Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund is sponsored by Montana Community Foundation. Supports literacy, adoption and foster care services, children's health, mental health (ages 5-15 preference), and capital projects for hospitals and clinics across Montana.

Montana Community Foundation | Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive… Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund More pages in this section Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund The Otto Bremer Trust was founded in 1944. Since then, it has granted more than $1 billion to help further Otto Bremer’s mission in communities across the region.

Addressing challenges and opportunities within Montana in partnership with Otto Bremer Trust. Since 2024, the Montana Community Foundation has proudly partnered with the Otto Bremer Trust to support communities across Montana through responsive, impact-driven grantmaking.

As a trusted intermediary partner, MCF administers the Community Responsive Fund program in alignment with the priorities, eligibility requirements, and criteria established by the Trust’s Trustees. 2026 Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund The Community Responsive Fund works to address pressing challenges and emerging opportunities throughout Montana.

Each year, funding priorities, focus areas, and eligibility requirements are focused to reflect the Trustees’ evolving direction and to ensure investments remain responsive to community needs across the state. The following outlines the Trustees’ designated focus areas for the 2026 Community Responsive Fund grant cycle. 2026 Community Responsive Fund Funding Priorities Food.

Organizations and programs that directly operate meal sites and food pantries to meet basic daily needs. (Large, region- and state-wide food bank activities are not included.) Shelter.

Organizations and programs that provide short-term and emergency shelter beds for people who are housing insecure or facing homelessness. Low-income health care clinics. Organizations and programs that primarily provide affordable medical, dental, and mental health services to people with limited financial resources or who are uninsured/underinsured.

Disability services. Organizations and programs that support people with physical/cognitive disabilities. School-based mental health.

Organizations and programs that have established school-based mental health services. Please consult the linked PDF below for additional information including eligibility requirements for applicant organizations. 2026 Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund Grant Guidelines Important Dates and Applicant Information Applications open April 15, 2026.

Only one application is required in 2026. Applications must be submitted online through Montana Community Foundation’s Grant Portal . Applications close May 18, 2026, at 11:59 PM MDT.

Funding announcements are made in the Fall 2026. An informational webinar will be offered on April 8th from 10-11 AM MDT. You can join that webinar at this link .

Overview: For youth mental health services in rural areas with limited access to services. Organization: Big Sandy Medical Center Overview: For a CT scanner to provide critical local access for 600 frontier farmers, ranchers, and elderly residents. Organization: Billings Head Start, Inc. Overview: To expand access to sensory spaces, behavioral health support, and trauma-informed care.

Serving: Yellowstone County Organization: Bitterroot Health Overview: To add urgent care, imaging, therapy, and lab services, strengthening healthcare in this underserved rural area. Organization: Butte Native Wellness Center Overview: To launch a culturally grounded Well-Child Program to provide preventive pediatric care for Native children in rural southwest Montana.

Serving: Rural Southwest Montana Organization: Central Montana Medical Center (CMMC) Overview: To expand local orthopedic surgical services. Organization: Daniels Memorial Hospital Overview: To help build a modern health care facility in the area.

Organization: Fallon County Mental Health Council Overview: To strengthen mental health support for K–5 students in Organization: Florence Crittenton Home & Services Overview: To support early intervention for young families. Organization: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies- The Montana Coalition Overview: To expand access to essential safety equipment and education for Montana families.

Organization: Helena Indian Alliance Overview: To renovate underused space to expand behavioral health services. Serving: American Indian/Alaska Native population and the Helena community Organization: HELP Committee and Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Line Overview: To enhance mental well-being for staff and youth through trauma-informed training, wellness activities, and quiet spaces.

Organization: Intermountain Deaconess Children's Services Overview: To support the Residential Treatment Program, which provides 24/7 therapeutic care for children facing severe emotional and behavioral challenges. Organization: International Rescue Committee in Montana Overview: To expand its refugee child health initiative in Flathead, Lewis & Clark, and Missoula Counties.

