Kev Hamm 8/5/24 Kev Hamm 8/5/24

2024 Grant Awards

The Greater Montana Foundation, founded in 1958 by Montana broadcasting pioneer, Edmund B. Craney, announces 2024 grant awards totaling $369,359.

STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS

Montana Broadcasters Association $41,359

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

Montana Free Press $20,000

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 support the “broadcast expansion,” providing MTFP journalism to broadcast stations across Montana.
https://www.mtfp.org

Montana PBS $35,000

Montana Public Radio $25,000

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

ARLEE

Rise Up Montana $10,000

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.

BIG TIMBER

Sweet Grass Arts $8,000

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

BILLINGS

Beartooth Films $9,500

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/

When They Were Here $10,000

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 Avalanche $20,000

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.

BOZEMAN

Lotus Producers $10,000

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/

The Montana Sessions $30,000

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 settings 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/

BUTTE

Beyond Yellowstone $10,000

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.

HAMILTON

MAPS Media Institute $30,000

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 supports the general operations of MAPS.
https://www.mapsmediainstitute.com

MAPS Fort Belknap Community Initiative $30,000

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/

HELENA

Archie Bray Foundation $7,500

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/

Montana Historical Society $10,000

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/

KALISPELL

Center for Restorative Youth Justice $3,000

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/

MISSOULA

Montana CASA/GAL $10,000

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/

University of Montana School of Journalism $24,000

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.

https://jour.umt.edu/

MEDFORD, OR

Fireside Films $10,000

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-minute production.

Kev Hamm 7/14/23 Kev Hamm 7/14/23

2023 Grant Awards

The Greater Montana Foundation, founded in 1958 by Montana Broadcasting pioneer, Edmund B. Craney, announces 2023 grant awards totaling $340,000. See below for a complete listing of this year’s grants.

STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS

Montana Broadcasters Association—$40,000

This grant was for production of the “EB Awards”, held in Billings on June 23, 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

Leadership Montana—$5,000

Leadership Montana exists to develop leaders committed to building a better Montana through knowledge, collaboration and civility. This grant will support Listen First Montana, a program in the form of a series of podcasts during the first year of the COVID pandemic. Thus far, over 40 episodes have been distributed involving individuals of all backgrounds sharing heartwarming, educational, informative, occasionally heart-breaking but all distinctly unique and personal stories. Leadership Montana is currently working on a special mini-series connected to their Indigenous Immersion Initiative.
https://www.leadershipmontana.org

Montana Free Press—$15,000

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 support a sixth season of the Long Streets Project with a focus on covering Montana’s increasingly urgent housing and job markets as well as track out state and local leaders are trying to pull the state toward meaningful solutions.
https://www.mtfp.org

Montana PBS—$37,500

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, George Bird Grinnell: Saving the West, Landscapes of a Western Mind: The Story of Ivan Doig, and Higgins Ridge, Jonnie (working title), and a wide range of news and public affairs programming.
https://www.montanapbs.org

Montana Public Radio—$22,500

Montana Television Network (MTN)—$35,000

This grant supports Under the Big Sky, and ongoing storytelling series produced and distributed by MTN. The series focused on first-person storytelling centered on businesses, individuals and organizations that drive commerce in Montana.
https://www.kxlh.com/ and various local television websites in the Montana Television Network.

USS Montana Committee—$14,000

This grant supported a videography crew to attend the commissioning of the USS Montana to provide documentary footage and background video for use by Montana media and for future documentary
production, and for archival purposes. The production crew covered the June 25, 2022, commissioning into the U.S. Navy fleet of the Virginia Class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS MONTANA at Norfolk, Virginia.
https://ussmontanacommittee.us

Montana Television Network (MTN) /KRTV $4,500

This was a commercial grant made in September to support a MTN/KRTV reporter for travel to Washington, D.C. to work with the Scripps Capital Bureau in covering the progress of the Farm Bill, including interview with the Montana Congressional delegation.
https://www.krtv.com/search?q=Farm+Bill

BIG TIMBER

Cramer Productions—$5,000

Crazy Mountain Museum
This program will be a 26-minute video documentary bout Jessica Zemsky, accomplished Montana artist. The purpose is to educate and inspire audiences of all ages who gain from here insight and style of painting, drawing and teaching. Her unique perspective and eloquence are evident in her art, and in her speech and writing.
Read more here.

BILLINGS

Ash Street Films—$5,000

Billings Good Evening LLC
“Your Opinion Please” is a short documentary that derives its name from a weekly call-in radio show that aired from between 1998 and 2008 on Yellowstone Public Radio. The documentary showcased carefully curated excerpts from the show, which provided calls with a live platform to express their opinions on various local, national and cultural issues.

BOZEMAN Area

Bear Hug Cattle Company—$15,000

Passion and Purpose for Veterans in Agriculture
Bear Hug Cattle Co. provides veterans with the resources and knowledge to be successful in the ranching industry by offering transitioning service members a 10-week intensive course. Bear Huge Cattle Co. is veteran owned and operated. This grant supports a three-part film series of approximately five minutes each to tell the story of the good work of Bear Hug Cattle Co. in supporting transitioning veterans.
https://www.bearhugcattlecompany.org

Extreme History Project—$15,000

The mission of this project is to bring Montana history to life and to continue to educate Montanans about historic women of our state. The EHP, with NXNW Creative Strategies, will create two 30-minute documentary films about six prominent women in Montana’s history. These films are companion pieces to the awarding-winning 2022 film, "The Story of Us,” also supported by the Greater Montana Foundation.
https://extremehistoryproject.org/

One Montana—$5,000

This grant supports a video project, Outside Kind, a series of videos helping to tell the story of why landowners and sportsmen need to come together to promote healthy communities and working landscapes, increase a sense of caring and stewardship for Montana’s public resources and enhance newcomers understanding of Montana, and help our communities welcome them.
https://www.onemontana.org

The Montana Sessions—$20,000

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/

Montana State University, School of Film and Photography—$10,000

One in Five Hundred is a documentary film that will explore the sociological effects and scientific caused of the devastating floods that tore through Yellowstone National Park and its surrounding gateway communities in June of 2022.
https://sfp.montana.edu/

Mother Range

AERO—$8,000

This grant supports a short-form documentary seeking to humanize Montana’s meat industry and show the risks, opportunities and rewards the state’s beef producers are experiencing within the current food system. Driven by first-person narratives, this film will highlight how ranchers are envisioning a new system and working to better connect to Montana consumers.
https://aeromt.org/
https://www.reframingrural.org/

HAMILTON

MAPS Media Institute—$25,000

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

MAPS Media Lab—$25,000

The MAPS Media Lab is the statewide outreach program of the MAPS Media Institute. This program integrates media arts with service-learning curriculum in order to inspire and prepare rural, underserved youth to succeed in the 21st Century. This grant supports MAPS professional artist-educators travel to rural and tribal communities and facilitate community media arts workshops with middle and high school students.
https://mapsmediainstitute.com/programs/maps-media-lab/

MISSOULA

Missoula Butterfly House—$3,000

In mid-2018, the Missoula Butterfly House and the Insectarium and Montana Public Radio began collaborating on an idea for a new podcast. Together, they launched Bug Bytes. The purpose of Bug Bytes is to inspire an appreciation and understanding of insects, and introduce and educate listeners about and amazing world of insects and arthropod species that we share our planet with. This grant will support this fun and interesting series of podcast and radio episodes.
https://www.missoulabutterflyhouse.org

University of Montana School of Journalism—$20,000

POLSON

Kid’s Co-op—$10,000

The grant supports continued development, distribution and multi-media promotion of Turtle Island Tales, a PBS Learning Media program focused on Indigenous foods, health and culture of First National children and their families.
https://turtleislandtales.org/aboutus

WHITEFISH

Nate Chute Foundation—$5,000

This grant supports plans to write, film and produce and educational video detailing the early warning signs and risk factors for suicide and suicidal ideation and how to seek help from a trusted adult. The
video will be distributed to schools withing Flathead County at no cost to the district and will serve as a resource to teachers to start the conversation with their students about mental health and overall well- being.
https://www.natechutefoundation.org/

Kev Hamm 6/30/22 Kev Hamm 6/30/22

2022 Grant Awards

The Greater Montana Foundation, founded in 1958 by Montana Broadcasting pioneer, Edmund B. Craney, announces 2022 grant awards totaling $361,300. See below for a complete listing of this year’s grants.

STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS

Montana Broadcasters Association $39.300

This grant was for production of the “EB Awards”, held at Big Sky on June 11, 2022 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

Montana Free Press $25,000

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 support a fifth season of the Long Streets Project with a focus on covering Montana’s increasingly urgent housing crisis and related cost-of-living challenges.
In addition, the GMF encouraged and funded an effort to provide broadcast-ready content from the Long Streets Project and other MTFP journalism.
https://www.mtfp.org

Montana PBS $40,000

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, George Bird Grinnell: Saving the West (working title), Landscapes of a Western Mind: The Story of Ivan Doig, and Higgins Ridge (working title). This grant also supports MTPBS coverage of news and public affairs, and the upcoming 2022 elections.
https://www.montanapbs.org

Montana Public Radio $25,000

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, and a wide variety of information and cultural programming that represents the unique character of Montana.
https://www.mtpr.org

Leadership Montana $5,000

Leadership Montana exists to develop leaders committed to building a better Montana through knowledge, collaboration and civility. This grant will support Listen First Montana, a new program implemented in the form of a series of podcasts during the first year of the COVID pandemic. Thus far, 21 episodes have been distributed involving individuals of all backgrounds sharing heartwarming, educational, informative, occasionally heart-breaking but all distinctly unique and personal stories.
https://www.leadershipmontana.org

USS Montana Committee $6,000

This grant supported a videography crew to attend the commissioning of the USS Montana to provide documentary footage and background video for use by Montana media and for future documentary production, and for archival purposes. The production crew covered the June 25, 2022, commissioning into the U.S. Navy fleet of the Virginia Class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS MONTANA at Norfolk, Virginia.
https://ussmontanacommittee.us

BILLINGS

Spyrock Films $15,000

This grant supports production of a 60-minute documentary, Ryan Zahn Goes Pro. Ryan Zahn is a brilliant young engineer with a competitive spirit and a passion for building and customizing his own machines, from off-road vehicles to motorcycles. Ryan loves to test the limits of his creations through racing and tough truck competition. Many people have a hard time believing Ryan is capable of his achievements until they see him in action. Ryan Zahn was born without arms.
The Montana International Film Festival (MINT) is the fiscal sponsor for this production.

BOZEMAN area

Bear Hug Cattle Company $8,500

One Montana $5,000

This grant supports a video project – The Montana Way- a series of three videos, 3-4 minutes each. The goal of the video project is to promote healthy communities and working landscapes, increase a sense of caring and stewardship for Montana’s public resources, and enhance newcomers understanding of Montana, and help communities welcome them.
https://www.onemontana.org

The Montana Sessions $30,000

Music is important to Montanans. Begun 6-years ago with the production of the first installment, The Montana Sessions offers 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.
https://www.montanapbs.org/programs/montana-sessions/

BUTTE

Orphan Girl Productions $10,000

Last Best Constitution is a video history retrospective on Montana’s 1972 Constitutional Convention and the resulting state Constitution on the 50th Anniversary. This grant supports 20 one-hour episodes. Helena Civic Television is serving as fiscal sponsor for this project.

HAMILTON

MAPS Media Institute $25,000

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

MAPS Media Lab $30,000

HELENA

The Myrna Loy $7,500

This grant supports The Myrna Soundstage, an online series – six new, 60-minute episodes - showcasing and celebrating Montana performers and musicians to the greater world. The program showcases the quality and diversity of Montana’s musicians who are doing original work, and supports Montana musicians and performing artists who face multiple struggles building a career and staying in Montana.
https://www.themyrnaloy.com

MISSOULA

ABC Fox Montana $13,000

The “Help Me Ben” series was approached with the story of a World War II artifact, a Japanese Good Luck Flag, The flag was a gift from a Japanese soldier to an American soldier. The desire of the American family is to reunite this Good Luck Flag with the Japanese soldier and his family in Japan and allow two families to share the moment of humanity of 80 -years ago. This grant will support the transportation and to and in Japan and the videography to fulfill this wish.
https://www.montanarightnow.com

The Common Ground Project $12,000

The Life in the Land project is a series of documentary films and podcast episodes which share perspectives from people who interact with the complexities of Montana’s lands, waters, and communities, looking at the success and value in collaboration and locally-led initiative. This grant will support the production of two films, 15 min. in length, and five podcast episodes, each 15 minutes. The Common Ground Project is the fiscal sponsor of this project.
https://www.thecommongroundproject.us

Missoula Butterfly House $3,000

In mid-2018, the Missoula Butterfly House and the Insectarium and Montana Public Radio began collaborating on an idea for a new podcast. Together, they launched Bug Bytes. The purpose of Bug Bytes is to inspire an appreciation and understanding of insects, and introduce and educate listeners about and amazing world of insects
and arthropod species that we share our planet with. This grant will support this series of podcast and radio episodes.
https://www.missoulabutterflyhouse.org

Dance River Productions $20,000

A Different Deadly Beast: The 1918-19 Influenza is a documentary film exploring the untold stories of the Montanans who struggled, innovated and worked together to survive the killing virus. This grant supports the production of this 27-minute film. The Montana History Foundation is the fiscal sponsor for this project.
https://www.danceriverproductions.com

University of Montana School of Journalism $25,000

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.
https://jour.umt.edu/

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS

Meagher County Stewardship Project $10,000

Like many communities in the West, White Sulphur Springs faces an uncertain economic future and numerous headwinds that put pressure on their culture and way of life. Further complicating matters, a controversial, large-scale copper mine under development. This grant supports the production of a feature documentary, 26-28 minutes, exploring the cost-benefit presented by the mine.
https://www.meaghercountystewardshipcouncil.org

WINNETT

Winnett ACES $7,000

This grant supports the Winnett Agricultural Community Enhancement & Sustainability that will bring attention to the deep interconnectedness of rural Montana communities and their reliance on the land. Winnett ACES: Conservation of Community and Landscapes will be a film 20-30 minutes, produced in three segments.
https://www.winnettaces.org

Kev Hamm 6/30/20 Kev Hamm 6/30/20

2020 Grant Awards

GMF awards over $277,000 in grants

BOARD INTIATED GRANT

Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Montana: $4500 for A Montana Field Guide to 2020 Election
The Greater Montana Foundation trustees engaged the BBER, with whom we have worked before, for this webinar, with the leadership of trustee emeritus William Whitsitt. The purpose was to better educate Montana citizens about what to look for and understand in Public opinion polls and communication research – characterized perhaps most frequently by public opinion polls - can have multiple purposes and effects in a political season. In our representative democracy it is important for media and citizens alike to have basic understanding of types of public opinion polling done in Montana, and that will undoubtedly increase prior to the November general elections. The Montana Field Guide to 2020 Election Polls webinar explored all these topics. Attendees included primarily media representatives because of their key roles in analyzing and interpreting polling results – and asking questions about them - but also private- and public-sector organizations, including government, and citizens. There was no charge for the webinar, which was very favorably received.
Friends of MTPBS: $40,000 in continued support for the Montana Friends of PBS Program Fund, for broadcast and online, telling Montana’s story by producing programs that examine Montanan’s current pubic and civic affairs; the state’s rich lifestyle and culture and its complex history. In addition to numerous programs, including Backroads of Montana; 11th and Grant; and The Rundown with Jackie Coffin, this grant also supports a documentary in the planning stages, on the Freemen standoff in eastern Montana, between armed militia claiming a new township, “Justus Township, “ and FBI agents and other law enforcement. Other documentaries are also planned. Funds support 2020 election coverage, a partnership with University of Montana on “Montana Big Sky Poll of Montana voters.”
Montana Broadcasters Association: GMF partnered with MBA with $2000 for a debate between Senate Candidates and $2621 for a primary debate between gubernatorial candidates. A grant of $17,240 was awarded for a scaled down, virtual ceremony for the annual EB awards for broadcast excellence. The “EBs” recognize excellence in a variety of categories through a competitive process, encouraging and rewarding the best of Montana broadcasting. They are named in honor of broadcast pioneer E.B. Craney, GMF founder, and funded annually by GMF. The “EBs” recognize excellence in a variety of categories through a competitive process, encouraging and rewarding the best of Montana broadcasting.

