Central Montana Food Hub 2025

Central Montana Food Hub Facility Planning Grant

The Central Montana Food Hub (CMFH) is a producer-led marketplace and distribution network that supports small and medium-scale farmers, ranchers, and producers by marketing, aggregating, and delivering locally produced meats, eggs, honey, grains, produce, and value-added goods across communities in Central Montana, and also connects to other food hubs across the state. This project will support planning for a food aggregation and distribution facility in Harlowton, MT, including architectural, engineering, and business planning. CMFH has secured the project site and received a funding award from the Montana Department of Agriculture's Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program (RFSI) to build the facility. The project sets out four key objectives: establishing infrastructure for post-harvest processing, providing tailored warehouse and kitchen space, building a reliable distribution network, and improving the efficiency of the supply chain. High Plains Architects will develop the plans. Partners include Snowy Mountain Development, Mission West Community Development, Hopa Mountain, Abundant Montana, and Western Montana Growers Cooperative. MTHF funds will pay for architecture and engineering costs associated with the building's design, and support Snowy Mountain Development to finalize the financial proforma.

Grant Amount

$40,000

Term

12 month

2025

Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy Reservation 2025

Chippewa-Cree Tribe Food Chain Development

The Chippewa-Cree Food Sovereignty Program is housed under the Chippewa-Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy Reservation in North Central Montana. With this grant, the Chippewa-Cree Food Sovereignty Program will develop value-added products that honor cultural heritage and use locally grown foods. The grantee will focus on placing value-added products such as kamut flour, meat, and vegetable products in local grocery stores, public schools, local businesses, and tribal food service entities. By marketing existing products and developing new, healthier food options, they seek to enhance food security and encourage more nutritious choices in the community. During the grant they will provide training for local producers, helping them navigate marketing and understanding compliance and food codes. Grant funds will support staff to support local growers in becoming value-added product producers. Funds will also be used to support outreach and marketing. Partners include Buffalo Child Ranch, the Garden, the Cattlemen’s Association, Rocky Boy Health’s P4 Program, and Stone Child College Extension Program.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

12 month

2025

Community Food & Agriculture Coalition 2025

Building a Strategic Sustainability Plan for Montana’s Double SNAP Dollars (DSD) Program

Farm Connect Montana (formerly CFAC) serves as a connection between local farmers, institutions, and consumers to build a strong regional food system. This grant will support Farm Connect Montana to create a plan to secure the long-term viability of Montana’s Double SNAP Dollars (DSD) program and strengthen the statewide food access network. Farm Connect Montana will lead a planning process with the DSD Network Steering Committee and regional partners to assess financial and organizational capacity, convene structured planning sessions, and gather input from farmers, markets, tribal leaders, health care providers, and SNAP participants. The project will design a roadmap through 2030 that builds durable financial models, governance structures, and grassroots strategies for markets and regional coordinators to apply locally to ensure that DSD programs are sustainable even in a reduced Federal funding environment. MTHF funds will support staffing and facilitation costs for the plan’s development. Confirmed partners include National Center for Appropriate Technology, Land to Hand Montana, FAST Blackfeet, and Yarrow Consulting, alongside 11 steering committee member organizations representing diverse stakeholders.

Grant Amount

$20,000

Term

12 month

2025

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation 2025

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Homelessness Strategic Planning

This grant will support the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Homelessness Task Force Coalition to develop a strategic plan to address homelessness in the communities of the Flathead Reservation. CSKT will hire a facilitator to convene the Task Force and partners and work through a structured strategic planning process. Funds from MTHF will support supplies and consulting/facilitation services. Partners include Salish Kootenai College, the Montana Continuum of Care Coalition, the Tribal Defenders Office, and the CSKT Homelessness Task Force (which includes elected leaders and multiple tribal departments who work to address homelessness).

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

12 month

2025

Culbertson Public Schools 2025

Behavioral Health Services in Culbertson Schools

Culbertson School District is a Class C K-12 school with an enrollment of 275 students and 50 staff. The goal of the project is for the district and Roosevelt Medical Center to formalize their partnership to bring school-based behavioral health services on-site at the school and provide behavioral health training to staff. They will do this by creating a safe and private space in the school for a therapist and providing behavioral health professional development activities for school staff. Grant funds will be used for the therapist's office and behavioral health training for staff. Roosevelt Medical Center is a confirmed partner for the project.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2025

Elliston School 2025

Upgrade Kitchen Equipment at the Elliston School

Elliston, population 350, is a rural community about 20 miles west of Helena. The Elliston school food service program serves breakfast and lunch to 30 students, two thirds of whom receive free or reduced price lunch. This grant will allow the school to replace obsolete, non-commercial equipment with a commercial stove and hood and upgrade food storage capacity. The cook prepares recipes from scratch, which saves a considerable amount of funding and allows for the incorporation of healthy, local foods. Replacement of the cooking equipment and increased cold storage will allow for increased bulk buying, creating cost savings and increased sustainability for the program. The program will also partner with the Montana Project to End Childhood Hunger food service directors' cohort to increase capacity.

