The 2026 SLCF Community Grants application process is closed. Check back in November for details about 2027 SLCF Community Grants!
SLCF awards grants of up to $3,000 for projects that benefit the area of Seeley Lake, MT.
Click here for an example application form. (2027 Community Grants application will be posted in November)
Application deadline will be January 15, 2027. Submit your application to diana@slcfmt.org. Grants are usually announced mid February to early March.
If you have any questions about the process, call or email Diana Pelletier, Events and Programs Manager, at (406) 677-3506 or diana@slcfmt.org.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Funded projects
Check out our Grantmaking Impact page to see some photos and highlights of what the SLCF Community Grant program has helped make happen over the years.
2026 Community Grants Recipients
Sixteen groups awarded $43,544 in SLCF Community Grants.
A record-breaking sixteen grant requests were funded, for a record-breaking total of $43,544 awarded for 2026 projects benefiting Seeley Lake.
We were able to grant 50% more than last year in 2025!
Over $465,000 has been awarded through the SLCF Community Grant program since 2003, helping 45 groups accomplish projects benefiting Seeley Lake
Sela Senci
Community Book Project at Senior Center
The Seeley Swan Community Book Project is a fundraiser by the Seeley Lake Senior Center to publish a 200–250 page, full-color anthology of nonfiction stories, historical accounts, and photographs. The working title is Folks, Forest, and Water: Our Treasures of the Seeley Swan. The book will be organized into sections on community stories, forest and mountain experiences, and lake and river adventures. Grant funds will be used to cover some of the printing costs.
Pictured: Claire Muller, SLCF Executive Director and Michelle Wretling, Community Book Project Coordinator.
Clearwater Valley Bear Smart
Being Bear Aware
Clearwater Valley Bear Smart, a Blackfoot Challenge program, is a community initiative to address high bear activity and potential conflicts in the Seeley Lake area. The effort was driven by concerns for public safety and a desire to prevent tragic human–bear interactions. Grant funds will be used to continue the important work of being Bear Aware!
Clearwater Resource Center
Seeley Lake Septic Maintenance Cost Share and Community Engagement Program
Clearwater Resource Council will use grant funds to pilot the new Seeley Lake Septic Maintenance Cost Share and Community Engagement Program. Funds will provide reimbursement to encourage septic pumping and educate residents on proper system care.
Pictured: Jim Strauss, SLCF Board President; Jon Haufler, Clearwater Resource Council; Diana Pelletier, SLCF Staff
Missoula Writing Collaborative
Creative Writing Residencies in schools
Missoula Writing Collaborative has been serving Seeley Lake schools with creative writing residencies for more than ten years. The grant funds will add residencies in six Seeley Lake classrooms. A professional writer spends one hour per week for 12 weeks in each class, teaching students to write clearly, effectively, and bravely about their lives and with their imaginations. Residencies end with students reading their work, often in front of families and community members, and with a published anthology of student writing for each student and school.
Pictured: Kiara Downey, Missoula Writing Collaborative; Chantel Lynch, SLCF Staff
Blackfoot Clearwater Neighborhood Watch
Public Safety, Animal Control Solutions, Annual Cleanups
Blackfoot Clearwater Neighborhood Watch (BCNW) will use grant funds to continue initiatives like community cleanups, a dog kennel loan program, expand public safety, and crisis support for local emergency responders.
Pictured: Jim Strauss, SLCF Board President; Nikki Harnisch and Charmin Bernstrauch, Blackfoot Neighborhood Watch; Jenna Boltz, SLCF Board Member.
Seeley Lake Elementary
Continued Summer Camp Programming at Seeley Lake Elementary
Seeley Lake Elementary will use funds to maintain and expand its 2026 Summer Camps by adding an additional week for kindergarten through second grade students which included tumbling, sports, and outdoor adventure camps which emphasize water safety while kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming. These programs help students build confidence and new skills. In addition, grant funds will support continuing free outdoor adventure experiences for grades three through eight. These programs challenge students to practice goal setting and build community while fostering resilience, confidence, and meaningful personal growth through outdoor and experiential learning.
Pictured: Andi Bourne and Tami Horn, SLE Summer Adventure Camp; Christina Hartmann, SLE Superintendent; Jim Strauss, SLCF Board President
Seeley Lake ROCKS!
Weed Control for Trails, New Skates/Hockey Sticks, Disc Golf Improvements
Seeley Lake ROCKS will use grant funds to support weed mitigation and maintenance on Placid Lake trails, purchasing upgraded skates and hockey sticks for community use and tee improvements and signage for the disc golf area at Seeley Swan High School.
