When Montanans think about rural Montana, they picture the small towns where they grew up, raised their families, visited relatives, or built their businesses. Our hopes for these communities include bustling downtowns, solid school enrollment, strong anchor businesses, and engaging community events.

This vision cannot be realized without the generosity of people. Communities thrive because volunteers, small businesses, and local nonprofits tirelessly support residents during tough times. 

Although Montana can feel like one large small town, the spirit of generosity is particularly important in our truly rural areas. These communities face limited financial resources and fewer people to help. Area nonprofits often cannot afford full-time staff, let alone grant writers or fundraising staff. 

This is where Local Community Foundations (LCFs) come in. LCFs serve as the heartbeat of communities, addressing financial needs and tackling local issues with lived experience, knowledge, passion, and dedication. 

Across Montana, LCFs and nonprofits focus on critical needs such as transportation, childcare, housing, food security, and healthcare. They enhance community vibrancy by supporting the arts, local theaters, parks, and recreation activities. They invest in the next generation by awarding scholarships, gathering school supplies, and ensuring children have food to eat. 

Our communities are better places thanks to their dedication. 

Several bills this session could make operating a nonprofit in Montana more difficult, if not impossible. Some proposals impose additional taxation. Nonprofits are exempt from state and federal income taxes because they serve the public good. Nonprofit revenue is reinvested in the community rather than distributed to shareholders. Introducing unnecessary taxes on nonprofits would likely lead to closures and long-term damage to our communities. 

Another bill would prevent nonprofits from receiving state funding. This unfairness undermines the competitive process for appropriately managing state tax dollars. Such a move would hinder efforts to combat domestic violence, support foster children, develop workforce housing, and stimulate economic growth. 

Montana wouldn’t be Montana without our small towns and nonprofits working on the ground. Our communities are seeing incredible results. 

Roundup is revitalizing its downtown by enhancing signage and converting a retired school building into housing. Broadus created a pocket park and expanded its trail system. Polson is teaching swimming lessons to keep kids safe on the water and undertaking beautification projects to enhance its downtown. The Powder River Community Foundation funded a vehicle allowing first responders to provide telemedicine visits, home safety checks, and outpatient lab services. Fork Peck’s community theater is an economic driver, and the Valley County Community Foundation provides Opheim with school supplies. West Yellowstone has even purchased a van to transport community members to Bozeman and Belgrade for appointments. 

These examples illustrate how LCFs and nonprofits support and uplift our small towns, which is critical for their survival. If we want to see thriving downtown areas and encourage young people to return home to start families or businesses, we need every resource at our disposal, and local nonprofits are among the most vital tools we have. 

The Montana Community Foundation is proud to provide technical assistance and financial support around the state. In 2024, we granted more than $5 million to 739 Montana organizations, including high schools, food banks, religious entities, rural healthcare initiatives, and nonprofits.

Dedicated individuals run nonprofits, and their work touches every person and every community. On Thursday, January 30, 200 nonprofit directors, staff, and board members from around the state traveled to Helena to talk to their legislators. It was heartwarming to see these community leaders unite to make Montana a better place for everyone. Our Legislators should reject any attempts to undermine the hard work and profound impact of Montana nonprofits.