Best Grants for Teachers in Montana

Montana 501(c)(3) and similar tax-exempt education and human services organizations can access funding for general operations, specific projects, or occasional capital needs through McGraw Foundation; awards US $2,000 - US $10,000. Although grants generally favor the greater Chicago area, Montana programs for teachers, students, or vulnerable populations may be eligible within its broad focus areas.

Montana agricultural producers, non-industrial forest landowners, 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 supports practices that improve soil, water, air, wildlife habitat, energy efficiency, and fire management across eligible farm, ranch, and forest lands.

Montana agricultural producers and land managers seeking support to enhance conservation on working lands can access funding through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to improve soil, water, wildlife habitat, and overall environmental stewardship. Eligible private and tribal operations may receive annual payments through five-year contracts to maintain and expand conservation practices that strengthen long-term land productivity.

Graduate students conducting research in drinking water quality, environmental science, or public health can receive US $3,000 to advance projects with actionable outcomes for the water industry. Focused on water-related fields, American Water Works Association invites applicants whose work may inform teaching or curriculum development for Montana educators and beyond.

Montana 501(c)(3) organizations, government units, schools, and sponsored groups serving Seeley Lake can receive up to US $3,000 for education, arts, community development, conservation, and basic human needs projects. Seeley Lake Community Foundation supports special projects, ongoing programs, and capital efforts, with preference for broad-impact, collaborative initiatives that may include classroom and experiential learning for teachers and students.

Montana 501(c)(3) nonprofits working on economic and workforce advancement, safe and affordable housing, or community arts and culture can seek support that may benefit teachers and education-related programs. Grants from US Bancorp Foundation help organizations in designated U.S. Bank communities, with priority for groups led by people of color and addressing multiple Work, Home, and Play pillars.

Teachers and education-focused organizations in Montana communities where Weyerhaeuser operates can seek funding for K–12 education, youth development, and teacher training projects. Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund supports local priorities across seven focus areas, including education, youth services, and diversity, equity and inclusion, with awards of more than US $1,000 for eligible schools and nonprofits.

Montana education and youth-serving nonprofits working with women, children, or families can seek funding for programs that build self-sufficiency, such as adult education, employment readiness, and educational access. The Father's Table Foundation also supports child welfare, homelessness, food security, health care, and humanitarian aid projects that combine immediate relief with long-term sustainability, with awards up to US $750,000.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Montana and the broader Pacific Northwest can apply for Foster Foundation grants to support social services, education, medical research and care, and community engagement programs. School-based and teacher-led initiatives that improve learning, literacy, or student well-being may be eligible if they align with these priority areas.

Montana cities, counties, tribal governments, conservation and irrigation districts, and state agencies can apply for grants or loans to plan or build renewable resource projects, including water, wastewater, solid waste, irrigation, and conservation work. Grants from Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation help Montana education-focused entities with facilities or infrastructure needs that involve natural resource conservation. Awards are US $125,000.

Montana conservation districts planning small-scale natural resource education projects in Montana can receive funding for youth or adult programs, workshops, field trips, and related outreach. Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation provides US $1,000 - US $5,000 mini-grants for district-approved activities that promote environmental education and support locally led conservation goals.

Undergraduate-focused higher education institutions in Montana conducting small-scale biomedical research can apply for funding to expand research opportunities and strengthen their research environment. The National Institutes of Health provides support in areas such as public health, neuroscience, genetics, mental health, HIV/AIDS, and medical education. Teacher-scholars mentoring undergraduates in these disciplines may benefit from this program.

Montana teachers supervising undergraduate, master’s, or PhD students conducting vertebrate research may be eligible for Society for Northwestern Vertebrate Biology scholarships. These awards, up to US $1,500, support research-related travel, equipment, supplies, and possibly tuition or stipends for students studying herpetology, ichthyology, mammalogy, or ornithology in the society’s northwestern North America region.

Early-career medical and health researchers at academic or research institutions in eligible low- and middle-income countries can apply for NIH’s Emerging Global Leader Award to support mentored clinical research careers. Grants from the US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health help fund three to five years of protected research time, which may interest Montana-based collaborators and educators. Approximately US $140,000 is available.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Montana working to improve health equity and access to care can apply for US $10,000 - US $50,000 from PacificSource Foundation for Health Improvement. With a mission to advance equitable healthcare, the foundation supports direct and supportive health services, prevention of health inequities, and related capacity-building that may benefit school- and community-based programs serving teachers’ students and families.

Early-career research scientists in health-related fields at low- or middle-income country institutions, including those from Montana working in eligible LMICs, can apply for the Emerging Global Leader Award from the National Institutes of Health; awards approximately US $140,000 for mentored career development and country-relevant health research projects.

Montana education and youth-serving 501(c)(3) organizations can seek funding for educational programs, arts education, youth initiatives, community services, and related projects. Focused on education and enrichment, John Ben Snow Memorial Trust offers US $5,000 - US $20,000 grants, with preference for new or enhanced programs and short-term support to sustain or expand impact.

Montana schools, education organizations, and institutions hosting health or science-related congresses, events, or initiatives can seek sponsorship that provides tangible recognition or marketing benefits. Biogen Foundation considers a wide range of disease and neuroscience-focused topics; teacher-led or school-based programs may be eligible when their events align with these areas and offer standard sponsorship opportunities.

Montana education and community nonprofits working on environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, and healthy food access can seek general operating support through the Clif Family Foundation Open Call, with awards of US $5,000 - US $50,000. Priority goes to grassroots 501(c)(3) organizations focused in the U.S. with strong community ties and budgets under $8MM.

Nonprofit or conservation-focused organizations supporting regenerative agriculture and habitat conservation in Montana and other eligible states can seek funding to provide technical assistance on private lands. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grants US $250,000 - US $750,000 for planning, implementing best practices, engaging in Farm Bill programs, and sharing conservation lessons with landowners.

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.

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.

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 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.