We support initiatives for youth education, conservation, and under-served needs benefiting the Big Sky Community.
Moonlight Community Foundation’s grantmaking is tightly centered on Big Sky, with every listed recent grant going to Montana recipients and many supporting local institutions that shape daily life there. One of the clearest signals is its backing of housing for local workers: the foundation gave $115,000 to Big Sky Community Housing Trust for the Good Deeds and Rent Local incentive program, and another $95,000 to the same organization for the Rent Local program aimed at creating more rental opportunities for workers who live in Big Sky. The foundation also funds community infrastructure and services. Big Sky Community Organization received $115,000 for parks, trails, community center support, and park improvements, along with $95,371 for programming and Camp Big Sky. In the same local pattern, Wellness in Action received $62,425 for affordable counseling, Camp Moonlight scholarships, and behavioral health prevention and care. Morningstar Learning Center, Gallatin River Task Force, and Be Well Big Sky also appear among recent recipients, showing a portfolio that mixes youth education, conservation, childcare, workforce livability, and underserved-needs support. The foundation’s stated emphasis on initiatives benefiting the Big Sky community matches the grant record closely.
Housing for local workers is a recurring thread in the grant record. Moonlight Community Foundation gave $115,000 to Big Sky Community Housing Trust for the Good Deeds and Rent Local incentive program, and $95,000 to the same organization for a Rent Local program designed to create rental opportunities for workers living in Big Sky. Youth education shows up through both scholarships and enrichment. Wellness in Action received $59,500 for scholarships and educational enrichment opportunities for Big Sky children and youth, while Big Sky Ski Education Foundation received $20,000 for its scholarship fund. The foundation also supports conservation and climate-related work. Big Sky Sustainability Network Organization got $35,000 for a climate action plan speaker series, greener building practices, and a rooftop solar installation, and Big Sky Sno received $46,917 for climate action plan implementation and greenhouse-gas reduction efforts. Community health and food security appear in grants to Big Sky Community Food Bank for emergency food and social services, and to Rimrock for peer integration and peer support services.
$767K
$1.3M
$1.1M
$959K
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$25K
JERRY HOOD
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Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $9,725, a median of $15,000, and a p75 of $25,100. The recent grant list also shows larger awards into the six-figure range for local housing and community infrastructure. The foundation uses a mixed community-foundation structure and runs competitive Spring and Fall grant cycles; several program descriptions say applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities, and the cycle accepts unsolicited applications. The record shows repeat support for several organizations across 2023 and 2024, including Big Sky Community Housing Trust, Big Sky Community Organization, Wellness in Action, Morningstar Learning Center, and Crosscut Mountain Sports Center.
Giving is overwhelmingly local: 100% of listed grants went to recipients in Montana, and the top state by grant count is MT. Big Sky accounts for most recipient activity, with multiple awards to organizations there such as Big Sky Community Housing Trust, Big Sky Community Organization, Wellness in Action, Morningstar Learning Center, and the Big Sky Community Food Bank. Outside Big Sky, recent grants also reached Bozeman, Billings, Red Lodge, and Gallatin Gateway, showing some county-level spillover while remaining within Montana.
The foundation’s stated focus is youth education, conservation, and underserved needs benefiting the Big Sky community. Recent grants also show related support for workforce livability, childcare support, scholarships, parks and trails, behavioral health, climate action, local foods and food security, and flood relief.
Typical grants center around five figures: the p25 is $9,725, the median is $15,000, and the p75 is $25,100. The recent list also includes larger awards, including several grants above $95,000 for housing and community projects.
Yes. The Spring and Fall grant cycles are described as competitive programs, and they accept unsolicited applications. The program descriptions also say applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities.
Its giving is local to Montana and concentrated in Big Sky. The recent-grants record shows 100% of grants going to recipients in MT, with some awards also going to organizations in Bozeman, Billings, Red Lodge, and Gallatin Gateway.
