Park County Community Foundation Grants Over $440,000 to Local Nonprofits
Farm to School Volunteer Day, May 2026. Photo: Jeff Miesbauer.
The Park County Community Foundation (PCCF) has announced its 2026 We Will grant recipients, granting over $440,000 to 31 local nonprofit organizations that are working to solve the greatest challenges facing Park County.
During the 2026 grant cycle, PCCF received $3.2M in requests from 59 letters of interest (LOIs). Of those 59 LOIs, 42 organizations were invited to submit a full grant application, and 31 organizations were granted a total of $442,223 in funding. These 31 We Will grant recipients were selected based on their projects creating rapid and lasting impacts in the five We Will community priority areas (see full list below).
“Our We Will grants directly address the immediate needs of Park County, as guided by hard data and community voices from our We Will surveys," said Gavin Clark, Park County Community Foundation executive director. "These grants support solutions that deliver real impact, and we are motivated to continue to grow our grant funding with the goal of granting one million dollars to Park County nonprofits in 2030.”
According to the most recent resident survey, two of Park County residents’ biggest concerns are availability of housing, and the health and safety of children and families; therefore, a majority of the 2026 funding was granted to the Housing and Affordability, and Health, Safety, and Education community priority areas.
Chart showing growth in the Park County Community Foundation’s grant making (the spike is the Yellowstone Flood of 2022)
“The community foundation’s ability to achieve its mission of supporting the good work of local nonprofits hinges upon our partnership with generous donors. An amazing group of individuals, businesses, and foundations have made the We Will program and its grants possible. We thank them for the care and foresight that they have contributed to this initiative.” said Tricia Erikson, PCCF philanthropy director.
The 2025-2026 We Will program’s research, report, and grant funding was made possible by generous partners, including:
AMB West Community Fund, American Bank, BNSF Railway Company, the Circle 49 Fund, Dan Bailey’s Outdoors, The Dovana Foundation, Estate of Deborah Erdman, Federal Home Loan Bank Impact Fund, Livingston HealthCare, Montana Property Brokers, The Sokol Family Foundation, Southwest Montana Realtors Foundation, Willow Creek Ranch & Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, and Yellowstone Valley Lodge.
"It's exciting to see how local nonprofits are making headway in each of the We Will categories." said Keva Ward, PCCF program manager. "As we listen to the needs of Park County residents, nonprofits continue to focus their efforts and make an impact in areas that are most important to our community."
This year’s full list of grant recipients in the five We Will Community Priority Areas are as follows:
Economic Performance - $71,750
Park Local Development Corporation – support for economic and community development with financing for small businesses across the county
Community School Collaborative – support for Park County Career Exploration Initiatives 2025-26, providing youth with career days and work-based learning experiences
Lincoln School Foundation – support for the Lincoln School Climate Control & Historic Rehabilitation Project
Project49 – support for building community resilience and opportunity in Park County with hands-on learning and new ways to explore skills, create, and belonging
Health, Safety & Education - $112,723
ASPEN - support for the TREE Program to build Trust, Respect, Empathy and Empowerment with free resources for school-aged kids to build healthy and safe relationships
The Shane Lalani Center for the Arts – support for its Arts Education Program to provide an opportunity for self-discovery for individuals of any age
CASA of Park and Sweet Grass Counties – support for providing volunteer advocates to represent the best interests of child abuse or neglect victims
Trust for Public Land - support the Emigrant Segment of the Yellowstone Heritage Trail, allowing a safe pathway for residents to walk or bike to nearby businesses and neighborhoods
Community Health Partners - support for the Park County Early Childhood Coalition to start every Park County child on a pathway of positive possibilities
Rural Resilience – support for Therapists Within Reach to improve access to quality behavior and mental health services across Park County
4 Ranges Community Recreation Foundation – support for the 4 Ranges Capital Campaign to complete the wellness center and provide an array of health and wellness resources to Park County residents
Code Girls United – support for the Livingston Tech & AI Program to provide free after school computer science and career readiness programs for girls
LiveWell49 – support for the LiveWell49 Coalition’s goal of embracing a culture of health and belonging in Park County
Housing & Affordability - $95,500
Human Resource Development Council, District IX, Inc. – support for critical infrastructure at the Travertine Community Homes affordable housing project in Gardiner
Farm to School of Park County – support for the Youth Farm and Summer Meals 2026 programs to provide meals for kids and employment and training opportunities for high schoolers
LINKS for Learning – support for LINKS summer day camp that includes field trips, STEAM projects, outdoor adventures, as well as environmental and Indigenous education
Livingston Meals on Wheels – funds to help repair the parking lot and provide improvements to the new location
Landscapes & Natural Amenities - $68,750
Montana Freshwater Partners – support for the Give Back to the Yellowstone Program, working to preserve, restore, and enhance the Yellowstone River
The Common Ground Project, Inc. – support to encourage residents to experience the power of wild landscapes to foster learning, promote community, and encourage healing
Gallatin Valley Land Trust – support for the Northern Yellowstone Open Lands Initiative, preserving the county’s unparalleled natural landscapes and working lands
Invasive Species Action Network – support for Invasive Species Prevention Outreach and Education in Park County
Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group – support for the Upper Yellowstone Watershed Community-Led Drought Planning program
Wilsall School – support for the Ripple Effect Aquatic Learning, teaching kids about the Shields Valley and the Greater Yellowstone watershed
Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute – support for the research project “On Common Ground: 650 Generations of Environmental Interaction in the Landscapes of Park County”
Small Town & Rural Lifestyle - $93,500
Elk River Arts & Lectures – support for the 2026 Autumn Elk River Lecture Series celebrating and cultivating Park County’s unique, world-class literary legacy
Yellowstone Gateway Museum Foundation – support for the museum’s 2026-2027 Speakers Workshop Series: “Stories of Humans, Animals and Land in Park County”
Friends of Park County – support for the organization’s mission to find common ground to support our rural lifestyle
Park County Senior Center – Support for The Hub at PCSC to help people stay connected, active, nourished, and supported
Greater Gardiner Community Council – support to renovate and revitalize the Gardiner Community Center
Park County Environmental Council – support for Community Resilience Initiatives that help ensure the people and environment of Park County thrive into the future
Park County Ag Fair Alumni – support for cultivating new agricultural leaders by celebrating the community, children, and the future of agriculture through 4-H and FFA
PCCF’s annual We Will grant cycle is guided by community input from its county-wide We Will survey that empowers residents to identify the most pressing issues facing Park County. On an annual basis, the foundation combines that public opinion with hard data to illuminate the county’s greatest needs and opportunities. PCCF’s annual grant program then prioritizes its decisions based on the grant applications and We Will report findings. PCCF’s five We Will Community Priority Areas were established in response to the needs expressed in community surveys.
The five priority areas include Landscapes and Natural Amenities; Small Town and Rural Lifestyle; Economic Performance; Housing and Affordability; and Health, Safety, and Education.