Grant Amount

$9,800

Term

12 month

2025

Fallon County Health Department 2025

Fallon County Vision Project

The Fallon County Health Department is a community-focused agency dedicated to promoting and protecting the health and well-being of all residents in one of Montana’s southeastern counties. The goal of the vision project is to provide access to vision screenings and optometry services in rural and frontier settings at no cost. In partnership with the Caring Foundation of Montana and the Care Van Program, the health department will provide access to vision screening machines, public health staff to decipher vision screening results, optometry care, and transportation. Grant funds will pay for glasses for those needing corrective lenses, as well as for those individuals needing repairs to broken glasses. The project will primarily serve elementary school students in Baker or Plevna, and project partners are the Caring Foundation, Care Van, and the elementary schools.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Family Promise of Great Falls 2025

Homeless to Housed Hub

Family Promise of Great Falls (FPGF) is a non-profit housing and services provider in Cascade County that provides emergency housing, permanent housing, and services to stabilize housing and prevent homelessness. They lead the Homeless to Housing Hub (HHH), a collaborative effort among Great Falls-based housing and service providers including YWCA, Alliance for Youth, St. Vincent de Paul, Housed Great Falls, Great Falls Public Schools, The Little Shell Tribe, Neighborworks Great Falls, Opportunities, Inc., Alluvion, and Many Rivers Whole Health. This consortium has submitted a proposal to the Diocese of Great Falls to lease the vacant Poor Clare Monastery. The property is home to several buildings and property for potential future development and represents an excellent opportunity for the community to meet housing needs both immediately and long-term. Grant funds will be used to hire a land-use consultant to assess the buildings and overall property and work with City officials, partners, and stakeholders to create a plan for immediate building uses, mid-term renovation needs, and long-term planning for new permanent housing. FPGF will also contract with a consultant to formulate a capital stack and fund development plan for the project.

Grant Amount

$30,000

Term

24 month

2025

Fort Peck Tribal Health Department 2025

Fort Peck Tribal Health Title V Planning Project

Fort Peck Tribal Health serves the American Indian population of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. With this grant, Fort Peck Tribes intends to complete the planning process to execute a Title V compact with the Indian Health Service (IHS) to assume responsibility for providing health services. Fort Peck will attend a tribal self-governance training, complete an initial Title V plan, engage the community, and carry out a survey to align the plan with community needs and priorities, and apply to the IHS for entry into the Tribal Self-Governance program. The Tribes have considered using a phased approach that starts with adding new Title I 638 contracts for certain services and delays final plans for compacting pending successful implementation of those contracts. Grant funds will be used by consultants to carry out the community survey and develop policies, as well as training and travel to attend self-governance training and site visits.

Grant Amount

$112,537

Term

12 month

2025

Geraldine Public School 2025

Strengthening Rural Nutrition Through Reliable Food Storage

The Geraldine Public School food service program serves breakfast and lunch to 67 students and has a strong scratch-cooking program. MTHF funds will be used to replace their refrigerator and freezer system and cover installation costs. The current food storage system is over 50 years old and experiencing multiple failures, resulting in food loss, higher costs, and compromised safety. Replacement will ensure safe storage, prevent food loss, and sustain their scratch-cooking meal program. Partners include the school staff and the Montana Project to End Childhood Hunger.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Good Housing Partnership 2025

Eastern Montana and Whitefish Scattered Sites Preservation

This PRI to Good Housing Partnership (GHP) will provide $740,000 in predevelopment financing to assist in acquiring, renovating, and preserving affordability for 273 housing units in six existing housing developments in Glasgow, Sidney, and Whitefish. The PRI will fund the assessments required for each property to access Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), which are reimbursed at the closing of the LIHTC partnership. Rents are targeted to be affordable to people earning less than 60% of Area Median Income. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidies are available to ensure that households do not pay more than 30% of their income toward rent, regardless of their income. The planned renovations will substantially improve accessibility, safety, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency for tenants while preserving long-term affordability. The $740,000 PRI will be repaid with 2% interest at the closing of the LIHTC deal, which will happen within 24 months of the date of this PRI. The PRI will leverage $48.6 million in bond financing and LIHTCs that make up the majority financing package for this multi-site project. Remaining sources for the $67.5 million project include deferred developer fees and a seller note.

Grant Amount

$740,000

Term

24 month

2025

Granite County Medical Center 2025

Providing Access to Total Health

Granite County Medical Center (GCMC) is a 25-bed critical access hospital that serves the rural communities of Philipsburg and Drummond with a total population of 3300 residents. This project aims to implement integrated behavioral health in GCMC’s two rural health clinics. GCMC will contract with Roots & Resilience, a nonprofit community mental health agency, for an on-site clinician one day/week and access to on-call providers as needed. The work plan includes training providers and staff on integrated care and universal screening, updating the electronic health record (EHR) with data collection templates, and updating billing processes with appropriate behavioral health codes. Grant funds will support a portion of project staff salaries, a contract for Roots & Resilience, a contract for data collection and EHR optimization, and equipment/supplies. Project partners are Roots & Resilience for clinical services, Health Equity Solutions for EHR optimization and billing technical assistance, and the Healthy Granite County Network for referrals to community resources.