Pictured: Christina Hartmann, SL ROCKS Board Member; Jim Strauss, SLCF Board President; Trace Stone, SL ROCKS Board Member; Garry Swain, SL ROCKS President
Animal Wonders
Wildlife Educator in schools
Animal Wonders will send a wildlife educator to a classroom at Seeley Lake Elementary for 5 visits. Each visit covers a different lesson with a variety of new animal ambassadors for each lesson. Lessons cover Montana State Life Science Standards, including: Classification, Life Cycles, Adaptations & Habitat, Energy Use, and Environmental Change & Survival. Grant funding will support the five visits, which is a unique experience that can’t be found in most rural communities.
Pictured: Jessi Knudsen Castaneda, Animal Wonders Executive Director and Claire Muller, SLCF Executive Director
Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club
Beginner ski terrain and teaching area at Seeley Creek Trails
Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club’s awarded grant funds will assist with the completion of the beginner ski terrain and teaching area. Additional parking at the trailhead will be developed along with signage.
Pictured: Laurie Shammel, Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club board treasurer and Jan Lombardi, SLCF Board Member
Sparrow’s Vine
Story and Play time for young families
At Sparrow’s Vine Parenting and Pregnancy Resource Center grant funds will help support Story Time and Play Time programs. These programs provide socialization, connection and shared resources to area families. It gives Seeley Lake parents a place to bring their children and provide opportunities to interact with others.
Pictured: Heidi Miller, Sparrow’s Vine employee and her son Baker; Pat Donich, Sparrow’s Vine Board Member
Alpine Artisans
2 Valleys Stage: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks & Solomon Jaye’s Tap Into Soul/Residency program
Grant funds given to Alpine Artisans will support 2 Valleys Stage and will bring two professional performing groups to our community: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (community performance in August) and Solomon Jaye’s Tap Into Soul (a performance in October) followed by a three-day music workshop for 4 local schools: SLE, SSHS, Swan Valley, Potomac.
Pictured: Jim Strauss, SLCF board president and Jenny Rohrer, Alpine Artisans staff member
Seeley Swan Community Food Bank
Food for those in need
The Seeley Swan Community Food Bank strives to alleviate hunger in the greater Seeley, Swan and Ovando communities through the distribution of free food and toiletries to those in need. On a monthly average they provide for 93 people/39 households with meats, can goods, dairy, breads, eggs, fresh fruits, vegetables and more. Grant funds will be used to continue this much-needed service.
Pictured: Sally Johnson, Seeley Swan Community Food Bank Coordinator
Larch Outdoor Education
SLE 6th and 7th graders participate in environmental outdoor education program
Larch Outdoor Education will use grant funds to host SLE’s 6th and 7th graders on an overnight environmental education program at Camp Paxson. The program will blend western science with traditional ecological knowledge by including hands-on learning experiences in topics like beaver ecology and entomology while fostering collaboration, leadership, and reflection. These grant funds will help ensure Seeley Lake students can participate in spring 2026 and stay connected to the program and their community.
Pictured: Seeley Lake Elementary 6th & 7th graders; Julee Samuli, SLE teacher; Calida Davis, Larch Outdoor Education Director
Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake
Veterans Memorial illuminated
The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake plan to use grant funds to repair and bring into compliance the electrical system at the memorial including additional lighting service to the recently installed military branch flag poles.
Pictured: Jodi Stierwalt and Barbara Knopp, Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake; Jim Strauss, SLCF Board President
Seeley Swan Search and Rescue
Making the Seeley Swan Valley Safer In The Backcountry
The trail systems and backcountry in the Seeley-Swan area are used year-round by both locals and tourists, and recreation in these areas sometimes results in people becoming lost or injured. Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) supports many outdoor events and is responsible for search and rescue operations in the Potomac, Seeley Lake, and Condon areas of Missoula County. The grant funds will be used to purchase a Starlink Mini which will better equip volunteer rescuers during these missions since cellular service in and around Seeley Lake is very limited, and the current radio system is ineffective in remote areas.
Ken Brochu, Seeley Swan volunteer chief; Jim Strauss, SLCF Board President
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation helps local groups fund important community projects. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Seeley Lake, MT.
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation board of directors awards annual grants with the aim of supporting projects with broad community benefits. The SLCF Community Grant Program funds local projects in the areas of: art & culture, community & economic development, basic human needs, education, and natural resources & conservation.
The SLCF awards grants of up to $3,000 for projects to benefit the area of Seeley Lake, MT. Applications are due January 15th each year, and grant awards are usually announced by end of February.
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is a locally driven and locally supported 501c3 nonprofit that invests in the health and prosperity of the Seeley Lake community.
Sign up to be on our e-newsletter list for alerts on the SLCF Community Grants program.
A big thank you to the many people who love Seeley Lake, whose generosity makes support for these projects possible!
