We are now accepting applications for MNA’s inaugural Fundraising cohort! 

Applications are open through June 30, 2026.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance into the cohort by August 6, 2026. Cohort activities will begin in August, 2026 and continue through May, 2027.

Upon selection to the cohort, organizations will pay $300 to register. This will be refunded upon successful participation and completion of the cohort.

With only 20 slots for our first cohort, this will be a competitive application process. Please read below to learn more, determine your organization’s fit, and prepare your application.

To Qualify:

To qualify for this program, your organization must meet all of the following conditions: 

• Be an active MNA Member Organizations (501c3) interested in professionalizing your fundraising efforts and operationalizing best practices to increase individual donations 

• Have an annual operating budget (expenses) between $400,000 and $3,000,000 

• • Outside of this budget range? If you believe your organization would benefit from a focus on increasing individual giving, we invite you to submit an application but cannot guarantee selection. 

• Have at least one paid staff member who dedicates at least some of their time to fundraising  

• Have capacity to dedicate roughly 5 hours per month toward cohort activities, August through May, including:  

• • Virtual meetings, small group discussions, project work, and 1:1 meetings with MNA’s Fundraising Program Director 

Special audiences 

MNA will prioritize cohort applicants from the following communities: 

• Rural nonprofits: at least 4 cohort members must be organizations based and/or serving outside the ‘big 7’ cities in Montana 

• Indigenous-led and serving nonprofits: at least 2 cohort members must be indigenous-led and indigenous-serving 

• • Indigenous-led and serving organizations will also receive additional coaching & targeted support from consultants with a background in culturally relevant fundraising approaches and organizational development.  

The cohort is not for: 

• Organizations with no paid staff 

• Startups 

• Organizations exclusively funded by government grants 

• Grantmakers or funders 

Real fundraising deliverables designed by MNA and customized for your organization that directly impact the organization’s ability to fundraise, including: 

• Stewardship Plan, Articulated Case for Support, Donor Acquisition Plan, Development Calendar, Direct Mail & Digital Solicitation Strategy, and Individual Donor Proposal Template 

• 20 hours of direct fundraising support 

• Practical donor engagement strategies and tools to deepen donor relationships 

• Primary peer relationships within the cohort and nonprofit sector that support fundraising success and fundraiser confidence 

• Confidence and the fundraising skills to back it up! 

Upon selection to the cohort, organizations will pay $300 to register. 

• This will be refunded to the organization upon completion of the programming, contingent upon 80% attendance at cohort activities and completion of post-survey. 

• Price includes facilitation of all cohort virtual and in-person meetings as well as 20 hours of direct support provided by MNA to cohort member organizations; it does not include hotel rooms or travel costs for any in-person meetings. 

The cohort schedule will include an in-person meeting in Helena in September and monthly virtual meetings taking place the first and third Thursday mornings of the month, October-May. In addition to these scheduled meetings, cohort members will also meet individually or in small groups with the cohort program director.

• Intake Conversations: virtual, scheduled individually 

• • August 17-September 16, 2026 

• Kick-off: *Required in-person attendance in Helena 

• • September 16, 1-4 pm  

• Regular Sessions: virtual 

• • Connect and Learn Sessions:
    • Thursdays, October 1, November 5, December 3, January 7, February 4, March 4, April 8, May 6
    • 9:00-10:30 am 
  • Connect and Practice Sessions:
    • Thursdays, October 15, November 19, December 17, January 21, February 18, March 18, April 22, May 20
    • 9:00 – 10:00 am