Stepping Into Spring

Local Leaders,

As we step into spring, there is a lot to celebrate for the Local Community Foundation (LCF) Program at the Montana Community Foundation (MCF). We are excited to report on some wins, along with some projects on the horizon.

We are now a few months into the first year of the LCF+ Incentive Program - $1 Million for Montana, and the 27 community foundations participating have hit the ground running! When we put the program together, we anticipated that community foundations would raise $362,000 in the first year. We are excited to share that community foundations have nearly doubled that, raising an impressive $639,688 by the end of March. This achievement speaks volumes about the dedication and support within your communities – a huge congratulations to all involved!  

Looking ahead, the excitement continues to build as many community foundations dive into giving days in May. These events are not just about fundraising; they represent a collective effort to foster a culture of generosity, collaboration, and positive change. We are cheering on these giving days, which shine a spotlight on the incredible work being done by community foundations across the state. Check out the information below on these events, which span from Great Falls to Glendive.

As we embrace the warmer months ahead, we hope you take a moment to celebrate all that has been accomplished so far this year. Your community foundation’s dedication makes these achievements possible, and we could not be prouder. Excited to see what the rest of the year has in store! 

Taylor Crowl
LCF, Program Officer
taylor@mtcf.org

LCF+ Toolkit

Each quarter, we are adding additional resources to the LCF+ Toolkit, which provides easy-to-use tools for the LCF+ Incentive Program - $1 Million for Montana.

Thanks to a suggestion from Greater Glendive Community Foundation, we just added an article that LCFs can submit to their newspaper or use in a newsletter to educate community members about using qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to support the community foundation.

By tailoring this article to suit your audience and incorporating local examples, your community foundation can highlight the multiple benefits of QCDs from IRAs. Download the article here and check out an excerpt below!

Donating from Your IRA: Support [Local Community Foundation] While Meeting Your Required Minimum Distribution

As individuals approach retirement age, managing their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) becomes crucial not only for financial security but also for tax efficiency. One often overlooked strategy is utilizing IRA funds for charitable giving, effectively satisfying required minimum distributions (RMDs) while contributing to charitable causes in your community, like [local community foundation].

Benefits of Donating from Your IRA

1. Tax Savings: QCDs exclude donated amounts from taxable income, offering potential tax savings for retirees subject to RMDs.
2. Fulfillment of RMDs: By donating directly from the IRA, individuals meet RMD requirements without incurring additional taxable income.
3. Supporting Causes: Donating to charitable organizations enables retirees to contribute to causes they care about, leaving a positive impact on our community.
4. Streamlined Process: QCDs simplify the donation process by enabling direct transfers from the IRA custodian to the qualified charity, reducing administrative burdens for donors.
    

LCF+ Toolkit

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 Convenings: Two Down Two to Go

In March and April, we hosted the first and second LCF Convening and Rural Community Builder Summit in Havre and Forsyth! We had a great turnout with 5 LCFs and over 57 attendees from across the Hi-Line in Havre and 4 LCFs and over 40 attendees from across Eastern Montana in Forsyth.

As a refresher, we are hosting these trainings in partnership with Montana Nonprofit Association and MSU Extension Community Vitality in a different regional location each quarter. For each event, the first afternoon will be open to only community foundations, then the second day will be open to all nonprofits. We hope that other LCFs will be able to join us for the third LCF Convening on October 8 in tandem with the Montana Nonprofit Association’s Annual Conference.

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!

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

“Chat GPT, Canva, and Easy-to-Use Marketing Tools” – Wednesday, August 14 at 12:00 pm

Would you like to learn about easy-to-use marketing tools that will take your community foundation’s communications to the next level? If so, join us to leverage simple yet powerful digital resources to amplify your impact. 

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.

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.

Giving Days

Right now, LCFs across the state are participating in giving day to harness generosity in their community. Giving days are 24-hour (or longer) events to harness the power of collective giving. LCFs often facilitate giving days, providing donors with an opportunity to support several nonprofits in the area. In addition, LCFs use giving days as a way to raise funds for their endowments, programs, operational expenses. May promises to be a busy month and all of us here at MCF are cheering you on in these endeavors! 

• April 29-May 3: Give Great Falls (Great Falls Area Community Foundation)
• April 29-May 3: Columbus MT Gives (Columbus Area Community Foundation)
• May 1-2: Greater Helena Gives (Helena Area Community Foundation)
• May 2: Give Local Glendive (Greater Glendive Community Foundation)
• May 2-3: Give Big Gallatin Valley (West Yellowstone Community Foundation)
• May 1-31: Change Your Pace (Seeley Lake Community Foundation) 

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.

• “One Year in Dog Years, I Ride Celebrates its Seventh Birthday”
• “Mineral County Community Foundation Awards Scholarships”
• “Valley County Community Grants Now Available”

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!

• Community Heart & Soul: Is your community interested in a resident-driven visioning process? If so, we are piloting Community Heart & Soul in Montana. We are hoping to work with 3-6 communities this year on the “Getting Started” process to see if Community Heart & Soul is the right fit for them right now.
• T-Mobile Hometown Grants: A grant opportunity that awards up to 100 towns a year with up to $50,000 each for projects that build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that foster connections in your town. Applications are due quarterly on March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, and December 31st.  

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