactors. The logo features a heart, divided into four colored segments, each representing an aspect of well-being. The colors correspond with the foundation’s Twice Blessed logo, with one color taking the T shape of the Greek letter tau resembling a cross – a nod to the faith-based organization and the Sisters of St. Francis, who used the symbol.
INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation acknowledges the rich history of the past while moving the organization forward into a new decade through its Twice Blessed Campaign.
“Twice Blessed started 8 years ago as a means to better meet the financial needs in north-central North Dakota,” said foundation President Shelly Weppler.
The Foundation regularly receives grant requests in excess of $1.2 million, with an annual budget of $400,000 to $600,000. To expand reach and capitalize on the generosity of donors in our eleven-county area, Twice Blessed was born. The first year, 20 preselected organizations participated; two years later, the opportunity was opened to all grant applicants. In 2024, ICHF’s board of directors reviewed over 120 grant requests and in January, distributed more than $1.3 million to over 90 regional organizations including board initiative funding to food pantries, youth camps and scholarships in nursing, social work and communications.
Interested donors can visit twiceblessednd.com to learn about the mission and goals of each participating organization. Donations are accepted electronically or by sending contributions directly to the foundation or the participating organizations. Gifts are matched up to board approved levels posted on the organization’s page. Donations this year ranged from $450 for visitor accessibility to $20,000 for operations costs. Distributed funds benefit young and old alike.
Financial sustainability is the key to charitable continuity. The North Dakota tax credit for charitable giving provides ICHF the ability to help organizations establish their own endowment funds to work toward long term sustainability.
“As a community foundation, we distribute grants each year from our fund and assist organizations to set up endowment funds for their own sustainability. Raising funds each year to support a mission is important and hard work. It’s important to think about what happens if the money is no longer there,” Weppler said. “In addition, the tax credit offers donors a 40 percent ND tax credit on gifts of $5000 or greater. This really opened the door for larger gifts,” she added. “Such gifts are required to go into an endowment fund which is similar to a long- term savings account. “
INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation has also aided individuals by starting private donor advised funds.
While sustainability creates the opportunity to give, making a positive impact in the community is equally important to INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation. According to ICHF performance reports, over 45,000 people have benefitted from financial gifts contributed by INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation.
To date, ICHF has distributed $15.8 million in grants, and has assets of $19 million including endowment funds for more than 30 organizations. Through the generosity and long term vision of our benefactors, ICHF continually works toward justice, peace and the transformation of society.
To learn more about INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation visit inspiritnd.com or twiceblessednd.com
This article originally ran in the April 2025 Progress edition of the MInot Daily News.