Participating Nonprofits
A record 89 nonprofits will participate in the 2026 Great Fish Community Challenge, giving you more opportunities than ever to support the causes you care about.
Abbie Shelter
Primary Use of Funds: Your gift lifts up survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and teen dating violence by supporting our Helpline, emergency shelter, mental health, legal advocacy, and community education programs.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Abbie Shelter Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Alano Club of Kalispell
Use of Funds: Funds raised will expand access to addiction recovery by increasing meeting availability, improving meeting space, and helping us keep pace with a growing demand that is stretching our current capacity across the Flathead Valley.
Alpine Theatre Project
Use of Funds: Broadway is closer than you think! Your donation makes possible Alpine Theatre Project's professional live theatre, arts education for children, and opportunities for local artists, enriching the community we share in the Flathead Valley.
Amazing Place Music
Use of Funds: Amazing Place Music presents both locally and internationally known skilled musical artists in concerts and music educational events that enhance and inspire the residents of the Flathead Valley.
Backpack Assistance Program
Use of Funds: Backpack Assistance Program provides supplemental food to school-age community members facing food insecurity in Whitefish, Olney, and Trego. Food bags are distributed for weekends, school closure days, summer break, and student school pantries.
Bear Grass Performing Arts
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support the Flathead Valley Youth Chorus and expand access to high-quality, inclusive performing arts education, empowering young artists and enriching our entire community through inspiring performances.
Big Brothers Big Sisters NW Montana
Use of Funds: Funds raised will create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth in the Flathead.
Bigfork ACES
Use of Funds: Funds raised will sustain the Bigfork Youth Center, Bigfork’s only afterschool and full-day summer program for K-8 kids. Bigfork Youth Center provides essential care, meals, and enrichment for all children regardless of the ability to pay and supports working families in the Flathead.
Bigfork Art and Cultural Center
Use of Funds: Your gift opens the door to a place where everyone belongs-- where every ability is welcomed, creativity and growth are nurtured, and innovative programs in art, history, and hands-on learning bring our community together.
Bigfork Food Bank
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will provide high-quality food to almost 450 adults and children every month who live in the greater Bigfork area and whose income falls below the 300% poverty level. Bigfork Food Bank serves individuals and families with dignity, compassion, respect, and kindness.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Bigfork Food Bank Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation
Use of Funds: Your donation facilitates a strong volunteer workforce on the ground across the 1.6-million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Each summer over 400 hardy souls join the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation to open trails and restore habitat to conserve this crown jewel of wilderness.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Glacier Country
Use of Funds: Funds raised will provide a safe and welcoming place for Columbia Falls and Evergreen youth in grades K-8 to experience hands-on, high-quality, and life-enriching activities as well as support general operations.
CASA for Kids
Use of Funds: CASA for Kids of Flathead County has been advocating for abused and neglected children for 25 years. Funds raised will support CASA's work to train and support community volunteers to monitor the child's needs and make recommendations to the court as to the child's best interests.
Center for Restorative Youth Justice
Use of Funds: CRYJ works with Flathead County teens, parents, justice agencies, and schools to reduce youth involvement with the legal system, interrupt cycles of harm, repair trust, promote accountability, and improve community connections to resources and support.
Child Bridge
Use of Funds: There are hundreds of abused and neglected children in the Flathead Valley and not enough foster families to care for them. Your gift to Child Bridge will find more local families and equip them to care for these hurting and heartbroken children.
Children's House Montessori
Use of Funds: Children’s House Montessori School ensures high-quality, child-centered preschool education. Support sustains daily operations, staff, and tuition assistance, ensuring childcare remains accessible to working families throughout the Flathead Valley.
Code Girls United
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support Code Girls United's mission to build confidence and expand future career opportunities for girls in the Flathead Valley through free, hands-on education in coding, technology, and business.
Columbia Falls Academic Foundation
Use of Funds: Your gift will expand educational opportunities for students at Columbia Falls High School and Junior High. The Columbia Falls Academic Foundation supports programs and projects for enhanced learning that exceed the capacity of the district budget.
Conrad Mansion Museum
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support the Conrad Mansion Museum's rotating exhibits, enhance educational programs, and help maintain the 1895 historic home, a cherished Flathead Valley landmark connecting us to local history.
