Grant Opportunity

Capacity Enhancing Grants

Eligible Uses

Projects must enhance organizational capacity for local or tribal health departments. Priority will be given to projects that address a Foundational Public Health Service (FPHS) area and has been identified as a community or organizational need through one of the following:

A formal plan or assessment (e.g., FPHS assessment, Community Health Improvement Plan, Workforce Development Plan, Strategic Plan); or
A locally identified priority area, even if not yet documented in a formal plan (e.g., through staff/board discussions, recent community feedback, or emerging public health challenges).

For this funding category, health departments may request up to $15,000 (health departments are eligible for one project per year).

Examples

Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Implementation
Workforce Development Planning and / or Implementation
Performance Management Development and / or Implementation
Quality Improvement Planning and / or Implementation
Community Partnership Development (e.g., working with other sectors to advance health in the community)

Timeline

MTPHI accepts applications for capacity enhancing projects on a quarterly basis. Applications will be accepted for the first three weeks in October, January, April, and July. MTPHI will provide a funding decision within 6 weeks of submission.

The fall 2025 application period has closed. Applications will be accepted again starting on January 2, 2026 through January 23, 2026. Funding decisions will be made within 6 weeks (March 6, 2026, or sooner).

Application

Support & Technical Assistance

To help advance equitable public health outcomes, MTPHI is committed to keeping the application process low-barrier, inclusive, and supportive. All applicants will have access to the following resources:

Kickoff Webinar

MTPHI hosted a webinar on October 6th that introduced the grant opportunity, reviewed eligibility and application requirements, and answered questions. This session was recorded and is available here.

Grant Application Office Hours

MTPHI staff will host office hours during the application process where applicants can drop in to ask questions, talk through project ideas, or get feedback before submitting.

Friday, October 10th at 9am. Register here.
Wednesday, October 15th at 2pm. Register here.

Dedicated Staff Support

Each applicant will have access to a designated staff member who can provide free technical assistance at every step of the process, including:

Idea development and refining project concepts
Budget planning and allowable cost guidance
Crafting a compelling story of need and impact
Understanding the review and reporting process

After funding decisions are made, each awarded health department will be paired with a MTPHI staff liaison who will serve as their ongoing point of contact for questions, reporting, and vendor payment logistics.

Eligibility Criteria

These opportunities are open to any local or tribal health department in Montana.

Selection Criteria

MTPHI recognizes that each application is different and reflects the unique needs of each health department. When we review proposals, we look at the overall picture – what’s strong, what might need more support, and what challenges could come up.

More information about our selection criteria can be found in the MTPHI Capacity Enhancing Grants Overview document.