May 2026

Letter from Mary, President and CEO

Dear Friends,

As anyone who has ever been caught in a pounding January snowstorm and then stood beside a dry creek bed in August knows, Montana is a state of extremes: a place of great abundance that can also face acute resource limitations.

But Montanans are resilient and resourceful, finding unique solutions and moving forward together. That spirit is alive in programs like the Indigenous Student Rapid Assistance Fund, established at the Montana Community Foundation to meet the specific financial needs of Indigenous students pursuing higher education in Montana. Nimble and responsive by design, this year it has helped 26 students stay in school in the face of financial hardship.

Montana also holds another kind of abundance — the estimated $37 billion in wealth expected to transition between generations by 2030. Four years ago, MCF completed a study on the future of Montana's resources and uncovered a significant opportunity: by directing just 5% of your assets or estate to your local community, you can create a legacy that allows your children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors to flourish for generations to come.

The challenges our neighbors face are real. But so is our collective capacity to meet them. At the Montana Community Foundation, we remain committed to connecting resources, building partnerships, and standing alongside the communities and students working hard to build a better life. Together, we'll shape Montana's future through the power of giving.

$25,000 Awarded to 26 Indigenous Students Within Days

In a rural state like Montana, reliable transportation is a lifeline. When a vehicle breaks down, the repair bill can do more than strain a budget. For a student already navigating the costs of higher education, it can force an impossible choice: pay tuition or pay the mechanic. That pressure falls hardest on Indigenous students without financial reserves.

The Indigenous Student Rapid Assistance Fund is a Montana-made solution to that moment. It offers one-time emergency assistance, typically between $250 and $1,000, to Indigenous students experiencing hardships that might otherwise prevent them from continuing or completing their postsecondary education. This isn't a scholarship. Rather, it's direct, rapid support designed to help students clear the unexpected hurdles standing between them and their degree.

"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the assistance provided by the emergency fund. It was a great help to me during a difficult time," wrote one recipient this year. "Thanks to this support, I was able to get my truck into the shop to be fixed. Having reliable transportation is a huge relief, and I truly appreciate the help in making that possible."

This year's cycle reached 26 Indigenous students with more than $25,000, addressing needs ranging from housing and food security to health care, transportation, educational technology, and child care. Demand was so high that funding was exhausted within days of the application period opening.

The need consistently outpaces available resources. The fund aims to offer two application windows each year, one in the spring and one in the fall, timed to the moments when financial aid is running thin and a single disruption can prove especially costly to a student's path to completion.

Your gift to the Indigenous Student Rapid Assistance Fund could be what keeps a student in school. Any amount has the potential to make the difference between a dream delayed and a degree earned.

Here Are Two Ways You Can Take Action Today:

• Make a grant from your Donor Advised Fund to support the Indigenous Student Rapid Assistance Fund. To grant from your Donor Advised Fund, simply log in to your donor portal. Need assistance with making a grant recommendation on MCF’s fundholder portal? Contact Montana Community Foundation at info@mtcf.org.  
• Give directly to the Indigenous Student Rapid Assistance Fund at this link.

Why We Strive For 5

What do you love about your Montana hometown?

Maybe it's the rippling blue water of the local pool on a scorching August afternoon. Maybe it's the library where your kids spent their summers, or the park where your community comes together year after year. Whatever it is, it’s meaningful to you, and you want to preserve it for the next generation and the next one after that.

In Montana, we can all give the gifts that shape the future of the places and people we love. By setting aside just 5% of your estate, you can help ensure your children, grandchildren, and neighbors continue to flourish for generations to come.

Montana Community Foundation is showing Montanans how to do exactly that through the Strive for 5 initiative, a movement built around the simple but powerful idea that a small percentage of what you've built can leave a lasting legacy in the community that helped build you.

Learn more here.