Creston Firefighters Association
Primary Use of Funds: In 2025, 87% of Creston Fire Department's EMS calls were for patients who needed their breathing and/or heart monitored or were in cardiac arrest. Funds raised will be used for the purchase of Zoll EKG monitors and a heart compression device.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support Creston Firefighters Association's mission and programs.
DREAM Adaptive Recreation
Use of Funds: Your gift will enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities, including military veterans, through 1,700+ year-round adaptive recreation opportunities, including skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, biking, paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing, motorized watersports, and more.
Driving Hope
Use of Funds: Your gift will help change lives one set of keys at a time by providing a reliable used vehicle to those without transportation and assisting those in need with repairs and maintenance to get their vehicles safely back on the road, allowing access to employment, education, and healthcare.
Flathead 4-H Foundation
Use of Funds: Your gift empowers youth to turn curiosity into capability! Through hands-on projects in trades, STEM, agriculture, and civic engagement, 4-H provides local youth with mentorship, real-world skill building, and opportunities to grow and lead in their own way.
Flathead Area Mountain Bikers
Use of Funds: Funds raised will preserve and advance mountain biking in the Flathead through riding skills clinics, trail stewardship education, and the maintenance and construction of trails for all users on public lands throughout the valley.
Flathead Audubon Society
Primary Use of Funds: Your gift will support innovative K-12 and adult nature education and conservation programs, focusing on the beauty and value of birds to our ecosystem, community, and culture through school materials, adult classes, field trips, and family events.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Flathead Audubon Society Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Flathead County Sheriff's Posse
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support trained volunteers to assist regional law enforcement agencies during natural disasters, emergency situations, general patrol, and community events, as well as sponsor a Explorer/Cadet program for youth interested in careers in law enforcement.
Flathead Food Bank
Primary Use of Funds: Built on a foundation of neighbors helping neighbors, the Flathead Food Bank works to eliminate food insecurity in the Flathead Valley by connecting individuals and families to healthy, nutritious food through strong community partnerships.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Flathead Food Bank Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Flathead Industries
Use of Funds: Funds raised will help purchase a generator for the Flathead Industries Grover Complex, ensuring residents continue to receive essential care and support services without interruption during power outages.
Flathead Land Trust
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will implement effective land conservation strategies and recreational opportunities through the protection of the Flathead's irreplaceable beauty, clean water, bird and wildlife habitats, cherished open spaces, and access to the outdoors.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Flathead Land Trust Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Flathead Library Foundation
Use of Funds: Supporting library excellence through philanthropy, collaboration, and advocacy, the Flathead Library Foundation funds innovative programs, enhances resources, and improves facilities to ensure the library is a vibrant hub of learning, connection, and community for all.
Flathead Rapids Youth Soccer
Use of Funds: Flathead Rapids delivers affordable, high-quality soccer for nearly 700 Flathead Valley kids. Powered by volunteers, Flathead Rapids' recreational and competitive programs develop skill, character, and community, on and off the pitch.
Flathead Rivers Alliance
Use of Funds: In celebration of 50 years of Wild & Scenic River designation, Flathead Rivers Alliance will continue its dedication to stewardship, education, access, and volunteerism for the 219 miles of the Flathead River system for the next 50 years.
Flathead Valley Community College Foundation
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support the mission of the Flathead Valley Community College Foundation, which is to support scholarships, academic programs, and learning facilities at Flathead Valley Community College.
Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation
Use of Funds: Funds raised will promote athletic and personal excellence and discipline through educational and competitive programs in skiing and ski racing.
Flathead Valley United
Use of Funds: Flathead Valley United is committed to the long-term development of the soccer community as players, coaches, referees, and parents. Funds raised will provide a positive, supportive environment focused on kids and young adults to learn all aspects of the "Beautiful Game."
Flathead Warming Center
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will save lives, link people to resources, and encourage dignity through low-barrier access to a warm safe place for those in need. By caring for our most vulnerable neighbors, we build a stronger, safer community for everyone.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Flathead Warming Center Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Flathead Youth Home
Use of Funds: In our home, we believe every child deserves the chance to flourish and grow. Funds raised will sustain a safe, nurturing home where youth find stability, healing, and hope—building resilience, restoring trust, and shaping brighter futures.
