PARADISE VALLEY, MONTANA – May 23, 2019 – AMB West Philanthropies has awarded 32 grants totaling $1.1 million to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of children and families in Park and Gallatin counties.
The grants were awarded by the AMB West Community Fund (“the Fund”), which 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.
The Fund focuses on early childhood development, youth empowerment and development, community wellness and youth suicide prevention. Highlights of the 2019 grants include:
• A three-year, $283,500 grant to Community Health Partners and Park County Health Department for Babies Plus and expansion of the Connect Referral Network. Babies Plus is a collaboration that delivers home-visiting services to families
• A three-year, $250,000 grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin, Park, and Sweet Grass Counties to collaborate on the Suicide Prevention Through Mentorship Project
• A two-year, $94,000 grant to the Greater Gallatin United Way for The Resilience Project, a campaign to engage employers and families on actions they can take to improve well-being
“This community and the residents who need opportunities and access to thrive are why we are so committed to this work and giving back,” stated Tawnya Rupe, Program Director, AMB West Philanthropies. “It is a full team effort from the grant-making decisions by our associates to the community leaders executing their programs, and we are honored to play a role in making a positive impact in Montana.”
The AMB West Community Fund awarded 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.
In addition to the grants, AMB West Philanthropies manages in-kind donations of ranch services, programs and event space, including charitable activities at the Rising Sun Golf Course and AMB West Basecamp and Challenge Course.
2019 AMB West Philanthropies Grants
Early Childhood Development
• Community Health Partners and Park County Health Department: $283,500 challenge grant over three years for the Babies Plus program and expansion of the Connect Referral Network
• ELEVATE Our Shields Valley: $5,000 challenge grant for the Greater Gallatin United Way KidsLINK site to provide afterschool and preschool program
• Montana Community Foundation: $25,000 for the Funders for Montana’s Children Fund to mobilize the private sector in Montana creating a statewide network of early childhood champions to elevate early care as a critical workforce and economic issue
• Little Rangers Learning Center: $5,000 for the West Yellowstone Community and Montana State University Partnership – Teaching and Learning Through Innovative Service
Wellness
• Bozeman Art Museum: $5,000 for art enrichment programs in Park and Gallatin Counties
• Bridgercare: $24,000 challenge grant for the Early Intervention and Treatment for Mental Wellness Project
• Farm to School of Park County: $75,000 challenge grant over three years for the School Meal Improvement Plan
• Greater Gallatin United Way: $94,000 over two years for The Resilience Project
• Livingston Food Resource Center: $5,000 for the Kids Cooking Camp
• Park County Cancer Alliance: $5,000 to provide mindful yoga for community members affected by cancer
• Park County Community Foundation: $12,600 for Discover Wellness: Supporting our Hidden Heroes Program
• Sunnyside Farms: $12,000 for Soulshine Education, Empowerment, and Wellness Program
• Thrive: $10,000 for the Girls on the Run and Let Me Run programs
• Verge Theater: $19,000 for the Growing Resilient Communities – Using Improv to Promote Wellness Program
Youth Suicide Prevention
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin, Park, and Sweet Grass Counties: $250,000 over three years for the Suicide Prevention Through Mentorship Project
• MSU Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery: $25,000 challenge grant for development and evaluation of an evidence-based internet cognitive behavior therapy (iCBT) program to reduce suicidal risk factors for Montana adolescents
• RISE Up Montana: $96,000 over three years to provide crisis response and mental health support for Park County students and families
Youth Development and Empowerment
• Aspen: $10,000 for the TREE – Tolerance, Respect, Empowerment and Empathy program
• Big Sky Youth Empowerment Project: $10,000 for the Curriculum Expansion Project
• CASA of Park and Sweetgrass Counties: $5,000 for training and professional support for volunteers
• Ecology Project International: $8,000 to empower Park County Youth through experiential science education and service learning
• Greater Gallatin United Way: $10,000 for the kidsLINK Afterschool Program
• Links for Learning: $20,000 for the Scholarship Fund
• Livingston Education Foundation: $7,000 to provide DonorsChoose.com matching funds for Livingston School District classroom enrichment projects
• The Sacred Walk Initiative: $20,000 challenge grant for the School of 7 Principles Youth Program
• The Shane Lalani Center for the Arts: $10,000 for the Devised Theatre Initiative
• Yellowstone Forever: $10,000 for Expedition Yellowstone scholarships for Park and Gallatin County students
Capacity Building
• Bozeman Area Community Foundation: $45,000 over three years for its strategic growth initiative
• Future West: $10,000 for the Successful Gardiner Project
• Montana Nonprofit Association: $30,000 over three years for its Nonprofit Leadership Initiative
For full grant amounts, please visit our Investments page.
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, PGA TOUR Superstore, Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, and West Creek 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 nearly $360 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 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 $4.6 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 2019: early childhood development, youth empowerment and development, community wellness and youth suicide prevention.
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Media Contacts:
Alison Sawyer, Sr. Director of Communications, asawyer@ambfo.com
Caroline Huston, Strategic Communications Manager, caroline.huston@ambfo.com
