Sturgis Rally News: Anonymous donor pledges $100,000 to Rally Endowment

STURGIS — Sturgis city officials are excited to announce that an
anonymous local donor has again pledged to match, up to a maximum
of $100,000, cash, pledges and deferred gifts to the Sturgis Rally
Endowment Fund.

This donor also made the pledge last year during the Rally saying he
loves Sturgis and everything the community puts into the Rally and
wants to leave a lasting legacy.

In 2021, the city of Sturgis established the endowment fund as part of
the Black Hills Community Foundation.

Proceeds from a wide range of sources — rally event registration fees,
use of certain trademarks, including the rally’s “Winged S” logo and
sales of officially licensed merchandise — help build the endowment
fund, said Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen.

1040 Harley-Davidson Way, Sturgis, SD 57785, (605) 347-4422, www.sturgis-sd.gov

Last year, the city received the full $100,000 match through donations
and proceeds.

Last year, the city established the endowment fund with the goal of
building it to become financially self-sufficient.

“The City Council wanted to ensure that there would be a lasting
legacy for future generations of the rally,” the mayor said. “Who knows
in 20 years what the profitability of the rally will be like."
Currently the city gives proceeds of open container cups sales and other
rally-related sources to the Sturgis Rally Charities Foundation. They in turn
distribute grants to various local charitable organizations. In the future, if
those funds were to greatly diminish, the city could use proceeds from the
Rally Endowment to continue providing funds for local non-profits.

You can donate to the fund by sending a check to the City of Sturgis
Finance Office, 1040 Harley-Davidson Way, Sturgis, SD 57785.