Live First Community Giving 2026
First International Bank & Trust (FIBT) is proud to announce the recipients of its 12th Annual Live First Community Giving Campaign, awarding $75,000 to nonprofit organizations and community projects across its footprint. This year’s campaign received 286 applications, reflecting the many ways local organizations are working to strengthen communities across North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Arizona.
The annual campaign is designed to support organizations making a meaningful difference in the communities FIBT serves. The bank’s selection committee met multiple times to review applications, consider community impact, and identify a strong mix of recipients across FIBT’s markets. This year’s winners represent a wide range of needs, including child advocacy, family support, housing stability, veterans’ services, behavioral health, outdoor recreation, animal rescue, and community connection.
FIBT is proud to recognize the following organizations:
Trailblazer Awards ($10,000 each):
- Sioux Falls Area CASA (Sioux Falls, SD): Sioux Falls Area CASA advocates for abused and neglected children in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties with the support of trained volunteers and advocate supervisors. The funding will help the organization recruit, train, support, and retain more volunteer advocates so more children in foster care have someone focused on their safety and permanency.
- Save the Maah Daah Hey (Watford City, North Dakota): Save the Maah Daah Hey preserves, maintains, and expands the Maah Daah Hey Trail and related trail systems across McKenzie County and western North Dakota. The funding will support trail maintenance, equipment, operations, and a youth mountain bike program at Cherry Creek Trail that introduces local kids to outdoor recreation and trail safety.
Community Builder Awards ($5,000 each):
- Family Crisis Shelter (Williston, North Dakota): Family Crisis Shelter provides free, confidential services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault across Williams, McKenzie, and Divide counties in northwest North Dakota. The funding will help strengthen safety, support, advocacy, prevention education, and other critical services for individuals and families impacted by violence.
- Dunn County RoundUp (Killdeer, North Dakota): Dunn County RoundUp creates welcoming community spaces through its resource center and food pantry. The funding will help support programs rooted in dignity, inclusion, belonging, and neighbor-to-neighbor connection across Dunn County.
- Life Startup Essentials (Phoenix, Arizona): Life Startup Essentials provides household essentials to veterans transitioning out of homelessness and into stable housing across the Greater Phoenix and Payson communities. The funding will help the organization assemble and distribute Welcome Home Kits, giving veterans the basic items needed to turn an empty apartment into a livable home.
- Golden Drive Homeless Kids (Fargo, North Dakota): Golden Drive Homeless Kids raises awareness of youth homelessness and directs donations to local shelters, families, and schools. Because the organization is entirely volunteer-run, the funding will go toward hygiene products and nonperishable food for youth experiencing homelessness in the community.
- Heartview Foundation (Bismarck, North Dakota): Heartview Foundation provides substance use treatment, mental health support, case management, and basic-needs assistance for individuals and families. The funding will help the organization continue connecting clients with safe housing, transportation, clothing, hygiene items, coverage support, and treatment resources.
Campfire Choice Award ($5,000):
- Kitty City (Mandan, ND): Kitty City operates a cage-free sanctuary for disabled and FIV-positive cats, helps place healthy cats in adoptive homes, and supports pet owners experiencing temporary hardship through a pet food pantry.
Thank You!
FIBT extends its sincere appreciation to every organization that applied and the community members who voted for and championed local causes. Through the Live First Community Giving Campaign, FIBT is proud to help share resources across the communities it serves and support organizations creating meaningful impact close to home.
Grand Prize Winner
The grand prize winner will be announced later this month. Follow the FIBT Facebook page for the latest updates!