Community Investment Program Grants Quarter Million Dollars

Funding to improve the quality of life in Rosebud, Custer, and Fallon Counties as well as Northern Cheyenne Reservation

Helena, Montana, July 18, 2024 – The Montana Community Foundation's (MCF) Community Investment Program (CIP) has announced the latest grant recipients in its third round of funding, distributing a quarter million dollars in grants. This initiative aims to enhance the quality of life in Rosebud, Custer, and Fallon Counties, as well as the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.

"The Miles City Public Library is so pleased to receive the CIP grant” said Sarah Peterson, Director. “These funds will allow us to access other funding through HB355, the State and Local Infrastructure Partnership Act. We plan to use the funds to improve our interior flooring which will increase safety for our patrons and eliminate damaged carpet. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Montana Community Foundation and Grid United to meet our goal of improving our historic building." 

This recent installment of funding, $255,296 was granted across Rosebud, Custer, and Fallon Counties, and Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Since its inception, the program has distributed a total of $742,163 in grants.

Funding by county: 

• $65,443 in Rosebud County to 5 projects. 
• $121,543 in Custer County to 9 projects. 
• $68,310 in Fallon County to 4 projects.

Custer County Grants: 

$14,022 – Custer County Food Bank, Inc. 

• To purchase a transport van for the Custer County Food Bank.  

$15,000 – Custer County Sheriff’s Office Protective Association 

• To purchase PPE for the reserve unit of the Custer County Sheriff’s Office 

$10,000 – Miles City Area Chamber of Commerce 

• For murals on buildings in downtown Miles City 

$10,000 – Miles City Convent Keepers 

• To upgrade the electrical panel and wiring in the Miles City Convent Keepers 

$17,521 – Miles City Public Library 

• For interior upgrades, including flooring improvements.  

$10,000 – Miles City Wrestling Club 

• To install an air return system and sound dampening panels. 

$15,000 – Miles City Youth Baseball 

• To purchase and renovate a property into an indoor practice facility. 

$10,000 – Range Riders Museum 

• To remove and upgrade carpeting in the Range Riders Museum. 

$20,000 – Timberline Disc Golf Inc 

• To construct a disc golf course at Woodruff Park.  

Fallon County Grants: 

$2,210 – Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture 

• To repaint the 3rd Street Spartan Feed between Highway 12 and Baker High School 

$24,000 – Elizabeth Scott Wellness Initiative 

• To stabilize the foundation and replace the roof of the Elizabeth Hospital, so it can be used as a space for wellness education and practices for the community.  

$35,800 - Eastern Montana Economic Development Authority 

• For playground equipment for the Child Care Project, which will create 38 new licensed, affordable childcare slots in Fallon County.  

$6,300 – Town of Plevna 

• To stabilize the one-room Sieler Schoolhouse and transport it to Plevna to be used as a museum and heritage center.  

Rosebud County Grants: 

$10,000 – Forever Forsyth Inc 

• To complete a downtown master plan for Forsyth. 

$14,500 – Forsyth Golf Foundation 

• To purchase a John Deere Rough Mower to efficiently mow the roughs. 

$23,130 – Forsyth Public Schools 

• To purchase portable bleachers for Forsyth Public Schools. 

$4,000 - Friends of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks 

• To support Montana Shakespear in the Parks programming in Rosebud County. 

$13,813 - Rosebud County Search and Rescue 

• To purchase equipment for Rosebud County Search and Rescue. 

The CIP was established at MCF by the developer of the North Plains Connector, Grid United, an independent transmission company that builds high voltage electric transmission lines. The North Plains Connector is a 415-mile transmission line that will connect the electric power grids between eastern Montana and western North Dakota and runs through three rural counties in Montana: Rosebud, Custer, and Fallon. Grid United’s approach to project development is rooted in prioritizing local stakeholders, including initiatives like the CIP that are designed to support the communities in which the North Plains Connector is being developed. 

The CIP holds two annual grant cycles. The next round of grants are due on November 1, 2024. Grants will be up to $50,000. Eligible applicants must be either a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or government entity. Individuals and for-profit organizations are ineligible; however, individuals and for-profit organizations may apply through a fiscal sponsor that is eligible. Additionally, applicants based outside of these counties are eligible so long as the funding is used for projects benefiting communities in these counties. Grant requests are reviewed by Community Advisory Committees in Rosebud, Custer, and Fallon Counties. Community Advisory Committees are comprised of local community members. Neither the North Plains Connector project team, nor Grid United influence the selection of the advisory committee and determination of grant recipients. 

Additional information on the CIP, including the application, can be found on the MCF website at https://mtcf.org/grants/apply-for-a-grant/community-investment-program. For questions, please contact Local Community Foundations Program Officer, Taylor Crowl at (406) 603-4913 or taylor@mtcf.org. 

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About North Plains Connector: The North Plains Connector is an approximately 415-mile and up to 500 kilovolt high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting the U.S. eastern and western electric grids in Montana and North Dakota. The North Plains Connector will be open to all sources of electrical power generation and will be able to transport power in either direction along the line. For more information, visit www.northplainsconnector.com. 

About Grid United: Grid United is an independent transmission company aiming to modernize the electric power grid to create a more resilient and efficient electric system for the benefit of all consumers. For more information, visit www.gridunited.com. 

About the Montana Community Foundation: The Montana Community Foundation’s mission is to cultivate a culture of giving so Montana communities can flourish. Founded in 1988, MCF manages more than $178.5 million in assets and administers more than 1,400 philanthropic funds and planned gifts. Since its founding, MCF has reinvested more than $100 million in Montana through scholarships, grants, and programs. Learn more at  www.mtcf.org.

Custer County Grantee: Miles City Wrestling Club

Rosebud County Grantee: Forever Forsyth Inc.

From left to right, Fallon County Grantees: Elizabeth Scott Wellness Initiative, Baker Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture, Town of Plevna, EMEDA.

Custer County Advisory Committee