Community Investment Grants are back!

Local collaboration

Community Investment Grants really are about investment. They're an investment in local nonprofits who do critical work in fields like education, homelessness, and mental health support. They're an investment in effective methods that improve lives in our community. And they're an investment in relationships that connect local donors to 

Our 2025-28 grant cycle covers three years, an increase compared to our previous cycles. United Way of Yellowstone County wants to build strong, sustainable relationships with our grantees. A longer cycle gives them the opportunity to plan for a prolonged impact with their granted programs. 

"Truly, we have to work together to lift up our community. This is a perfect example of that," said UWYC President and CEO Andrew Konkel. "Of all these wonderful partners coming together and working together."

The 2025-28 Grantees

Building Futures

  • The Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools
  • Friends of the Children - Eastern Montana

Community Resiliency

  • Allies in Aging
  • CASA of Yellowstone County
  • Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley
  • Love and SONshine Ministries
  • Veterans Navigation Network
  • YWCA Billings
  • Community input

Grant applications are reviewed by committees of community members, who then recommend grantees to our Community Impact Committee and eventually UWYC’s Board of Directors. Programs are evaluated based on the potential impact and effectiveness of their work, with a focus on funding critical services offered by organizations with a track record of success. Grants also avoid duplicated services, encouraging applicants to show how their work effeciently serves Yellowstone County

Thank you to everyone who served as a grant reviewer:

  • Jim Klanke

  • Doug & Victoria Plagemann

  • Karen Kennah

  • Nikole Bakko

  • Eric Owen

  • Holly Sessoms

  • Jo  Sevier

  • Pat Malia

  • Rita Frost

  • Shawn Hinz

  • Terri Todd

  • Janet Hardy

  • Claire Oakley

  • Kimberly Hayworth

  • Carlie Carman

  • Grace Dittrich

  • Kayla Carranco

  • Heidi Davey

  • Karen Underwood

  • Jeannie  Tracy

  • Terri Blevins

  • Tony  Parish

  • Belle Widgeon

  • Hannah Olson

Work and that works

Learn more about each organizations granted program: 

YWCA Billings: Providing Life Saving Support Services to Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Human Trafficking


YWCA Billings will provide trauma-informed, victim centered services including shelter, case management, legal advocacy, and housing assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking.


Veterans Navigation Network: Building Community Resiliency among service members, veterans, and their families in Yellowstone County.


VNN will implement proactive strategies to prevent significant crises in the lives of up to 250 veteran service members and their families in our county, annually. This crisis prevention will include outreach, assessment, case management, peer mentorship, and connection to community resources, as well as follow up for improved outcomes.


Love and SONshine Ministries: Building Resiliency Among Pregnant/Parenting Homeless Young Women


LASM will assist up to 180 individuals (including pregnant women and their dependent children) over the next three years. LASM will provide critical services, including housing assistance and connections to community resources that will help lift them out of poverty and stabilize their current situations that require immediate intervention. LASM’s focus is on women aged 16-24 who are homeless, pregnant, or parenting young children.


Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley: Wrap Around and Break the Cycle of Poverty Program


FPYV will help families with children overcome poverty by identifying barriers and creating intensive case management plans with each family unit to reach independence and sustainability. FPYV uses the power of community in its Rotational Model for hospitality and shelter for the families entering into our Emergency Shelter program and our Self Sufficiency Matrix covering: Housing, employment, income, food, childcare, adult education, healthcare coverage, mobility, clothing, community involvement, parenting skills, access to services, life skills, financial matters, legal issues, family/social relations, mental health, physical health, substance abuse, functional ability, career resilience/training, English language skills, setting goals & resourcefulness, codependency, safety and current feelings. By addressing each family individually with this model FPYV has seen over a 90% long term success rate with the families we work with obtaining long term independence.


CASA of Yellowstone County: Championing Hope for Children in Foster Care


CASA of Yellowstone County will expand services 133 new children in foster care annually by supporting the Program Manager position. This role focuses on four priority areas: children from homes of domestic violence, large sibling groups, Native American children, and older youth in foster care.


Allies in Aging (formerly Adult Resource Alliance of Yellowstone County): Aging with Grace and Support


Allies in Aging will expand its intensive Case Management Services to address housing instability among elderly populations in Yellowstone County. This expansion will provide comprehensive support to seniors at risk of homelessness, enhancing their ability to age in place with dignity and security while addressing the growing crisis of housing instability among older adults.

Friends of the Children - Eastern MT: Investing in Billings’ Youth: Violent Crime and Gang Prevention Through Relationship-Based Mentoring


Friends of the Children – Eastern MT will hire two additional staff members, allowing it to add a third cohort and increase the total number of youth served to 48, up from two cohorts that serve 16 children each. When including caregivers and family members, this expansion would reach over 300 individuals, amplifying the community impact.


Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools: Mobile Food Program


The Education Foundation's Mobile Food Program (Munch Machine) will serve more kids, providing a vital lifeline for food-insecure children and ensuring they receive the nutrition they need when school meals and other community resources are unavailable. Last year the mobile food program served 275 kids each week with a waiting list of children that the program was unable to serve. Increased funding will be used to expand the program and serve more children in the community.