Provide residents of Park County with affordable second-hand clothing and household goods; provide non-profit groups and activities in Park County with no-cost merchandise as appropriate; improve the quality of life in Park County through charitable contributions generated from thrift store profits.
Focus Areas
community developmenteducationyouth programsrecreationemergency/individual assistance
Who They Fund
Park County residentslocal non-profit organizations in Park Countychildren and youth in Park County
Funding Style
direct service (thrift retail/in-kind distribution)in-kind donations (no-cost merchandise to nonprofits)
About Community Closet
Community Closet Inc turns thrift-store profits into local support for Park County, Montana, combining cash grants with in-kind merchandise for residents, schools, nonprofits, and other community groups. Its giving is place-based and practical: the foundation funds charitable activities that improve daily life in Park County and also supplies merchandise at no cost when local organizations need it. Recent grants show a mix of larger operating support and smaller targeted awards. Park County Community Foundation received $39,500 in 2025 and $35,425 in 2024, while Friends of the Community received $12,948 in 2025 and $10,676 in 2024. The grant list also includes support for schools, senior services, youth organizations, and community groups across the county. Individual and family assistance is another part of the model, with grants used for non-immediate catastrophic or exceptional needs and typically paid directly to providers where appropriate. The foundation’s pattern is tied closely to Park County: recipients are local, the work is recurring, and the grant programs are built around community functions, education, youth programs, recreation, and emergency-related assistance.
What Community Closet Funds
Community development runs through the foundation’s grantmaking. Park County Community Foundation received $39,500 in 2025, and the organization funding programs describe support for community functions, local nonprofits, and special programs that benefit Park County. Education is another recurring focus. Shields Valley Schools in Wilsall received $8,120 in 2023, and Arrowhead School in Livingston received $6,903 in 2025. Youth programs appear alongside school support; Big Brothers Big Sisters in Livingston received $7,000 in 2023. Recreation is also part of the portfolio, with the organization funding programs specifically naming recreation scholarships and equipment as eligible uses. The foundation also supports public health-related needs through individual and family assistance for non-immediate catastrophic or exceptional situations, including medical travel support and orthotic inserts.
How Community Closet Gives
Typical grant size is modest: the 25th percentile is $6,150, the median is $8,729, and the 75th percentile is $16,863. The recent grants list shows repeated support to the same local organizations across multiple years, including Park County Community Foundation and Friends of the Community, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation operates as a place-based grantmaker tied to thrift-store profits, and it uses both cash grants and in-kind merchandise. Several programs accept unsolicited requests, and quarterly board review is part of the organization-funding structure. Individual and family assistance is handled separately and is typically paid directly to providers when appropriate.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$130K
Total Assets
$1.2M
Total Revenue
$1.2M
Total Expenses
$1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $6K and $17K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$17K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
RUTH CARON COOPER
Deep Analysis
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affordable second-hand clothing and household goodsdonated merchandise support for local nonprofitscommunity development and quality-of-life improvementeducation supportyouth programs and servicesrecreation programmingpublic health support
Where Community Closet Makes Grants
Giving is entirely local: 100% of grants in the recipient-country distribution went to the US, and 100% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state were in Montana. Recent recipients cluster in Livingston, including Park County Community Foundation, Friends of the Community, Blue Slipper, Elks Lodge, and Park County Senior Center. Outside Livingston, recent grants reached Wilsall through Shields Valley Schools and Gardiner through North Yellowstone Education Foundation. The geography matches the organization’s Park County focus rather than a broader regional or national pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions About Community Closet
What kinds of organizations does Community Closet Inc fund?
It funds nonprofit organizations, civic bodies, local governments, school districts, nonprofit schools, and other groups whose function benefits Park County. Recent grants include support for a community foundation, schools, a senior center, and local service organizations.
Does Community Closet Inc fund individuals or families?
Yes. The foundation has a separate individual and family assistance program for Park County residents facing non-immediate catastrophic or exceptional needs. The program includes support such as medical travel, orthotic inserts, and caregiver travel or training expenses, and payments are typically made directly to providers where appropriate.
What is the typical grant size?
Typical grants are relatively small: the 25th percentile is $6,150, the median is $8,729, and the 75th percentile is $16,863. Some program descriptions also show awards ranging from $50 to $5,000 for organization and individual assistance programs.
How local is the giving?
It is fully local to Park County, Montana. Every grant in the recipient-country distribution went to the US, and the stated top state by grant count is Montana. Recent recipients are concentrated in Livingston, with additional grants in Wilsall and Gardiner.
What types of projects are supported?
The foundation supports community development, education, youth programs, recreation, and emergency or individual assistance. Program descriptions also mention community functions, recreation scholarships or equipment, donated merchandise for nonprofits, and support for schools and other community organizations.
Current and upcoming funding from Community Closet that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowCloses Dec 30, 2026Award: $50 – $5K
Community Closet — Organization Funding (Cash Grants)
Community benefitRecreationEducation+5 more
Who can apply: Applicants must be organizations or groups whose project takes place in Park County, Montana, or clearly benefits Park County residents. Eligible applicants include nonprofit corporations, civic bodies, local governments, school districts, private nonprofit schools, other community-benefiting groups, and religious or fraternal organizations for projects benefiting the general public. Political organizations, campaigns, candidates, activities outside Park County without a clear Park County benefit, and operating budgets for religious or fraternal organizations are not eligible. Applicants must submit a project budget and, where applicable, an organizational or departmental budget. Grant recipients must maintain financial records and submit a report within six months; recipients without required reports are ineligible for further grants.
Deadline: Quarterly deadlines are March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 30. Applications must be received by or postmarked on the deadline.
Community Closet — In‑Kind / Merchandise Support for Nonprofits
In-kind goodsNonprofit supportEducation+1 more
Who can apply: Available to nonprofits, teachers, schools, and other nonprofit organizations in Park County. Merchandise must support organizational or community needs; recipients request items at the store and sign for items obtained through a voucher.
community developmenteducationyouth programs+3 more
Who can apply: Applications are accepted from nonprofit corporations, civic bodies, local governments, school districts and private nonprofit schools, other community-benefit groups, and religious or fraternal organizations for activities benefiting the general public. Projects must benefit Park County, Montana. Political organizations, campaigns, candidates, activities outside Park County, operating budgets for religious or fraternal organizations, past bills, utility/housing deposits, and individuals needing immediate assistance are not eligible.
Deadline: Quarterly deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 30. Applications must be received by or postmarked on the deadline.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