HELENA

Montana Free Press: $20,000 for the third season of the Long Streets Project, continuing GMF’s support for this series of on-line stories using multimedia journalism to explore economic issues and trends facing Montanans. Long Streets features in-depth reporting, with uniquely comprehensive coverage of the state’s economy, and a subsection of coverage focusing on the economic impacts of Covid 19 pandemic. Web-based stories, which appear on the website of the Montana Free Press, are available for re-publication by commercial and non-commercial Montana news outlets, including broadcaster websites and daily and weekly newspapers.
Montana Historical Society: $15,000 to MHS State Historic Preservation Office for Montana’s African-American Heritage. This documentary will record and disseminate the history of an under-represented group, African Americans, in Montana, telling this story through historic places. Montana Historical Society has, over the past 14 years, gathered information about black Montanans and their history and created an interactive website, which will be featured in the film.
Montana Preservation Alliance: $5500 for the second chapter of “All Nations – Butte Ethnic Heritage” with radio broadcasts and Rich-Media Online Exhibits. This is part of the “All Nations” program, which features in various ways the diversity of nations which built Butte and our state. This project will feature stories of four groups, nationalities, who have been involved in this history, but may not be as well known. Including research and workshops, original material and oral histories, they will be broadcast by Butte Broadcasting and on an online website exhibit. (The first series was sponsored by the Butte-Silverbow Archives, which was unable, because of Covid, to submit a 2020 grant application, so MPA assumed this role.)
Montana Public Radio: $20,000 in continued program support, for radio, online and streaming, in areas such as general economic reporting. This includes continuing programs, such as Can Do: Lessons from Savvy Entrepreneurs; the Richest Hill, future history of American’s biggest Superfund site; and The Write question.
Montana Wilderness Association: $5500 of on-going support for Trail of the Week: Supporting Montana’s Outdoor Recreation Economy. This series of 52 one-minute radio spots feature lesser-known trails on public lands throughout Montana, with narratives featuring trail highlights. The program, the website and a new TV PSA, to be broadcast on PBS, available digitally and available to commercial networks, also emphasizes support for local businesses in each trail’s area, especially important during this era of Covid 19.

BILLINGS

Beartooth Films: $10,000 for continued support of “Return,” the story of a Montana veteran who returns to Vietnam for the first time since the war, accompanied by his son. This is a feature length film documentary of the veteran retracing his steps, reckoning with the past, while sharing reflections and insights from the war with his son. This includes a testimony of living with PTSD, and the vet’s reconnection with the Montagnards with whom he lived in Vietnam. The documentary is important for people to understand the war and its hardships then and in returning and encourage communication between generations.

BOZEMAN

Extreme History Project: $8000 for this project intended to bring Montana history to life through the stories of our people. These will be stories of those who have made an impact on our state, including stories not so well known about Montana’s Native American communities and African American communities. Each vignette will feature expert interviews, historic images, videos and, if possible, primary sources. Four vignettes will form a documentary for MTPBS and help Montana’s history come alive.

DARBY

MAPS Media Institute: $53,500 total: $28,500 in continued support for the award-winning MAPS Media Institute free after-school program serving four county schools, with outreach programs to rural and reservation communities. The public/private partnership integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and math concepts within a media arts and service learning curriculum, including an entrepreneurial program; $25,000 for the MAPS Media Mobile Lab, the statewide outreach program. In response to urgent needs and often lack of opportunity in other rural and tribal communities, MAPS is working with school districts, community partners and donors to provide week-long workshops free of charge to all students for the workshops.

HARDIN

Crow Language Consortium: $8000, as part of a Crow language revitalization project, to help produce a YouTube children’s video series, featuring native language speakers in both Crow (Apsaalooke) and Northern Cheyenne, reading children’s picture books. The stories are from books in the native language, which the children are reading. This entire project, including the video series, helps preserve important native history and culture, while research shows that the benefits of second language acquisition includes increased grades in all school subjects, higher attendance and graduation rates and better family-school relationships.

HELENA

Artemis Common Ground: $10,000 in continued program support for Homeground Radio, Changes and Choices in the American West, which strives to offer a vision of the rural west emphasizing that a healthy economy and conserving our environment are interdependent, and that by working together we can achieve both.

MISSOULA

Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium: $2500 in continued support for Bug Bites, a successful series of insect and arthropod educational podcast, created with Montana Public Radio. The goal is to further the organization’s mission of educating and inspiring Montanans and decreasing the degree insects and others are feared.
University of Montana: Montana Media Lab: $5500 for the Media Literacy and Digital Story Telling Initiative. The initiative targets middle and high school students in rural areas and reservations, providing media training through workshops and going into the schools, when possible. The program also emphasizes and teaches students how to separate fact from fiction in the news. It provides an opportunity for UM School of Journalism the opportunity to teach skills, while honing their own production skills.
University of Montana School of Radio-TV: $30,000 in continued support for various programs including Legislative News Service, with students reporting on the Montana legislative session; a new Outdoor Adventure Filmmaking; the Documentary student film is now launched as a partnership with the School of Visual and Media Arts, a cornerstone program in a certificate program in documentary film. The grant provides on-going support for programs: Business: Made in Montana, and the Montana PBS news brief. In conjunction with the Native News Honor project, a new component has created a series of radio programs to be distributed to commercial stations, with a later video component, as a joint documentary with the Montana Media Arts lab.

PHILIPSBURG

Philipsburg Arts Fund: $12,000 for “Philipsburg 2.0 Be Careful What you Wish For”, a sequel to the international award-winning documentary, “Saving the Burg,” also supported by GMF, which told of the great success in revitalizing the town and its economy after the decline in mining. Shown frequently to great acclaim on MTPBS, it was hoped the local success could be replicated in other communities. This film tells what happened afterward, as changes occurred, newcomers moved in, with some positive and negative effects. It includes the difficulties in dealing with the Covid Pandemic, especially important to an economy built primarily on tourism.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS

Meagher County Stewardship Council: $5500 to support a documentary about White Sulphur Springs and its efforts to balance economic reality with a desire to maintain its character. A copper mine planned for the pristine waters of the Smith River Canyon promises an unpredictable future for its residents, with strident voices inside and outside the community force deeper thinking about the value of environment versus economy in the new rural west.

Kev Hamm 6/30/19 Kev Hamm 6/30/19

2019 Grant Awards

GMF awards over $335,000 in grants

BOARD INITIATED GRANTS

$38,880 ($19,000 in late 2018) for the GMF’s third Communications Research: In-depth Follow-up Quantitative Survey on Internet Use for News and Information in Montana, including the news conference announcing the findings. This is the statewide News Media survey, administered by University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research, weighted by gender, age, education, rural versus urban and political preference, as taken from the US Census Bureau and Gallup, Inc. Top issues for Montanans continued to be Jobs and the Economy; Healthcare, Education, with the added issue of Spending and State Taxes (the survey was conducted during the Montana legislative session), and Drugs. The survey and responses are available on the GMF website.

GRANTS FOR STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS

Friends of MTPBS: $40,000 for the Montana Friends of PBS Program Fund, for broadcast and online, with continuing support for numerous programs, including Backroads of Montana; 11th and Grant; and new programs: Landscapes of a Western Mind: The Story of Ivan Doig; Mavericks, the freestyle skiing legacy of Montanans competing in World Cup and Olympic competitions; Barns of Montana: A Documentary; The Rundown with Jackie Coffin, and several documentaries in the planning process.

Montana Broadcasters Association: $36,511 for the annual EB awards for broadcast excellence. Named in honor of broadcast pioneer E.B. Craney, GMF founder, and funded annually by GMF, the “EBs” recognize excellence in a variety of categories through a competitive process, encouraging and rewarding the best of Montana broadcasting.

Montana Free Press: $20,000 in continued support for the Long Streets series of on-line stories featuring in-depth reporting on important issues related to Montana’s economy. Web-based stories, which appear on the website of the Montana Free Press, are available for re-publication by commercial and non-commercial Montana news outlets, including broadcaster websites and daily and weekly newspapers.

Montana Historical Society: $7,000 to digitize selections of the KRTV audio visual collection for addition to the Archives. This collection was transferred from the Mike Mansfield Library at the University of Montana, and includes many important programs, including longtime former GMF trustee, Norma Ashby’s “Today in Montana.”

Montana Public Radio: $20,000 in continued program support, in areas such as general economic reporting; and for programs including Can Do: Lessons from Savvy Entrepreneurs; the Richest Hill, future history of American’s biggest Superfund site; and The Write question.