Yes. Several organizations appear in both 2023 and 2024, including Big Sky Community Housing Trust, Big Sky Community Organization, Wellness in Action, Morningstar Learning Center, and Crosscut Mountain Sports Center.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Moonlight Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Not fully specified in scraped pages. Appears targeted to nonprofits and initiatives benefiting the Big Sky community (youth, education, conservation, underserved). See application guidance on the grants page.
Deadline: Biannual cycles (specific dates not present in scraped content).
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG SKY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION | GALLATIN GATEWAY, MT | $113,800 | 2026 | BIG SKY PTO COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE |
| WELLNESS IN ACTION | BIG SKY, MT | $100,000 | 2026 | AFFORDABLE COUNSELING PROGRAM |
| BIG SKY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION | BIG SKY, MT | $96,320 | 2026 | CAMP BIG SKY CAPACITY / COMMUNITY CONNECTION |
| BIG SKY COMMUNITY HOUSING TRUST | BIG SKY, MT | $80,000 | 2026 | RENT LOCAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM |
| MORNINGSTAR LEARNING CENTER | BIG SKY, MT | $70,000 | 2026 | SUSTAINABLE CHILDCARE OPERATIONS |
| BIG SKY ROTARY FOUNDATION | BIG SKY, MT | $47,500 | 2026 | BIG SKY BANDAGE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP FUNDING |
| BIG SKY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | BIG SKY, MT | $46,660 | 2026 | WORKFORCE FOOD SECURITY & SOCIAL SERVICES / HRDC TRANSPORTATION / EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL |
| BIG SKY SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK ORGANIZATION (SNO) | BIG SKY, MT | $40,140 | 2026 | ENERGY EFFICIENCY & CONSERVATION / COMMUNITY COMPOSTING / ONE LESS CAR |
| BE WELL BIG SKY | BIG SKY, MT | $40,000 | 2026 | BUILDING ORG. INFRASTRUCTURE / NAVIGATOR NETWORK |
| GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE | BIG SKY, MT | $35,000 | 2026 | GALLATIN RIVER RESTORATION / EDUCATION & OUTREACH |
| FRIENDS OF BIG SKY EDUCATION | BIG SKY, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | LOCAL FOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT FOR BIG SKY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LEE POOLE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| BIENVENIDOS A GALLATIN VALLEY (BIENVENIDOS) | BOZEMAN, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | EL CENTRO |
| GREATER GALLATIN UNITED WAY | BOZEMAN, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | KIDSLINK OUT-OF-SCHOOL INITIATIVE |
| WORLD LANGUAGE INITIATIVE - MONTANA | BOZEMAN, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | BIG SKY COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAM |
| BIG SKY SKI EDUCATION FOUNDATION | BIG SKY, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | BSSEF SCHOLARSHIPS AND TEAM JACKET SPONSORSHIP |
| ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY | BIG SKY, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | ARTVENTURE YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| SOUTHWEST MONTANA MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION | BOZEMAN, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | MOUNTAIN TO MEADOW GREEN TRAIL |
| GALLATIN RIVER CHILD CARE INC | BIG SKY, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | BIG SKY INFANT AND TODDLER CARE PROGRAM |
| BIG SKY FUTBOL CLUB | BIG SKY, MT | $12,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AND ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT |
| HATCH | BOZEMAN, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | GLOBAL VOICES IN BIG SKY |