Grant Amount

$124,976

Term

36 months

2025

Great Plains Veterans Services Center 2025

Building Sustainable Veterans Support Services

Great Plains Veterans Services Center (GPVSC) is a nonprofit founded by veterans in 2015 to address the pressing needs of American Indian Veterans in Montana’s most isolated communities. GPVSC serves Rocky Boy, Blackfeet, and Fort Belknap reservations and both Native and non-Native veterans in Hill, Chouteau, Glacier, and Blaine counties. The goal of this project is to create a comprehensive sustainability plan that strengthens GPVSC’s Veteran Support Services, enhancing mental health care and partnerships for lasting community impact. GPVSC will hire a consultant to complete strategic planning, feasibility analysis, and sustainability planning. Funds will be used for consultant salary, travel, and meetings. The primary partner is the Great Falls Vet Center.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Harvest Food Pantry, Inc. 2025

Food Pantry Client-Choice Model Implementation

Harvest Food Pantry is a volunteer-led organization working to address hunger and improve the health and well-being of people in Cut Bank and the neighboring community of Seville. Through this grant, Harvest Food Pantry will implement a self-service shopping model for customers, allowing them to select foods that meet their family's tastes and needs. Self-shopping improves customer experience by enhancing dignity and choice, allowing more intentional selections to create nutritious meals, and increasing the likelihood that people in need will use this critical community service. Funds from MTHF will be used to purchase a glass-door freezer, stanchions, rope dividers, a printer, and a laminator to implement the food pantry's self-shopping model.

Grant Amount

$6,917

Term

12 month

2025

Helena College 2025

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Helena College is a two-year institution within the Montana University System offering 28 degrees and certificates with nearly 1,500 students enrolled. This grant will enable Helena College to establish an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) training program. The OTA program will help meet a growing demand for qualified occupational therapy professionals, equipping graduates with the skills to work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, school districts, pediatric clinics, and other health care settings. To develop this program, Helena College will upgrade classrooms with the necessary technologies to teach occupational therapy skills and add an academic fieldwork coordinator and full-time faculty member. Grant funds will support staff salaries, equipment, and supplies. Confirmed partners, including Intermountain, the Helena School District, Rocky Mountain College and University of Montana, Helena OT Specialists, and Rosebud Healthcare Center, will offer students valuable learning environments and mentorship.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2025

Helena Indian Alliance 2025

School Based Services Expansion Project

Helena Indian Alliance (HIA) is an Urban Indian Health Center and a federally qualified health center look-alike. Through this grant, Helena Indian Alliance will expand its successful school-based service program to two elementary schools in the Helena School District, Smith and Jefferson. HIA will provide behavioral health and case management services in those schools and anticipates offering services two days per week at each school. Grant funds will support the salary of the behavioral health provider during the startup period. The primary partner for the project is the Helena School District.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Helena Pediatric Clinic 2025

MTAAP’s Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) initiative

Helena Pediatric Clinic (HPC) is a family-centered, private pediatric practice serving Helena and neighboring communities. Through this grant, HPC aims to implement behavioral health services for all pediatric patients, with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs for clinic families. HPC is the first grantee to join a planned cohort of pediatric practices that will implement integrated behavioral health, through a partnership supported by the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MTAAP) through a grant from the Montana Healthcare Foundation. Grant funds will be utilized to administer the initiative, recruit and provide initial funding for a licensed pediatric/family mental health clinician, and track the project's inputs and outcomes. Informal partners include community-based pediatric psychiatrists, therapists/counselors, social workers, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

36 months

2025

Help Committee and Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line 2025

Havre Community Heart & Soul Implementation

This Rural Health Small Grant supports the Help Committee and the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-line to implement Community Heart and Soul in Havre, Montana. Community Heart and Soul is a national program piloted by the Montana Community Foundation and Montana State University, designed to help rural areas build community and take action to make positive changes. Over the next two years, the Havre Community Heart and Soul coordinator will engage with residents to collect stories and information about the strengths of the community and their vision for the future. The information gathered will guide future planning for the area to build authentic community pride and connection. This project addresses the issue of low community attachment, which the Hill County Impact Coalition identified as a key risk factor for adverse behavior for local youth. The Havre project has support and partnership from United Way of Hill County and the City of Havre. Montana Healthcare Foundation funds will be used to support the program coordinator’s contract and a series of community meetings.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Hopa Mountain 2025

Increasing Access to Local Food for Rural Montanans

This grant will support Hopa Mountain to build and maintain a Local Food Marketplace (LFM) web portal and expand access to food hubs and producers around the state. The LFM is a customer-facing website that shows aggregated local food available through food hubs and small producers for purchase by institutional buyers, commercial sellers, and individuals. LFM will also assist food hubs in creating and managing their online stores. LFM is one component of the Local Food for Local Families collaborative (LFLF). Partners include Mission West Community Development Partners, Western Montana Growers Cooperative, Livingston Food Resource Center, Great Northern Development Corporation, Farm Connect Montana, the Montana Food Bank Network, and food hubs and producers. Funds from MTHF will support staff time, software, training, and website development for LFM to develop the Buy Local Montana website.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2025

Human Resource Development Council of District IX, Inc. 2025

Human Resource Development Council IX loan application for the Belgrade Trailer Court to preserve critical affordable homeownership opportunities.

This program-related investment (PRI) will support HRDC in its effort to preserve affordable housing in the Belgrade Trailer Court, a 20-unit mobile home community. HRDC purchased the property with a market-rate loan in 2024 to protect residents from displacement due to development pressure and give residents time to work toward converting the property to a resident-owned cooperative (ROC). Households in the Belgrade Trailer Court currently pay lot rents of $600 per month, well below prevailing market rents, and most residents qualify for other HRDC services (such as Low-Income Energy Assistance Program) that have income qualification standards. HRDC’s purchase will temporarily stabilize rents while residents work toward creating a resident-owned cooperative and assuming ownership of the property from HRDC. In the longer-term, converting the property to a resident-owned cooperative will provide long-term stability in housing costs, as well as the opportunity to build equity. Owning the land their homes are on will also allow residents to access more favorable financing for home improvements that will enhance the health and safety of their homes. MTHF’s $500,000 investment will provide low-cost, longer-term debt that supports the financial viability of the project. This lower cost financing will allow HRDC to phase in more sustainable rents while working on the long-term development, which includes an approximate $1 million in infrastructure improvements such as establishing connections to city services. Partner contributions include technical assistance from NeighborWorks Montana, infrastructure assistance from the City of Belgrade, rent stabilization assistance from Gallatin County, and primary financing from Clearwater Credit Union.