Montana Wilderness Association: $2000 for Trail of the Week: Supporting Montana’s Outdoor Recreation Economy, with 52 one minute spots, partnering with eleven radio stations, and featured on MWA website. The spots feature lesser known trails on public lands throughout Montana, with narratives featuring trail highlights. The website also emphasizes local businesses in each trail’s area.

BILLINGS

Billings Library Foundation: $3000 for PSAs focused on promoting “1000 Books Before Kindergarten,” a national initiative to promote reading and libraries for young children, in order to improve their opportunity for success in school.

Friends of Yellowstone Public Radio: $10,000 in continued support for in-house produced, local shows, made by Montanans for Montanans. These include: Flavors Under the Big Sky, investigating many aspects of Montana food; Resounds: Arts and Culture on the High Plains; art and artists located in the High Plains of Montana and Wyoming; Field Days, produced with The Prairie Star newspaper which follows a single farmer or rancher through each season; and Billings Symphony Concerts, featuring encore concerts from the last ten years, and a new local show, Fifty-Six Counties, based on the book by the same name by author Russell Rowland, and broadcast by the author as he travels throughout our state; and a new podcast, the Weekly News Review.

BOZEMAN

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the annual Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney award for two outstanding senior film projects.

Universal Vision: $10,000 in continued support for this Emmy-nominated series, The Montana Sessions, a broadcast and digital series, which takes Montana’s premier
musicians, recording them live in our state’s most scenic locations. The series captures the music that reflects Montana’s values, history and trends.

BUTTE

Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives: $5000 for an audio project as part of the “All Nations” program, which features in various ways the diversity of nations which built Butte and our state This audio project will feature stores of four groups, nationalities, who have been involved, but may not be as well known. With research and workshops, original material and oral histories, there will be four segments, each 30m minutes. They will be broadcast by Butte Broadcasting
DARBY

MAPS Media Institute: $60,000 total: $20,000 in continued support for the award-winning MAPS Media Institute free after-school program serving four county schools. The public/private partnership integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and math concepts within a media arts and service learning curriculum, including an entrepreneurial program. In 2017, MAPS was one of 12 programs in the nation to receive a National Arts and Humanities Youth Programs award, the highest honor for organizations dedicated to creative youth development; $40,000 for the MAPS Media Mobile Lab, the statewide outreach program. In response to urgent needs in other rural and tribal communities, MAPS is working with school districts, community partners and donors to provide week-long workshops free of charge to all students for the workshops.

HELENA

Artemis Common Ground: $10,000 in continued program support for Homeground Radio, Changes and Choices in the American West, which strives to offer a vision of the rural west emphasizing that a healthy economy and conserving our environment are interdependent, and that by working together we can achieve both.

Montana Television Network: $40,000 for Under the Big Sky, a storytelling series produced and distributed by the Montana Television Network. Under the Big Sky focuses on first-person storytelling centered on businesses, individuals or organizations that drive commerce in the state of Montana. Under the Big Sky was previously awarded Program of the Year by the Montana Broadcasters Association and last year was nominated for six Northwest Emmy Awards, winning one. Additionally, each week a bonus portion is part of the stories that will appear in the thirty-minute broadcast. These bonus segments contain story material that would otherwise be discarded in the editorial process due to time constraints. The Under the Big Sky bonus segments were awarded the Feature News Series of the Year by the Montana Broadcasters Association in 2017.

MISSOULA

Big Sky Film Institute: $8000 for BSF Youth Documentary Outreach. With a focus on nonfiction films, BSI outreach is especially for economically and socially disadvantaged youth to increase media literacy. The various programs include: Filmmakers in the Schools, BSI Documentary Youth Fellowship, Teen Documentary Intensive, and MFI Film Club.

Friends of Irish Studies: $5000 to support a new documentary film on the life of Thomas Francis Meagher: Irish patriot, Civil War General, and acting Governor of Montana Territory. The film will emphasize his commitment to the cause of Irish freedom and his defense of the democratic rights of all American citizens. This is the story of a people and relationship between the US and Ireland, specifically Montana, that goes back over 150 years. And it deals with issues of immigration, injustice and discrimination that continue to affect this generation.

Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium: $2000 a second grant for Bug Bites, a series of insect and arthropod educational podcast, created with Montana Public Radio. The goal is to further the organization’s mission of educating and inspiring Montanans and decreasing the degree insects and others are feared.

University of Montana Montana Media Lab: $5000 for the Media Literacy and Digital Story Telling Initiative. The initiative targets middle and high school students in rural areas and reservations, providing media training through workshops and going into the schools.

University of Montana School of Radio-TV: $30,000 in continued support for various programs including the summer internship program, graduate student broadcast project, and programs: Business: Made in Montana, and the Montana PBS news brief. The Native News Honor Project will create a series of radio programs to be distributed to commercial stations, with a later video component, as a joint documentary with the Montana Media Arts lab.

From the Heart Productions: $8000 for “When They Were Here,” a documentary film on missing and murdered Indigenous girls and women. Made by Blackfeet filmmakers, the documentary will include several actual stories, showing the devastating effects of violence against Native Women and highlighting information about recent Montana legislation addressing this critical issue.

PABLO

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes: $7500 for post-production of a documentary film, “In the Spirit of ?Atatice`: The Untold Story of the National Bison Range, co-produced by the Tribes. This will include screening events to feature panel discussions, expanding on the history of the National Bison Range, as well as the Tribes’ relationship to the Bison Range and to the buffalo generally. The Tribes’ history is inextricably intertwined with the specific lands of the Bison Range and its buffalo herd. The film chronicles a number of relevant events and issues.

Kev Hamm 10/11/18 Kev Hamm 10/11/18

2018 Grant Awards

GMF GRANTS OVER $315,000, FUNDS STILL AVAILABLE FOR CERTAIN GRANTS

BOARD INITIATED GRANTS

$7,427 for expenses related to two GMF-sponsored primary election debates, held in the Ed Craney Studio of the Montana Historical Society Museum. One debate was for candidates for the US Senate and the other was for candidates for the US House. These debates were intended to better educate Montanans about issues and choices in these important races. Both debates were broadcast and live streamed.

GRANTS FOR STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS

Friends of MTPBS: $50,000 for the Montana Friends of PBS Program Fund, for continuing support for numerous programs, including Backroads of Montana; 11th and Grant; and a new one hour version of C.M. Russell and the West, a one hour version of the successful three hour film, for national release, prospective documentaries, Barns of Montana and The Bozeman Trail, along with on-going news and elections coverage.

Montana Broadcasters Association: $40,000 for the annual EB awards for broadcast excellence. Named in honor of broadcast pioneer E.B. Craney, GMF founder, the “EBs” recognize excellence in a variety of categories through a competitive process, encouraging and rewarding the best of Montana broadcasting.

Montana Historical Society: $40,000 total: $20,000 in continued support for the Edmund B. Craney Film and Media Archives, which has been completed with GMF support over the last three years. Conservation work on endangered films will continue, along with purchases of needed equipment and an on-line presence. MHS will also build a broadcast film collection. $20,000 for improvements to the Ed Craney Studio, to provide updated and improved technical equipment, building on an earlier GMF grant for the Montana Historical Society’s Montana Museum’s auditorium.

Montana Public Radio: $20,000 in continued program support, in areas such as general economic reporting; Can do: Lessons from Savvy Montana Entrepreneurs; Richest Hill: The Future History of Americans Biggest Superfund Site. Funding also supports The Write Question, and Research in the Trenches.

Montana Reporter: $10,000 for a series of on-line stories on important issues related to Montana’s economy. Web-based stories, which will appear on the website of the Montana Free Press, will be available for re-publication by commercial and non-commercial Montana news outlets, including broadcaster websites and daily and weekly newspapers.

Montana Watershed Council: $2500 for Montana Watershed Stories, a digital, print, audio and visual campaign to improve public understanding and support of watershed groups. The Montana watershed groups bring landowners and communities together to find innovative, practical solutions to conserve natural resources. The Watershed Stories campaign will encourage communication of collaborative conservation and natural resources management on multiple levels.

BILLINGS

Beartooth Films: $7500 for “Return,” a full-length documentary following a Montana Vietnam veteran as he returns to Vietnam for the first time since the war. Joined by his son, this veteran sets out to retrace his steps, reckon with the past, and, for the first time, share reflections and insights from the war. This story carries with it a captivating adventure, an introduction to a little-known culture and a story of a father and a son on a hopeful, if heavy journey.

