Because you believe in a Montana that believes in you. Forward Montana Foundation and Forward Montana (FMT) are dedicated to educating, engaging, and organizing young Montanans to shape their democracy to improve their lives and the lives of their fellow Montanans. We put young people on the front lines of civic engagement statewide, basing our…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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:…
Public Lands SB 24 will increase funding for trails and outdoor recreation generating roughly $1.8 million for trails, state parks, and fishing access sites! It does this by increasing the voluntary motor vehicle registration donation from $6 to $9, and it’s the only funding increase for public lands to make it through the legislature this…
Medicaid Expansion Let’s quickly recap the ups and downs of Medicaid expansion this session. In the beginning, we were huge supporters of HB 425, which was Rep. Mary Caferro’s bill to continue expansion without adding any new hoops for enrollees to jump through. But that bill was killed by the House and Human Services committee…
Montana Human Rights Act Efforts to add gender identity and expression and sexual orientation to the Montana Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination, failed in the legislature. Our state lacks basic anti-discrimination protections in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and adoption. That means it’s currently legal — unless you live in one of the five…
Ok, so we took kind of an L on this one, y’all. But let’s review the two major types of voting rights legislation that was considered this year. Youth Enfranchisement Two bills that would’ve been awesome — allowing 16-year-olds to be election judges and allowing 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote — went down this session. These bills…
