R B Nordick Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2,379,500 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected organizations)
• Grant Range: $100,000 - $1,100,000
• Geographic Focus: National (USA) with international mission focus

Contact Details

Address: 825 12th Ave NE, West Fargo, ND 58078-3535
Phone: (701) 356-3252
Website: Not available
Email: Not available

Overview

The R B Nordick Foundation was established in 1995 as a private family foundation in West Fargo, North Dakota. As a corporate foundation of RDO Equipment Co., the foundation holds assets totaling approximately $40.3 million and distributes approximately $2.3-2.4 million annually in grants. The foundation exclusively supports Christian missions, evangelism, and Bible translation organizations, with a particular focus on global evangelization efforts. All board members serve on a voluntary basis with no compensation. The foundation operates under a preselected grantmaking model and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation provides general support grants ranging from approximately $100,000 to over $1 million. Grants are awarded on an invitation-only basis to preselected charitable organizations. Recent data shows:

• 2024: 12 grants awarded with a median grant size of $114,425
• 2023: 15 grants awarded totaling $2,379,500
• 2022: 4 grants awarded

Priority Areas

The R B Nordick Foundation exclusively funds Christian missions and evangelistic organizations, specifically:

• International evangelism and church planting: Support for organizations working in regions with little or no Christian presence
• Bible translation: Funding for organizations making Scripture accessible in previously untranslated languages
• Youth ministry: Christian youth discipleship and leadership development programs
• Missionary training: Organizations that equip and send missionaries internationally
• Indigenous leadership development: Programs that develop local Christian leaders in international contexts

Recent Grant Recipients (2024)

1. LeaderSource (Elkhart, IN) - $1,050,000: Strengthens indigenous movements of Christian leader development and church planting in Asia, Middle East, Africa, and other regions
2. Youth for Christ International (Englewood, CO) - $210,000: Worldwide Christian movement engaging 11-19 year olds through campus and community ministries in over 100 nations
3. Bethany International (Bloomington, MN) - $200,000: Equips and sends intercultural disciple-makers focused on church planting and leadership development
4. illumiNations (Alpharetta, GA) - $150,000: Alliance of Bible translation organizations working to provide Scripture access to all language groups by 2033
5. Missions International (Franklin, TN) - $135,350: Organizes American teams to proclaim the Gospel in villages that have never heard it

Previous Recipients Include

• Strategic Global Assistance Inc. (received $1,057,500 in 2023)
• Awana Clubs International (received $330,000 in 2023)
• New India Evangelistic Association (received $200,000 in 2023)

What They Don't Fund

Based on available grant data, the foundation does not fund:

• Secular organizations
• Domestic social services unrelated to evangelism
• Arts and culture programs
• Environmental initiatives
• Healthcare organizations
• Educational institutions (except missionary training)
• Organizations outside the Christian faith tradition

Governance and Leadership

Board Members (all serving without compensation):

• Brett A. Nordick - President (40 hours/week)
• Erin Castagna - Vice President/Secretary (20 hours/week)
• Sherri Lean Nordick - Director (1 hour/week)
• Doug Geeslin - Chief Financial Officer (1 hour/week)

The foundation is closely associated with RDO Equipment Co., founded by Ronald D. Offutt in 1968. RDO Equipment is a major John Deere dealership network with over 2,700 employees across 75+ locations nationwide. The Offutt family is known for significant philanthropic activity in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, particularly through the separate Offutt Family Foundation, which focuses on healthcare, education, and community development. The Nordick Foundation represents a distinct philanthropic emphasis on Christian missions and evangelism.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation's policy explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through:

• Trustee discretion
• Pre-existing relationships with established missions organizations
• Board member identification of aligned organizations

Organizations interested in support must be invited by the foundation's board to receive funding.

Getting on Their Radar

Due to the foundation's explicit policy against unsolicited requests, there is no documented pathway for new organizations to approach this funder. The foundation appears to identify beneficiaries through:

• Board members' existing knowledge of the Christian missions sector
• Established reputation within evangelical and missions communities
• Connections to RDO Equipment Co. and the Offutt family network in North Dakota and Minnesota

The foundation's giving pattern shows consistent support for well-established, nationally or internationally recognized Christian missions organizations with proven track records in evangelism, church planting, and Bible translation work.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded by trustee discretion to preselected organizations rather than through an application cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation awards grants by invitation only to preselected organizations.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, the foundation's grant portfolio reveals clear priorities:

Organizational Characteristics the Foundation Supports:

1. Clear evangelical mission focus: Every documented grant recipient is explicitly focused on Christian evangelism, church planting, or Bible translation
2. International reach: Strong preference for organizations working in regions with little or no Christian presence
3. Indigenous leadership development: Support for organizations that develop local Christian leaders rather than maintaining permanent American missionary presence
4. Established track record: All recent recipients are well-established organizations with decades of history
5. General support approach: The foundation provides unrestricted "general support" grants rather than project-specific funding
6. Multi-state or international scope: No grants to purely local or regional organizations

Organizations that have received repeated funding demonstrate:

• Long-standing presence in international missions
• Clear metrics and reporting on evangelistic impact
• Focus on "unreached" populations
• Established organizational infrastructure
• Alignment with evangelical Christian theology

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - unsolicited requests are not accepted
• Mission focus is exclusively Christian evangelism and missions - organizations outside this narrow focus will not be considered
• Grant sizes are substantial - typical grants range from $100,000 to over $1 million, indicating this is a major donor in the Christian missions space
• Preference for established organizations - recent recipients are all nationally or internationally recognized missions organizations
• International emphasis - the foundation prioritizes work in regions with limited Christian presence over domestic ministries
• General support model - grants are unrestricted operating support rather than project-specific
• No relationship-building pathway documented - without an invitation, organizations have no clear avenue to approach this funder

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - R B Nordick Foundation (EIN 45-0442920), https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/450442920, accessed January 7, 2026
2. Cause IQ - The R B Nordick Foundation, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-r-b-nordick-foundation,450442920/, accessed January 7, 2026
3. Grantmakers.io Profile - R B Nordick Foundation, https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/450442920-r-b-nordick-foundation/, accessed January 7, 2026
4. Charity Navigator - R B Nordick Foundation Profile, https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/450442920, accessed January 7, 2026
5. RDO Equipment Company History, FundingUniverse, https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/rdo-equipment-company-history/, accessed January 7, 2026
6. Fargo INC! - "Gracious Givers: Why RDO Supports Non-Profits," https://fargoinc.com/gracious-givers-why-rdo-supports-non-profits/, accessed January 7, 2026
7. illumiNations website, https://illuminations.bible/, accessed January 7, 2026
8. Youth for Christ International, https://yfc.net/, accessed January 7, 2026
9. Bethany International History, https://bethanyinternational.org/history/, accessed January 7, 2026
10. Strategic Global Assistance Inc. profile on MinistryWatch, https://db.ministrywatch.com/ministry.php?ein=853512966, accessed January 7, 2026
11. New India Evangelistic Association website, https://nieamission.org/, accessed January 7, 2026