| GROW WILD | BOZEMAN, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | FIREWISE LANDSCAPING / CONSERVATION OUTREACH |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS | BOZEMAN, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | BIG SKY SCHOOL-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM |
| MT64 HOCKEY ASSOCIATION INC | BOZEMAN, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | EQUIPMENT COSTS (ICE SKATES) |
| WARREN MILLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER - FRIENDS OF BIG SKY EDUCATION | GALLATIN GATEWAY, MT | $9,000 | 2026 | THE 2025/26 SEASON AT WMPAC |
| BEFRIENDERS | BOZEMAN, MT | $7,500 | 2026 | GROWING CONNECTIONS INITIATIVE IN BIG SKY AREA |
| EAGLE MOUNT BOZEMAN | BOZEMAN, MT | $7,500 | 2026 | EAGLE MOUNT BIG SKY SNOWSPORTS PROGRAM |
| FAMILY PROMISE OF GALLATIN VALLEY | BOZEMAN, MT | $7,500 | 2026 | FAMILY HOMELESS PREVENTION & STABILIZATION |
| MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY | BOZEMAN, MT | $7,000 | 2026 | LEE POOLE SCHOLARSHIP |
| BOZEMAN SYMPHONY | BOZEMAN, MT | $5,000 | 2026 | SYMPHONY IN THE SCHOOLS: BIG SKY |
| ROOTS FAMILY COLLABORATIVE | BOZEMAN, MT | $5,000 | 2026 | BLOSSOM MOM BIG SKY |
| JACK CREEK PRESERVE FOUNDATION | ENNIS, MT | $4,777 | 2026 | YOUTH CONSERVATION EDUCATION |
| FRIENDS OF MONTANA SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS | BOZEMAN, MT | $4,500 | 2026 | BIG SKY EDUCATIONAL RESIDENCIES / BIG SKY PERFORMANCE |
| LONE PEAK FILM INSTITUTE | GALLATIN GATEWAY, MT | $4,000 | 2026 | THE BIG SKY FILM FESTIVAL |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS MONTANA | GREAT FALLS, MT | $3,572 | 2026 | AWARDS FOR PARTICIPANTS |
| OPERA MONTANA | BOZEMAN, MT | $2,500 | 2026 | WHEELS OF HARMONY |
| MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY | BOZEMAN, MT | $1,000 | 2026 | PROJECTO SALUD - MEDICAL BUS SPONSORSHIP |
| WELLNESS IN ACTION | BIG SKY, MT | $110,000 | 2025 | AFFORDABLE COUNSELING PROGRAM |
| BIG SKY COMMUNITY HOUSING TRUST | BIG SKY, MT | $85,000 | 2025 | RENT LOCAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM |
| BIG SKY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION | BIG SKY, MT | $75,000 | 2025 | BSCO RECREATIONAL AND CAMP BIG SKY PROGRAMMING AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION |
| MORNINGSTAR LEARNING CENTER | BIG SKY, MT | $68,000 | 2025 | SUSTAINABLE CHILDCARE OPERATIONS |
| CENTER FOR LARGE LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION | BOZEMAN, MT | $35,000 | 2025 | US-191/MT-64 ASSESSMENT: ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION |
| BIG SKY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | BIG SKY, MT | $35,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY FOOD AND WORKFORCE SERVICES |
| GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE | BIG SKY, MT | $30,000 | 2025 | ALPENSCAPES EDUCATION & OUTREACH, WATER CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION PROGRAM |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS | BOZEMAN, MT | $30,000 | 2025 | BIG SKY SCHOOL-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AND MENTORSHIP FOR BIG SKY YOUTH |
| BIG SKY ROTARY FOUNDATION | BIG SKY, MT | $30,000 | 2025 | BIG SKY BANDAGE |
| GREATER GALLATIN UNITED WAY | BOZEMAN, MT | $26,000 | 2025 | KIDSLINK OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM - BIG SKY AND BIG SKY SUMMER PRE-K CAMP |
| BIENVENIDOS A GALLATIN VALLEY (BIENVENIDOS) | BOZEMAN, MT | $25,000 | 2025 | EL CENTRO, GROWING CONNECTIONS, AND BUILDING COMMUNITY |
| BIG SKY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION | GALLATIN GATEWAY, MT | $25,000 | 2025 | BIG SKY PTO COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE |
| FRIENDS OF BIG SKY EDUCATION | BIG SKY, MT | $20,250 | 2025 | LOCAL FOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT FOR BIG SKY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LEE POOLE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL | GALLATIN GATEWAY, MT | $20,000 | 2025 | LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM |
BIG SKY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION
$113,800BIG SKY PTO COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE
WELLNESS IN ACTION
$100,000AFFORDABLE COUNSELING PROGRAM
MORNINGSTAR LEARNING CENTER
$70,000SUSTAINABLE CHILDCARE OPERATIONS
BIG SKY ROTARY FOUNDATION
BIG SKY BANDAGE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP FUNDING
WORKFORCE FOOD SECURITY & SOCIAL SERVICES / HRDC TRANSPORTATION / EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL
BIG SKY SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK ORGANIZATION (SNO)
$40,140ENERGY EFFICIENCY & CONSERVATION / COMMUNITY COMPOSTING / ONE LESS CAR
LOCAL FOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT FOR BIG SKY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LEE POOLE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
BIENVENIDOS A GALLATIN VALLEY (BIENVENIDOS)
$25,000EL CENTRO
WORLD LANGUAGE INITIATIVE - MONTANA
$20,000BIG SKY COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAM
BIG SKY SKI EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$20,000BSSEF SCHOLARSHIPS AND TEAM JACKET SPONSORSHIP
ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY
$15,000ARTVENTURE YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM
SOUTHWEST MONTANA MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION
$15,000MOUNTAIN TO MEADOW GREEN TRAIL
GALLATIN RIVER CHILD CARE INC
$15,000BIG SKY INFANT AND TODDLER CARE PROGRAM
BIG SKY FUTBOL CLUB
$12,000SCHOLARSHIP AND ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT
GROW WILD
$10,000FIREWISE LANDSCAPING / CONSERVATION OUTREACH
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
$10,000BIG SKY SCHOOL-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
MT64 HOCKEY ASSOCIATION INC
$10,000EQUIPMENT COSTS (ICE SKATES)
THE 2025/26 SEASON AT WMPAC
BEFRIENDERS
$7,500GROWING CONNECTIONS INITIATIVE IN BIG SKY AREA
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
$7,000LEE POOLE SCHOLARSHIP
BOZEMAN SYMPHONY
$5,000SYMPHONY IN THE SCHOOLS: BIG SKY
ROOTS FAMILY COLLABORATIVE
$5,000BLOSSOM MOM BIG SKY
JACK CREEK PRESERVE FOUNDATION
$4,777YOUTH CONSERVATION EDUCATION
FRIENDS OF MONTANA SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS
$4,500BIG SKY EDUCATIONAL RESIDENCIES / BIG SKY PERFORMANCE
LONE PEAK FILM INSTITUTE
$4,000THE BIG SKY FILM FESTIVAL
OPERA MONTANA
$2,500WHEELS OF HARMONY
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
$1,000PROJECTO SALUD - MEDICAL BUS SPONSORSHIP
WELLNESS IN ACTION
$110,000AFFORDABLE COUNSELING PROGRAM
BSCO RECREATIONAL AND CAMP BIG SKY PROGRAMMING AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
MORNINGSTAR LEARNING CENTER
$68,000SUSTAINABLE CHILDCARE OPERATIONS
US-191/MT-64 ASSESSMENT: ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
ALPENSCAPES EDUCATION & OUTREACH, WATER CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION PROGRAM
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
$30,000BIG SKY SCHOOL-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AND MENTORSHIP FOR BIG SKY YOUTH
BIG SKY ROTARY FOUNDATION
$30,000BIG SKY BANDAGE
KIDSLINK OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM - BIG SKY AND BIG SKY SUMMER PRE-K CAMP
BIENVENIDOS A GALLATIN VALLEY (BIENVENIDOS)
$25,000EL CENTRO, GROWING CONNECTIONS, AND BUILDING COMMUNITY
BIG SKY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION
$25,000BIG SKY PTO COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE
LOCAL FOODS AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT FOR BIG SKY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LEE POOLE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL
$20,000LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM