Support Us
​There are several ways to support our programs and mission.
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- Purchase one of our farm offerings, such as buying a CSA share.
- Buy tickets to our annual fundraiser or any ticketed event on the calendar.
- Become a Program Sponsor in any amount.
- Direct us to grant opportunities that fit could be a good fit.
- Get involved with one of our fundraisers or contribute in-kind support
Donate and become a
Program Sponsor
Community Connection Cultivator - monthly or one-time donation of $5-$1,000 - Participate in weaving a regenerative community!
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CSA Membership: Buy One $500 : Give One $500 - receive our weekly Summer CSA of fresh, organic vegetables and / gift us the ability to donate a CSA share to a family In the community.
Youth Farm Intern Program Investor - $2,500 will pay one summer ‘Youth Farm Intern’ to learn organic agriculture skills and work 16 hours a week for the growing season. Applications for the 2022 Summer Youth Farm Internship Program opens In March 2022.
Building a Stronger Bitterroot Event Series - $500 per event or $10,000 for the series - Join the effort In building a more resilient and self-reliant Bitterroot through knowledge sharing and skill-building events.
Kitchen & Cooking Programs - $6,000 to pay for 20 weeks of kitchen programming for youth- they’ll learn how to prepare and cook Montana grown foods by assisting Chef Barb in the kitchen. They will cook for ‘Farm Feast’, our signature prepared local food CSA share, make ‘Salads for Seniors’, our way of sharing food through Meals on Wheels, and help to make lunch and snacks for the whole Cultivating Connections team.
Organic Food Supplies - $9,000 will allow us to purchase a base stock of Montana grown whole foods such as lentils, chickpeas, flours, oil, and more to re-package for sale and free distribution through our Tuesday youth-run FarmStand as well as at the Darby Farmers Market, connecting more Montana food with more Montanans.
Documentary Film Program - $14,000 will support the creation of the teen-led film and photo crew documenting our learning, methods, and story in ways that will make what we do here replicable across the state and country.
Farmer-Mentor Staff Member - A donation of $15,000 - $20,000 will pay for an additional adult staff member to help us manage more land, grow more food, and share more knowledge with teens and the community.
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Make checks payable to:
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Cultivating Connections
175 Skalkaho Hwy
Hamilton, MT 59840
Grants
A large portion of our operational costs are funded through grant awards. Our director, staff, board, and volunteers work countless hours searching out and applying for grant opportunities.
A huge Thank You to High Stakes Foundation, Colorado State University, Bitterroot Health, Trailwest Bank, Rapp Family Foundation, Charles Schwab Charitable, Headwaters Go Grant, and many many private donors! These generous grantors, current and past, have allowed our programs to thrive.
Fundraisers
Our fundraising efforts are used to support the annual paid Youth Farm Internship program, cover our staff & overhead costs, and to make all Cultivating Connections programs FREE OF COST to the community by fully funding scholarships for the participants in each of the programs we offer.
In-Kind Support
Donation of in-kind hours and expenses, such as a donation of goods, services, and time. Our farm volunteers, board members, and XX all work. Ask us about other ways you can donate time or materials to support our mission.
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About Our Fiscal Sponsor
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Cultivating Connections is officially a non-profit project sponsored by the Bitter Root Resource Conservation & Development Area. Bitter Root RC&D was established here in Hamilton in 1965 as an arm of the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) under the Farm Bill to solicit local ideas and turn them into successful nonprofits. While they still operate under the USDA, they are not funded at all by the government (since 2011) and are a fully standalone tax-exempt public charity. Fiscal sponsorship by RC&D allows people with a good idea to have the benefit of sound management as well as to be able to solicit and accept tax-exempt donations.
In 2011, Bitter Root RC&D was awarded the Outstanding Council in the US out of 375 Councils in existence at that time. They have handled about 2200 projects, large and small since 1965, spinning off such groups as the Bitter Root Land Trust, Bitter Root Water Forum, Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation, several local farmer’s markets, and helped get the Bitterroot College up and running. One of their largest ongoing projects is the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program which cost-shares efforts by private landowners to reduce the wildfire risk on their properties.
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UPDATE as of 2022: Cultivating Connections has filed for its own 501c3 status and we are just waiting to hear back from the IRS. Until October 2022 we will continue to operate under the financial umbrella of Bitter Root RC&D and will update supporters when the transition is complete.
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