Today, the Montana Community Foundation announced that total giving in 2025 from grants, scholarships, and other innovative programs will reach $10.5 million, the highest in its history.

“This is the time of year when people are especially generous, and the numbers we announced today highlight that incredible generosity,” said Mary Rutherford, Montana Community Foundation President & CEO. “Our team is thrilled to be a part of this level of support for our state.”

Thanks to thousands of generous donors, the Montana Community Foundation distributed $6 million from endowments, directly benefiting over 800 organizations doing remarkable, impactful work in our state. Local community foundations collectively reinvested more than $1 million directly into their communities, and the Women’s Foundation of Montana granted $750,000. The collaboration with the Otto Bremer Trust resulted in $1.5 million in funding to support education, healthcare access, and infrastructure, and student scholarships will reach nearly $1 million. 

New in 2025 was the Montana Impact Investing Program, allocating $2 million in low-interest loans to organizations addressing the state’s most critical challenges.

“We know that the need is great, and we encourage anyone who holds Montana in their heart to reach out and see how they can help us fill the gaps across the state,” said Rutherford. “Whether you care about affordable housing, healthcare, childcare, after-school programs, tourism, the arts, seniors, or revitalizing our small towns, we can help you make an impact. Montana is worth it.”

The Montana Community Foundation administers more than 1,988 funds and awards these assets in various ways. Programs such as the Otto Bremer Trust, the Women's Foundation of Montana, the Montana Mental Health Access Fund, and the Community Investment Program have the Montana Community Foundation doing the grantmaking. Local Community Foundations often have the Montana Community Foundation manager oversee their assets and award funding to enhance local grantmaking and impact. The last is Donor Advised Funds, where donors control how dollars are granted, through nonprofits, in scholarships to students, or other supportive strategies.