Friends of Yellowstone Public Radio: $10,000 to fund four locally produced community programs: Flavors Under the Big Sky, investigating many aspects of Montana food; Resounds: Arts and Culture on the High Plains; taking an intimate look at art and artists located in the High Plains of Montana and Wyoming; Field Days, produced in collaboration with The Prairie Star newspaper which follows a single farmer or rancher through each season; and Billings Symphony Concerts, featuring encore concerts from the last ten years.

BOZEMAN

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the annual Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney award for two outstanding senior film projects.

Universal Vision: $10,000 for The Montana Sessions, a broadcast and digital series, taking Montana musicians and recording them live in our state’s most scenic locations. The series captures the music that reflects Montana’s values, history and trends.

DARBY

MAPS Media Institute: $60,000 total: $20,000 in continued support for the award-winning MAPS Media Institute free after-school program serving four county schools. The public/private partnership integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and math concepts within a media arts and service learning curriculum, including an entrepreneurial program. In 2017, MAPS was one of 12 programs in the nation to receive a National Arts and Humanities Youth Programs award, the highest honor for organizations dedicated to creative youth development; $40,000 for the MAPS Media Mobile Lab, the statewide outreach program. In response to urgent needs in other rural and tribal communities, MAPS is working with school districts, community partners and donors to provide week-long workshops free of charge to all students for the workshops.

GALLATIN GATEWAY

Thunderheart Media: $5000 for Buffalo Resurrection, a second grant to support the completion of a one hour film documenting the Blackfeet Nation’s efforts to establish a thriving buffalo herd on their reservation. Its purpose is to inspire and educate native and non-native America about the power and importance of the buffalo to the American experience and how the animal can positively impact life in Montana and the US.

HELENA

Artemis Common Ground: $10,000 in continued program support for Homeground Radio, Changes and Choices in the American West, which strives to offer a vision of the rural west that a healthy economy and conserving our environment are interdependent, and that by working together we can achieve both.

Myrna Loy: $7500 to bring MAPS Media Lab to rural East Helena, to work in collaboration with two other projects to engage a group of 12-18 year olds in creating a series of short documentaries about teen life in rural East Helena. Its purpose is to address issues, including challenges of environmental remediation, and to build community around the town’s unique cultural identity and heritage.

MISSOULA

Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium: $1575 for Bug Bites, a ten-episode pilot series of insect and arthropod educational podcast, created with Montana Public Radio. The goal is to further the organization’s mission of educating and inspiring Montanans and decreasing the degree insects and others are feared.

University of Montana School of Radio-TV: $30,000 in continued support for various programs including the student documentary, the summer internship program, student Legislative reporting; Business: Made in Montana and the Montana PBS news brief.

Kev Hamm 6/7/17 Kev Hamm 6/7/17

2017 Grant Awards

Over $274,000 in communications and media education grants awarded by GMF

Funds still available for commercial grants.

The Greater Montana Foundation has awarded over $274,000 in grants and reserved another $40,000 for potential commercial grants in 2017. GMF continued an initiative to encourage and improve the ability of news reporters to better address the top issue identified in two GMF Media surveys: jobs and the economy.

“Our grant awards,” said William Whitsitt, Board Chair, “are intended to support excellence in carrying out the mission envisioned by our founder. Using the identified top issues provides a stronger focus for our granting. It is our goal to help members of the media improve their reporting of the top issue, jobs and the economy, through educational assistance. This will result in a better informed public.”

In 1958, long before public radio and TV or the internet were available, Ed Craney, pioneer broadcaster, entrepreneur and philanthropist, established the Greater Montana Foundation, to provide financial support for programs encouraging communications, with an emphasis on electronic media, on issues, trends, and values of importance to present and future generations of Montanans, as described in GMF’s mission statement. Other top issues identified in the surveys were health care and education.

GMF offers awards for excellence and continuing professional development for Montana broadcasters, with support for the Montana Broadcasters Association EB awards, reflecting Mr. Craney’s emphasis on commercial broadcasting. In addition, there is no deadline for grant applications from commercial stations if the request addresses an urgent and critical issue and production is time-limited.

The Greater Montana Foundation awards grants to a variety of recipients, with annual support for students in TV and radio at the state’s universities, including internships. Programs of Montana PBS and Montana Public Radio are also longtime recipients. An award-winning after school media training program, MAPS Media was funded again, along with a new grant for a MAPS mobile lab to take the program to rural areas and Indian reservations. The Montana Historical Society was awarded $25,000 for its new building, in addition to an earlier $600,000 grant for this purpose. Also funded were a variety of documentaries and interview programs.

GMF awards over $274,000 in grants. Statewide organizations are listed in the towns of their headquarters

BILLINGS

Billings Library Foundation: $5000 in a second grant for TV vignettes, as part of a new program to build literacy. The initial focus is on encouraging parents to engage with their preschoolers in activities at the library. Included is an opportunity for other libraries to insert their own information at the conclusion of each spot.

BOZEMAN

Friends of MTPBS: $55,000 for the Montana Friends of PBS Program Fund, including continuing support for numerous programs, including The Rundown with Beth Saboe, a series providing in-depth coverage of issues that matter to Montanans, Backroads of Montana, and 11th and Grant. The grant will also support two new documentaries; one on Montana barns and another on Montana pioneer John Bozeman.

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the annual Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney award for two outstanding senior film projects.

GALLATIN GATEWAY

Kings Road Media: $5000 for Buffalo Resurrection, a one hour film documenting the Blackfeet Nation’s efforts to establish a thriving buffalo herd on their reservation.

Its primary purpose is to inspire and educate native and non-native America about the power and importance of the buffalo to the American experience - how the animal can positively impact many areas of life in Montana and the United States.

HAMILTON

Florence and Irwin Rosten Foundation for the Media Arts (MAPS): $20,000 continued support for the award-winning MAPS Media free after-school program which, in addition to serving four county schools, also provides a summer session and is working with the Salish-Kootenai college on the reservation and has expanded to the Blackfeet Reservation. The public/private partnership integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and math concepts within multiple hands-on media courses disciplines, including a new entrepreneurial program.

Florence and Irwin Rosten Foundation for the Media Arts (MAPS): $60,000 for a new MAPS Media Mobile Lab program. In response to needs in other rural and tribal communities, MAPS now has a vehicle already donated for a mobile lab and is working with school districts, community partners and donors to get the program up and running. MAPS plans for three to five outreach programs of one or more weeks a year to various communities.

HELENA

Artemis Common Ground: $10,000 in program support for this nonprofit which strives to offer a vision of the rural west that a healthy economy and conserving our environment are interdependent, and that by working together we can achieve both.

Montana Broadcasters Association: $29,380 for the 55th annual EB awards for broadcast excellence. Named in honor of broadcast pioneer E.B. Craney, founder of the Greater Montana Foundation, the “EBs” recognize excellence in a variety of categories through a competitive process, encouraging and rewarding the best of Montana broadcasting.

Montana Historical Society: $25,000 for MHS new building. GMF has already completed a $600,000 pledge for this purpose, made over a period of years. This additional grant, made during the 65th legislative session, was intended to encourage additional private support, as well as an appropriation by the Montana Legislature.

Montana Wilderness Association: $5000 for Trail a Week: Supporting Montana’s Outdoor Recreation Industry and Rural Economies. Intended to support Montana’s outdoor recreation industry and rural economies, this program will feature a 60 second weekly trail feature in partnership with local TV stations. It will also be made available on MWA’s website’s on-line trail guide, highlighting lesser known trails, as well as nearby rural businesses.

MISSOULA

Missoula Community Radio: $5000 for radio interviews featuring speakers and attendees at the 2017 Native American Economic Development Summit. Both local and national speakers highlight economic development in Indian Country, as well as providing information about a variety of resources. The series of 12 one hour shows will be played on local and tribal radio stations and at tribal colleges.

Montana Public Radio: $20,000 in continued support for programs such as Economic Reporting & Podcast; Kids Like you and Me, stories played during The Pea Green Boat, about how it feels to be excluded or left out because of differences; The Write Question, a weekly literary program that features authors from the western United States; Finding Montana, a new podcast that will look at what Montana has been what it is now and where it is going in the future.

University of Montana School of Radio-TV: $21,500 in continued support for various programs including the student documentary, the summer internship program, Business: Made in Montana and the Montana PBS news brief.

