MFU Foundations Awards more than $30K to Community Projects

Twenty four community projects centered on agriculture have received a total of more than $33,000 in grants from the Montana Farmers Union Foundation.

“This year was harder than ever to select the grant awardees. For every grant we awarded, there were two great projects that we were not able to fund. The word is out, and I hope we can continue to grow our foundation to be able to fund more projects next year,” MFU president Walter Schweitzer said.

In total, the MFU Foundation awarded $33,349 in July across 24 projects, with more than 70 projects applying for funding. Grant recipients’ projects advance the Foundation’s mission to create new opportunities and contribute to the growth and enhancement of Montana agriculture and rural communities.

This year’s recipients will use the funding for a wide range of projects from purchasing a life-sized butcher beef model to purchasing shop tools for high school programs to Farm-to-School training programs to a community fruit orchard to a cow show training.

2024 MFU Foundation Grant recipients are:

• Power Schools, Butcher Beef Cut Model, $2,999
• Three Forks High School, raised beds for a school garden, $2,500
• Hobson Schools, implement seed-to-salad bar project, $2,500
• Land to Hand Montana, Columbia Falls Schools Farm-to-School training supplies, $2,500
• Dawson County 4-H, digital animal livestock scale, $2,500
• Youth Employment Program in Dillon, walk-behind tractor with rototiller and bed shaper attachments to use on community farm, $2,500
• Town of Richey, irrigation and raised bed project in Little Royals Park, $2,500
• Big Timber FFA, build perimeter fence adjacent to high school for animal husbandry, $2,000
• Cascade FFA, horticulture facilities upgrade, $2,000
• Fort Benton High School, purchase air compressor for use with plasma table, $1,500
• Geraldine Public Schools, greenhouse upgrades, $1,500
• Absarokee High School, purchase local fibers for use in textile arts, $1,500
• Hobson Public Schools, purchase trees for community fruit orchard, $1,000
• Belt Public Schools, purchase sanders for school shop, $800
• Kalispell Ag Education Center, purchase swather for ag education program, $750
• Sunshine Snippers 4-H Club, audio-visual tools for Community Hall upgrades, $500
• Glacier County Conservation District, Farm-to-table event, $500
• Park County 4-H Council, Cow Camp and Show Training, $500
• Kaniksu Land Trust, Thompson Falls Pedal to Plate event, $500
• Trailhead Cattle Women, Longest Table event, $500
• Pea Pods Neighborhood Community Garden, Garden Mentoring Program, $500
• Montana Grape and Wine Association, annual conference, $500
• Conservation Grains, milling education for local schools, $500
• Liberty County 4-H, Fun Fridays, $300.

Learn more about the MFU Foundation and other funding and sponsorship opportunities at www.montanafarmersunion.com.