Best Grants for Grassroots Organizations in Montana

Grassroots 501(c)(3) and similar tax-exempt organizations working in areas like education, human services, conservation, health, or cultural programs can access funding through the McGraw Foundation; awards range from US $2,000 - US $10,000. Grants may support general operations, specific projects, or occasional capital needs, which may benefit Montana-based grassroots initiatives.

Montana agricultural producers, non-industrial private forest owners, Tribes, and water management entities seeking conservation improvements on working lands can access funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Administered by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of Montana, EQIP offers financial and technical assistance for practices that enhance soil, water, wildlife habitat, energy efficiency, and overall environmental quality.

Montana agricultural producers and land stewards seeking to improve conservation on working lands can access funding through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of Montana to enhance soil, water, wildlife habitat, and grazing systems. Grassroots organizations that own or manage eligible agricultural or forest lands may receive multi-year technical and financial assistance through five-year Conservation Stewardship Program contracts.

Graduate students researching drinking water quality, environmental science, or public health can apply for this scholarship, which provides US $3,000 for actionable, water-industry-focused research. Focused on water and environmental research, American Water Works Association invites Montana-based or Montana-serving students to pursue projects that address current challenges in drinking water and related public health issues.

Montana 501(c)(3) organizations and public entities located in or directly serving Seeley Lake can receive up to US $3,000 for community projects, programs, or capital needs. Funding from Seeley Lake Community Foundation supports grassroots efforts in education, arts and culture, community development, natural resources and conservation, and basic human needs, especially those with broad impact and strong local partnerships.

Grassroots and other 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Montana can seek funding for economic and workforce advancement, safe and affordable housing, and community arts and culture projects. Grants from US Bancorp Foundation prioritize organizations in designated U.S. Bank communities, especially those led by people of color and addressing multiple “work, home, and play” pillars with a diversity, equity, and inclusion focus.

Grassroots nonprofits, public agencies, and registered charities working on housing, youth, environment, or human services in Montana communities where Weyerhaeuser operates can seek project support. Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund offers grants of more than US $1,000, with local employee committees setting priorities across seven focus areas to address community needs.

Nonprofit and faith-based organizations in Montana working on women’s and children’s immediate and long-term needs can apply for support from The Father's Table Foundation, with awards up to US $750,000. Funding may benefit grassroots groups focused on homelessness, education, job readiness, food security, child welfare, health care, anti-trafficking, or disaster relief projects that build self-sufficiency.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Montana providing social services, education, medical care, or community programs can apply for Foster Foundation support. Grants fund emergency human services, literacy and learning, medical research and care, and cultural or recreational activities. Grassroots groups serving underserved children, women, and seniors in the Pacific Northwest may be especially competitive.

Cities, counties, tribal governments, and state divisions in Montana can apply for Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation’s Renewable Resource Project Grants, with awards of US $125,000 for renewable resource projects. Grants and loans support drinking water, wastewater, solid waste, irrigation, dam repair, soil and water conservation, and related implementation efforts that grassroots partners may benefit from.

Montana conservation districts can use these U.S. $1,000 - US $5,000 mini-grants for small-scale natural resource and conservation education projects in Montana. Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation provides funding for workshops, school field trips, youth or adult programs, outreach, and related staff, travel, materials, or speaker costs administered through local conservation districts.

Undergraduate-focused higher education institutions in Montana conducting biomedical research can apply for NIH Academic Research Enhancement Awards to support small-scale projects and student research experiences. US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health offers up to US $375,000 to institutions with limited prior NIH funding that award baccalaureate science degrees.

Montana students conducting vertebrate research in the SNVB region can access funding through the Society for Northwestern Vertebrate Biology to support travel, equipment, supplies, and some tuition or living expenses. Undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students enrolled in accredited institutions and SNVB members may benefit, including those connected to grassroots conservation or field research efforts.

Early-career medical and health researchers at low- or middle-income country institutions conducting clinical research can apply for the Emerging Global Leader Award, which provides approximately US $140,000 for mentored career development. Grants from the National Institutes of Health help Montana-connected grassroots health initiatives only if led by eligible LMIC-based junior faculty investigators.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) and other tax-exempt organizations advancing health equity and access to care, including in Montana, can seek program, equipment, and capacity-building support from the PacificSource Foundation for Health Improvement, with awards of US $10,000 - US $50,000. Funding supports direct and indirect healthcare services, prevention of health inequities, and community-driven solutions for marginalized populations.

Early-career research scientists at academic or research institutions in low- or middle-income countries, including those in Montana’s partner LMICs, can apply for NIH’s Emerging Global Leader Award; awards approximately US $140,000 for mentored health research career development. Projects must address the applicant’s country health priorities under LMIC and U.S. mentorship.

Focused on education and youth programs, this grant invites 501(c)(3) organizations in Montana and other U.S. regions to apply for US $5,000 - US $20,000 to expand learning, arts, community, and youth initiatives. Grassroots groups working on tutoring, literacy, after-school programs, arts education, or community services may be competitive.

Organizations in Montana planning health-related congresses, events, or initiatives can seek sponsorship funding to support program costs in exchange for tangible benefits like exhibits, banners, or marketing opportunities. Biogen Foundation considers a wide range of neurological and related disease areas, and evaluates requests based on event details, alignment with interests, and geographic location.

Grassroots 501(c)(3) organizations focused on regenerative agriculture, climate justice, healthy food access, or environmental health can receive US $5,000 - US $50,000 for general operating support, including groups in Montana. Focused on community-centered change, Clif Family Foundation prioritizes smaller U.S.-based nonprofits with strong local ties and under $8MM operating budgets.

Grassroots and other conservation-focused organizations in Montana working with private landowners on regenerative agriculture and habitat conservation can seek US $250,000 - US $750,000 for technical assistance projects. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Conservation Partners Program supports planning, best-practice implementation, Farm Bill program participation, and sharing lessons to improve soil, water, and wildlife outcomes.

The Community Ties Giving Program by Union Pacific Foundation offers local grants aimed at enhancing community well-being through diverse funding priorities. These include safety initiatives, workforce development, community vitality, and environmental sustainability. The program emphasizes supporting organizations that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, aiming to create impactful projects that resonate with Union Pacific's heritage and mission. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations serving Union Pacific communities and demonstrate a clear need and capacity to deliver effective programming.

About the Montana Department of Commerce

Every day, staff at Commerce work alongside private industry and local organizations to create jobs, grow businesses, provide affordable housing and improve community infrastructure.

The economy of the Treasure State continues to grow and diversify. Studies rank Montana as the number one place in the country to start a business. Plus, our workforce has earned some of the highest rankings in both trade and technical skills by having one of the highest STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concentrations in the country.

Public and Community Facilities

Public and Community Facility Grants

Montana's CDBG Public and Community Facilities grants help local governments fund construction or rehabilitation of infrastructure and facilities that primarily benefit low- to moderate-income (LMI) Montanans, i.e. individuals earning less than 80% of the area median income. These projects can target LMI residents and provide direct benefits by improving or creating access to suitable living environments or necessary services, or these projects can provide an area-wide benefit to the entire community as long as at least 51% of the project’s beneficiaries are determined to be LMI. 

Certain projects such as senior centers, food banks, homeless shelters, youth homes, or head start centers are presumed to serve a limited clientele that is primarily LMI. Therefore, determining exactly what percent of project beneficiaries qualify as LMI is not required. Other projects, such as a wastewater improvements or water treatment improvements provide benefits to the entire community and are considered to have area-wide benefit because both LMI and non-LMI residents are served. Therefore, applicants must document at least 51% of the project’s beneficiaries qualify as LMI for projects considered to have an area-wide benefit.

The High Stakes Foundation Grant supports transformative initiatives in Montana, focusing on civic engagement, climate change solutions, economic development, and social justice. By providing general operating support to 501(c)(3) organizations, the foundation aims to empower leaders and strengthen local communities. With an emphasis on sustainability and preserving public lands, this grant cultivates a vibrant, interconnected society committed to the health and prosperity of Montana. Organizations interested in applying must submit a letter of inquiry before the full proposal.

