The Montana Community Foundation, Inc. (MCF) announces the grant recipients of the William B. Pratt Fund to benefit Montana traditional and folk art, as well as media arts in Montana.  

The William B. Pratt Fund was established by William “Bill” Pratt as a legacy gift to the people of Montana to help them tell and share stories – especially the untold ones – about Montana’s arts, culture, and history and to learn about the traditional art forms and cultures of this unique state. 

“Montana’s cultural heritage is rich and diverse, and thanks to the vision and creativity of this year’s grantees—the Montana Playwrights Network, Montana Association of Weavers and Spinners, Sweetgrass Powwow, and MAPS Media Institute—those unique voices will continue to be preserved and shared. Their projects reflect the depth of our traditional and folk arts, and through their work, we honor our past, celebrate our present, and inspire future generations across Montana,” stated Bill Pratt

2025 Grantees Include:

• $2,000 to Montana Playwrights Network for the 5th Annual Winter Lodge Rendezvous, which presents contemporary tribal oral traditions, ideologies, and worldview to create a new modern narrative that specifically features Montana American Indian performers who reshape what non-Natives know about American Indian People. The 5th Winter Lodge Rendezvous is significantly different from previous ones in that it will feature all female indigenous artists.
• $1,500 to the Montana Association of Weavers and Spinners (MAWS) is a nonprofit organization that fosters communication between individuals and groups engaged in handweaving and spinning. The 2026 conference, "A Thread Runs Through It," will be held in Missoula, with the purpose of gathering and educating fiber artists by focusing on a traditional Swedish weaving style. This type of weaving showcases an integral part of the state’s history, represented by the Swedish settlers who engaged in this art form.
• $1,500 to the Sweetgrass Powwow. Now in its 49th year, the Sweetgrass Powwow is a vibrant celebration of Native culture, tradition, and community. Hosted by the Sweetgrass Society, one of the oldest student-led organizations at Montana State University-Northern (MSUN), the annual event honors the values, voices, and heritage of Indigenous peoples. The Sweetgrass Society welcomes both Native and non-Native students, working year-round to foster cultural understanding through mentoring, support, and celebration. Beyond MSUN, the Society actively engages with the Havre community and neighboring tribes, building bridges through shared experience.
• $2,000 to the MAP Media Institute. Founded in 2004, MAPS Media Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Montana's youth through professional media arts instruction, mentorship, and community engagement. Funding will ensure that Native Indigenous youth in Fort Belknap continue to receive culturally responsive, high-quality instruction from professional Native Indigenous artists. This project strengthens youth voices, honors community knowledge, and uses media arts to preserve, share, and celebrate the stories that matter most.   

The next grant cycle will open January 2026. For more information, please visit. mtcf.org/grants/apply-for-a-grant.