Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund Commits to Early Childhood, Youth Development and Land and Wildlife Conservation in Park and Gallatin Counties with More Than $125,000 in Grants for 2014

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Jun 02, 2014, 11:00 ET

EMIGRANT, Mont., June 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With a focus on early childhood, youth development and land and wildlife conservation, The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund announced more than $125,000 in grants to 23 community organizations and projects serving youth and families in Park and Gallatin counties.

Organizations including Montana FFA Foundation, Western Sustainability Exchange and The Trust for Public Land will receive grants of $8,000 or more to support agricultural education, community empowerment and quality of life in Park and Gallatin counties. Other nonprofit groups, such as Greater Gallatin United Way and Gallatin Valley YMCA, will receive $5,000 grants to foster early childhood learning.

"The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund is passionate about supporting organizations that educate and introduce youth to the natural environment," said Tawnya Rupe, director of the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund. "We care about this community and its future generations, and will continue to work to improve the quality of life in Park and Gallatin counties."

Each organization and project receiving funding was selected by Mountain Sky Guest Ranch associates who volunteer their time on the Fund committee. Grant partners will be honored during an event tomorrow, June 3, hosted by Mountain Sky Guest Ranch.

Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund 2014 Grant Awards

Youth Development:

Bozeman Schools Foundation*	$3,000: Spark grant program.
Bridger Biathlon Club	$5,000: Youth Biathlon training program.
Bridger Ski Foundation*	$4,000: Pilot program for Nordic skiing at schools.
Gallatin Chance Ranch	$2,000: Work-to-ride program.
Gallatin Valley Land Trust	$5,000: Program to connect youth to community and conservation.
Gardiner AG Education and FFA	$4,750: Gardiner green house project.
HR Development Council (District IX, Inc.)	$10,000: Summer Enrichment program.
Livingston Climbing Initiative	$2,000: Livingston Climbing Boulder.
Livingston Education Foundation*	$3,000: Teacher Enrichment grants and Watershed Warrior Program.
Livingston Food Pantry of Park County*	$8,000: Food Pantry Resource Center and Community Kitchen.
Montana FFA Foundation*	$12,000: Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship(s).
Montana Outdoor Science School	$6,380: Enhancing science literacy in rural Montana schools.
National Smokejumper Center DBA	$10,000: Nature enrichment programs.
One Montana	$2,000: Rural-Urban student and entrepreneur exchange program.
Shift Youth Empowerment*	$10,000: Youth empowerment partnership with Montana Roots.
The Shane Lalani Center for the Arts	$5,000: Educational outreach.
The Trust for Public Land	$8,000: Development/maintenance of Story Mill Community Park.
THRIVE*	$3,000: Belgrade Girls on the Run program.
Western Sustainability Exchange*	$10,000: Youth Leadership and Entrepreneur Training.
Yellowstone Park Foundation*	$3,000: Expedition Yellowstone! program.

Early Childhood Development:

Community Health Partners	$1,000: Children's lending libraries.
Gallatin Valley YMCA*	$5,000: Early Learning enhancement.
Greater Gallatin United Way*	$5,000: Early childhood collaboration.

*2013 grant recipients

About the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund
The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund is an affiliated fund of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund has contributed more than $3 million to local nonprofits since Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, owner of the Atlanta Falcons and chairman of PGA TOUR Superstore, acquired the ranch in 2001.

About Mountain Sky Guest Ranch
For more than 80 years, Mountain Sky has offered its guests Montana's majestic natural setting and the opportunity to connect with the land – and each other. Mountain Sky consistently tops the list of the nation's upscale guest ranch resorts, providing rustically-elegant lodging, fine food, unlimited riding and hiking opportunities, an imaginative kids program and superior service.

SOURCE Mountain Sky Guest Ranch