Greater Montana Foundation: Commercial Grant

The Greater Montana Foundation offers a Commercial Grant aimed at supporting time-sensitive news and public affairs programming. Founded by E.B. Craney in 1958, the foundation prioritizes projects addressing critical issues such as jobs, healthcare, and education. Grants are available year-round for urgent matters that arise unexpectedly and must be accessible to Montana media outlets, schools, and libraries. This initiative reflects the foundation's commitment to enhancing commercial broadcasting and informing future generations.

Note: Contact our Grants Manager to discuss your project before submitting an application.
The Greater Montana Foundation (GMF) has a special commercial broadcaster grant category for time-sensitive news and/or public affairs programming on issues of importance, including multi-part reports within regular news programs.
This category is designed to encourage and assist commercial broadcasters in providing meaningful and timely coverage of emerging and developing issues. It is not a replacement for grants that should be proposed during the regular annual GMF grant consideration process in the spring of each calendar year.
These grants are offered for time sensitive issues that could not have been foreseen for proposal during the regular annual grant consideration process. Proposals in this category may be made anytime, and expeditious consideration will be given on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the GMF Board of Trustees.
The Greater Montana Foundation requires that all programs receiving funding be made available for use upon request by any Montana media outlets, schools and libraries.A major goal for GMF’s founder, Ed Craney was to improve commercial broadcasting in the state.
There is no deadline for grant applications from commercial stations if you can demonstrate that this is:
An urgent and critical issue (including the top priorities identified as most important by Montanans in the spring media survey: jobs and the economy; healthcare; and education)
Production is time-limited
“The Greater Montana Foundation benefits the people of Montana by encouraging communications, with an emphasis on electronic media, on issues, trends, and values of importance to present and future generations of Montanans.”
The Greater Montana Foundation grants priority funding to programs that adhere most closely to the principles articulated in the GMF Mission Statement.
In addition, in the spring of 2015, GMF commissioned a professional poll, “Statewide Media Habits Survey,” which indicated that the top issues for Montanans are: Jobs and the Economy; Education; and Health Care, although others were mentioned.

Eligibility

Grants provide funding for a wide range of organizations. The Greater Montana Foundation requires that all programs receiving its funding be made available for use upon request by any Montana media outlets, schools and libraries.

Ineligibility

The Greater Montana Foundation typically does not fund equipment
purchases or staff positions.