PHILIPSBURG

Philipsburg Arts Fund: $12,500 for Saving the Burg, a 30 minute documentary which will highlight how the people of Philipsburg revitalized their economy through their own innovative community efforts, resulting in successful businesses and a strong economy. The town has won an award from Sunset Magazine for reinventing itself after economic decline. It is hoped other communities can use this as a model.

GRANT FOR BOARD-INITIATED PROGRAM

Educational Assistance Grants: $8000 to continue a pilot program of up to 16 grants. A media survey commissioned by GMF in 2015 indicated that jobs and the economy were the highest issue priority for Montanans. The program is designed to help news reporters improve reporting on this issue by providing educational incentives, helping to defer costs of college or university level courses in economics, business and related subjects.

Kev Hamm 9/5/16 Kev Hamm 9/5/16

2016 Grant Awards

Greater Montana Foundation awards over $300,000 in communications and media education grants

At the annual summer board meeting, the Greater Montana Foundation awarded over $300,000 in 2016 grants, elected two new trustees and launched two education initiatives designed to encourage Montana news reporters to address the top issue identified by Montanans in a 2015 survey: jobs and the economy. The Foundation is also funding a follow-up survey to better understand how Montanans use the Internet to access news.

Helena attorney, Leo Berry, Browning, Kalecyzk, Berry and Hoven law firm, and former Commissioner of State Lands, and Mary Willmarth, Great Falls, co-owner and partner in Vision West, and active in communications and marketing, were named to the board.

“Our grant awards are intended to strengthen quality communications on “issues, trends and values of importance to Montanans with an emphasis on electronic media,” as reflected in our mission statement, “said William Whitsitt, Board Chair. “Using professional surveys to determine what those values are will provide a better focus for our granting. Offering educational opportunities to members of the media to improve their reporting of the top issue, will mean a better informed public.”

Grants provide funding for a wide range of recipients, including Montana PBS and Montana Public Radio, as well as commercial broadcasters and online publications. They also support students in TV and radio at the state’s universities. A variety of documentaries, interview and webinar news programs, and an award-winning after school media training program also received grants.

Ed Craney, pioneer broadcaster, entrepreneur and philanthropist, established the Greater Montana Foundation in 1958, long before public radio and TV or the internet were available. GMF offers awards for excellence and continuing professional development for Montana broadcasters, through the Montana Broadcasters Association EB awards, reflecting Mr. Craney’s emphasis on commercial broadcasting. At the MBA annual convention, GMF funded a debate between Governor Steve Bullock and candidate Greg Gianforte. Also reflecting Mr. Craney’s interest are grants to commercial TV stations, with the most recent to KRTV-MTN, funding a reporter to accompany the Montana National Guard on a training mission to Romania.

GREATER MONTANA FOUNDATION GRANTS BY TOWN - 2016

(GMF awards over $300,000 in grants. Statewide organizations are listed in the towns of their headquarters)

BILLINGS

Billings Library Foundation: $5000 to support the production of four (4) television vignettes as part of a new program to educate the community about the free services available at their local libraries -- with a focus on building literacy. Per the GMF committee's direction, the vignettes were produced with a generic look and message to be applicable to all libraries across the state. Each of the MTN stations in the major statewide markets received the spots in multiple lengths to run as public service announcements or to be used as a sponsored spot with sponsor tag information available at the end of the spot.

MusEco Media and Education: $3000 for Green Smarts with the Green Man, a series of one-minute entertaining and engaging TV vignettes with positive messages integrating responsible natural resource and conservation choices into daily life.

BOZEMAN

Center for Independent Documentary: $5000, continued support to complete Life Interrupted, a feature-length documentary about breast cancer that chronicles the lives and experiences of three unique survivors, including the film maker’s own experiences and a 70 year old Montana tribal member, living on the Fort Belknap Reservation. The shared stories will illustrate the important role that educations plays in successful detection, treatment and survival rates.

Friends of MTPBS: $55,000 for the Montana Friends of PBS Program Fund, including continuing support for numerous programs, among them coverage of the 2016 elections; the completion of a major three hour series on Montana’s noted artist: C.M Russell and the West, scheduled for 2017; The Rundown with Beth Saboe, a new series of providing in-depth coverage of issues that matter to Montanans; Backroads of Montana, and 11th and Grant.

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the annual Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney award for two outstanding senior film projects.

DARBY

Rosten Foundation for the Media Arts (MAPS): $20,000 for the award-winning MAPS Media Institute free after-school program, serving four county schools, along with a summer session and a week-long intensive “film camp” in St. Ignatius. This public/private partnership combines arts education (film, video, design and music) vocational training and on-the-job experience for students grades 8 through 12. The program integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and math concepts within multiple hands-on media courses disciplines, including a new entrepreneurial program.

GREAT FALLS

The History Museum: $10,000 for “Thunder Under the Big Sky: The Legacy of the Military in North Central Montana,” with film maker Craig Wirth and Jim Meinert, History Museum Director, who will produce a major television documentary chronicling the importance of the old Army Air Corp, the US Air Force, and the Montana National Air Guard for their historic roles in serving and protecting north central Montana, the United States and the world, using thousands of Montanans to perform this vital role. This will be the museum’s fifth major documentary film.

KRTV-Montana Television Network: up to $4500 in actual and necessary travel-related costs for a TV reporter to accompany members of the Montana National Guard's 16V Cavalry Regiment taking part in "Exercise Saber Guardian,” part of the U.S. European Command's Joint Exercise Program, in Romania in August. It is designed to enhance the relationship between Romania, the U.S., NATO, and Partnership for Peace nations. Coverage focused on the Montana Guard's role in international peacekeeping efforts.

HELENA

Artemis Common Ground: $13,000 in continued support for Home Ground Radio, whose purpose is to encourage in-depth dialog on important issues, through 30 minute conversations with a wide variety of Montanans, interviewed by host Brian Kahn. The award-winning weekly program explores areas of conflict, but highlights the often unseen “common ground” of shared values held by parts of our community often portrayed in opposition. The program is broadcast on Montana Public Radio and on commercial station KGHL 790 AM Billings.

Montana History Foundation: $10,000 as fiscal sponsor for Gary Tyree and Moving Pictures Production, for a video documentary, “Born Under a Bad Sign: The Story of Women in Montana’s First Prison, narrated by Ellen Baumler, Montana Historical Society and Interpretive Historian, and based on her research.

Montana Broadcasters Association: $29,380 for the annual EB awards for broadcast excellence. $5500 for expenses associated with the debate between Governor Steve Bullock and gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte, held in June, in conjunction with the MBA Annual Convention.

Montana Historical Society: a $20,000 challenge grant as continued support for the Edmund B. Craney Film and Media Archives, funded with an initial grant of $67,000 at year-end 2015, to launch the first year pilot project. This will ensure the long-term preservation of, as well as access to, Montana’s disappearing film and media history.

LIVINGSTON

Livingston Center for Art and Culture: $3000, as fiscal sponsor for Loose Horses Productions, continued support for post-production editing on Loose Horses, a feature length video documentary that looks at the divisive subject of America’s unwanted horses via the Montana horse auction subculture.

MISSOULA

Montana Public Radio: $15, 000 for the “Montana Jobs and Economic Recovery Report,” featuring enterprise reporting on these issues and when covering the 2016 election and the 2017 legislature.

University of Montana O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West: $5000 for Mountain West News, a daily on-line web-based aggregator news service focused on important issues in the region, with daily news summaries and links to important news stories. $10,000 for Mountain West Voices, a series of innovative radio and multi-media stories about Montana individuals and their communities, produced by Clay Scott, Helena.

University of Montana School of Radio-TV: $36,500 in continued support for various programs including the student documentary, summer internship program, Business Made in Montana, Montana Journal and for two student reporters at the 2017 legislative session.

GRANTS FOR BOARD-INITIATED PROGRAMS - $59,500

Communications Research: In-depth Follow-up Quantitative Survey on Internet Use for News and Information in Montana: $29,000 for survey and roll-out. In 2015, to better inform GMF’s grant making, GMF commissioned a professionally-conducted public opinion poll to determine issues of importance to Montanans and how they receive information on them. Significant insights were gained about internet use and the follow up survey will better inform GMF on how it is used and might be used for news and information.

Educational Assistance Grants: $8000 for a pilot program of up to 16 grants. Because the initial survey indicated that jobs and the economy were the highest priority for Montanans, this program will assist individuals involved with the news by providing educational incentives and help to defer costs of college or university level courses in economics, business and related subjects, to help improve their reporting.

