PARADISE VALLEY, MONTANA – Dec. 19, 2019 – AMB West Philanthropies is now accepting applications to the AMB West Community Fund (“the Fund”) for 2020 grants. The Fund encourages grant proposals from nonprofits working to improve the lives of children and families in Park and Gallatin counties specific to the issues of early childhood development, youth empowerment and development, community wellness and youth suicide prevention.

The Fund is comprised of volunteer associates from Mountain Sky Guest Ranch and West Creek Ranch. Every grant application received is reviewed and provided a site visit by members of the Fund, which is administered by the family foundation of Arthur Blank, who chairs the philanthropy and owns both ranches.

Within the four priority areas, the Fund will give preference to projects and organizations that:

• Provide or enhance services in rural areas where resources and services are limited
• Serve populations in high-risk situations in Park County
• Enhance successful existing programs that serve the community to help them build toward the future and amplify their impact
• Demonstrate that they are supported by the community and/or are supported by data and incorporate data in their decision-making processes
• Elevate parent and caregiver and/or mentor engagement
• Engage and enable youth to be advocates for youth well-being and suicide prevention in the community

In 2019, the Fund awarded 34 grants totaling $1.9 million to nonprofit organizations, including 13 grants to organizations working to improve wellness or incorporate youth suicide prevention programming, both of which are new areas of focus for the Fund. The associates participating in the Fund chose to invest in this work due to the high suicide rate in Montana, generally, and Park County, in particular.

“We are committed to funding innovative, solutions-oriented programs that address the complex challenges facing residents in Montana,” said Penelope McPhee, President, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “We are proud to work alongside partners that are tackling the difficult issues and creating a stronger community, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration with new and existing partners in 2020.”

Application Requirements

The AMB West Community Fund considers secular programs and focuses on programs that function during out-of-school time. A limited number of in-school programs are considered, provided they involve teacher and administration training and family engagement. Organizations must offer programming in Park or Gallatin Counties, Montana.

For full application requirements, preferences, priorities and application instructions, please review the AMB West Community Fund Grant Guidelines. Applications are due by Monday, Feb. 3, 2020.

In addition to the grant application, all applicants must submit a video; a link to submit a video will be provided within the grant application and details are included in the Grant Guidelines.

To submit a 2020 grant application for $20,000 or less, click here. The invitation code is AMBWCFSUM.

To submit a 2020 grant application for more than $20,000, click here. The invitation code is AMBWESTCF.

About the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

Formed in 1995, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation promotes innovative solutions to transform the lives of youth and their families, seeking results that move communities beyond what seems possible today. The Foundation invests in education, parks and greenspace, youth development, community redevelopment, and the arts, and leads giving programs for each of the Blank Family of Businesses, including the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, PGA TOUR Superstore, Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, West Creek Ranch, and Paradise Valley Ranch. Mr. Blank, chairman of the Foundation, co-founded The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. Through the foundation and his family’s personal giving, Mr. Blank has granted more than $425 million to various charitable organizations.

For more information about The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, visit www.blankfoundation.org or follow on Facebook @BlankFamilyFoundation or Instagram and Twitter @BlankFoundation.

About AMB West Philanthropies and AMB West Community Fund

AMB West Philanthropies comprises the nonprofit interests of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in the Western United States, which includes West Creek Ranch, AMB West Community Fund, AMB West Conservation, AMB West Base Camp, and AMB West Challenge Course. Through grant-making, convening, advocacy and in-kind services, AMB West Philanthropies promotes positive change in peoples’ lives and builds and enhances the communities in which they live.

The AMB West Community Fund was established in 2001 and more than $6 million in grants has been distributed. After assessing the landscape of existing programs and areas of need through conversations with community stakeholders, The Fund has identified four areas of focus for 2020: early childhood development, youth empowerment and development, community wellness and youth suicide prevention.

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