Notes from the Field

FMT’s Response to COVID-19

When I stepped into the Executive Director’s role at Forward Montana, I could not have anticipated the global challenges we would be facing less than four months later. When I started, my mind was filled with questions like “How often should I communicate with my Board,” and “How do I figure out my budget gap”?…

Notes from the Field

20 things FMT has already accomplished in 2020

Met with partners in other states to develop a strategic and unified youth vision! Rested our souls with much-deserved breaks and came back ready to GO this year #RestForRadicals Hired Voter Registration Organizers in Bozeman, Billings, and Missoula FMF on Ice! (Registered folx at a local Hockey game) Marched with thousands of people across Montana…

Notes from the Field

Student Voter Day Wrap-up!

On Tuesday, we hosted Student Voter Day at six different campuses across the state. Through snowstorm after snowstorm, in Missoula, Bozeman, Billings, Helena, and Havre, we helped almost 200 young people across the state make a #PlanToVote and handed out upwards of 800 of voter guides — ensuring that students had the opportunity to check…

Notes from the Field

Welcome Kiersten, new Executive Director!

Our Board of Directors has been on a nationwide search for the next strategic leader to take Forward Montana into 2020 and beyond. And we have some BIG news to share with you. On behalf of the Forward Montana and Forward Montana Foundation Boards, we’re excited to introduce you to our incoming Executive Director, Kiersten…

Notes from the Field

We’re passing the torch!

Forward Montana is stoked to be announcing an Executive Director search for our next leader to steer us through 2020 and beyond!  While we’ll miss our current leadership team, Rachel and Kiah, who are transitioning into new phases of their lives within the year, we’re proud that Forward Montana continues to grow strong leaders who go on…

Notes from the Field

Grab your clipboards! Let’s get to work.

One of the things we love most about Forward Montana is working with young people to change our local communities for the better. We know that the combo of passion + conversation + clipboards is unstoppable in creating local and statewide change, and as organizers we’ve seen that change first-hand over the years. Like when,…

Notes from the Field

I’m back!

By Rachel Huff-Doria, Executive Director Transitions always bring new opportunities and new leaders to the forefront. While I’ve been on maternity leave, I’ve been inspired by our staff, interns, and volunteers who have been making waves across the state. Week after week, Forward Montana leaders continued to make headlines and BIG changes for our community:…

Notes from the Field

This spring, let’s show up for our neighbors

By Kiah Abbey, Deputy Director During a fast-paced legislative session and weeks full of presidential candidate announcements, it’s easy to get caught up in this political moment or that one. Though exhilarating, it can cause us to lose sight of the decades of political moments and people that our work builds on and the vision…

Notes from the Field

Lobbying 101: MLK Lobby Day at the Capitol

By Erin Miller, Missoula Field Manager On Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year, I was in Helena with the Montana Human Rights Network lobbying in the State Capitol. Lobbying is something that is very new to me so I was eager to learn as much as I could! We started the day with a…