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
Download the application by clicking here.
​
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 by February 1st to the address below, or via email at 4hfdn@montana.edu.
​
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.

2019 Recipients:

Club Name	County	Description
Thompson Falls Mountaineers 4-H Club	Sanders	Package and distribute emergency backpacks to Sanders County youth in need.
Tampico Boys 4-H Club	Valley	Record interviews with locals and make them available to hear through QR codes at the museum.
Sandhill Rangers 4-H Club	Sheridan	Replant trees lost from a tornado in 2018 at a public cemetery.
Northern Lights 4-H	Valley	Renovate community park by painting playground equipment, replacing basketball nets, and adding a toddler swing.
Hot Springs Wranglers	Sanders	Teach veterans about bee keeping and provide them with starter hives.
Glacier View 4-H Club	Flathead	Build community to develop a safer crosswalk for Coram residents and visitors through communication and cooperation.
Daniels County 4-H Council	Daniels	Organize a 4-H service day where the 4-H building is given a restored appearance with the help of fresh paint and repairs.
Rowdy Ropers 4-H Club	Flathead	Make double-sided, twin size fleece blankets for the HEART Locker, benefiting homeless teens in the valley.
Country Cousins 4-H Group	Flathead	Make blankets for the Sparrows Nest, a homeless center for teens in high school.
Cougar Creek 4-H Club	Prairie	Paint 4-H barn and implement minor repairs at the Prairie County Fairgrounds.
Powder River Rising Stars	Powder River	Install handrails on bleachers to make them safer and paint the bleachers and arena.
Clever Clovers 4-HClub	Glacier	Purchase outdoor bench cushions and flowers for local Senior Center.
Camo Critters 4-H Club – St. Regis	Mineral	Clean, restore and repaint the dugouts in local community park.
4-Leaf Clovers 4-H Club	Pondera	4-H club team contest to buy and donate items to the Conrad Food Bank.

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.