Serving: Flathead, Lewis & Clark, and Missoula Counties Organization: Madison Valley Medical Center Overview: To replace outdated patient monitoring systems and upgrade the internet infrastructure. Organization: Mountain Home Montana Overview: To provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care for young mothers facing poverty and homelessness.

Organization: Native American Development Corporation Overview: To hire a benefits coordinator and outreach coordinator to help Native children access healthcare, coverage, and support services.

Serving: Native communities in Montana Organization: Northwest Association for Blind Athletes Overview: To support Camp Spark, a free residential sports camp, and Sports Outreach, which offers year-round adaptive activities like biking and hiking. Serving: Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho Organization: Pioneer Medical Center Overview: To establish a local cardiac care program to address a critical gap in rural services.

Serving: Sweetgrass County Organization: Region IV Family Outreach, Inc. Overview: To support early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. Organization: Rural Behavioral Health Institute Overview: To pilot statewide school-based Screening Linked to Care (SLTC) program for grades 3–5.

Organization: Sidney Health Center Overview: Towards a capital project to improve care access for 84,000+ residents across 11 counties in eastern Montana. Organization: St. Labre Indian School Educational Association (St.

Labre) Overview: To support the Shiloh Youth Group Home for Native American children in foster care. Serving: Southeastern Montana Organization: Watson's Children's Shelter, Inc. Overview: For emergency shelter and trauma-informed care for children facing abuse, neglect, or family crisis—many of whom enter foster care or become eligible for adoption. Organization: Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Inc .

Overview: For supervised visitation services that support the mental and emotional well-being of children in foster care. Organization: Youth Homes Overview: To support Targeted Case Management for 26 youth in four Missoula group homes, addressing severe emotional disturbances.

Organization: Arlee Community Development Corporation Overview: Support a new Food Resource Center Manager position and enhance Food Sovereignty initiatives Serving: Lake, Mineral, and Sanders Counties Organization: Billings District Council of the Society of St.

Vincent De Paul Overview: Help unhoused friends suffering housing-related emergencies with nowhere to turn Serving: Yellowstone County Organization: Central Montana Community Cupboard Overview: Sustain and increase food supply; maintain the cupboard's solvency Serving: Fergus, Judith Basin, Petroleum, and Wheatland Counties Organization: Custer County Food Bank, Inc Overview: Operation expenses to continue to serve 375 families Serving: Custer, Prairie, and Rosebud Counties Organization: Harvest Food Pantry Inc. Overview: Meet the needs of their food-insecure community members Organization: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, The Montana Coalition, Inc. Overview: Support the Essentials program Organization: Helena Indian Alliance Overview: Assistance program for tribal members served by Helena Indian Alliance Serving: Broadwater, Jefferson, and Lewis and Clark Counties Organization: Human Resource Development Council of District IX, Inc. Overview: Shelter unhoused individuals in the most dignified and human-centered manner possible Serving: Gallatin, Meagher, and Park Counties Organization: Libby Food Pantry Overview: Provides food for eligible individuals and families in need without discrimination Organization: Montana Continuum of Care Coalition Overview: Youth homelessness Organization: North Valley Food Bank Overview: Will be able to provide fresh and nutritious food to community members living in food deserts across Lincoln County year-round Organization: Ronan Bread Basket Overview: Continue to maintain a supply of healthy food for the families in their community Organization: Shelter Solutions for Central Montana Overview: Provide a sustainable, safe, seasonal warming center that meets the evolving needs of the community Organization: Anaconda PCA Family Resource Center Overview: The Anaconda Family Resource Center (AFRC) is dedicated to the health and well-being of children experiencing abuse and neglect.

