Missoula County awards nearly $25,000 to rural projects in 2024; impact grants open until Feb. 28

Heidi West, Missoula County rural grants staff, presented a summary of 2024 awards for the Rural Grant Program and answered community questions about eligibility and upcoming deadlines.

West said the county awarded almost $25,000 across 15 projects in seven communities last year, reaching “over 5,000 people, probably more,” and explained the program has two tracks: microgrants ($100–$500) and impact grants (up to $4,000 with a $20,000 total impact grant pool). She said the county funded nine microgrants and six impact grants in 2024 and described several recipients and their projects, including Bonner Elementary (hygiene kits and staff wellness), Bitterroot Trail cleanup, Seeley Lake Market (portable toilet rental), Seeley Lake Elementary (playground climber), Clearwater Resource Council (outboard motor for water testing), Friends of Two Rivers (native plant garden with school involvement) and the Missoula Symphony’s “Symphony in the Schools.”

West described one still-active impact contract extended to align with the school year so music outreach could continue into spring and said the first round of microgrant applications closes at the end of the month but that microgrant opportunities reopen monthly until funds are committed. She said the impact grant cycle is annual and closes on February 28.

Council members asked whether a nonprofit could use a microgrant to buy remote-access cameras for a publicly accessible park area at Double Arrow Ranch. West said a project that benefits a publicly available space would be eligible provided it meets the review committee’s public-benefit scoring and is not solely for a private business’s clientele.

West invited applicants to review criteria and apply through the county website and offered to consult on project eligibility and application details.