Grant Amount

$500,000

Term

Other

2025

Identity, Inc 2025

Tribal Communities Impact Ambassadors Course Development

Identity Inc. fosters a positive identity for Montana's Native people by supporting Native youth and adults to elevate stories of success and accomplishment through a lens of resilience that is often overlooked in mainstream media and public perception of American Indian communities. This grant supports Identity, Inc to develop a culturally grounded course that will equip "Impact Ambassadors" to showcase excellence across athletics, arts, culture, education, and community leadership. Input from trusted mentors, elders, artists, educators, and youth will blend storytelling, media skills, leadership training, and culture to prepare participants as trusted voices for their nations and communities. Grant funds will be used to support curriculum design, community engagement, stipends for youth and elders, travel, and the creation of training materials, laying the foundation for a sustainable program launch. Partnerships will be established with schools and their athletic programs, as well as art organizations, through this grant.

Grant Amount

$20,000

Term

12 month

2025

Indian Family Health Clinic 2025

Improving Patient Outcomes through Data Integration and Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Alignment

Indian Family Health Clinic (IFHC) is an urban Indian health center that serves the Great Falls region. The goal of this project is to strengthen IFHC’s capacity to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care by integrating its clinical data systems. IFHC will work with a consultant to improve its ability to extract and report clinical data from its electronic health record system, eClinicalWorks (eCW). Through this grant, IFHC and consultant Azara DRVS will develop user-friendly dashboards that highlight key patient care trends and extract measures for required reporting under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). Staff will also be trained to enter and utilize data more effectively, ensuring that patient interactions contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the health needs of IFHC's user population. Grant funds will be used for technical consultation, staff training, and development of reporting tools. Partners for this project include Azara Drives, the eClinicalWorks (eCW) support team, and IFHC’s Quality Improvement and Information Technology staff.

Grant Amount

$20,000

Term

12 month

2025

Kalispell School District #5 2025

Enhancing Student and Staff Wellness

Kalispell Public Schools (KPS) is a Title I district that serves over 6,000 K-12 students in the Kalispell area. This project aims to strengthen the partnership with Greater Valley Health Center (GVHC) to enhance students' and staff's access to medical and behavioral health services and create a culture of wellness across the district. KPS will do this by employing a Wellness & Mental Health Support Specialist (WMHSS), who will serve as the project manager for a district-wide initiative aimed at increasing awareness and uptake of the GVHC school-based health centers, and by establishing a KPS School Wellness Advisory Council. The WMHSS will manage the overall program, including coordination, communication, and program evaluation, to better integrate GVHC's services into the district's existing support systems for students and staff. Grant funds will be used towards the salary of the WMHSS, supplies, and communications.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2025

Lame Deer Public Schools 2025

Empowering Indigenous Youth Voices for Health Equity with School Based Health Centers

Lame Deer Junior/Senior High School (LDJSHS) serves nearly 300 students and is located on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. This project will support the inclusion of youth perspectives in ongoing development of the newly established LDJSHS school-based health center. This "youth voice" project will engage middle and high school students (grades 7–12) to shape how health services are delivered and increase the SBHC’s clinic use. They will do this by engaging students in leadership roles, health career exploration, and skill building activities such as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training, participation in national youth conferences, and healthcare career immersion experiences. Grant funds will be used for staffing, contracts, travel and supplies. Confirmed partners for the project include Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health Department and Montana State University College of Nursing One Community in Health Program (OCIH) Program, which currently provides health services at the clinic.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2025

Liberty County Hospital DBA Logan Health - Chester 2025

Behavioral Health Service line- Chester Montana

Logan Health Chester is a 25-bed critical access hospital serving the rural communities of Liberty, Hill, and Toole Counties on the Hi-Line in northcentral MT. This project will add integrated behavioral health (IBH) to the rural health clinic’s primary care practice. Logan Health Chester will hire a full-time behavioral health provider to offer a hybrid model of brief interventions and traditional therapy. The IBH program will be supervised by Logan Health’s Hi-Line behavioral health manager, who oversees behavioral health staff for hospitals in Conrad, Cut Bank, and Shelby, facilitates education and connections with local schools and community providers, and oversees marketing and outreach for IBH. Grant funds will support the salary of the new behavioral health provider and a portion of the Hi-Line behavioral health manager’s salary, as well as supplies and equipment. The other Hi-Line critical access hospitals in the Logan Health system are project partners. Logan Health Cut Bank will offer all previous materials, policies and procedures, and budgetary tools to help Logan Health Chester mirror its successful IBH service line. Partners include the Chester school district and community social service agencies.

