How To Apply For A GMF Grant

Questions? Contact our Grants Manager

  1. Reach out to the Grants Manager well before the grant deadline to discuss your project and application.

  2. Download the Grant Application - 2026 application coming soon!

  3. Answer each question completely in the application. Indicate whether or not your program addresses issues critical to Montana today.

  4. A major goal for Ed Craney, GMF’s founder, was to improve commercial broadcasting in the state. Efforts to offer noncommercial programming funded by GMF to commercial stations are important and may improve the odds for receiving a grant. If providing programming to commercial broadcast stations is part of your plan, please provide details.

  5. Provide a budget for your proposal (not your entire organization) in a format GMF trustees can easily decipher. Expenses and purposes must be clearly delineated. Be sure to list other sources of funding, if applicable. Some post secondary institutions take a percentage of each grant awarded to a program for operations/administration, unless the grantor specifically prohibits it. The Greater Montana Foundation does prohibit such a fee.
    No portion of any Greater Montana Foundation grant may be used for operations or administrative purposes, unless expressly allowed in writing as intended to do so.

  6. If there are critical supporting documents, please include them. You may also include brief biographies of principals who may be unknown to GMF; however we do not require a multi-page vita. It is also not necessary or helpful to include pages of recommendations, letters of support, photos, long lists of programs produced, etc. Do not include DVDs, CDs, etc. with your materials. If in doubt, ask the grant manager first.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND BOARD’S REVIEW PROCESS

  1. Applications must be received (or postmarked) no later than April 1 at 5pm.

  2. When we receive a grant application, we first review it for eligibility and completeness. If there are questions, we will contact you.

  3. We make copies of each application and include them in the board of trustees meeting manuals, which are provided to the members well in advance of the June annual meeting. We cannot include photos and extraneous documents.

  4. Each member reviews and ranks the applications in advance of the annual meeting. If there are questions or any requests for additional information, we will notify you.

  5. Each applicant is invited to present in person during the board’s annual meeting. Instructions on how to do so, along with a time slot will be sent to you. Presentations are limited to 10 minutes per applicant and 2 minutes of Q&A. Time limits are strictly observed.