Seminar for Working Journalists: $22,500 for a two-day seminar for working journalists and others in related positions (such as editors, radio and television news directors and producers) interested in exploring new information sources and techniques to improve their jobs, economy and business reporting, at the University of Montana, Missoula. This will include expenses for participants when in Missoula. The seminar will be managed by the new UM Center for Enterprise and Executive Development in cooperation with the UM School of Business Administrations Bureau of Business and Economic Research and School of Journalism.

Kev Hamm 9/10/15 Kev Hamm 9/10/15

2015 Grant Awards

BILLINGS

Prong Horn Productions in partnership with KTVQ, Billings: $8000 for the development of a new computer software program which will allow the archiving of Montana broadcast material, including old, historic material, and provide a way to easily access and utilize these archives.

MusEco and Education Project: $4000 for “The Accidental Wilderness,” to help fund a documentary on the designation of the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Area in 1978, which is thought to have occurred in response to the unexpected death of its primary sponsor, Montana’s US Senator, Lee Metcalf. The recounting of 40 years of wilderness history is intended to shed light on present efforts.

BOZEMAN

Friends of MTPBS: $55,000 for the Montana Program Fund, supporting a number of programs, among them C.M Russell and the West, a three hour series about this noted artist; Boomtown Country, a documentary backcountry portrait of Montana’s boom and bust heritage and the current modern oil boom; Backroads of Montana, and 11th and Grant.

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the annual Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney scholarship award.

BUTTE

KXLF Communications: $30,000 to help support a documentary about history of the “Our Lady of the Rockies” to premier at the 30th anniversary program in Butte, fall, 2015, to educate and inform Montanans and visitors about the important background of the creation of the statue.

DARBY

Rosten Foundation for the Media Arts (MAPS): $20,000 for the MAPS Media Institute’s nationally recognized after-school education program, a public/private partnership combining arts education (film, video, design and music) vocational training and on-the-job experience for students grades 8 through 12 in four country schools. Two new programs include a summer program for five days a week and an entrepreneur class to assist students after leaving the program to create a business.

GREAT FALLS

KRTV-KXLF TV: $4100 for “On Special Assignment: National Police Week,” to fund travel to Washington, D.C. during National Police Week for the Cascade Co. Sheriff’s office and the family of fallen deputy Joe Dunn, who was killed last August during the high-speed pursuit of a suspect. Dunn's name was added to the National Officers' Memorial. Sheriff Edwards also attended seminars helping him to train his officers to cope with such tragic circumstances. Nightly news briefs and a documentary were produced.

HELENA

Artemis Common Ground: $13,000 to support Home Ground Radio, a weekly forum on important issues, highlighting the often unseen “common ground” of shared values held by parts of our community often portrayed in opposition. Diverse guests are interviewed by host Brian Kahn in 30 minutes conversations on a wide variety of subjects. The program is broadcast on Montana Public Radio and on commercial station KGHL 790 AM Billings.

Montana Broadcasters Association: $30,300 for the annual EB awards for broadcast excellence. Named for GMF founder, E.B. Craney, the awards go for various categories for commercial broadcasters.

Montana Historical Society: $10,180, the final payment of an initial $600,000 pledge to support Museum modernization and expansion, including establishment of the Ed Craney studio and broadcast production facilities at MHS.

MISSOULA

University of Montana Broadcast Media Center: $20,000 in general support for MT Public Radio, including a variety of programs such as news, panel discussions and town meetings on issues of importance to Montanans.

University of Montana O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West: $7000 for Mountain West News, a daily on-line web-based aggregator news service focused on important issues in the region, with daily news summaries and links to important news stories. $12,000 for Mountain West Voices, an on-going series of innovative radio and multi-media stories about Montana individuals and communities, produced by Clay Scott, Helena.

University of Montana School of Radio-TV: $26,500 in continued support for the student documentary, the summer internship program, and programs, Business Made in Montana, Montana Journal and the News Brief.

RIVERTON, UTAH

Little Bighorn Productions: $5000 for “Glacier National Park: Crown of the Continent,” a 90 minute televised documentary on the history of Glacier Park, exploring many facets since its beginning. Its goal is to increase understanding and appreciation of the park, beginning with the formation of the glaciers and through the major events and historical figures of its existence, including major players and the Blackfeet Tribe.

Kev Hamm 6/30/14 Kev Hamm 6/30/14

2014 Grant Awards

2014 GREATER MONTANA FOUNDATION GRANTS BY TOWN

GMF awards over $300,000 in grants

BILLINGS

MusEco Media and Education: $5000 to support American Indian Musician Profiles, a series of brief videos featuring accomplished Montana American Indian musicians, their music and stories. These will be compiled into longer programs for broadcast and included in the Office of Public Instruction’s existing curriculum offerings on American Indian musicians.

KULR-8 News, Cowles Montana Media: $8250 for Stopping Traffic: A Fight for Hope and Freedom, an hour long documentary and preview stories about the critical and tragic issue of human trafficking in Montana, recounting current efforts to combat it by state leaders, including legislators, law enforcement and others, who are working to bring this issue to the forefront.

BOZEMAN

Friends of MTPBS: $55,000 for the Montana Program Fund, supporting a number of programs, among them coverage of the 2014 elections, C.M Russell and the West, a three hour series about this noted artist; Boomtown Country, a documentary Backcountry portrait of Montana’s boom and bust heritage and the current modern oil boom; Bard in the Backcountry, about Shakespeare in Montana; Backroads of Montana, and 11th and Grant.

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the annual Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney scholarship award.

MTN-Cordillera Communications: $10,000, for the production and statewide broadcast of the 2014 election cycle’s only live TV debates: one between the US Senatorial candidates and another between the US Congressional candidates, produced in partnership with Montana PBS, to better inform the Montana electorate.

BUTTE

Highlands College/Montana Tech: $5000 for In the Crucible of Change: The Dramatic Period of Progressive Change in Montana (1965-1980) (From a Corporate Colony to a Citizen-Oriented State). This film series designed for broadcasting is produced by Evan Barrett, Outreach Director and Instructor at the college. Thirty one-hour programs will feature interviews with individuals and panels of “change makers” who played key roles in this era of progressive change.

From the Heart Productions: $9500 for Mary Quite Contrary, a documentary film produced by Margie Judd Productions about Butte author Mary MacLane, whose notoriety in the early years of the 20th century obscured her talent, but who is now recognized as writer of lasting importance to the history of Montana.

DARBY

Rosten Foundation for the Media Arts (MAPS): $10,000 to support The MAPS Media Institute’s nationally recognized after-school education program, a public/private partnership combining arts education (film, video, design and music) vocational training and on-the-job experience for students grades 8 through 12. Serving four county schools, the program integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and math concepts within multiple hands-on media courses disciplines. Students produce announcements, documentaries and sales/marketing videos, some of which are for fee-based clients, as well as pro bono.

GREAT FALLS

KRTV-Montana Television Network: $6658 for On Special Assignment: The Montana-China Connection, to support expenses for one MTN staff member to accompany Governor Bullock and the Montana delegation on a ground-breaking official trip to China to explore a variety of new trade opportunities, including a visit with Ambassador Max Baucus, Montana’s former US Senator.

KRTV- Montana Television Network: $6780 for On Special Assignment: Senator Max Baucus to cover travel for a three-member team to Washington, DC for a series covering the Senator’s legacy. Reporting included Senator Baucus’ confirmation hearing, and interviews with the Senator and those who served with him, and additional reporting on his legacy in Montana.

HELENA

Artemis Common Ground: $14,000 to support Home Ground Radio, a weekly forum on important issues, highlighting the often unseen “common ground” of shared values held by parts of our community often portrayed in opposition. Diverse guests are interviewed by host Brian Kahn in 30 minutes conversations on a wide variety of subjects. The program is broadcast on Montana Public Radio and on commercial station KGHL 790 AM Billings.

Beartooth Communications Company (NBC stations KTVH/KBGF): $3600 for The Languages of War: Teaching Soldiers, Saving Lives, produced by Ian Marquand. The 30 minute program (with associated news reports) tells how a language and culture program at the University of Montana’s Mansfield Center saved lives of American soldiers and Iraqi and Afghani civilians during the last six years of war. (grant awarded in late 2013 – program aired in early 2014)

Helena Civic TV: $7500 for Global Civics Gatherings, a sequel to two earlier series of Global Civics programs, an innovative multi-disciplinary approach to the rights and responsibilities of citizenship within the global context of the 21st century. Scheduled for six sessions at the Craney Studio at the Montana Historical Museum, it will include presentations, as well as a participatory audience of students and life- long learners.

