The Future is Thriving: Introducing Our Bold Path Forward

Today, Headwaters Foundation announces an exciting new chapter for the next decade. We extend our gratitude to our partners and community for their collaboration and insightful contributions throughout our strategic refinement process. Thank you for shaping the future of the Foundation!

Our new strategic framework, Family Voices, System Solutions reflects our continued dedication to working side-by-side with Western Montanans to improve the health of our communities. The framework signals a shift from addressing specific issues like housing, food access and early education toward a broader approach of empowering families to actively participate in crafting solutions to Western Montana’s most pressing health challenges.

Explore our new strategic framework here!

3 Continuing Commitments

• We’ll persist in supporting upstream, community-driven initiatives aimed at improving health.
• We’ll still work beyond grantmaking by convening partners, offering training and event space, and using our influence as a funder to spark change for health in our state and improve philanthropy.
• We’ll continue to provide general operating support to rural nonprofits through our popular GO! Grants Program.

3 Exciting New Developments

• We are doubling down on building community power, with an emphasis on engaging families, equipping nonprofits to amplify their voices, and moving policymakers to be receptive to their involvement and needs.
• Our commitment to equity resonates even louder as we prioritize low-income families, Native American families, families of color, and those with children with disabilities or who identify as LGBTQ+.
• We’re exploring new additions to our toolbox, such as social impact investing (i.e. low interest loans).

What’s next?

We are in the process of developing our new funding areas. In the coming months, we’ll refine our grantmaking and engage in conversations with current partners. Later this year, we’ll announce new funding areas, with the new framework set to be fully operational in 2025.

If you are a current partner, we encourage you to discuss the new framework with your Resource Partner* at your next grant check-in. We are eager to hear your thoughts and the opportunities you envision.

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Thank you for your partnership and engagement throughout this journey! We are excited and honored to continue working alongside you to improve health in Western Montana.

*We recently changed our Program Officer title to Resource Partner. We feel this title better reflects our trust-based approach and the way we see this role – less about oversight and compliance and more about partnership and collaboration.