PPL Montana Community Fund Is A Great Resource For Non Profits

In 2013, Tami Christensen, President, Richland Economic Development, was appointed onto the PPL Community Fund Advisory Board. The board meets in the spring and fall to distribute $200,000 annually in grant funds to eligible applicants focusing on the areas of education, the environment, or economic development.

Christensen’s term will last until the fall of 2015, and she serves with the following people representing business and communities across Montana: DeDe Brown, Conrad, Amanda Green, Helena, Don Jones, Billings, Jim Kane, Billings, Abby St. Lawrence, Helena, Ryan Lynch, Butte, Mike McGivern, Butte, Barb Mosher, Thompson Falls, Nicole Rolf, Miles City, Ray Shaw, Sheridan, and Andrea Vernon, Missoula. The PPL representatives serving are: Darrel Bauman, Great Falls, Bobbi Bushman, Billings, Blaine Hildreth, Butte, Sheryl Mayo, Butte, Butch Morse, Billings, and Mark Stevens, Colstrip.

Since the fund was established in 2005, $1.7 million in grants has been awarded to organizations across the state that are touching the lives of thousands of people and, as a result, improving the quality of life for all Montanans.

Some examples of grants that have been awarded include: museums, roof replacements, back pack programs, a commercial kitchen, machinery and equipment, etc.

Each application cycle receives several grant applications, yet sadly, not very many from NE Montana. In an effort to get the word out, Richland Economic Development is making an effort to encourage the non profit community organizations, as well as the schools and school districts of Richland County to apply. The Community Fund will be accepting applications on-line, until midnight on July 31, 2013. Awards will be made mid October.

If you are a school or a non-profit, (501(c) 3) and if you have a great project that might fit within the categories addressed above, please contact the Richland Economic Development office. Or, if you would like more information on the PPL Community Fund, please log on to: http://www.pplmontana.com and click on “Community Fund”.