Serving: Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell Counties Organization: Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation Overview: Evidence-based programs that provide opportunities for youth to receive academic and social enrichment Serving: Big Horn and Rosebud Counties Organization: Bridgercare Overview: Providing excellent, affordable reproductive and sexual healthcare and education in Montana Serving: Beaverhead, Broadwater, Carbon, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Valley, Granite, Hill, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Park, Petroleum, Powder River, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Teton, Wheatland, Wibaux, Yellowstone Organization: Butte Native Wellness Center Overview: Implement a new youth program to serve the American Indian and Alaska Native communities of Butte, Montana, and the surrounding areas Serving: Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Madison, Powell, and Silver Bow Organization: Fallon County Mental Health Council/Southeast MT Area Revitalization Team Overview: Make mental health services more accessible to all residents of Fallon County, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, Organization: Friends of the Children - Western Montana Overview: Address the community-wide mental health and wellness crisis on the Flathead Reservation Serving: Lake, Missoula, and Ravalli Counties, Organization: Indian Family Health Clinic Overview: Offers culturally rooted educational experiences and indigenized health programming, aiming to improve quality of life and longevity Serving: Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Hill, Liberty, Pondera, Teton, and Toole Counties Organization: Messengers for Health Overview: Providing transportation to health and wellness appointments for Apsáalooke tribal members in Southeast Montana Organization: Salish Kootenai College Overview: Prioritize delivering culturally competent, trauma-informed care, fostering meaningful community partnerships to mitigate mental health risks, and bolstering the wellness of the SKC student body Serving: Flathead, Lake, Missoula, and Sanders Organization: The Rural Behavioral Health Institute Overview: Screening Linked to Care (SLTC), an innovative suicide prevention program for youth grades 6-12 Organization: Evergreen Kids Corner Inc Overview: The Bitterroot Childcare Coalition seeks to address the pressing need for affordable and accessible childcare in the Bitterroot Valley Organization: Helena Area Habitat for Humanity Overview: To complete 20-25 repairs in FY2025 with the goal of increasing production to complete at least 75 home repairs every year by the year 2030 Serving: Broadwater, Jefferson, and Lewis And Clark Counties Organization: Montana Childcare Resource and Referral Network Overview: Improve high-quality childcare access by enhancing the sustainability and growth of existing and new childcare access Organization: NeighborWorks Great Falls Overview: To expand the current matched savings program to rural communities in Hill County and the Golden Triangle to help individuals and families achieve homeownership and create financial stability Serving: Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Hill, Liberty, Pondera, and Teton Counties Organization: The Peoples Partners for Community Development Overview: Assist their lending circle capacity by building assets for the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Communities Serving: Big Horn and Rosebud Counties Organization: Winnett ACES, Inc Overview: Active in implementing community asset-building projects through creating workforce housing, economic opportunities, a business incubator, and opening a daycare Serving: Fergus, Garfield, Golden, Musselshell, Petroleum, and Wheatland Restorative and Responsive Organization: ASPEN Abuse Support & Prevention Education Network Overview: Provide 50 criminal justice support services and 300 civil legal services to victims and survivors from July 2024 through June 2025.

Organization: FAST Blackfeet Overview: Improving food security, providing nutrition education, and promoting food sovereignty within the Blackfeet Nation Serving: Glacier and Pondera Counties Organization: Mountain Shadow Association Overview: Offers struggling Apsáalooke families a path to heal and repair the harms caused by generations of trauma Organization: Native American Development Corporation Overview: NADC seeks to develop a Client Assistance Fund to mitigate unforeseen, crisis and emergent financial hardships associated with basic living needs, health and wellness, and restorative and emergency responsiveness that lend to various inequities Serving: Big Horn, Carbon, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Treasure, and Yellowstone Counties Organization: SAFE Harbor Overview: For survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and child abuse, the barriers they encounter; emotionally, physically, and systemically, can leave them unable to move forward Serving: Flathead, Lake, Missoula, and Sanders Counties Organization: Violence Free Crisis Line DBA Abbie Shelter Overview: Provides services for survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence Serving: Flathead, Glacier, Lake, Lincoln, and Sanders Counties Organization: YWCA Billings Overview: Connecting victims with the most critical resources needed to aid them in their recovery Serving: Big Horn and Yellowstone Counties For additional help, questions or comments, contact Peter Baker , Program Director, Impact Programs.