Our mission is to provide support to visionary people and organizations that are leading and implementing changes that create a sustainable future for Montana.
The High Stakes Foundation backs systems-change work for Montana, with general operating support showing up repeatedly in its recent grants. In the latest grant list, $100,000 went to Empower MT for general support, and $60,000 grants went to Mountain Mamas, MAPS Media Institute, Bitter Root Land Trust, Garden City Harvest, and other Montana organizations working across community, environment, and civic life. The foundation’s mission centers on support for visionary people and organizations leading changes that create a sustainable future for Montana, and that mission is reflected in grantees working on conservation, climate change, local food systems, social justice, leadership, and economic development. Recent awards also include support for Montana-based media and public-information groups such as Montana Free Press and Tiny News Collective, alongside land trusts, watershed groups, and community development organizations. The pattern is not limited to one issue area: the foundation funds both advocacy-oriented work and practical community infrastructure, often through unrestricted or general support. Its grantmaking is local in scope, with Montana receiving the clear majority of grants.
A clear thread in the portfolio is environmental and land-focused work. The foundation gave $50,000 to National Forest Foundation for general support, $48,000 to Climate Smart Missoula for general support, and $30,000 to Park County Environmental Council for general support, alongside support for land trusts and watershed organizations. Civic engagement and public information also appear in the recent record: Montana Free Press received $30,000 in 2024 and again $30,000 in 2025, while Thunderheart Media Inc received $30,000 for general support. Local food and community resilience are another visible theme. Community Food and Agriculture Coalition received $38,000 in 2023 and $32,500 in 2024 for general support, and Garden City Harvest received $60,000 in 2025 for general support. The foundation also funds leadership and community capacity, including a $40,000 grant to Western Native Voice for general support.
Typical awards cluster in the five-figure range: p25 is $10,000, median grant size is $20,000, and p75 is $25,325. Recent grantmaking includes larger general-support awards above that band, such as $100,000 and multiple $60,000 grants, alongside repeated $30,000 grants. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF and does not make program-related investments. Recipients appear across multiple years, including organizations funded in both 2024 and 2025, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-off awards. Several active grant programs accept unsolicited applications, including Economic Development Grants, Civic Engagement Grants, Social Justice Grants, Leadership Grants, Sustainability Grants, and General Grants with an LOI process.
$1.1M
$2.5M
$2.6M
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Grantmaking is concentrated in Montana, which accounts for 89% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Missoula appears often, including grants to Empower MT, Garden City Harvest, Climate Smart Missoula, Montana World Affairs Council, and the University of Montana Foundation - EVST. Other Montana cities in the recent list include Bozeman, Hamilton, Helena, Billings, Livingston, Whitefish, Arlee, and Gallatin Gateway. Outside the state, the recent list includes recipients in California and Illinois, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Its recent grants center on Montana nonprofits working in systems change, conservation, climate change, civic engagement, social justice, leadership, economic development, local food systems, and sustainability. The active program list also includes priorities like environmental protection, rural economic development, and democracy and civic engagement.
Yes. General support is a major part of the portfolio, and the active grant programs include competitive general operating grants and LOI cycles. Recent awards include general support grants at $100,000, $60,000, $50,000, $48,000, and multiple $30,000 awards.
The typical grant-size distribution is p25 at $10,000, median at $20,000, and p75 at $25,325. The recent grant list also shows larger awards, including a $100,000 grant and several $60,000 grants.
Yes. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including Economic Development Grants, Civic Engagement Grants, Social Justice Grants, Leadership Grants, Sustainability Grants, and General Grants through LOI cycles.
Its giving is local and heavily concentrated in Montana. Montana is the top state by grant count, and 89% of grants go to recipients in Montana.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from High Stakes Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Must be a 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal sponsor. Projects should strengthen local food systems and food security in Montana.
Deadline: Feb 1–Mar 1 and Aug 1–Sep 1 each year.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula Interfaith Collaborative | Missoula, MT | $40,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Wilderness Association dba Wild Montana | Helena, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Western Landowners Alliance | Denver, CO | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Free Press | Helena, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Seeley Lake Community Foundation | Seeley Lake, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Northern Plains Resource Council | Billings, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Prickly Pear Land Trust | Helena, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Upper Seven Law | Helena, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Common Good Montana | Missoula, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| MAPS Media Institute | Hamilton, MT | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Watershed Coordination Council | Helena, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Producers Partnership Inc | Livingston, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Neighborworks Montana | Great Falls, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Budget and Policy Center | Helena, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Community Food and Agriculture Coalition | Missoula, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| The Pulp | Missoula, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Freshwater Partners | Livingston, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Code Girls United | Kalispell, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Our Childrens Trust | Eugene, OR | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Mainstreet Uptown Butte | Butte, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Continental Divide Trail Coalition | Golden, CO | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation (MIST) | Missoula, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Western Organization of Resource Councils Education | Billings, MT | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Red Lodge Area Community Foundation | Red Lodge, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Western Enviromental Law Center | Eugene, OR | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Park County Community Foundation | Livingston, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| ACLU Montana | Missoula, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Conservation Corps | Bozeman, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Winnett ACES | Winnett, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Big Hole Watershed Committee | Divide, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Two Spirit Society | Missoula, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Women in Ranching | Cohagen, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance | East Glacier Park, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Friends of Montana PBS Inc | Bozeman, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Vibrant Lives of Montana | Dillon, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Friends of Scotchman Peaks | Sandpoint, ID | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Red Ants Pants Foundation | White Sulphur Springs, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Trust Montana | Missoula, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Home Resource | Missoula, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Missoula Urban Demonstration Project | Missoula, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Yaak Valley Forest Council | Troy, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund | Helena, MT | $15,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Families for a Livable Climate | Missoula, MT | $13,500 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Glacier Queer Alliance | Kalispell, MT | $12,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Quivira Coalition | Santa Fe, NM | $10,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Great Burn Study Group dba Great Burn Conservation Alliance | Missoula, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Blackfoot Challenge | Ovando, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| The Paradise Center | Paradise, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
Seeley Lake Community Foundation
$30,000General Operations
Northern Plains Resource Council
$30,000General Operations
Common Good Montana
$30,000General Operations
MAPS Media Institute
$30,000General Operations
Montana Watershed Coordination Council
$25,000General Operations
Producers Partnership Inc
$25,000General Operations
Neighborworks Montana
$25,000General Operations
The Pulp
$25,000General Operations
Mainstreet Uptown Butte
$25,000General Operations
Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation (MIST)
$25,000General Operations
Western Organization of Resource Councils Education
$25,000General Operations
ACLU Montana
$20,000General Operations
Big Hole Watershed Committee
$20,000General Operations
Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance
$15,000General Operations
Friends of Montana PBS Inc
$15,000General Operations
Vibrant Lives of Montana
$15,000General Operations
Friends of Scotchman Peaks
$15,000General Operations
Red Ants Pants Foundation
$15,000General Operations
Trust Montana
$15,000General Operations
Home Resource
$15,000General Operations
Missoula Urban Demonstration Project
$15,000General Operations
Families for a Livable Climate
$13,500General Operations
Glacier Queer Alliance
$12,000General Operations
Great Burn Study Group dba Great Burn Conservation Alliance
$10,000General Operations
The Paradise Center
$10,000General Operations