NAFC Open Grant/Product Donation Applications

The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the medically underserved throughout the nation and the more than 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics that serve them. The NAFC has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar and a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator. Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is working to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality healthcare and strives to be a national voice promoting quality healthcare for all. For more information about the NAFC, including how to become a member, please visit https://www.nafcclinics.org.

NAFC Healthcare Services Expansion Fund

The NAFC Healthcare Services Expansion Fund supports the launch or expansion of clinical programs and new service areas that increase access to care for underserved patients. This funding is designed to help NAFC members introduce new services or grow existing programs that address unmet community health needs and improve access to comprehensive, patient-centered care.

Intermountain Community Care Foundation

Our mission: Helping people live the healthiest lives possible.

Intermountain Health is the largest nonprofit health system in the Intermountain West. We’re dedicated to creating healthier communities and helping our patients thrive.

Intermountain Health was established in 1975, but our legacy of compassion and care extends well beyond that, going back to the late 1800s and the early 1900s in Colorado and Utah respectively. We have since become a 60,000+ person strong nonprofit health system, with operations in six states across the interior West with a shared vision to be a model health system that inspires the future of health.

Intermountain Healthcare, SCL Health, and HealthCare Partners Nevada have now come together to serve communities in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.

Grants

The Intermountain Community Care Foundation awards grants to organizations whose programs align with Intermountain Health’s mission, our national community health areas of focus, and priorities identified through our Community Health Needs Assessment. By supporting evidence-based programs and services that strengthen communities, the Foundation is dedicated to helping people live the healthiest lives possible.

What We Fund

We provide grants to organizations whose programs align with Intermountain Health’s mission, our national community health areas of focus, and priorities identified through our Community Health Needs Assessment.

• Healthcare Access Grants
• Social Drivers of Health Grants
• Child & Family Mental Well-Being Grants
• Utah Education Innovation Grants

Child & Family Mental Well-Being Grants

To qualify for Child and Family Mental Well-Being funding, your program or service must focus on families with children. Funding priority areas include:

• Mental well-being for children, including: reducing suicide deaths; reducing frequent mental distress, anxiety, and depression; decreasing substance misuse
• Advance prevention and early intervention addressing risk and protective factors
• Expand comprehensive, family-centered, mental well-being programs
• Build trauma-informed systems for young children including evidence-based prevention, behavioral health treatment, or related interventions or programs
• Strengthen community behavioral health capacity and collaborations through coalition-building

Requirements

• A full and complete financial audit conducted within the last two years. Submission must include the entire audit, including any findings and the auditor's letter
• A copy of the organization's 501(c)(3) designation letter or a comparable government designation
• A completed W9
• A completed Supplier Form (a blank copy will be provided in the application)

Additional information

• In Utah and Idaho, applicants can request a total grant award between $5,000 to $100,000 per year for 3 years (up to $300,000 total) for the entire project period. Projects can last between 12 and 36 months and must begin upon receipt of funding.
• In Colorado, Montana, and Nevada, applicants can request a total grant award between $5,000 to $50,000 per year for 2 years (up to $100,000 total) for the entire project period. Projects can last between 12 and 36 months and must begin upon receipt of funding.
• A funding request may not exceed 20 percent of an organization’s annual operating budget, e.g., to be eligible for a $50,000 grant, your organization’s annual operating budget must be at least $250,000.
• In general, small equipment and materials are eligible at no more than a total $5,000 cost, but large equipment, construction, and capital costs are not eligible. Consideration will be given if computer equipment is necessary and vital to the success of the project.

The Soil and Water Stewardship Scholarship, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, provides financial support to students pursuing careers in natural resources. Applicants must reside in specific Illinois counties and plan to enroll in a full-time program related to fields such as ecology, hydrology, and conservation. Academic performance is a key consideration in the selection process. For more details, contact the Winnebago County Soil & Water Conservation District.

The OECD Conference Sponsorship aims to enhance scientific knowledge and provide essential information to influence policy decisions on sustainable resource use in food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. It supports international events that showcase innovative research and developments, inviting applications from scientists in these fields. The event sponsorship encourages collaboration among policymakers, industry, and academia, ensuring that research insights are effectively communicated and utilized in decision-making processes.