Want to see some highlights of what the SLCF Community Grant program has helped make happen over our first 20 years? Explore our Grantmaking Impact page. Scroll down for photos and stories from the last several years.
Eligibility and Guidelines for the SLCF Community Grant Program
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant organization must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or an exempt governmental unit, hospital, educational institution, etc.
If applicant organization is not tax-exempt, it must be sponsored, in writing, by a tax-exempt organization.
Applicant organization must be located in and/or provide services that directly benefit the community of Seeley Lake, Montana.
General Guidelines
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation will consider requests for special projects, ongoing programs, and one-time capital projects.
The SLCF will not consider the following types of requests: to benefit specific individuals; grants to endowment funds; loans, debt retirement; contributions to organizations whose policy or practice discriminates against race, ethnic origin, gender, religion, or sexual orientation when employing staff or providing services; contributions to sectarian or religious organizations whose principal activity is for the benefit of their own members or adherents.
We see proposals from very small all-volunteer nonprofits to larger organizations with professional staff, all serving a broad cross-section of the community. Our board looks at each proposal holistically, but also within the context of the biggest needs of our community, and what other proposals we have received that year, and the biggest impact we can make with our limited grant-making budget.
What generally has a better chance of being funded:
Proposals with broad community impact, or that touch more than one of our 5 focus areas
Projects that will use these grant dollars to leverage other sources of funding
Community partnerships
We encourage applicants to reach out to SLCF Events and Programs Manager, Diana Pelletier (diana@slcfmt.org), to discuss their project idea before going through all the work of creating a grant application!
Applications will be reviewed by the SLCF Board of Directors. The final consideration rests with the Seeley Lake Community Foundation in determining whether a grant proposal meets the scope and provisions as outlined in the grant application guidelines and process. Unsuccessful grant applicants are encouraged to apply again during future grant cycles and to seek input on how to better enhance future proposals.
Funding is ultimately contingent upon availability of funds within the Foundation’s annual budget; grant proposals may be partially or totally funded.
Projects receiving funding will need to submit a simple grant report, and 1-2 photos, by Jan 15 of the following year. Here is a typical grant report form.
2025 Community Grants Recipients
Eleven groups awarded $29,000 in SLCF Community Grants.
Eleven grant requests were fully funded, for a total of $29,000 awarded for 2025 projects benefiting Seeley Lake.
Over $400,000 has been awarded through the SLCF Community Grant program since 2003, helping 42 groups accomplish projects benefitting Seeley Lake
Sela Senci - Think Young
$3000 went towards getting mini-split units for the Senior Center building, so comfort was felt all around. This provided not only much-needed relief from the heat through air conditioning but also replaced the failing heating system, saving money on repairs. This was a necessity for helping to keep the building running and comfortable for the seniors!
Pictured: Sela Senci President, Jon Kimble and Diana Pelletier, SLCF Events and Programs Manager
Mini-split units for heating and cooling provide relief for seniors.
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Seeley Swan Community Food Bank
$3000 to purchase from local and Missoula vendors to help alleviate hunger in the greater Seeley, Swan and Ovando communities. The Seeley Swan Community Food Bank was able to feed an average of 93 clients every month. They were also able to give vouchers for fresh vegetables, milk, butter, cheese and eggs for each family. Twenty-seven pounds of food were distributed per person. Over 30,900 pounds of food were distributed in 2025.
Pictured: Seeley Swan Community Food Bank volunteer Barbara Knopp and Diana Pelletier, SLCF Events and Program Manager.
Stocking shelves at Seeley Swan Community Food Bank
Seeley Lake Historical Society
$3,000 for 4th of July celebration. The 2025 Seeley Lake Fourth of July celebration was one of the largest and most successful to date! With support from the SLCF Community Grant, two bands were featured—one before the parade at the Foundation Building and another on Lindey’s lawn leading up to the fireworks. This helped keep visitors in town longer, encouraging shopping at local businesses and enhancing the overall “Seeley Lake Experience.” The evening band, Code Red, was funded by the grant and brought in from Portland with local ties. The crowd responded enthusiastically and enjoyed the festivities. Several long-time residents commented that it was the best Fourth of July celebration in many years!
Pictured: Seeley Lake Historical Society secretary/treasurer Tom Browder and Claire Muller, SLCF Executive Director
4th of July crowd enjoying free music on the lawn at Lindey’s
Missoula Writing Collaborative
$3000 for creative writing and poetry residencies to six classes at Seeley Lake schools, serving students from grades 2 through high school. The writer in residence spent twelve weeks with each class, guiding students to read, write, and explore poetry as a form of self-expression. During a visit to a fifth-grade class, students thoughtfully discussed Heather Cahoon’s poem “The Hawk Who Wears the Owl’s Face” after engaging with it through reading, listening, and group discussion. The experience helped students understand new vocabulary and themes like mistaken identity, then encouraged them to write poems based on similar personal experiences. This program served more than 90 students, building their confidence, creativity, and writing skills through poetry!