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

24 month

2025

Lincoln County Unite for Youth Coalition, Inc 2025

The HOPE Hub, Phase One – Promoting Healthy Outcomes through Positive Experiences (HOPE) in South Lincoln County

Lincoln County Unite for Youth Coalition, Inc. (UFY) is a non-profit community coalition whose mission is to elevate the well-being of youth and families across Lincoln County. This grant will support planning for UFY's Hope Hub, which seeks to organize and provide information, activities, and a wide range of community resources in ways that support youth, strengthen families, and expand opportunities for civic and prosocial engagement. The project addresses needs identified in the community health assessment and builds on the work of organizations collaborating through the Communities that Care substance use prevention framework. UFY's approach is grounded in positive psychology. Grant funds will be used to assess and prioritize community needs, connect area resource providers, and facilitate the creation of a shared calendar of programs, activities, and support services available there for youth and families. Additional funds will be used to create and distribute a variety of timely, relevant, and meaningful media. Partners include the Lincoln County Commissioners, Troy Library & Friends of the Library, Troy Chamber of Commerce, Troy Public Schools, Spring Up Troy and Libby Lincoln County Health Department, Zero to Five, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office & Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, Love Inc, Flathead Valley Community College - Lincoln County Campus, Youth Court Services, Kootenai Job Service, and The Montana Institute.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana 2025

LST ISDEAA Planning Project

The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians is centered in the Great Falls area, with tribal members throughout Montana and across the United States. This grant will support the Tribe to complete the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) planning phase and prepare negotiation documents to assume responsibility and funding for providing healthcare services from the Indian Health Service (IHS). This will be done by recruiting and hiring a dedicated project manager, traveling to an existing self-governance site or program, developing recommendations for Tribal Council consideration, developing a draft compact and funding agreement, and carrying out negotiations with the Indian Health Service (IHS). Funds will be used for staff and consultant time and travel associated with the project. Confirmed partners for this project include the Little Shell Tribe negotiation team, Negotiations and ISDEAA Planning Team Lead Terra Branson-Thomas, Finance Director Kevin McCaughey, and Little Shell Attorney General Josh Clause.

Grant Amount

$200,000

Term

12 month

2025

Livingston Healthcare 2025

Enhancing Access and Collaboration: Expanding the Ranger Clinic for Comprehensive Youth Health Services in Park County

Livingston HealthCare (LHC) is a fully accredited, integrated, not-for-profit healthcare organization that primarily serves the residents and visitors of Park and Sweet Grass Counties. The goal of this project is to expand access to the current school-based health center at Livingston High School, explore strategic partnerships, and elevate youth voice. They will do this by expanding hours of the current school-based health center at Park High and adding an additional site at Sleeping Giant Middle School. Both are school-wide Title I schools. They will also dedicate staff time to a school-based program manager position and a care coordinator role. The school-based program manager position will focus on coordinating efforts with the school district and other partners. The care coordinator will provide support to both the medical and behavioral health teams in the schools. Grant funds will be used towards staff salaries including the program manager, care coordinator, psychologist and nurse practitioner. Livingston School District is a confirmed partner in this project.

Grant Amount

$199,230

Term

36 months

2025

Livingston Public Schools 2025

Expanding School-Based Healthcare

Livingston School District is a PK-12 school district serving 1,200 students in Park County. The goal of the project is to increase utilization of the school-based health center that they have on campus, in which Livingston Health offers primary care and behavioral health services. They will do this by hiring a staff member to serve as a liaison with Livingston Health. This staff member will analyze utilization data and use this information to develop appropriate branding, outreach, and systems to facilitate utilication of the services. Grant funds will be used for project staff salaries, travel and supplies. Confirmed partners for this project are Livingston Health and Livewell 49.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2025

Logan Health - Whitefish 2025

LHW Meadowlark Initiative Phase 1

Logan Health Whitefish is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital that provides services to community members in Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Canyon communities, and towns along the Burlington Northern line to Eureka. Through this grant, Logan Health Whitefish will implement the Meadowlark model of care in a newly acquired OB/Gyn clinic in Whitefish, making Meadowlark care standard practice in this clinic, as it is at Logan Health Medical Center. Grant funds will support a full-time care coordinator. Partners include the Early Childhood Coalition of Flathead Valley, Flathead Valley Perinatal Mental Health Coalition, the Department of Child and Family Services, Zero to Five Collaborative of Lincoln County, Blackfeet Meadowlark Initiative Team, the Nurturing Center, Concert Health, and Flathead City/County Health Department.

Grant Amount

$149,928

Term

24 month

2025

Mahchiwminahnahtik Chippewa and Cree Language Revitalization 2025

Chippewa Cree Language Revitalization for Community Health & Well-Being

Mahchiwminahnahtik Chippewa and Cree Language Revitalization (MCCLR) is a community nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing and preserving the Chippewa and Cree languages for future generations. The goal of this project is to integrate the Cree language into community health initiatives, using language as a tool for healing, cultural preservation, and resilience-building. This project will assess the feasibility of language-based interventions in mental health, substance use recovery, and community wellness by partnering with Medicaid-eligible health care providers like the Rocky Boy Health Center and other tribal health organizations. Partners include Rocky Boy Health Center, Chippewa Cree Tribal Elders Advocacy Group, Stone Child College, and the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Grant funds will be used to support strategic planning, research, and partnership development, as well as hiring a part-time coordinator to assist in organizing efforts, community outreach, and program development.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

