Best Helena Grants for Nonprofits in Montana

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations focused on youth development and leadership, including those serving Helena, Montana (Lewis and Clark County), can apply for Lithia Motors’ Lithia 4Kids support. Grants help enrich the lives of children and their families through community-based programs, with local Lithia locations managing involvement and partnerships in their own communities.

Montana public K–12 schools can apply for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reimbursement grants to cover transportation and eligible lodging costs for field trips to the Montana WILD Education Center in Helena, Montana. Grants support hands-on wildlife and conservation learning experiences, and schools incorporating related classroom lessons or activities may be especially competitive.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Helena, Montana can seek support for education, health and human services, civic projects, culture and the arts, and resource conservation initiatives. With a mission to build stronger communities, NorthWestern Energy provides Community Works grants for programs, equipment, or physical improvements within its local service territory.

Nonprofit organizations working alongside families on health, leadership, and advocacy in Western Montana, including Helena, Montana, can apply for general operating support up to US $150,000. Grants from Headwaters Foundation help groups build family leadership, support organizing and policy advocacy, and shift narratives through storytelling, journalism, and research for families facing the greatest health barriers.

Nonprofit organizations running community power-building projects with families in Helena, Montana and Western Montana can apply for Headwaters Foundation’s Family Power Fund project grants, with awards up to US $125,000. Funding supports family leadership development, organizing and advocacy, and storytelling or research that advances health-focused policies for families facing the greatest barriers to health.

Nonprofit organizations supporting family health leadership and advocacy in Helena, Montana and Western Montana can apply for Headwaters Foundation’s Family Power Fund Planning/New Partner Grants, with awards up to US $75,000. Funding supports building youth, parent, and caregiver leadership, organizing and advocacy, and storytelling or research that elevates families facing the greatest health barriers.

The Northern Great Plains Grant Program, initiated by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), aims to conserve and restore grasslands and wildlife in the Northern Great Plains. With approximately $22 million available in grants for 2025, the program focuses on sustaining healthy populations of grassland-obligate species while promoting sustainable livelihoods and preserving cultural identities, including tribal cultures and food sovereignty. Key funding partners include multiple federal agencies and private organizations.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on affordable housing, skilled trades, clean water, sanitation, or community development may be eligible for funding in Helena, Montana and other areas within Ferguson’s footprint. Grants from Ferguson help U.S.-based nonprofits partner on projects that strengthen neighborhoods and improve economic wellbeing where the company has a strong presence.

Focused on financial literacy and housing, 501(c)(3) nonprofits can seek Union Home Foundation support for programs that help families achieve economic self-sufficiency. Grants of More than US $1,000 are available to organizations in Lewis and Clark County, including Helena, with quarterly application opportunities and an eligibility quiz required.

Helena, Montana nonprofits focused on education, health, human services, arts, and community betterment can access funding through Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Charitable Giving Program. Organizations in Lewis and Clark County within the cooperative’s service territory may receive financial support or surplus office equipment to strengthen community growth and sustainability.

Brinker International provides Helena, Montana 501(c)(3) nonprofits with monetary or in-kind dining certificate support for programs serving children, youth, hunger, and education. Eligible organizations must submit requests at least six weeks before an event, and may receive donations once per calendar year through the online application process.

Nonprofit and public agencies planning outdoor recreation or river access projects in the Missouri-Madison Project Area near Helena, Montana may be eligible for this grant. Focused on recreation and conservation along NorthWestern Energy’s reservoirs and river reaches, NorthWestern Energy invites sponsors to seek River Fund grants with matching funds for qualifying projects that support approved management plans.

Great Plains Grassland Fund

The Great Plains Grassland Fund is a public-private grant fund that helps protect and sustainably manage the native grasslands of the Great Plains by pairing land protection strategies with technical and financial assistance for ranchers. The program aims to permanently conserve high-value grasslands at risk of conversion through easements and other durable land protection tools; support ranchers and communities with resources to improve grazing management, maintain working lands, and keep grasslands intact; and build a durable funding mechanism that leverages public and private capital, supports qualified implementation partners, and advances community-led conservation projects across the region.

Summary

The Fund will operate as a funding mechanism to facilitate capital aggregation and disbursement to strategically protect grasslands across the Great Plains. The primary objectives for this Fund include:

• Permanently protect land using conservation easements in areas with high conservation value, high conversion risk, and strong community buy-in
• Leverage technical and financial resources to improve grazing land management in and around the areas under protection status
• Engage local communities in identifying sites for protection and planning conservation and grazing land management
• Measure and report key progress indicators for conversion, biodiversity, water and rancher livelihoods

Nonprofit mushroom clubs, mycology societies, and similar groups conducting mycological education or research in the Pacific Northwest, including Lewis and Clark County, Montana, can request up to US $1,000 for supplies, equipment, and events. With a mission to advance mycological research and education, Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation supports workshops, forays, lectures, and related activities.

Researchers, students, educators, and mycology-focused nonprofits in Helena, Montana can apply for Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation’s Stuntz Mycology Fund, with awards of More than US $1,000 for Pacific Northwest fungal research and education. Eligible costs include equipment, lab analyses, travel, conferences, educational materials, and fungal herbarium expenses, especially for mushroom-forming fungi projects.