Pictured: Caroline Simms, MWC Executive Director and Diana Pelletier,
SLCF Events and Program Manager
Seeley Lake ROCKS!
$3000 for Placid Lake trails maintained. Seeley Lake ROCKS aims to provide residents and visitors with safe, healthy outdoor recreation opportunities. Their primary summer focus is managing and maintaining the Placid Lake Trails system. The organization originally developed these trails from old logging roads, a project that has evolved over many years. Once opened to the public, ROCKS has continued an ongoing maintenance program to keep the trails scenic, accessible, and free of obstacles and noxious weeds. The 2025 SLCF Community Grant allowed the group to hire professional weed sprayers, while team members contributed many volunteer hours to weed whacking, cutting, clearing, and annual cleanup efforts.
Pictured: Seeley Lake ROCKS board president Garry Swain and Chantel Lynch, SLCF Operations Manager.
Seeley Lake ROCKS! volunteer trail crew at Placid Lake
Animal Wonders
$1200 to provide a resident Wildlife Educator from Animal Wonders for a five-week course for 4th grade students at Seeley Lake Elementary School. The students learned a new lesson supported by different live animal ambassadors each visit. They met a total of 25 different types of real live animals which included: Romeo the grey parrot, Jabba the African bullfrog, and Huckleberry the Beaver! The five lessons covered MT Life Science standards and brought experiences to the classroom that might be once-in-a-lifetime experiences for some of the students.
Pictured: Animal Wonders Executive Director Jessi Knudsen Castaneda and her son and Chantel Lynch, SLCF Operations Manager holding Cheerio, a chinchilla.
Animal Wonders resident and an animal ambassador
Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club
$3000 to help make the dream come true of a Seeley Creek Trails beginner ski area. SLCF’s Community Grant funds helped the continuation of Phase I of the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club’s long-prioritized beginner ski area (Area X) project at Seeley Creek Trails. Extra trail work and heavy equipment already on site allowed additional smoothing passes to remove dirt and rock, making the area usable for the 2025–2026 ski season. The new beginner terrain, perimeter loop, and connector trail have been groomed and used by early-season skiers and groups such as Grizzly Orienteering.
Pictured: Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club board treasurer Laurie Shammel and Chantel Lynch, SLCF Operations Manager
Seeley Creek Trails beginner ski terrain and teaching area.
Sparrow’s Vine
$3000 for activities for helping families shine at Sparrow’s Vine. The weekly Story Time and Play Time programs at Sparrow’s Vine Parenting and Pregnancy Resource Center set out to serve 20 families but exceeded that goal by supporting 28 families over the year. These families made a total of 335 visits, showing strong engagement and continued community need. The Story Time and Play Time programs were well attended, with 151 and 125 family visits respectively. Grant funding from SLCF allowed the purchase of new playroom toys, enhancing the space and supporting children’s confidence and comfort. Overall, the center fostered a safe, nurturing environment for children and meaningful connections among parents, strengthening the community.
Pictured: Sparrow’s Vine Executive Director Ruth Bergen and Diana Pelletier, SLCF Events and Programs Manager.
Play time at Sparrow’s Vine
Alpine Artisans
$3000 for Shakespeare in the Parks & The Drum Brothers Residency. Alpine Artisans was able to present a free Montana Shakespeare in the Parks performance of Henry V in August 2025 drawing over 250 attendees—the largest audience to date. The Drum Brothers, from Missoula, completed a three-day residency, offering concerts and hands-on workshops in local schools and for the community. Their performances combined music with educational explanations of African musical traditions and instruments. The residency culminated in highly engaging workshops where students of all ages actively participated using djembe drums, along with a well-attended adult workshop.
Pictured: Alpine Artisans board president Tom Browder, board member and Chantel Lynch, SLCF Operations Manager.
Alpine Artisans hosts free Montana Shakespeare in the Parks performance
Stage Crew at SLE
$1,000 for Seeley Lake Elementary Stage Crew. Eight Seeley Lake Elementary 6th–8th graders who served as The Stage Crew traveled to Missoula with three chaperones to help with the Missoula Children’s Theater production Cinderella. In early April, they toured the theater and worked on projects including painting props and sets. Later in the month, the group returned to Missoula and saw their set props and scenes in action as they watched the production Cinderella. The group arrived back to Seeley Lake tired but happy, having thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Pictured: Cheri and Steve Thompson, SLE Stage Crew Advisors.
SLE Stage Crew works hard to prepare the set for Missoula Children’s Theater production, Cinderella.