Montana Broadcasters Association: $30,690 in continuing support for the annual EB awards for broadcast excellence and $500 for grammar guides for all stations.

Montana Historical Society: $55,870 of a $600,000 six-year pledge to support Museum modernization and expansion, including establishment of the E.B. Craney studio and broadcast production facilities at MHS. An additional $6750 to help support two programs related to access for the Ed Craney Photograph and Audio/Visual collections, including an internship.

MISSOULA

Historical Museum at Ft. Missoula: $9940 to support the Fort Missoula Alien Detention Camp Video Project, a 30-minute video to document a little-known part of Montana history, the detention of Japanese, Italian and German foreign nationals and resident aliens, considered as enemies during WW II. Both the site and the documentation are still intact. This will provide a gateway for statewide education on this issue and the Office of Public Instruction is being consulted regarding lesson plans for different grades, along with promotion and use of the video.

University of Montana Broadcast Media Center: $15,000 in general support for MT Public Radio, including a variety of programs such as news, coverage of the 2014 elections, panel discussions and town meetings on issues of importance to Montanans.

University of Montana O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West: $5000 for Mountain West News, a daily on-line web-based aggregator news service focused on important issues in the region, with daily news summaries and links to important news stories. $10,000 for Mountain West Voices, an on-going series of innovative radio and multi-media stories about Montana individuals and communities, produced by Clay Scott, Helena.

University of Montana School of Radio-TV: $36,500 in continued support for the student documentary, summer internship program, Business Made in Montana, Montana Journal and for two student reporters at the 2015 legislative session.

Kev Hamm 6/30/13 Kev Hamm 6/30/13

2013 Grant Awards

Billings

MusEco Media and Education Project: $2,000 for Green Smarts with the Green Man, an on-going TV program of one minute interstitials focused on a lighthearted, positive conservation message.

Bonner

Montana Broadcasters Association: $30,525 for the annual EB Craney “Excellence in Broadcasting” awards and $6500 Montana News Share, a new venture, an interactive web-based service, where TV and radio producers and independent producers can upload news and other programs to share with other stations.

Bozeman

Center for Independent Documentary: $10,000 as a second grant for Life Interrupted, a national educational documentary feature film about breast cancer that chronicles the experiences of four breast cancer survivors, including the filmmaker herself, responding with honesty, dignity, grace and humor through varying stages of the disease. Two of the survivors are Montanans, reflecting a Montana perspective.

Friends of Montana Public Broadcasting System: $48,000 to continue support for a number of Montana PBS programs, including Backroads of Montana, 11th and Grant, and several new documentaries, including a series of three hour long programs about Charlie Russell and Boomtown Country, a portrait of Montana’s boom and bust economy.

KGLT $5000 for Montana Medicine Show, a program produced at the studios of KGLT 91.9FM at Montana State University, containing two minute oral vignettes of history and interviews connecting us to our state's past, present and future.

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney scholarship award.

Universal Vision, $1500, the second grant for Universal Voices, a series of documentaries featuring musicians around the world and highlighting musical diversity, with compelling characters and an intricate storyline.

Darby

MAPS Media Institute, $4000 for the after-school program serving five communities in Ravalli County; a public/private partnership combining arts education (film, video, design and music) vocational training and on-the-job experience for students grades 8 through 12.

Great Falls

History Museum of Great Falls: $7500 for Under the Big Stack: The Great Falls Smelter Remembered, a documentary offering a provocative history lesson in labor-management, community, the shift from farming to manufacturing, one industry towns and the ability to unite during a crisis such as World War 11. It will feature rare film from inside the smelter and interviews with remaining smelter workers.

Helena

Helena Civic TV: $10,000 for Global Civics Roundtables, part of the Global Civics Initiative, a constellation of interrelated multi-media projects devoted to the exploration of citizenship in the 21st century. This series of 13, hour long programs will feature a topic to be included in a future televised course for institutions of higher learning in Montana.

Home Ground News: Changes and Choices in the American West, $10,000 in continued support for Brian Kahn’s statewide award-winning public affairs radio program which features in-depth interviews with Montanans whose life experiences enrich the listeners’ understanding of our cultural heritage.

Montana Historical Society: $33,475 of a $600,000 six-year pledge to support Museum modernization and expansion, including establishment of the E.B. Craney studio and broadcast production facilities at MHS.

Montana Preservation Alliance: $5000 for Land of Many Nations: A Montana Ethnic Atlas, a new project to gather and share through a web-based interface the compelling stories of Montana’s history and the interweaving of cultures that populated and settled our state.

Missoula

University of Montana Department of Radio-Television. $26,500 in continued support for a number of programs, including student summer internships, the annual student documentary, and other on-going productions such as Business: Made in Montana, and Montana Journal, a 30 minute TV news magazine.

University of Montana Broadcast Media Center. $10,000 in continued funding for Montana Public Radio News, which provides local news programming on Montana Public Radio.

University of Montana O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West. $5,000 for Mountain West News (formerly Headwater News) a daily on-line web-based aggregator news service focused on important issues in the region, with daily news summaries and links to important news stories. $10,000 for Mountain West Voices, radio and multi-media stories produced by Clay Scott, Helena, about Montana individuals and communities, whose goal is to connect Montanans to the place they live and to each other.

Kev Hamm 6/30/12 Kev Hamm 6/30/12

2012 Grant Awards

Billings

KULR-8/MAX Media of Montana: $5,720 for the Libby Health Care Project, a special report on the impact of health care reform legislation for Montanans, specifically the community of Libby. Veteran reporter Ian Marquand highlights how the current law relates to residents affected by asbestos-related disease.

MusEco Media and Education Project: $5,000 for Green Smarts with the Green Man, an on-going series of television vignettes on how Montanans can integrate smart, environmentally responsible choices in their daily lives.

Bonner

Montana Broadcasters Association: $29,200 for the EB Craney “Excellence in Broadcasting” award program and $2,000 to support continuing professional education.

Bozeman

Friends of Montana Public Broadcasting System: $50,000 to continue support for a wide variety of Montana TV programs, including: 2012 Election Coverage; production of “Indian Relay,” a portrait of several American Indian families as they prepare and compete in a unique horse racing event; Backroads of Montana; and 11th and Grant Season VII with Eric Funk. New program initiatives include Smoke Elser: A Life in the Wilderness; and two episodes of Montana Focus, one highlighting struggles and successes of homeless students in Montana, and the other a special one hour partnership with the Burton K. Wheeler Center focusing on aging dams around Montana, including Fort Peck Dam.

Montana State University KGLT: $5,000 each for two radio series. Montana Medicine Show features stories of little-known Montana history in two minute segments; Sonic ID provides interviews with a wide diversity of people in the Intermountain West, along with selected recordings from historical and radio archives.

Montana State University School of Film and Photography: $2,000 for the Hugh Galusha-Ed Craney scholarship award.

Helena

Home Ground News: Changes and Choices in the American West. $10,000 to continue support of Brian Kahn’s statewide award-winning public affairs radio program which features in-depth dialogue about Montana issues and citizens.

Montana Historical Society: $105,000 as the fourth installment of a $600,000 six-year pledge to support Museum modernization and expansion, including establishment of the E.B. Craney studio and broadcast production facilities at MHS, and archiving Ed Craney’s and the Greater Montana Foundation’s historical records.

Helena Civic TV: $10,000 to support Global Positioning, a new weekly public affairs television series about Montana’s engagement in the international community. The program aims to expand awareness of international economic and cultural connections between people and businesses in Montana and the world.

Missoula

University of Montana Department of Radio-Television: $17,000 to fund student internships, the annual student documentary, and other on-going productions such as Business: Made in Montana, and Montana Journal, a 30 minute TV news magazine.

University of Montana Broadcast Media Center: $10,000 in continued funding for Montana Public Radio’s ICE project, (Inform, Consent and Engage)¸ an on-going program to expand local broadcast news coverage in western Montana.

University of Montana O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West: $5,000 for Headwaters News, a daily on-line web-based news service focused on regional issues. $10,000 for Mountain West Voices, radio and multi-media stories produced by Clay Scott, Helena, about Montana individuals and communities.