McCone County Health Center 2025

Regional Virtual HOSA Chapter

This Rural Health Small Grant supports the development of a Regional Virtual HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Chapter in eastern and northeastern Montana. HOSA is a nationally recognized student organization that connects schools and students with their local health care organizations to develop future health care professionals through education, collaboration, and hands-on learning. Health care organizations face workforce shortages in frontier and rural Montana communities, where residents are already medically underserved and the need is expected to increase as the population ages. A Regional Virtual HOSA chapter will help recruit and train the next generation of health professionals in rural communities that do not have the resources and school enrollment numbers to maintain a local chapter. This project is hosted by McCone County Health Center in Circle and partners closely with Montana Health Networks Northeast Montana Area Health Education Center (AHEC). AHEC will lead engagement with high schools, school boards, and/or administrations within the Montana Health Network membership footprint in eastern and northeastern Montana to refer and engage students. Foundation funds will support the contract with AHEC to build the chapter, develop programming and activities, and travel to participating HOSA schools and organizations.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Meagher County Health Department 2025

Rural Emergency Readiness & Mental Health Response Initiative

This Rural Health Small Grant supports the Meagher County Health Department in implementing a community-based initiative to train residents on CPR, first aid, Stop the Bleed, and mental health response in White Sulphur Springs, Martindale, and Ringling communities. The project addresses findings from the most recent community health assessment, which identified a strong local interest in expanding access to basic emergency response and mental health training. Emergency response skills are particularly important in isolated areas, where response times can be prolonged and community members may be called on to manage a crisis. This training initiative will offer monthly classes rotating through the target communities, ensuring consistent local access to life-saving education. Montana Healthcare Foundation funds will support staff time, travel, and supplies, thereby reducing the financial barriers that prevent residents from attending.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Mighty Few Community Development 2025

Wyola Fresh Food Education Program

Mighty Few Community Development is a new non-profit organization formed to respond to community needs on the Crow Reservation. They are dedicated to enhancing community infrastructure, promoting health and wellness for the youth and the elderly, and fostering active community involvement. The grant will support the Wyola Fresh Food Education program, which will expand education on cooking and eating fresh foods; teach community garden management; improve access to and affordability of fresh produce, herbs, and traditional plant medicines; and establish a food pantry with the addition of fresh foods grown from a community garden. Grant funds will cover staff time, consultants, gardening supplies, food, refreshments for workshops and classes, and program promotion to support participant recruitment. Partners include Cedar Rose Creations, Helping Hands Food Bank, Montana Food Bank Network, and Hopa Mountain.

Grant Amount

$20,000

Term

12 month

2025

Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025

Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care

The Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MTAAP) is the state professional association for Montana pediatricians. The MTAAP IBH Initiative in Primary Care project will support three-to-five independent pediatric primary care clinics to implement the integrated behavioral health (IBH) model. MTAAP will contract an IBH program manager to assist clinics with planning implementation and identifying and overcoming implementation challenges; provide tailored assistance to design a tailored IBH model of care for each clinic; and train and support clinic managers on IBH business models and quality improvement. MTAAP will also create a peer-led working group to support ongoing IBH education and training for pediatricians, practice managers, and staff. Finally, MTAAP will provide continuing medical education (CME) sessions at the annual Pediatric Roundup conference each fall and scholarships for mental health trainings for clinical staff at the REACH Institute. Grant funds will support a contracted part-time IBH program manager, a portion of MTAAP staff salaries, physician leadership stipends, CMEs for the IBH sessions at Pediatric Roundup, and scholarships for REACH Institute training.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

Montana Consortium for Urban Indian Health 2025

Strengthening Urban Indian Health

The Montana Consortium for Urban Indian Health (MCUIH) supports Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) by providing advocacy, education, and technical assistance to strengthen health care services for American Indians and Alaska Natives in Montana urban areas. The goals for this project include expanding the workforce pipeline for UIOs, enhancing data systems, providing policy education, and fostering collaboration within the UIO network. This will be accomplished through site visits and training for members, creating a data governance board to facilitate UIO control and use of health data, and participating in the National Consortium for Urban Indian Health’s (NCUIH) Annual Conference, which allows UIO executive directors to meet with national UIO partners and congressional delegates in Washington, D.C. Grant funds will be used to support participation in NCUIH’s Annual Conference, support a strategic planning visit to the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health (CCUIH), and to support MCUIH staff to coordinate efforts. Confirmed partners include Montana’s UIOs – All Nations Health Center in Missoula, Billings Urban Indian Health & Wellness Center, Butte Native Wellness Center, Helena Indian Alliance, and Indian Family Health Center in Great Falls; NCUIH, CCUIH, Montana HOSA, and JG Research and Evaluation.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

Montana Cooperative Development Center 2025

Bridging the Gap: Connecting Farmers, Grocers, and Communities Through Cooperative Solutions

Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC) helps communities plan and start cooperatives to address key community needs, such as grocery stores and child care centers. Cooperatives are member-owned businesses that operate for the benefit of members. This grant will support MCDC to identify grocery stores located in rural communities (focusing on Central and Eastern MT) and considering closure or sale within the next five years, assess their suitability for a cooperative conversion, and provide technical support to communities interested in pursuing the cooperative approach. The stores will also benefit from better access to locally-produced foods through MCDC's work with food hubs. MCDC will partner with Montana State University (MSU) to recruit an intern who will conduct research, outreach, and educational efforts. MCDC staff and the food and agriculture development director at the Great Falls Development Authority will supervise this work. Other project partners include Abundant Montana, which will provide support with mapping grocery stores and producers, and Western Sustainability Exchange, which will assist with network access. MTHF funds will support MCDC staff, the MSU intern, travel, and meeting supplies.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

18 month

2025

Montana Free Press 2025

Health care reporting for Montanans

Montana Free Press will provide in-depth, ongoing coverage of health and health policy issues. These stories will be published for free on the Montana Free Press website and in collaboration with over 100 partnering news outlets across the state. Reporting will ensure that public health experts, policymakers, leaders, and Montana residents alike are aware of the policy debates and decisions made by their elected representatives and have access to the information they need to make informed decisions for their health and the health of their communities. Funding will support reporting and editorial staff positions. Partners include print and online news sites and radio stations across the state that re-publish Montana Free Press reporting.

