Roosevelt Custer Regional Council provided technical assistance to Home On The Range in support of its successful $25,000 Rural Catalyst Grant application to expand the Badlands Learning Center near Sentinel Butte.
Home On The Range has served children, youth, and families for more than 70 years. The organization operates a licensed and accredited residential treatment program for youth ages 12–17, providing trauma-informed treatment, education, recreation, and experiential therapies.
Established in 2024, the Badlands Learning Center provides a flexible, year-round learning environment designed to complement students’ treatment. Since opening, the Center has served more than 90 students, who have earned more than 100 academic credits along with multiple GED completions.
The $25,000 Rural Catalyst Grant will support Home On The Range’s larger $3.2 million capital campaign to expand the Learning Center. Planned improvements include two additional classrooms, a sensory room, an independent living skills lab with a kitchenette, an outdoor learning space, permanent classroom divisions, and restoration of an employee training room. The expansion is also expected to create two professional jobs.
The project is anticipated to be completed by December 2026, with students moving into the new addition in January 2027. Located near Sentinel Butte, a community of just 61 residents, the project represents an important investment in rural western North Dakota. RCRC’s technical assistance helped Home On The Range pursue funding to expand educational opportunities for youth while supporting jobs and long-term investment in the region.