Local community grants awarded

Press release

The Montana Community Foundation, Inc. awarded more than $31,000 in “ReImagine What is Possible” grants to local community foundations and organizations that participated in the second installment of ReImagining Rural, a partnership with the First Interstate Bank Foundation, the Governor’s Office of Montana, the Burton K. Wheeler Center, and Montana State University Extension.

Recipients included Bear Paw Development Corp., Blaine County 4-H and Fort Belknap Community Economic Development Corp.

This year, RR2 was offered through a virtual platform, welcoming over 200 people from communities throughout Montana.

Throughout three separate sessions, participants heard from experts that dispelled the notion that rural communities are dying and shared research and examples for how rural communities can create a vital future for themselves. People can view the full sessions online at http://www.mtcf.org/RR2 .

  “We are so happy that local leaders in 24 communities were able to hear the positive messages shared throughout this event,” Tara Mastel of MSU Extension said. “Hearing the positive messages about rural communities, such as families are moving back to rural communities, the idea that we live in the middle of everywhere and how desirable rural living is, changed the perspective of event participants about their town and motivated them to take on some exciting new projects.”

As an incentive to capitalize on what they learned during these sessions, community foundations, and other local organizations, that participated in the event were able to submit grant applications for funding to support the development of their community projects. Grant awards were between $1,000 and $2,000 and the other grant recipients include:

Carter County Geological Society

City of Shelby

Dawson County Economic Development Council

Eastern Plains Economic Council

Laurel Montana Community Foundation Incorporated

Missouri Valley Marketing

Phillips County Community Foundation

Powder River Trails

Rosebud County

Seeley Lake Community Foundation

Stillwater County

Montana State University Extension Deer Lodge County

Musselshell Valley Community Foundation

“We hope these grants encourage these local leaders to take what they have learned and apply it to their own communities, ensuring the resiliency and vitality of these rural areas we love,” President and CEO Mary Rutherford said. “This is how we ensure a strong future for Montana and the generations of Montanans to come.”

For more information or to set up an interview, people can contact Teal Whitaker, communications and outreach manager, at [email protected] or 406-581-8976.

About the Montana Community Foundation

Montana Community Foundation’s mission is to cultivate a culture of giving so Montana communities can flourish. Founded in 1988, MCF manages over $125 million in assets and administers more than 1,300 philanthropic funds and planned gifts. MCF’s accreditation through the Council on Foundations’ National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations ensures MCF complies with the strictest standards in gift administration and grantmaking. Since its founding, MCF has reinvested more than $41 million in Montana through grants to charitable organizations and causes across the state. MCF serves as a center for philanthropy in Montana, working with donors, charitable organizations, and communities to provide simple and effective ways to give back to Montana.