On the Horizon

Local Leaders,

As we step into 2024, there is so much on the horizon for the Local Community Foundation (LCF) Program at the Montana Community Foundation (MCF). To start, 27 community foundations are participating in the LCF+ Incentive Program - $1 Million for Montana. This program challenges community foundations to grow their endowments to increase their impact in their community. Then, when a community foundation reaches its fundraising goal, MCF will provide funds for grantmaking or other needs. The clock officially began on January 1st for year one!

In addition, we have several learning opportunities coming up. In 2024, we will be hosting an LCF Convening in a different location across the state each quarter. These will be done in partnership with Montana Nonprofit Association, MSU Extension Community Vitality, and the LCF in the area. To make our learning opportunities more accessible, we will also be launching quarterly webinars. Are you curious about “Setting Up a Fundraising Plan” or “How to Ask for a Gift in a Will”? Then you will want to tune in for these one-hour lunch sessions with experts from our team. There is more information below on both the LCF Convenings and quarterly webinars – make sure to check it out and mark your calendars.

What is on the horizon for your community foundation in 2024? Please let me know so all of us at MCF can support your initiatives, attend your events, and celebrate your milestones.  

Here’s to a year of growth, collaboration, and community building!

Taylor Crowl
LCF, Program Officer
taylor@mtcf.org

LCF+ Toolkit

The LCF+ Toolkit – which provides easy-to-use tools for the LCF+ Incentive Program - $1 Million for Montana – is now live on our website! There are appeal letters, social media posts, letters to the editor, and other resources that are tailored to the program. We wanted these tools to be accessible and easy to use, so all you need to do is add details about your LCF and your fundraising goal.

Check out some of the tools:

• Example Appeal – Announcing LCF+ Incentive Program
• Example Newsletter Announcement
• Sample Social Media Posts

We will be adding tools to the LCF+ Toolkit each quarter, so stay tuned for additional resources in April, July, and October. Does your LCF need a specific tool, or do you have ideas about which tools would be helpful? If so, please reach out to Taylor at taylor@mtcf.org or (406) 603-4913.
 

LCF+ Toolkit

Save the Date: LCF Convenings in 2024

After the LCF Convenings last year, we heard from many of you that you liked the regional approach, which allowed you to connect with community foundations in your area. This year, we are sticking with that regional approach and teaming up with the Montana Nonprofit Association and MSU Extension Community Vitality to bring more content to a wider audience.

For each event, the first afternoon will open to just community foundations, then the second day will be open to all nonprofits in the area. Through this approach, we want to create an opportunity for community foundations to both connect with one another and learn with other nonprofits in their area.

In 2024, we will be hosting these events in a different location each quarter. On March 4-5 we will be in Havre, on April 22-23 we will be in Forsyth, and on October 9 we will be in Helena (in conjunction with MNA’s Annual Conference). In addition, we hope to add one more location in the fall of 2024. A big “thank you” to Hill County Community Foundation for hosting us in Havre and Community Foundation of Northern Rosebud County for hosting us in Forsyth.

We will send out additional information on the events in Havre and Forsyth in the upcoming weeks – keep your eyes peeled! If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to Taylor at taylor@mtcf.org or (406) 603-4913.

Quarterly Webinars

This year, we will be hosting a webinar each quarter for LCFs. We have chosen a number of topics, ranging from fundraising to communications. We hope that staff, board members, or volunteers from your community foundation can join us!

“Setting Up a Fundraising Plan” – Tuesday, February 13 at 12:00 pm

Are you interested in putting together a fundraising plan for the LCF+ Incentive Program (or another fundraising goal)? If so, join us as we share some concrete methods – like donor segmentation, gift pyramids, and fundraising calendars – to put your fundraising into action.  

“How to Ask for a Gift in a Will” – Tuesday, May 14 at 12:00 pm

Do you want to learn how to talk to donors about including your community foundation in their will? If so, join us to learn about proven techniques and communication strategies to approach donors about leaving a lasting legacy.

Do you have suggestions for a topic for a quarterly webinar? If you do, please reach out to Taylor at taylor@mtcf.org or (406) 603-4913 to let her know.

Let Us Know About Your 2024 Events!

Annual Endowment Distributions: What You Should Know

The annual endowment payout process is well underway as the MCF team gets ready to distribute millions of dollars to Montana organizations in the first part of March. Below are answers to commonly asked questions about annual endowment distributions.

What are annual endowment distributions?

• Annual endowment distributions are paid out each spring from your LCFs endowment fund(s) at MCF.

When can community foundations expect to see funds in their account?

• For LCFs that are under MCF’s 501(c)(3) status, you will see these new grantable funds on the Donor Portal in mid-March.
• For LCFs that have their own 501(c)(3) status, ACH (electronic) payments are planned for Monday, March 4, 2024. While payments will be initiated on Monday, LCFs may not see these funds in their bank account until the end of the week, depending on the bank’s processing time.

Who receives information about my organization’s distribution(s)?

• Communication will be sent to the designated fund representative.

What if our bank account information has changed?

• If bank info has changed since March 1, 2023, complete the Direct Deposit Form by February 6, 2024.
• A new ACH form is needed if the bank was sold/merged.
• No action is required if there are no changes or if a new form was recently submitted.

Have questions about annual endowment distributions? Please reach out to Taylor at taylor@mtcf.org or (406) 603-4913.

LCFs in the News
 

Across Montana, LCFs are tackling countless projects – and many of them have received great news coverage for their hard work! Check out the articles below to see what other LCFs have been up to.

• “Valley County Community Foundation Receives ‘Outstanding Foundation’ Award”
• “Hill County Community Foundation 2023 Grants”
• “How to Grow an Endowment – Seeley Lake Community Foundation”

Want to see more about your local community foundation in the news? If so, please reach out to Taylor at taylor@mtcf.org or (406) 603-4913. We can brainstorm ways to promote your efforts, like writing press releases or pitching stories to your local newspaper.

Resources and Opportunities

Below are some resources and funding opportunities that may be of interest. Please feel free to share them with others in your community as well!

• Montana Main Street: If your community is a member of the Montana Main Street Program, the 2024 grant cycle is now open. Grants around $20,000 are available for implementation projects, like placemaking or façade improvements, and planning projects, like downtown master plans. Applications are due on February 28, 2024.    
• Montana Historic Preservation Grant: Is your community foundation involved with a historic structure, site, or museum in your community? If so, the Montana Historic Preservation Grant (MHPG) provides up to $500,000 for the preservation of historic sites, historical societies, or history museums. Applications are due on February 29, 2024.

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