Open for online Letters of Interest as of October 25, 2026; LOI due November 13, 2026, 5 p.m. MST; invitation-only full application afterward.
Montana — Whitefish Community Foundation 2026 Kids Fund Youth Homelessness Prevention Grants (Up to $50,000 per Year)
Whitefish Community Foundation Kids Fund offers one-time grants up to $50,000 or multiyear awards up to $50,000 per year for three years to eligible Flathead County nonprofit/public organizations preventing youth homelessness. Online LOI deadline November 13, 2026, 5 p.m. MST.
FundingOne-time award up to $50,000 per applicant OR up to $50,000 per year for a maximum of three consecutive years (potential maximum up to $150,000 over three years, if approved; not a one-year award). No overall program funding pool reported. No universal cash match/reimbursement requirement stated in controlling 2026 guidelines.
DeadlineOnline Letter of Interest due November 13, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. MST (funder's controlling 2026 two-page guidelines). Invited full applications due four weeks after LOI approval.
Last verified2026-10-25
Required next actionConfirm qualifying IRS 501(c)(3) public-charity 509(a)(1) or (a)(2) designation or publicly owned tax-exempt status, Flathead County office/program and community board qualifications, and no fiscal sponsorship. Submit the online LOI through Whitefish Community Foundation grant portal by November 13, 2026 at 5 p.m. MST. If invited, within four weeks supply IRS determination letter, recent budget-vs-actual statement, two-year comparative balance sheet, detailed program budget, and board approval minutes.
Broad Eligibility
IRS 501(c)(3) 509(a)(1)/(a)(2) public charities or publicly owned tax-exempt entities based or providing established programming in Flathead County, Montana, serving youth at risk of homelessness; local governance representation required. 509(a)(3)/group exemption entities must clarify eligibility. Fiscal sponsorships, out-of-county groups, conduit organizations and individuals excluded.
Atlas Analysis
Reviewed Whitefish Community Foundation's current Kids Fund applicant page and controlling two-page 2026 Program Description PDF, both pages, on October 25, 2026. Verified 2026 LOI deadline with MST hour, distinct one-time and multiyear applicant awards, local organization eligibility/governance, categorical fiscal-sponsorship prohibition, permissible youth homelessness prevention services, excluded expenses and activities, documents, two-stage application, and four-week invited full-application window. No universal match or reimbursement in published guidelines. Legitimate applicant financial assistance, not procurement.
Whitefish Community Foundation — 2026 Kids Fund
Whitefish Community Foundation offers applicant-facing financial assistance for Flathead County, Montana programs serving youth at risk of homelessness through housing stability, mental wellness, health and safety, education, family support and food access.
Applicant award limits
Organizations may request up to $50,000 as a one-time grant or up to $50,000 per year for as many as three consecutive years, depending on program scale and needs. A potential three-year amount is conditional; it is not a guaranteed one-year award or statewide program allocation. The funder does not specify a universal cash matching requirement or reimbursement condition in the current two-page guidelines.
Eligibility and geography
Applicants must be based in Flathead County or maintain a Flathead County location with well-established local youth programs. Eligible entities are IRS-designated 501(c)(3) public charities under Section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2), or publicly owned tax-exempt corporations. Certain supporting organizations and group-exemption applicants must contact the foundation to confirm eligibility. Regional and national organizations need a qualifying Flathead County board or local advisory board. The foundation requires local representation and good standing with reporting on prior awards. Organizations operating under fiscal sponsorship are not eligible.
Eligible activities and restrictions
Projects may prevent youth homelessness by stabilizing families in crisis, improving access to food and housing, expanding mental health services, supporting youth leaving foster care, or sustaining education and school engagement. The fund excludes individuals, programs promoting religious doctrine, out-of-county organizations, deficit/debt retirement, political activity, conduit organizations and fundraising-event sponsorships.
Application stages and required documentation
Initial online Letter of Interest deadline: November 13, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. MST. Submit the LOI through the foundation’s grant management portal. The funder expects to inform applicants within seven business days whether they may continue; invited applicants receive four weeks to complete a full application. The full application requires the IRS determination letter, most recent fiscal-year budget-versus-actual profit and loss, a two-year comparative balance sheet, a detailed proposed-project budget, and board meeting minutes showing the project and application received board approval.
Official grant page: https://whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/nonprofits/featured-grant-programs/kids-fund
Controlling 2026 two-page guidelines: https://emb.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/whitefish/documents/Program-Description-Kids-Fund-2026.pdf
Research verified: October 25, 2026.
Source verificationReferenced source · whitefishcommunityfoundation.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-10-25. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
