Applicants must be either a non-profit tax-exempt organization (IRS designation) or an exempt governmental unit.

No. All grants must be closed (all reports received and approved) before your organization is eligible to apply again.

We strongly encourage you to reach out to our Program Director to discuss your project. You can reach to our Grants Manager at grants@mthistory.org or 406-449-3770.

No. The purchase of equipment such as a scanner, cell phones, computers, etc. is not allowable. However, the rental of such equipment—or the cost associated with hiring a contractor, who already has access to such equipment—is allowable.

Generally, the Foundation does not require bids from contractors for work under $1,000. If contractor costs are requested for more than $1,000, a bid is highly encouraged. We will accept your application—but it will be scored lower than applications which do have bids/quotes. And, if you receive funding, you will be required to submit a bid/quote before receiving a grant award check.

The Foundation does not grant to individuals. For example, we do not fund faculty research or student projects or dissertations.

Requests for personnel costs must be for direct project costs, for example, interns hired to complete the project. We generally do not fund the cost of full-time employees working on the project.

Grant funds must be used during the grant term cited in your grant agreement. In general, we award in early April and grant funds must be used by June the following year (13 months to expend funds). There can be exceptional circumstances where a grantee requires an extension to complete their project. This is dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

No. If our budget template is not used, your application will not be considered. Please call our office at 406-449-3770 if you cannot download the template.

The “other sources” column is a place to put additional support, monetary or in-kind, that you have acquired for your project. For instance, if a partner organization will be providing staff time to your project, place those funds in this column.

Any project requesting contractor funds totaling more than $1,000 should have a bid or quote from a contractor—ideally one that has experience with historic preservation, as it relates to your project.

Letters of support are encouraged but not required. Photos that detail the problem your project will address are highly encouraged. If you are applying with a fiscal sponsor, a letter from your fiscal sponsor attesting to their support is required. If you are requesting contractor fees for an individual, that individual’s resume is required. If you are requesting personnel costs, resumes for those personnel are highly encouraged.

If you are applying for an oral history project, a waiver request form AND the list of questions that you plan to ask interviewees is required. This holds true for oral history adaptations, such as podcasts.

A completed project budget template MUST be attached to your application.

Contact Sara Smith, Grants Director, at grants@mthistory.org or 406-449-3770