Our Process
The Rieschel Foundation makes charitable gifts in one of two ways, either through discretionary gifts or by way of its grant cycle. Discretionary gifts are given to organizations with whom the foundation has both a relationship and giving history. Nonprofit organizations cannot apply for discretionary gifts and are only considered by way of invitation. Our annual grant cycle provides opportunities for public charities serving Gallatin and Park Counties, Montana to submit an application-based request for funds. The grant cycle is open to any public charity serving Gallatin and Park Counties, Montana and no invitation is required.
Bridgercare
Our Annual Grant Cycle
Annually the foundation opens its grant cycle during the month of February. After the deadline the grant committee reviews all submitted applications and chooses public charities whose missions resonate most closely with the foundation’s current impact goals.
Throughout the review process the foundation seeks to align with extraordinary organizations looking to make a significant impact.
Once the foundation has conducted an interview and made recommendations to its board of trustees the board then either approves or denies the committee’s recommendations. When an application is approved the foundation then coordinates with the charity on paperwork and wires the grant.
Following this process the foundation and the public charity set up semi-annual meetings to review the organization’s progress toward its stated goals.
Important Dates
January - December 2025
Semiannual review meetings for current grant partners
February 1, 2025
Application opens
March 1, 2025
Application closes
March - June 2025
The Rieschel Foundation reviews applications, announces interviews and informs organizations it is unable to fund
June - September 2025
Interviews completed, grant committee deliberation, recommendations and trustee approval
October - November 2025
Grant agreements and disbursements
Ready to apply?
Please take note of the following information.
Priority areas for funding include organizations committed to mental health services, human services, the environment, and education. All awards are for General Operating Expenses to support the operations of the nonprofit. The maximum award amount is $20,000, with an average of 15 awards granted each year.
Step 1: Application History
Submit the name of your organization, your organization's EIN number, and indicate whether or not you applied in our previous grant cycle. If yes, we may be able to pre-fill some information for you based on last year's funding application.
Step 2: Username and Password
At the top of the application, there is an option to save your progress and resume later. We highly encourage applicants to use this feature to create a username and password. A link to resume your application will be sent to the email provided.
Step 3: Gather Required Attachments
There are a number of required documents for completing your application - all attachments must be submitted as PDFs or your application will not upload.
- IRS 501c3 Letter of Determination (first time applicants only)
- Most recent 990
- Board roster with the title and year they joined the board
- Current fiscal year budget
- (Optional) You may attach a copy of a specific project budget
- If you have a fiscal sponsor, you will also need to include a copy of your Fiscal Sponsor Agreement
Step 4: Review and Complete
After clicking 'review' a new page will appear revealing your application. We strongly recommend saving this page for your records as you will not be able to reopen your application after submission. At this point you MUST click 'complete' at the bottom of the page in order for your application to be submitted. Our system will automatically send you an email confirmation indicating that the foundation has received your application.
