At Great States & Collective, “people first” is more than just a buzzy phrase painted on a wall. It’s a creed that everyone in the organization lives by.
Since its founding in 2016, the Fargo-based real estate, construction, and property management company has woven it into every aspect of their business and culture. From the collaborative approach they take to developing projects alongside commercial clients to going the extra mile for their residential tenants, Director of Marketing Hannah Savoy says they try to always remember they’re a part of something bigger.
“Our tagline is ‘Building Great Communities,’” she says. “And we truly stand by that. So we’re not only creating these (physical) infrastructures that are going to be impacting communities for years and years to come, but we also want to make sure that we’re giving back to the community and supporting it in whatever way we can.”
That support is how they contribute to the social infrastructure of the communities they’re a part of, and one of the ways they encourage participation is by giving each of their 100-plus employees eight paid hours each quarter to volunteer or give back to charitable causes they’re passionate about.
“It’s really wonderful that we’re able to find different organizations in our communities that really mean a lot to us,” says Savoy, who herself regularly volunteers with Hope Blooms, which repurposes used flowers into bouquets for area nursing homes and shelters. “And we can spend our time and energy on causes that speak to us.”
Giving back isn’t just a solo endeavor, though. Savoy says that Great States & Collective makes a conscious effort to introduce their team to the joys of giving back together.
“We have what we call our Culture Crew, which tries to organize something at least monthly — not only here in Fargo but also on-site at all our different locations,” she explains. “We try to find ways to get everyone involved across the four states we’re in to make sure that culture is not just happening at our support office but across all of our teams. We have employees all across the Midwest — from Montana to South Dakota to North Dakota to Minnesota — and we know that something that might be really impactful here in Fargo might be totally different down in Sioux Falls.
“We’ve done the United Way School Supply Drive and Day of Action — some of us were at the food bank and others were planting trees. We’ve done furniture assembly with Down Home. We have some people who are really passionate about kids’ health, so we do the Sanford Cares for Kids Radiothon. This past year, we co-hosted a pickleball event with Legacy Plumbing called Dinking for a Cause. We have people who are involved with the Ronald McDonald House Sweetheart Ball. We have people who serve on different boards.”
While everyone has their pet cause, Savoy says the one that she can count on everyone to get excited about is Lend A Hand Up, which provides financial support and fundraising resources to regional families facing a medical crisis or other trauma.
That’s why, when Great States & Collective was approached this spring about becoming the $10,000 presenting sponsor of Lend A Hand Up’s month-long Summer Boost fundraising campaign, there wasn’t much internal discussion required.
“It was a no-brainer,” says Savoy, whose friend was a Lend A Hand Up beneficiary following a cancer diagnosis. “I think we’ve all known someone who’s been touched by Lend A Hand Up, and we really believe in the impact that the program has created for so many. So when we had an opportunity to help the program expand, it was like: Yes, we absolutely want to be a part of this.
“It’s just the coolest opportunity for us to create an impact and support an organization where every dollar truly goes back to the people. Again, that people-first mantra. And that’s such an amazing thing to be able to say that. So we definitely needed to and wanted to do this.”
With Lend A Hand Up’s recently announced expansion across North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, ground-floor partners like Great States & Collective are more critical than ever.
“It’s really cool to now be able to say that we support this program that’s going to be helping real people in other states that we’re in,” Savoy says. “And that eventually our teams (outside of just Fargo) are going to see that.”
If you’re a business interested in supporting the expansion of Lend A Hand Up, please contact the DMF Development team at EJones@dakmed.org.
To learn more about Great States Development, click here.
To learn more about Great States Construction, click here.
To learn more Collective, click here.
