Opportunity Overview
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Reclamation and Development Grants Program (RDGP) is accepting Planning Grant applications for projects that plan and prepare eligible reclamation or crucial-state-need work. The program supports planning tied to mineral-development impacts, hazardous-waste and oil-and-gas sites, drought mitigation, high-hazard dams, channel migration zone mapping, and other qualifying natural-resource needs.
Deadline
Applications are due September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The controlling DNRC public materials reviewed by Atlas do not state a deadline time zone, so Atlas does not infer one.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include Montana cities, towns, counties, local political subdivisions such as conservation districts, irrigation districts, school districts, water/sewer/solid-waste districts, state agencies and other qualifying state entities, and Tribal governments in Montana. Federal agencies, private corporations, nonprofits, and individuals are not direct eligible applicants. Ineligible entities may not receive funds through an eligible applicant merely as a pass-through.
Funding and Project Types
Funding limits depend on project type. Reclamation planning, drought mitigation planning, high-hazard dam planning, and channel migration zone mapping may receive up to $75,000. Other Crucial State Need planning is capped at $50,000. Grant writing for a later RDGP Project Grant may be included up to $6,000 when otherwise eligible.
Match and Cost Rules
No match is required. DNRC awards scoring points for committed match, including eligible in-kind contributions. Matching funds used for scoring must be secured before grant agreement execution and before all project costs are funded. Allowable direct costs can include contracted services, project staff time, materials, supplies, and reasonable project-specific administration. Indirect costs, routine operations and maintenance, general overhead, and costs outside the approved scope or grant term are not reimbursable. Procurement must follow applicable Montana or local requirements.
Required Application Materials
Applications must be submitted through DNRC’s online grants system and are not accepted by email or mail. Required items include the completed online application, project location map, Project Budget Tables 1 and 2 uploaded as PDFs, funding commitment letters, and a signed authorizing statement. Additional project documentation may include letters of support, permits or permit applications, and partner-agency support when applicable.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 60/100. This is a current Montana-administered planning grant with broad governmental and Tribal eligibility, including school districts, but the qualifying work is narrowly tied to natural-resource, reclamation, drought, dam-safety, contamination, and similar planning needs. Applicant fit must therefore be project-specific.
N9+ Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. Dr. Miltie direct-applicant fit: 0/100. Direct-vendor fit: 0/100. The current program does not establish a credible N9+, telehealth, remote-exam, or healthcare-service pathway. Dr. Miltie should not be positioned as a vendor absent an independently verified environmental-planning scope and qualification that does not currently exist.
Next Action
Identify only Montana governmental, Tribal, or school-district applicants with an actual qualifying reclamation, drought, hazardous-waste, high-hazard-dam, channel-migration, or other crucial-state-need planning project. Before any applicant-specific package or outreach, verify the exact project category, current application forms, any amendments, applicant authority, procurement requirements, and project-specific supporting documents.
Verified Sources
Montana DNRC RDGP Planning Grants program page and current RDGP Planning Grant Program Overview and Application Guidance.