Graduate and other mycology students, educators, and amateur mycologists in Helena, Montana can seek funding for research and educational activities, with awards ranging from US $1,000 - US $6,000. Grants from Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation may support equipment, supplies, travel for fieldwork or conferences, mycology classes, fungal herbaria, and related myco-education projects.

Helena, Montana 501(c)(3) nonprofits improving education, health care, youth and senior services, arts, or community enrichment can access funding through the Bill and Rosemary Gallagher Foundation; awards range from US $3,300 - US $25,000. Projects must exclusively benefit residents of Western Montana, including Lewis and Clark County and Helena-area communities in need.

Montana conservation districts, including those serving Helena, Montana, can apply for Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation’s administrative grants; awards US $4,000 for basic operations and conservation work. Funding can support staff wages, insurance, office needs, equipment, on-the-ground projects, education programs, and assistance to landowners implementing innovative conservation practices.

Eligible tribal, local government, nonprofit, and higher education organizations in Helena and Western Montana can develop or expand residential septic maintenance and education programs with up to US $50,000, helping protect local water quality. Grants from Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation support cost-shares for inspections and pumping, outreach, homeowner education, and septic stewardship activities.

Nonprofits, schools, local governments, and tribal governments in Helena, Montana that are near BNSF rail lines can seek US $1,000 - US $10,000 for community, cultural, education, health, and youth programs. Focused on community quality of life, BNSF Foundation invites organizations to propose projects such as STEM education, homelessness and hunger services, and environmental or conservation efforts.

With a mission to support affordable housing, the Montana Department of Commerce provides Helena, Montana local governments and nonprofit partners with funding for single-family housing rehabilitation and stabilization benefiting low- and moderate-income residents. Collaborative projects, especially those involving Certified Housing Development Organizations, may access a five-year pool for construction or rehabilitation of owner-occupied or rental units.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Helena, Montana that run existing digital literacy programs for families or seniors may be eligible for US $2,500 - US $50,000 to expand broadband education and access. Charter Communications supports technology access and digital literacy initiatives in Spectrum service areas that partner with low-income or multicultural communities and can report clear impact metrics.

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.

Healthcare Access Initiative

The Healthcare Access Initiative, supported by the McKesson Foundation and administered by the NAFC, aims to expand access to essential healthcare services for uninsured and medically underserved individuals. Free and charitable clinics and pharmacies play a critical role in ensuring that patients who fall outside traditional healthcare systems can receive timely, high-quality care. However, many clinics face barriers related to staffing, care coordination, technology, and patient outreach that limit their ability to meet growing community needs. Through this initiative, NAFC will provide $20,000 grants to member clinics and pharmacies to strengthen programs that increase access to primary care, specialty services, and preventive care. Funding will support innovative and practical approaches that reduce barriers to care, improve patient engagement, and expand the capacity of clinics to serve vulnerable populations.

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.

Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Initiative

The Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Initiative, supported by the McKesson Foundation and administered by the NAFC, aims to improve medication access, adherence, and patient understanding among uninsured and medically underserved populations. Individuals without health insurance often face significant barriers to obtaining prescription medications and receiving the counseling necessary to manage chronic conditions effectively. Through this initiative, NAFC will provide $30,000 grants to member free and charitable clinics and pharmacies to establish or expand Medication Therapy Management programs aligned with recommendations from the American Pharmacists Association. Funding will support activities such as staff certification in MTM, development of standardized protocols, and patient education to help individuals better understand their medications, manage side effects, and support overall treatment plans. By strengthening pharmacist-led care and improving communication between providers and patients, this initiative seeks to enhance medication adherence, improve chronic disease management, and advance better health outcomes for vulnerable patient populations.

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.

Food as Medicine Initiative

The Food as Medicine Initiative, supported by the McKesson Foundation and administered by the NAFC, aims to address food insecurity as a critical driver of health outcomes for uninsured and medically underserved patients. Research continues to demonstrate the strong connection between food insecurity and poor health, including increased risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and certain cancers. Through this initiative, NAFC will provide $20,000 grants to member free and charitable clinics to implement or expand food insecurity screening and patient-centered interventions that improve access to healthy food and nutrition education as measured by the US Household Food Security Module or Hunger Vital Signs and patient education focused on food as medicine for eligible patients in order to increase the percentage of patients with improved food security scores within one year of project implementation.

Through the generosity of fundholders and donors, NCCF has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to assist students in Northwest Connecticut with the cost of higher education.

NCCF awards more than $530,000 in scholarships a year. 

Mary C. Dillon Scholarship

Academic Focus:

• Nursing

Award:

• $750

Established by the Dillon Family, this scholarship is awarded to a student whose primary residence is in Torrington and who pursues, or intends to pursue, a degree in nursing at an accredited university or college. Preference is given to applicants with a record of volunteering with the Red Cross or other health-related organizations. This scholarship is not financially need-based. (No FAFSA required)

Through the generosity of fundholders and donors, NCCF has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to assist students in Northwest Connecticut with the cost of higher education.

NCCF awards more than $530,000 in scholarships a year. 

SVNA Educational Enrichment Program Scholarship 

Academic Focus:

• Health care professionals pursuing continued education in a health care field, except pre-med

Award Average:

• $10, 000 renewable up to 4 years

Consistent with the SVNA’s mission to provide the best home health, hospice and preventative care, this scholarship supports health care professionals pursuing continued education in a health care field who reside in Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon or Warren.