Building Stronger Fundraisers, Sustainable Strategies, and Fundraising Capacity Across Montana 

Montana’s nonprofit sector is vibrant and vital, home to thousands of mission-driven organizations that do essential work every day. From small rural towns to Tribal communities and growing cities, nonprofits serve as vital anchors of connection, resilience, and hope in every corner of Montana. Yet behind many of these missions is a challenge that feels increasingly urgent: fundraising. 

For many nonprofits, fundraising happens through sheer grit and determination, with responsibilities stretched across already overextended staff. Development plans remain unfinished. Donor engagement happens reactively instead of strategically. Important opportunities to build lasting relationships with supporters are often left unexplored simply because there isn’t enough time, training, or capacity. 

At the same time, the nonprofit sector is navigating a period of uncertainty and rapid change. In moments like this, relationship-driven fundraising becomes more than a best practice; it becomes essential. 

That’s why MNA is launching its first-ever Fundraising Cohort Program: a hands-on, collaborative experience designed to help Montana nonprofits strengthen their fundraising capacity, grow individual donor support, and build sustainable fundraising practices for the future. 

Over the course of the program, 20 nonprofit organizations from across the state will come together to learn, practice, and implement proven fundraising strategies. More than a training series, the cohort is designed to help organizations operationalize and professionalize their fundraising efforts in real ways that create new and lasting fundraising revenue. Participants will deepen their understanding of fundraising fundamentals, discover new approaches to donor engagement, and practice building deep and lasting relationships with their supporters. They’ll build the confidence and practical skills needed to confidently lead their organization’s fundraising strategy and tactics. 

Just as importantly, cohort members will build meaningful connections with fellow fundraising professionals across Montana, relationships that can provide encouragement, accountability, and shared learning long after the program concludes.  

Each participating organization will receive up to 20 hours of direct support from MNA’s Fundraising Program Director. The goal is simple: help organizations accomplish the fundraising work they know would move them forward but haven’t had the capacity to complete on their own. MNA will create tangible fundraising tools and deliverables tailored to the needs of each member organization, whether that’s a compelling year-end appeal letter, a digital fundraising strategy, a donor stewardship framework, or a development plan ready for board approval.  

Rather than focusing on Fundraising 101, the inaugural cohort is designed for nonprofits ready to build on foundational fundraising skills to gain traction; organizations with some development capacity that are working to build momentum as they grow, expand into new donor audiences, and strengthen their focus on individual giving within an increasingly complex fundraising landscape.  

Ideal participants in this cohort will have at least one paid staff member who dedicates all or a portion of their role to fundraising and can commit to actively participating throughout the program. This first cohort will prioritize organizations with budgets between $400,000 and $3,000,000, looking to grow their fundraising efforts focused on individual donors. For many organizations with operating budgets in this range, fundraising can feel like white water: fast-moving, high-pressure, and increasingly difficult to navigate without stronger systems and dedicated capacity. An organization may be hiring its first development staff member, transitioning away from reliance on a grant or founder, scaling programs to meet growing community needs, or expanding an existing fundraising team. In each of these moments, fundraising expectations can balloon, and organizations often need new skills, strategies, and structures to weather the moment and build sustainability.   

Because strong nonprofits are needed in every community across Montana, priority will be given to organizations serving rural communities and organizations that are Indigenous-led and/or serving Indigenous communities. At least four cohort members will come from organizations based outside Montana’s “big seven” cities, and at least two organizations will be Indigenous-led or Indigenous-serving. Additional coaching support from a Native consultant is also being explored to ensure culturally grounded support for participating organizations. 

This program is not intended for startup or entirely volunteer-led organizations. Stay tuned, we have tools in the works for you if your organization isn’t quite ready. 

The cohort will run from August 2026 through May 2027 and will require consistent participation. Cohort members can expect to dedicate roughly five hours each month to virtual meetings, small group discussions, project work, and one-on-one sessions with MNA’s Fundraising Program Director. Organizations will also be asked to identify growth opportunities in advance, bring ideas around their target donor community and communications efforts, and commit to sharing fundraising data to support learning and evaluation efforts. 

In return, organizations will leave with more than ideas; they’ll leave with real tools, stronger systems, and greater fundraising confidence. They’ll leave with practical strategies to deepen donor relationships and customized fundraising materials they can immediately put into action. And perhaps most importantly, they’ll leave knowing they are not alone in the work. 

Applications for the cohort will open next week (May 27) and close on June 30.

Not a fit for this year’s cohort? MNA is working to develop additional fundraising resources for nonprofits of every size. Stay tuned for more resources, courses, publications, and more.