A reading project for young adults in Great Falls.
A student-led stream restoration project in Anaconda and Deer Lodge.
An energy conservation program to help low-income families across the state.
These are just a sampling of the 15 nonprofit community projects that will receive grants from the PPL Montana Community Fund this spring.
With this spring’s grants, PPL Montana since 2005 has awarded $1.1 million to 175 organizations that are addressing issues related to education, the environment and economic development. The grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 each.
“Our commitment to Montana goes beyond supplying electricity,” said Lisa Perry, community affairs manager for PPL Montana. “Twice a year, we’re proud to award $100,000 in PPL Montana Community Fund grants to organizations that add to the quality of life in our state. The imagination, compassion and community spirit of Montanans is reflected in every grant application we receive.”
An advisory board made up of 18 people from the company and from the community review grant applications from across the state. Individuals serve two years on the board, and more than 50 people to date have been board members.
“Because board members are part of our communities, when we present a grant we know the people who will administer it and we know the money will meet a significant community need,” Perry said.
This spring’s PPL Montana Community Fund grant recipients are:
Central Montana Head Start, Lewistown, $5,000 — To help bring the organization’s building up to code and continue to serve 116 underprivileged children in a five-county area.
Clark Fork Coalition, Missoula, $5,000 — To help launch the “Hands on the Ranch” program, which will connect Anaconda and Deer Lodge high school students with stream restoration projects in the upper Clark Fork watershed.
Prairie Development Center, Glendive, $10,000 — To help replace an aging heating and cooling system to serve the business incubator, which supports many businesses and nonprofit groups.
Educational Opportunities for Central Montana, Lewistown, $4,200 — To supply the science lab with three laptop computers. This partnership with Montana State University-Northern provides opportunities for central Montana residents to take college-level courses.
Florence Crittenton Home, Helena, $10,000 — To help enlist a coordinator to provide independent living training about budgeting and money management. Teen mothers and mothers-to-be live at the home, which introduces them to healthy, functional and stable living.
Froid Public Library, Froid, $10,000 — To install a geothermal heating and cooling system in the library. The town of Froid is constructing a 3,000-square-foot library attached to the Froid Community Center.
Great Falls Public Library, Great Falls, $3,000 — To help implement an independent reading project to improve literacy among young adults in Cascade County.
HANDS (Heroes and Neighbors Down at the School), Great Falls, $1,000 — To support the continuation of programs for the summers of 2011 and 2012. The program provides children with a safe learning environment until their parents get home from work.
Lavina Senior Center, Lavina, $5,568 — To repair the front enclosed entryway of the center, the only handicapped-accessible, public facility in town. It hosts community gatherings, meetings, town council activities, weddings, birthdays and other social events.
Madison Farm to Fork, Ennis, $9,800 — To purchase a heat exchanger enabling the farm to connect the hot springs with the greenhouse. This organization promotes local sustainable agriculture through the support of local growers, producers and consumers.
Montana Conservation Corps, Bozeman, $3,179 — To support Montana Youth Service Expeditions, summer programs that immerse teens in monthlong conservation-service adventures that connect them to nature, develop community service, teach practical job skills, develop leadership and teach personal responsibility.
National Center for Appropriate Technology, Butte, $10,000 — To offset the costs for some communities in Montana to participate in weatherization, education and conservation programs that help meet energy needs for people, including low-income families, across the state.
Richland Opportunities, Sidney, $8,000 — To expand the recycling program, which helps this organization provide residential, vocational and transportation services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Sanders County Community Development, Thompson Falls, $6,522 — To provide hardware and baskets for hanging flower baskets on Main Street, part of a beautification project in downtown Thompson Falls to enhance local businesses and promote tourism.
Birch Creek Outdoor Education Center, Dillon, $8,731 — To replace 80 old mattresses used in facilities for the University of Montana Western school’s outdoor education programs and meeting facilities.
The fall grant cycle deadline is July 31, 2010. For more information about the fund or to apply, click here.
PPL has 500 employees in Montana who generate and sell electricity. PPL Montana operates coal-fired power plants at Colstrip and Billings, as well as 11 hydroelectric power plants along Rosebud Creek and the Missouri, Madison, Clark Fork and Flathead rivers. It has a combined generating capacity of about 1,200 megawatts and has offices in Billings, Butte and Helena. PPL EnergyPlus operates a trading floor in Butte that markets and sells power in the wholesale and retail energy market. PPL Montana and PPL EnergyPlus are subsidiaries of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL).