PCCF and Senior Center Launch Giving Circle to Award Grants to Local Nonprofits

Barbara Green, Development Committee Chair of PCCF Board of Directors, addresses attendees at the Senior Giving Circle Ceremony on April 15, 2026.

This Wednesday, April 15th, the Hub at the Park County Senior Center (PCSC) hosted the Senior Giving Circle Award Ceremony, gathering together the seventeen participants of the Giving Circle, Board and staff members of the Park County Community Foundation (PCCF), and the four nonprofit organizations the giving circle selected to receive grants of $1000 each. The nonprofits included Livingston Meals on Wheels, The Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute, the Giving Tree of Park County, and the Park County Ag Fair Alumni. As with all grants made by PCCF, these grants are in accordance with the mission of the Community Foundation and were approved by the Board of Directors.

The Senior Giving Circle was created through a pilot partnership between the Park County Community Foundation and the Park County Senior Center. PCCF Program Manager Keva Ward briefed Senior Giving Circle participants on the five funding priority areas identified by Park County residents through PCCF’s We Will research process. After carefully considering and discussing the work of a broad range of local nonprofits, giving circle participants voted to support four local nonprofits, one from each of the four of PCCF’s Community Priority Areas, including: Housing and Affordability; Health, Safety, and Education; Landscapes and Natural Amenities; and Small Town and Rural Lifestyles.

Tim Stevens, Program Committee Chair of PCCF Board of Directors, presents $1000 grant to The Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute at the Senior Giving Circle Ceremony on April 15, 2026.

Tim Stevens, Program Committee Chair of PCCF Board of Directors, and Keva Ward, PCCF Program Manager, present a $1000 grant to Giving Tree Park County at the Senior Giving Circle Ceremony on April 15, 2026.

Tim Stevens, Program Committee Chair of PCCF Board of Directors, and Keva Ward, PCCF Program Manager, present a $1000 grant to Livingston Meals on Wheels at the Senior Giving Circle Ceremony on April 15, 2026.

Tim Stevens, Program Committee Chair of PCCF Board of Directors, presents $1000 grant to The Park County Ag Fair Alumni at the Senior Giving Circle Ceremony on April 15, 2026.

Funding for the Senior Giving Circle grants was obtained by the Park County Community Foundation through participating in Launchpad for Community Foundations—an inaugural program hosted by Philanthropy Together—that was designed to help community foundations launch their first giving circle. 

Philanthropy Director Tricia Erikson said, “We're pleased to learn from a national cohort of 18 foundations across 12 states who are working to foster a culture of generosity and expand participation in philanthropy in our communities. The Senior Giving Circle was designed to celebrate how everyone is a philanthropist, and to honor the collective insight and generosity of elders in our community.”

Jerry Cole, giving circle participant said, “What struck me the most was certainly the community feeling and even the emotions at times. The Foundation and the Senior Center came together to form such a beautiful, intricate, and enjoyable time and effort to benefit the community. And I would thank the Foundation for letting that happen.”

Rob Bankston, giving circle participant said, “I went into this fearful that you could get twenty people to agree on anything. That’s been my experience in the past. This group came together as one. I was humbled by this process. Thank you for letting us be a part of it.”

Judy Asher Clark, giving circle participant said, “My husband and I are new to the community, like six years. We didn’t grow up here. We didn’t go to high school here. The only thing I can say about this community and the fact that we were able to participate in this, is that this community is full of love.”

Tyeshia Wilson, Senior Director of Community at Philanthropy Together said, “Of the 18 organizations in our Launchpad cohort, PCCF is the only foundation launching a giving circle exclusively for seniors, and I think that is both remarkable and intentional. Seniors are among the most dedicated givers in any community. This circle is a refreshing way to honor their wisdom and generosity by giving them a powerful new way to channel it together!” 

Nonprofit grantees and Senior Giving Circle participants socializing following the awards ceremony.

The year-long cohort of community foundations in the South Central and Mountain West regions of the U.S is dedicated to growing local leadership, expanding collaborative philanthropy, and building a stronger culture of collective giving in their communities. The program runs from September 2025 through October 2026. To learn more about Philanthropy Together and the collective giving movement, visit philanthropytogether.org.

About Park County Community Foundation:

For the love of Park County, we inspire investment and leadership to cultivate resilient communities. Founded by community leaders in 2005, the Park County Community Foundation connects caring people with the most pressing community needs. We believe Park County’s challenges can be solved through mutual understanding, cooperation, and a robust culture of philanthropy. Learn more about PCCF here: https://www.pccf-montana.org/who.