Grant Amount

$149,996

Term

24 month

2025

Montana Homeownership Network dba NeighborWorks Montana 2025

Gibbon Avenue Resident Purchase

This PRI and accompanying grant will support Neighborworks Montana (NWMT) to convert the 18-unit Gibbon Avenue Apartments in West Yellowstone into a resident-owned cooperative (ROC) that will ensure the units remain affordable. The land will be placed in a community land trust, which will help ensure permanent affordability. MTHF is supporting this project through a $50,000 grant and a $150,000 program-related investment, which will allow NWMT to keep overall debt service for the project at a sustainable level. When the property was placed for sale, residents were concerned that it would be converted to short-term rentals, displacing existing residents and losing critical long-term workforce housing in a community where housing is already scarce and costly, increasing the likelihood of cost-burden, overcrowding, or other adverse housing conditions for residents. NWMT is working with the property owner and current renters to facilitate the transaction, which includes the formation of a resident corporation. Primary financing for the project is from the Montana Board of Investments, using their newly established Cooperative Loan Program. Additional financing will come from NWMT’s Gallatin Fund and the Town of West Yellowstone. The PRI and grant from MTHF are further leveraged by a grant from the West Yellowstone Community Foundation. The PRI and grant will allow the current renters to purchase the property and complete the approximate $200,000 in capital improvement needs identified over the next three years.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Montana Homeownership Network dba NeighborWorks Montana 2025

Gibbon Avenue Resident Purchase

This PRI and accompanying grant will support Neighborworks Montana (NWMT) to convert the 18-unit Gibbon Avenue Apartments in West Yellowstone into a resident-owned cooperative (ROC) that will ensure the units remain affordable. The land will be placed in a community land trust, which will help ensure permanent affordability. MTHF is supporting this project through a $50,000 grant and a $150,000 program-related investment, which will allow NWMT to keep overall debt service for the project at a sustainable level. When the property was placed for sale, residents were concerned that it would be converted to short-term rentals, displacing existing residents and losing critical long-term workforce housing in a community where housing is already scarce and costly, increasing the likelihood of cost-burden, overcrowding, or other adverse housing conditions for residents. NWMT is working with the property owner and current renters to facilitate the transaction, which includes the formation of a resident corporation. Primary financing for the project is from the Montana Board of Investments, using their newly established Cooperative Loan Program. Additional financing will come from NWMT’s Gallatin Fund and the Town of West Yellowstone. The PRI and grant from MTHF are further leveraged by a grant from the West Yellowstone Community Foundation. The PRI and grant will allow the current renters to purchase the property and complete the approximate $200,000 in capital improvement needs identified over the next three years.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

Other

2025

Montana Legal Services Association 2025

Montana Medical-Legal Partnership: Medicaid Community Justice Worker Project

The Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) is a non-profit law firm that provides legal assistance and education focused on Montanans with lower incomes. This project will train non-attorney nonprofit health care provider staff members as community justice workers (CJW) to assist low-income patients with Medicaid applications and appeals. Training will cover filing deadlines, jurisdictions, preparing for and attending hearings, and empowering clients to represent themselves. The goal is to more effectively address the administrative barriers that sometimes prevent Montanans who are eligible from accessing Medicaid benefits. Funds will support a contract with a legal consultant to develop and implement the Medicaid CJW training program, and to hire a part time project coordinator. Partners are seven Federally Qualified Health Centers, two hospitals, and the Montana Consortium for Urban Indian Health, which currently participate in MLSA's medical legal partnership program and employ insurance navigators.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2025

Montana Medical Association Foundation 2025

From Concept to Practice: Advancing Value-Based Care in Montana’s Medicaid Landscape

The Montana Medical Association (MMA) Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports medical education, physician health, and excellence in practice. The MMA Value-Based Care Provider Advisory Group will guide the Montana Medicaid primary care case management (PCCM) redesign through expert collaboration, evidence-based analysis, subject matter expertise, and targeted engagement with the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC). The goal of the project is to develop actionable, scalable, and context-sensitive recommendations that support the successful implementation of VBC in MT Medicaid, ensuring provider feasibility and stakeholder buy-in. Advisory group members are practicing physicians with interest and expertise in value-based care. Grant funds will support stipends for the committee members and leaders and a portion of MMA staff time to facilitate and support the group.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Montana School Counselor Association 2025

Assessing Critical Needs for Crisis Preparedness and Mental Health Resources

The Montana School Counselor Association (MSCA) promotes professionalism and ethical practices while empowering and advocating for all school counselors. The goal of the project is to study the current roles school counselors play in addressing student behavioral health and crisis response and to use this information to guide the development of training and resources for school counselors and schools across the state. MSCA will work with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to review current state-wide data and develop a survey, administer the survey, conduct a needs assessment, analyze the data from the survey, share the results, and develop action plans. Grant funds will be used towards MSCA staff salaries, consultants with AIR, and travel. Confirmed partners include the Montana Small School Alliance, AIR, and School Administrators of Montana. They have a strong network that includes several other partners.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Montana School Services Foundation 2025

Bridged Health Alliance Program Investment

Bridged Health Alliance (BHA) is the newly established health and wellness benefits trust resulting from Montana House Bill 332 (2023), which allocated $40 million to create health benefits packages for staff and beneficiaries of Montana public school systems. Bridged Health Alliance is supported by the Montana School Services Foundation as a fiscal sponsor. To validate the trust and make the $40 million available for health benefits, BHA must complete basic organizational development tasks to become a freestanding organization and secure participation of at least 150 districts covering 12,000 employees by June 30, 2026. Through this grant, BHA will engage contractors for legal, actuarial, branding, and marketing services to support these efforts. Confirmed partners for this project include the Montana School Boards Association, the School Administrators of Montana, the Montana Association of School Business Officials, the Montana Rural Education Association, the Montana Quality Education Coalition, the Montana School Services Foundation (MSSF), the Montana Federation of Public Employees, and the Montana Association of School Superintendents.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

12 month

2025

Native American Development Corporation 2025

Enhancing Urban Access to Healthcare for American Indians

Native American Development Corporation (NADC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing economic, social, and health stability for Native American communities. NADC houses the Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center (BUIHWC), an urban Indian organization that serves the region's urban Indian community. The project will focus on enrolling patients in health insurance coverage. By doing so, BUIHWC will help ensure continuous coverage for Native Americans, expand access to health care services for its service population, and contribute to its health services' financial sustainability. This will be done by identifying patients without adequate coverage, both through individual data in BUIWC’s electronic health record and through broader outreach to the community. Health care benefit coordinators will assist patients to identify and apply for appropriate coverage. BUIHWC will also design a culturally-tailored outreach campaign to raise awareness about health insurance options among their service population.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

Native American Development Corporation 2025

School-Based Health Program

Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center (BUIHWC), under the Native American Development Corporation, is an urban Indian health center located in Billings. Through this grant, BUIHWC will offer behavioral health services at Bench Elementary School. They will do this by hiring a therapist and a school-based health program coordinator and establishing a school-based health care site at Bench Elementary. Grant funds will be used towards the salary of the school-based health coordinator. The main partner for the project is Billings Public Schools and Bench Elementary.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2025

New Kids on the Block Daycare 2025

New Kids on the Block- (NKotB) Expansion Grant

New Kids on the Block (NKotB) is a non-profit daycare providing families in Sheridan and the surrounding area with safe, affordable, high-quality childcare. This grant will help NKOtB launch an infant program that will accommodate eight infants, increasing childcare slots in the community by 65%. Funds from MTHF will be used to purchase age-appropriate furniture, toys, and supplies for the expansion and to train new staff.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Northern Cheyenne Food Pantry 2025

Northern Cheyenne Food Pantry Planning Grant

The Northern Cheyenne Food Pantry serves residents in all five rural districts of the Northern Cheyenne reservation. This grant will support planning for a new factility in Lame Deer. Creating a new facility will allow the grantee to improve food access, nutrition, and well-being for communities across the Northern Cheyenne Nation by providing reliable food districution and education on diet and nutrition. Funds will be used to cover 30% of the schematic architectural design, geotechnical and civil engineering studies, a cultural survey, and project management coordination. Partners for this project include the Northern Cheyenne Food Pantry Board, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Historic Preservation Office, High Plains Architects, and Redstone Project Development.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Partnership Health Center 2025

Building Capacity for Behavioral Health Groups in Primary Care and Schools

Partnership Health Center (PHC) is a federally qualified health center serving 18,000 patients in the greater Missoula community. Through this grant PHC will pilot group therapy as a way to improve access to and effectiveness of behavioral health services in community health centers. The project will increase access to behavioral health services, reduce wait times, and strengthen clinician engagement by expanding the use of group visits in both primary care and school-based settings. Funds will support clinician time for group facilitation, preparation, and staff training; curriculum adaptation and development; and project evaluation to assess access, quality, and workforce outcomes.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2025

Peoples Partners For Community Development 2025

The Peoples Partner for Community Development Food Sovereignty Expansion

People's Partners for Community Development (PPCD) is a Native-led 501(C)3 nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) serving the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. PPCD provides financial services to reservation residents and runs a mobile meat processing facility and grocery store. This project aims to expand access to affordable food and business opportunities for local food producers, and enhance food safety, product quality, and energy efficiency by installing new freezers and coolers in its butcher shop. Updated freezers at Warrior Grocery will ensure better temperature control and consistency, which are essential for preserving meat quality and safety. With the enhanced storage capacity, the butcher shop can stock a wider variety of meats, including specialty cuts, locally sourced products, and seasonal items. This offers more choices for the community and supports local farmers and producers. Grant funds will be used to plan and procure cold storage equipment. PPCD works with a wide range of partners to advance its goals, including Chief Dull Knife College, Consumer Credit Counseling of Montana, the Workforce Investment Act Program, Oweesta, St. Labre Indian School, Northern Cheyenne Schools, Family Services, the Northern Cheyenne Food Pantry, Northern Cheyenne Economic Development Corporation, Warrior Grocery, and the Northern Cheyenne Livestock Association.

Grant Amount

$130,000

Term

12 month

2025