In support of grazing lands.
Funding for Education & On-the-Ground Research Projects
The Montana Grazing Lands Coalition is proud to offer two types of small-scale funding opportunities to ranchers and partners in an effort to support sound grazing management principles and practices across Montana’s 40 million acres of private grazing lands.
Grant applications of $500 or less are accepted year-round and are reviewed by the MT GLC Board on a monthly basis.
Grant applications of greater than $500 are accepted biannually by or before: OCTOBER 1 and APRIL 1
Applicants are encouraged to ask for the funds needed to make your program or event successful, with the understanding that the MT GLC may choose to fund only a portion of your application.
Applicants should expect to hear back regarding their applications by the 1st the following month.
Sponsorships for conferences are considered on the same schedule through the education grant.
“We help fund projects to all work towards the same goal – keeping grazing lands, grazing lands.”
- Rick Caquelin, MTGLC Board Chairman
We provide funding for:
Education Grants
Education grants are intended to provide funding for educational workshops and other agricultural community-focused events that promote the sound stewardship of grazing lands in Montana. Grants may also be awarded for the purpose of sponsorship of partner-led events with a focus on increasing the awareness of adaptive management to steward natural resources and improve economic viability of working lands and promoting the importance of grazing lands.
These grants have one reporting period and do not require an in-depth budget analysis.
This grant opportunity requires proof of 100% matching funds.
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We fund educational workshops to support on-the-ground awareness and promotion of best practices for grazing lands. Workshops may include panels, facilitators, speakers, fieldwork and other elements focused on how to best support stewards of grazing lands and the land itself.
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Events must include education to support sound stewardship of grazing lands within Montana. Topics for education events can focus on natural resources, soil, wildlife, wildfire, whole land ecology, and others as long as the focus and intention is to support grazing lands. The Montana Ranch Boot Camp is an example of a funded event in this category.
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We work to intentionally collaborate with partners to fund small and large scale events. We serve as a facilitator of relationships to drive the creation of partner events between land managers, land practitioners, land owners and information regarding grazing lands. We may leverage an existing event that aligns with our values to support implementation or help fund a new event that is partner driven.
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“GLC supports over-the-fence outreach in Montana to spread awareness of the importance of grass lands– showing by doing.”
- Bob Lee, Past Board MemberGather neighbors and others in your area to learn from one another, low-key, in-person talking about the things you are all curious about and struggling with in the field.
Demonstration Projects
Demonstration Project grants are designed to encourage inquiry and support on-the-ground research and project implementation on grazing lands. Projects must demonstrate general rangeland improvement or an increased level of conservation-minded practices on lands that are under adaptive grazing management. Grants which consist of partnerships and collaboration amongst preferred partners such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), MSU Extension, or local offices associated with Montana Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) are given priority.
These grants require a more extensive final report due at the conclusion of the project. Prior to funding being awarded, the grantee must submit an in-depth budget breakdown of how grant funds will be used.
This grant opportunity requires proof of 100% matching funds.
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Do you want to try something that is a little out of the box on your ground or with neighbors? This funding allows for trial and error and learning. Think of it as applied inquiry. Test something out and see how it works, how it could be improved, and how it might scale beyond the test site.
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“Montana is incredibly diverse and what works in one area won’t work in another. The GLC meets people where they’re at.”
- Lon Reukauf, Past Board Member
Our ethic is to outreach to and work directly with landowners and the public to support the management and care of grazing lands and to create awareness about the importance of conservation-minded management of grazing lands on a landscape scale and locally.
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We are the resource hub for collaborative work between partners and we coordinate leaders in agriculture to help Montana grazers. Working together is at the forefront of what we do and how we do it. Together, we help producers and ranchers realize opportunities that may provide real, on-the-ground results from new grazing management techniques and innovations. Our work is deeply rooted in the soil health principles adopted by the NRCS, a long-time partner, and historic, current and evolving sound scientific research.
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Applied science co-designed between extension agents, professors, grad students, and the like. Bring structure and rigor that allows observation to be data and findings to be shared in a way that can inform larger projects and lead to a better understanding that supports the resilience of grazing lands ecologically and economically.
Apply for Funding
If you have an idea, please apply!
We suggest copying the form to a Word document, and taking time to develop your application. Please submit your answers in the form once your materials and content are finalized.
