The 2025 Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund is administered through the Montana Community Foundation (MCF), which serves as a grantmaking partner of the Otto Bremer Trust (OBT). For 2025, MCF will distribute a total of $1.5 million in grant funds to eligible nonprofit organizations located in Montana. This funding opportunity is focused on addressing key community needs and supporting organizations that demonstrate strong alignment with the fund’s priorities and a commitment to underserved communities.

The funding priorities for the 2025 grant cycle include advancing literacy through reading, writing, and language skill development (excluding health or digital literacy); supporting adoption and foster care services; improving access to children's health services; assisting children with physical or cognitive disabilities; expanding access to mental health services—particularly for children aged 5 to 15; and capital projects for hospitals and clinics, including facility maintenance, construction, and medical equipment purchases.

To be eligible, applicant organizations must operate in Montana and have a current IRS 501(c)(3) determination. Additionally, organizations must have at least five years of operational history and an annual expense budget of $2 million or more from their most recent fiscal year. Government entities, including public schools and government-owned healthcare systems, are not eligible. Organizations currently holding an open strategic grant directly from the Otto Bremer Trust are also ineligible, although those with previous Community Responsive Fund grants through MCF in 2024 are still eligible.

Applicants may request up to $75,000 in support for operational, programmatic, or capital project expenses. The funding awarded cannot exceed 10% of the organization’s public philanthropic financial support from the prior year. This support includes private fundraising efforts and excludes government funding, earned income, investment gains, and in-kind contributions. Additionally, requests for operating support may only allocate up to 10% of funds for administrative or indirect costs, as defined by IRS Form 990.

The application portal opens on April 1, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is May 15, 2025. All applications must be submitted online via the Montana Community Foundation Grant Portal. Reviews will be conducted by external grantmaking advisory committees composed of field experts. Funding decisions will be communicated to applicants in August, with funds distributed in early September. A final report on project outcomes is required within one year of receiving funds.

Applications will be evaluated based on multiple criteria, including service to underserved communities (such as rural or tribal populations), alignment with priority areas, measurable impact and outcomes, feasibility and sustainability of the proposed work, and demonstrated community collaboration. For further questions, applicants can contact Elisa Fiaschetti, MCF Impact Program Director, at elisa@mtcf.org or 406-441-4953.