• Applicants must be a non-profit or tax-exempt organization. Individuals may work with a tax-exempt Fiscal Sponsor organization to apply. If awarded, the Fiscal Sponsor organization will be responsible for managing all grant funds.

• Educational films, documentaries, podcasts, and mini-series are all acceptable project formats. GMF does not usually fund fiction films, fundraising videos, marketing campaigns, or projects that focus on issues outside Montana. GMF does not fund political advocacy projects unless all sides of an issue are considered.

• We welcome applications for projects that focus on the following priority issues identified through a Greater Montana Foundation (GMF) statewide media habits survey: Inflation/Cost of Living; Health Care; Jobs and the Economy; the Environment; Government Spending and Taxes

• The Greater Montana Foundation does not usually fund staff salaries, equipment purchases, general operating expenses, marketing/advertising or Indirect/Facilities & Administration costs.

• Projects should be completed within 12 months, normally from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.

• No match is required for this grant, but please include any other known funding sources in your application.

• Upon request, funded projects must be made available for use by Montana media outlets, schools, and libraries.

  Please contact our Grants Manager to discuss your project.

1. Review our grant criteria and projects we have funded in the past.

2. Please reach out to the Grants Manager early to discuss your project and your organization’s eligibility. This step is required of all applicants and must be completed before March 25, 2026.

3. Create a free Gmail account if you do not have one (you will need a Gmail account to submit the application).

4. Be sure to follow the directions carefully and answer all questions completely. Include all critical information about the project in the application itself.

   Attachments: Download the GMF Budget Template, fill it out, and upload it to the application. We will not accept other budget templates. Upload one PDF file. You may combine up to three documents into that single PDF. The review committee may not see additional attachments, so be sure all critical information is included in your application.

5. Review your application to ensure all your project information is included and then click Submit. Don’t wait to submit your application until the last minute. We will not accept any applications after the application deadline of April 1, 2026 at 5:00pm. Please note that hard copy/snail mail applications will not be accepted.

6. Check your email for confirmation that your application was successfully submitted.  If you have not received this confirmation within 15 minutes, please contact the Grants Manager right away.

•  The Grants Manager will contact each applicant in late April to let them know if their project is moving to the second round of reviews.

• Organizations with applications moving to the next round will be invited to present their project to the Board of Trustees in Helena, on June 24 or June 25th, 2026.  Applicants will be asked to use a provided PowerPoint template to build their presentation.

• Invited applicants must present their projects in person to be considered for funding.