The Montana 4-H Foundation supports 4-H initiatives that focus on healthy living, citizenship, leadership, science, engineering, and technology.  The mission of the Montana 4-H Foundation is to "help 4-H youth by raising private funds, managing financial resources and partnering with the MSU Extension Service to fund educational opportunities for Montana 4-H youth, volunteer leaders, and staff."

Montana 4-H grants provide opportunities for youth and adults to strengthen their skills and maximize their positive impacts on the communities in which they live.

People Partner Grants

Grant Purpose
These grants provide incentives and financial support to groups and individuals for programs that enhance the quality of living for people in their communities.

Application Deadline: Postmarked by February 1st
Each application is eligible for up to $500.

Eligibility
4-H groups and individual members may apply.  Grants are also open to non-4-H youth groups and individuals.  Applications should meet the following criteria:

• Youth should be involved in determining, planning, conducting, and evaluating the project.
• Project will make it possible for people to accomplish something educational and worthwhile that helps them reach a higher quality of life.
• There is community support and acceptance of the project, as evidence by "partners" listed in the grant application, additional funding sources, and resource persons and agencies involved.
• The project has lasting benefits.

See grant application for more details.

Application Process
Submit a completed People Partner grant application postmarked by the February 1st deadline.  Applications submitted by January 10th will be reviewed and returned with suggestions for improvement to the application in order to resubmit. Submit completed applications to:
Montana 4-H Foundation
111 Taylor Hall, PO Box 173580
Bozeman, MT 59717

If grant funds are not used for program purpose, group agrees to return them by December 31st of the grant year.  Groups are also required to submit the evaluation form by September 1st of the grant year.

2017 Recipients:

Club Name	County	Description
Rocky Mountain Rattlesnakes 4-H Group	Yellowstone	Making quilts for homeless teens transitioning into their own places to live.
Rosebud-Treasure 4-H Council	Rosebud-Treasure	2017 4-H Rec Lab Community Service Project: backpack project for Montana Foster Children
Giffen Coulee 4-H Club	Cascade	Annual community Easter Egg Hunt
Rowdy Ropers 4-H Club	Flathead	Double sided twin-sized  fleece blankets for homeless students in the valley.
Thompson Falls Mountaineers	Sanders	New vinyl 4-H banners in the Home-Ec building at the fairgrounds.
Cougar Creek 4-H Club	Prairie	Planting replacement trees at the county fairgrounds.
Western Valley 4-H Club & Valley County Livestock Committee	Valley	Provide pens for 4-H and open class swine exhibits on the new swine barn.
The Country Cousins 4-H Club	Flathead	Making quilts for homeless teens transitioning into their own places to live.
Badlands Brushpoppers	Richland	Build 2 picnic tables for a community dam that people use during the year.
Red Butte Ramblers	Fallon	Update community road signs that the club put up 15 years ago.
Zacc Degele/ Tristen Geiser/ 4-H Teen Leader	Stillwater	Tie blankets for Absarokee & Columbus Ambulance Service
Chirping Meadowlarks Club	Hill	To establish Little Free Libraries along the Hi-Line.
Coby Guenzler	Sanders	Highway sign with direction to Lonepine Community Hall.
CB&R 4-H Club	Treasure	Purchase a bench for the future community playground.
Mizpah Masters	Powder River	Fleece tie blankets for PR Manor Nursing Home and Farm in the Dell

Staff Development Grants

Grant Purpose
Staff Development Grants provide financial support to MSU Extension staff seeking professional development opportunities.

Application Deadline: November 1st (main Deadline) and April 1st (if funds remain)

Eligibility
Montana State University Extension agents or support staff wanting to attend a particular educational conference, training session, event, or program.  Grant criteria:

• Program or event must provide beneficial programming ideas that can be incorporated into the participant's 4-H program.
• Regional Department Heads of Extension must support participation in the event.
• Program and evaluation must be completed within one year from submission deadline.

Application Process
Complete the online application form by clicking here.  The application asks for the following information:

• An outline of the program or event the participant wishes to attend which includes: a description of the program, a summary of costs and other sources of funding, personal gain by participating in the program/event, and expected impacts on your 4-H program.
• A letter of support for requesting funds from your state Extension supervisor (turned in after you submit your application -  see application for details).
• Name and mailing address of group to which funds are to be awarded.
• Agreement to return funds if planning process to implement program has not begun within eleven months from submission date.
• Agreement to submit an evaluation of the program and how it has or will benefit your community.

2017 Staff Development Grant Recipients

Innovative Programming Grants

Grant Purpose
This grant opportunity provides financial support to new programs with innovative efforts and specific outcomes that can be duplicated from one county to another.  There are $2,000 total grant dollars available.

Application Deadline:  November 1st (main deadline) and April 1st (if funds remain)

Eligibility
Any Montana county 4-H youth program.  A joint application between several counties is acceptable.  Grant criteria:

• Innovative youth or adult volunteer leader educational programs.  Program efforts that are currently conducted are not eligible.
• Programs currently being conducted in other states qualify.
• Project must have potential to be replicated in other Montana counties.
• Project can reach existing or new audiences.
• Application team and teaching team (can be different) must include an Extension staff person, an adult volunteer, and a teen volunteer.
• Project and evaluation must be completed within one year of submission deadline.

Application Process
Complete the online application by clicking here.  The application asks for the following information.

• Target audience, educational objectives, resources - available and to be developed, source of curriculum, and outline of curriculum.
• Program timeline, including start, end and length of componenets
• Evaluation procedure to determine of educational objectives have been met.

Also required:

• Names of team members submitting the application.
• Name and mailing address of group to which funds are to be awarded.
• Agreement to return funds if planning process to implement program has not begun within eleven months of submission deadline.
• Submit letter of evaluation when project is completed.

2017 Innovative Program Recipients

Other Grant Opportunities

Below are links to some grant opportunities that Montana 4-H'ers might be interested in.  The Montana 4-H Foundation does not sponsor these grants, but is happy to provide this information.

Montana Farmers Union Grant
Global Youth Service Day mini grants
Youth Services America
MFBF Mini Grants

The Montana Farm Bureau Foundation has established a program to provide grants of up to $200.00 for use in educational forums or activities promoting agriculture.

Proposals will be judged on the project’s ability to address the following:

• Enhances participants’ knowledge of agriculture and/or its contributions as an industry.
• Analyzes current agriculture issues/problems.
• Strengthens critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Scope of audience reached.

Mini-Grant applications can be downloaded at www.mfbf.org/foundation.