University of Montana Foundation

The UM Foundation announces ‘Treasure Montana: Cultivating Our Tomorrow,’ a fundraising campaign to safeguard and sustain Montana’s vibrant landscapes, natural resources and ecosystems. The campaign aims to inspire $20 million in private support to build Montana’s new hub for environment and conservation on the University of Montana campus. This initiative is intended to support one of UM’s areas of strength and ensure that the University realizes a $25 million state funding match opportunity. The new facility for the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation will provide students, faculty and stakeholders with resources and spaces to tackle complex challenges, including increased forest fire activity, drought and water shortages, decline in trout populations and more. With 60,000 square feet of classrooms, labs, gathering space and student services, the new building will be located at the heart of campus, between Main Hall and the Davidson Honors College. Designed by A&E Design, the new structure will feature innovative sustainable wood building products and be LEED-certified. This building will be among the largest structures in the region constructed of mass timber, an environmentally friendly building product. Join UM in creating an iconic space that enriches teaching, learning, and research while fostering collaboration to address the critical issues facing Montana and the American West. Learn more, give and engage at www.TreasureMontana.org. #TreasureMontana #MT #forestry #conservation #environment #wildlifebio ZGF Architects

Announced today: A $5.1 million grant from the Japanese government that will establish the Mansfield Chair in Japanese and Indo-Pacific Affairs at UM.    The grant recognizes Mike Mansfield, our nation’s longest serving ambassador to Japan (1977-88). The endowed chair position will foster opportunities for multidisciplinary education in Japanese and Indo-Pacific studies, including trade, rural affairs, public health, language, society and culture.    Read more about today’s celebration of the grant hosted by UM and attended by Japanese, state and local dignitaries at https://bit.ly/UMmansChair. The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana

Philanthropy is bolstering an innovative program to aid UM students in accessing mental health resources and developing essential life management skills. In 2021, UM began embedding well-being support coordinators across campus. The program recently grew, thanks to an award from the Flagship Fund, a donor-funded initiative launched in 2022 to invest in ideas from the campus community that translate UM’s vision into action.  Read more to learn how private support has more than doubled the number of students benefiting from well-being support coordinators: https://bit.ly/43DzaD9.  #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth 

This #EarthWeek, we celebrate the recent launch of ‘Treasure Montana: Cultivating Our Tomorrow,’ a fundraising campaign to safeguard and sustain Montana’s vibrant landscapes, natural resources and ecosystems. The new W.A. College of Forestry and Conservation facility will serve as Montana’s hub for environment and conservation, fostering collaboration to address critical issues including increased forest fire activity, drought and water shortages, decline in trout populations and more. In keeping with Montana’s proud timber heritage, the facility, designed by A&E Design, will feature innovative sustainable wood building products. The building will be among the largest structures in the region constructed of mass timber, an environmentally friendly building product that can be manufactured locally and could save on construction costs as compared to traditional steel and concrete. The wood and glass structure will be LEED-certified and designed for efficiency with Missoula’s climate in mind.   Join the University of Montana in creating an intentional and iconic space where difficult conversations become real-world solutions. Learn more, give and engage at www.TreasureMontana.org. #EarthDay #TreasureMontana #MT #forestry #conservation #environment #wildlifebio #GoGriz ZGF Architects W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

The Kyiyo Pow Wow, one of the nation’s oldest student-run pow wows and a beloved UM tradition, will return to campus for its 55th year. On Friday, Apr. 19 and Saturday, Apr. 20, Native Americans from across the nation will unify for the annual celebration that includes dancing, singing and sharing of stories.     Thank you to generous UM supporters who donate to the UM Foundation to ensure this special tradition continues. To give to the Kyiyo Pow Wow fund, visit https://bit.ly/3UmcjJD.  Learn more about this year’s schedule and admission tickets at https://bit.ly/3vNL2pF.  #NativeGriz 

Donors enrich our campus through generous support of facilities projects designed to benefit students, faculty and the broader community.  Visionary donors have committed to match up to $1 million in new gifts to help fund the Grizzly Women’s Locker Room Improvement Project, which will provide a new and expanded locker room, lounge and meeting space for the Montana women’s basketball and volleyball programs, and new locker facilities for women’s Olympic sports and staff. Donors who give to the UM Foundation in support of the renovations will double the impact of their giving and ensure the facilities reflect the pride and tradition of women's athletics at UM. Learn about this project and other facilities upgrades across campus at https://bit.ly/3VCl578.  #GoGriz #PhilanthropyAtWork 

With support from privately funded scholarships and UM’s Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships, Kolter Stevenson is the first UM student in 30 years to earn the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. OESF, led by Dr. Kylla Benes and housed in UM's Davidson Honors College, offers invaluable guidance to students who are aiming for the world's most prestigious academic honors.  "Dr. Benes is devoted to giving students the best feedback before they apply for these major awards," Stevenson said. "She is a tremendous resource.” Read the full story to learn how donor giving enables OESF to help driven students like Stevenson reach their full academic and career potential: https://bit.ly/3TUcJXc. 

A new research and multimedia collaboration at UM will uncover insights about biodiversity in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, ranging from bison and grizzly bears, to songbirds and osprey. A major gift from Joe Ricketts’ Jackson Fork Ranch will fund the multiyear project that seeks to better understand the 34,375 square-mile ecosystem spanning Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, with Yellowstone National Park at its center. Faculty from the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation will lead a series of studies, supported by master’s and doctoral students funded through Ricketts’ gift. Missoula-based Warm Springs Productions will film the research for distribution through multimedia channels. Learn more about the collaboration at https://bit.ly/UMranchGift. 

We are amazed by the outpouring of support from our giving community during #UMBigGive. As the event concluded yesterday, over 840 donors had provided gifts totaling nearly $650,000, setting a record for the fifth straight year. And, donor gifts coming in from across the country are still being tallied heading into the weekend. Together you are building bright futures for UM students. Your generosity will help them dream boldly and continue to impact them for years to come. Thank you.  If you missed The Big Give, know it’s never too late to support what you love about UM. Visit SupportUM.org/Give to make a difference today. 

UM students visiting the University Center, Davidson Honors College and Mansfield Library during The Big Give experienced the power of philanthropy in action by casting their vote for the UM Students’ Choice Award. Students selected the UM Food Pantry as this year’s winner to receive a bonus gift of $1,000.    Thank you to the nearly 300 students who voted, and to our passionate giving community for supporting the Students’ Choice Award!    #UMBigGive