The Community Foundation of Northern Rosebud County was recently honored with the Endowment Excellence Award from the Montana Community Foundation (MCF) in recognition of growing its permanent endowment beyond $1 million.

Pictured Left to Right - MCF Board Chair, Tom McGree, CFNR Representative, Darrell Grogan, CFNR Treasurer, Ellen Coker, MCF President & CEO, Mary K. Rutherford

MCF Board Chair Tom McGree and President and CEO Mary K. Rutherford presented the award during an MCF Board of Directors meeting in Billings on September 16. CFNRC Treasurer Ellen Coker and Fund Representative Darrell Grogan accepted the award on behalf of the local foundation and the communities it serves.

“The Community Foundation of Northern Rosebud County demonstrates what is possible when local people come together around a shared commitment to their communities,” said Rutherford. “Surpassing $1 million is an extraordinary achievement, but the true measure of CFNRC’s success is found in the gathering places, community resources, and opportunities its grants make possible. We are honored to recognize CFNRC’s leadership and the lasting impact it is creating for Angela, Forsyth, Ingomar, and Rosebud.”

CFNRC traces its roots to 2007, when the family of Swede Schlesinger honored his life and legacy by establishing an endowment in his name. An endowment is a permanent charitable fund that is invested over time, with a portion of its earnings used to support local needs each year.

Since its founding, CFNRC has awarded $187,240 in grants benefiting the four communities. In recent years, the foundation has distributed approximately $40,000 to $50,000 annually, and that amount is expected to grow as the endowment grows.

“Our grants go to sustainable assets,” Coker said. “It’s pavilions in the parks that everyone uses every weekend. It’s a community center in each of our four communities, and we grant to them almost every year. That’s where residents vote in elections, celebrate weddings, gather for funerals and hold other community events. They know they wouldn’t have those places without the grants.”

In addition to its primary endowment, CFNRC is home to several funds created to meet specific community needs, including the Rosebud County Library Endowment, the Forsyth Aquatic and Recreation Center Fund, and the Edna Olson Fund.

CFNRC is guided by a volunteer board whose members represent the communities it serves. Current board members include President Irene Dickerson, Vice President Lex Heberle, Secretary Shan Kuntz, Treasurer Ellen Coker, Fund Representative Darrell Grogan, Michael Borgos, and Pam Fredericks.

The Endowment Excellence Award recognizes CFNRC’s commitment to building a permanent source of charitable support and ensuring that the communities of northern Rosebud County continue to benefit from local generosity well into the future.

To learn more about CFNRC’s impact across northern Rosebud County, explore upcoming grant opportunities or help build lasting resources for local communities, visit cfnrc.org. Questions may also be directed to info@cfnrc.org.