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.

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.