The Greater Montana Foundation, founded in 1958 by Montana broadcasting pioneer, Edmund B. Craney, announces 2024 grant awards totaling $369,359. See below for a complete listing of this year’s grants.
This grant was for production of the “EB Awards”, held at Fairmont Hot Springs on June 8, 2023+ to recognize excellence in news production, promotion and public service by Montana broadcasters, radio and television. The “EBs” are named in honor of Montana broadcast pioneer Edmund B. Craney, founder of the Greater Montana Foundation. These prestigious awards are presented annually during the Montana Broadcasters Association annual convention.
https://www.mtbroadcasters.org
To support this award-winning non-for-profit Montana digital, text and multimedia news organization, providing distribution to Montana news outlets for free re-publication, this grant will the “broadcast expansion,” providing MTFP journalism to broadcast stations across Montana.
https://www.mtfp.org
For continuing support for the Friends of Montana PBS Program Fund, including various ongoing MTPBS programs such as 11th and Grant and Backroads of Montana. Exciting new productions include, Jonnie, and a wide range of news and public affairs programming.
https://www.montanapbs.org
University of Montana Broadcast Media Center
Montana Public Radio enriches the mind and spirit, inspires a lifetime of learning and connects communities through exceptional programming. This grant supports various radio, online and streaming programming including statewide news and analysis, economic and legislative reporting, MTPR’s weekly literary program, The Write Question, The Big Why, a program that seeks to answer questions from the Big Sky, and a wide variety of information and cultural programming that represents the unique character of Montana.
https://www.mtpr.org
This grant supports the 60-minute production, "Journey to the Sun." This video will encourage communication on crucial issues, trends, and values by vividly bringing to the forefront the environmental challenges, cultural heritage, and historical significance of Montana's Glacier National Park and its iconic Going to the Sun Road. By intertwining the narratives of Montana's natural beauty, the road's engineering marvel, and the deep-rooted connections of Native American tribes to the land, the documentary will serve as a catalyst for discussions on several fronts.
This grant supports the production of a feature-length documentary film that will reveal the unique art and life of famed Western photographer, Barbara Van Cleve. From her youth on the family’s Montana ranch to her emergence as a chronicler of the transformation of the contemporary American West, Van Cleve embraced life as an artist and advocate for ranch women, and an unabashed leader in photographic genre long considered the domain of men.
https://www.sweetgrassartsalliance.org/sweet-grass-arts-theater
RETURN is the story of adventure, vulnerability and healing that follows Jim Markel, Sr., a retired Green Beret who voyages from Montana to Vietnam for the first time since the war. Although the film has been released, this grant supports preparing the film for broadcast, to meet the specifications required for public broadcast.
https://www.beartoothfilms.com/return/
This program is a feature-length documentary that is meant to bring to life the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis in Montana and on the Blackfeet reservation. This grant will support the production of this 85=minute film.
https://artsmissoula.org/gallery/big-sky-film-institute/
Cooke City, Montana, holds a unique position as one of the deadliest avalanche regions in North America, with a winter population of under 100 residents and a very small search and rescue team. This close-knit community is deeply affected each time an avalanche claims a life unnecessarily. Our project aims to delve into the heart of Cooke City, exploring the reasons behind its tragic reputation and the profound impact of repeated disasters on its residents. This grant supports the production of a 60-minute film.
This grant supports the project, “MODIFY-An Adaptive Snow Machining Film.” The film follows three adaptive athletes with different disabilities in the backcountry of southwest Montana on snowmachines (snowmobiles and show-bikes) . While adventuring together through the mountain landscapes they each open up about their individual experiences living with disabilities.
https://www.vasusojitra.com/
4:08 Productions
Music is important to Montanans. Begun over 6-years ago with the production of the first installment, The Montana Sessions is an Emmy-nominated series featuring a wide spectrum of home-grown music in spectacular setting across the state. This grant will help fund 8-new episodes of this widely viewed and enjoyed series, filmed in 4-K.
https://www.montanapbs.org/programs/montana-sessions/
There are few places in America so fascinating and yet so misunderstood as Montana, especially in this era of “Yellowstone.”
This grant supports a new audio project which will seek to set the record straight through deep narrative reporting, showing that Montana is far more complex and captivating than the one-dimensional image of big hats and cattle. It will tell the stories of Montana that are at risk of being lost and forgotten, the tales that challenge overwhelming and incorrect narratives.
MAPS is a nonprofit educational organization whose mission is “to empower, inspire and prepare Montana’s next generation for future success through professional media arts instruction, engaging community service and compassionate mentoring.” This GMF grant supporters the general operations of MAPS.
https://www.mapsmediainstitute.com
This grant supports the MAPS Fort Belknap Community program which will provide year-round free professional media arts education for youth ages 13-18 in the Fort Belknap Indian Community. The purpose is to empower , inspire and prepare this next generation of indigenous youth for success through hands-on media arts instruction, community service and mentoring.
https://mapsmediainstitute.com/programs/maps-media-lab/
This grant supports the fourth season of the Archie Bray’s popular Brickyard Podcast Network, which will take place August 2024-July 2025. This season will include seven podcast series for a total of 120 episodes, each 30-60 minutes in length.
https://archiebray.org/
Within the new Montana Heritage Center, the Montana Homeland gallery will present, “Tribes Today.” This exhibit will explore the contemporary life of the tribes located in Montana today. This grant supports the production of a video to be displayed on a large LED video wall. This media piece imbues the interior of the tipi with vibrancy and energy. It will celebrate pride in being a member of an American Indian nation, and the connection tribal members feel to their place, their culture and those who came before.
https://mhs.mt.gov/
This grant supports the production of, “Sharing the Story of CRYJ.” This is a film project to illustrate the origins and program evolution of CRYJ.
This project offers an opportunity to celebrate the successes of CRYJ’s teen participants and provide a deeper understanding for the community of the work of CRYJ.
https://restorativeyouthjustice.org/
Montana CASA will produce and distribute a three-part video series. The purpose of this production is to raise awareness of Montana CASA’s programs, recruit advocates to serve more children, feature this hope that happens with the reunification of families, and showcase the positive impact Montana CASA/GAL has in our communities. This grant supports the production of this series.
https://www.montanacasagal.org/
This grant was awarded to the University of Montana J-School to support various student productions and internships. The School of Journalism faculty and students produce a variety of radio, television and online programming throughout the academic year. This could include the Legislative News Service, documentary film production, The Native News Honors Project Montana PBS News Brief, Business: Made in Montana, graduate student broadcast projects or other initiatives.
This program is a feature film, “You Can Call Me Jamie.” It is a story that is based on the life of a transgender woman, as told by her sister. It offers a unique and authentic look into the transgender human experience, and how it fits into the complex and dynamic relationships within a family. This grant supports a 90-minutes production.