Contract Title: Rural Ambassador
Reports to: Community Engagement Director
Approved by: Community Engagement Director
Date: 10/27/2025
Grant Opportunity Overview
MNA is seeking rural community leaders positioned in local capacity building organizations or community coalitions to partner in resource sharing, networking, and development for local nonprofit leaders. These rural Nonprofit Ambassadors will provide local capacity building support within their communities. This will include meeting and networking with other nonprofit and community leaders, staff, and volunteers, identifying areas of needs and growth, facilitating or hosting semi-regular events, trainings, or meetings, and working with MNA to host or develop training and resources specific to your community.
Nonprofit Ambassadors represent rural or underserved communities and focus on relationship building, resource distribution, and development of targeted opportunities. In 2026, MNA is prioritizing partnerships with applicants with existing relationships to local capacity building organizations or community coalitions. These anchor organizations will host the ambassador. Funds can be used to supplement existing positions or fund new part-time work. The developmental nature of this position does require a single point of contact within an organization.
Ambassadors serve as a liaison between rural nonprofits and MNA staff to help shape MNA’s work in a way that uplifts all nonprofits while centering rural, BIPOC-led and/or -serving, and smaller organizations. Because of the focal point of this position, it is essential that applicants live in rural or historically under-resourced communities, defined by MNA as any community outside of the six largest population centers in Montana.
This opportunity will fund an organization $3,000 for a twelve-month period (January 2026-December 2026) to meet deliverables noted below and to be finalized in the contract. Additional benefits include an All-Access Pass awarded to the anchor organization (free virtual training for the year), free virtual conference attendance for the anchor organization, free in-person attendance to the annual conference for the ambassador, travel reimbursement for in-person gatherings up to $650, and a free community training.
Ambassador Activities
- Ambassador Training
- Complete in-person orientation training to be scheduled in early 2026, location TBA
- Attend MNA’s Annual Conference in Helena, MT, September 16-18, 2026
- Information Gathering
- Interview at least twelve different local nonprofit staff, volunteer, or leaders over the course of the year, identifying unmet needs, emerging topics of interest, and key resources
- Meet with MNA staff on monthly basis
- Meet with Ambassador cohort on monthly calls
- Complete end of contract report
- Resource Development + Sharing
- Build regional/local nonprofit contact list
- Promote ongoing virtual and in-person learning events and annual conference to a contact list at least bi-monthly
- Host at least 10 hours of gatherings or trainings with local leaders, in partnership with MNA
- Assist MNA in reviewing or developing at least two training curriculums, resources, or materials targeted for rural organizations
Other activities as agreed upon to increase community engagement.
Work Approach
Below are the competencies or experiences deemed important for this contract:
- Event or project coordination experience
- Facilitation or training experience
- Strong understanding of nonprofit organizations and needs
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Enthusiasm for local community, organizations, and people
- Connection to local community organization or capacity building agency
Equal opportunity
Montana Nonprofit Association is an equal opportunity employer and we consider diversity to be vital to our organization’s success. We strongly encourage and welcome businesses owned by traditionally underserved people to apply and place a special emphasis on vendors that are traditionally underserved and/or based in Montana.
This call for proposals ends December 5, 2025. Applicants that have completed all the steps below will be considered. MNA will review candidates based on skills and experience, connection to community, and local opportunities. Successful proposals will demonstrate how the candidate AND community are positioned to benefit from capacity building support.
To submit a proposal: Complete this form
Priority application deadline is December 12, 2025. Interviews will be scheduled in the following weeks with an anticipated contract start of mid-January.