Foys to Blacktail Trails
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will enhance and steward the multi-use, community-focused trail system and advocate for access and trail connectivity between Blacktail Mountain, Herron Park, and the greater Flathead Valley.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Foys to Blacktail Trails Maintenance Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support avalanche forecasting, safety communication, weather stations, and education programs for the community with the goal of saving lives.
Gateway to Glacier Trails
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support and enhance community recreation opportunities within the Cedar Flats Trail system north of Columbia Falls, trails within the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area, and the Gateway to Glacier Trail.
Girls on the Run Western Montana
Use of Funds: Funds raised will bring research-based programs that blend physical activity, life skills, and community involvement to girls in grades 3–5 across the Flathead Valley—eliminating financial barriers so every girl can thrive.
Glacier Aquatic Club
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support the development and promotion of competitive swimming for all ages and abilities, while building health, confidence, respect, and sportsmanship in Flathead Valley athletes.
Glacier Art Museum
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support the Glacier Art Museum's educational mission to enrich the cultural life of our community and region, preserve the artistic legacy of Montana and Glacier National Park, and share innovative exhibitions, programs, and collections.
Glacier Institute
Use of Funds: With camps, courses, hikes, and hands-on learning experiences, the Glacier Institute strengthens connections to the natural world through outdoor education.
Glacier National Park Conservancy
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support Glacier National Park's Ranger Led Education Programs through staffing, equipment, and supplies to conduct ranger-led field trips, classroom visits, and learning programs for K-12 students at schools throughout Flathead County.
Glacier Nordic Club
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support winter recreation and community health through cross country ski education and programs for 350+ youth and adults, scholarships, and 65 kilometers of groomed trails across four locations.
Glacier Skate Academy
Use of Funds: Funds raised will foster a lifelong love of ice skating and impact our community with fun, healthy, active, competitive, and affordable programs, sustained by the coaching team and operational support that make our growth possible.
Glacier Symphony, Orchestra and Chorale
Use of Funds: Your support helps sustain the talented musicians, guest artists, and artistic leadership who bring performances to life, as well as the many ways we connect with our students through Symphony Storytime, Wild About Music, and other community engagement programs.
Good Grief Group
Use of Funds: Good Grief Group combines the healing elements of nature with activities that provide a safe outlet for the expression of a child, tween, or adult's grief and the continuation of life.
Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will be used to build seven initial units in Whitefish as part of Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley's "Grounded In Whitefish" campaign.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the mission and programs of Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley.
Housing Whitefish
Use of Funds: Housing Whitefish works to maintain the spirit of Whitefish while strengthening the community and meeting the demand for affordable housing. Your gift supports affordable housing initiatives and programs for our hardworking neighbors.
Humane Society Northwest Montana
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support a life-saving adoption program to give homeless cats and dogs a second chance at a healthy life by ensuring that all homeless pets, including newborn litters, are vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed or neutered.
Immanuel Foundation
Use of Funds: Funds raised will provide safe, vibrant homes and compassionate, around-the-clock care to many low-income seniors.
Kalispell Education Foundation
Primary Use of Funds: Kalispell Education Foundation provides funding for exceptional learning opportunities in Kalispell Public Schools that go beyond the limitations of the standard budget. These opportunities are designed to inspire, engage, and enrich student learning.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Kalispell Education Foundation Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Land to Hand
Primary Use of Funds: Land to Hand strengthens our community food system through hands-on, comprehensive education and food access for everyone, regardless of income. We connect people to local food and empower them with the tools to grow, prepare, and enjoy it.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Land to Hand Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Lighthouse Christian Home & Services
Use of Funds: The Lighthouse Christian Home is a donor-funded group home dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities by raising funds to create opportunities for residents to develop life skills, farm-care skills, and experience life to the fullest.
Logan Health Foundation
Use of Funds: Funds raised will elevate and transform care for Montana children and families through exceptional pediatric and labor and delivery services. By keeping care local, Logan Health Foundation strengthens our community, ensuring regional access, peace of mind, and a healthy future for all.
Montana Conservation Corps
Use of Funds: Propel MCC's 35-year legacy of empowering youth to get outside, connect with peers, swap screens for shovels, and conserve the Flathead Valley’s cherished public lands while gaining the skills, connections, and confidence to shape their futures.
Montana Kayak Academy
Use of Funds: Montana Kayak Academy provides vital river education in the Flathead Valley - teaching safe navigation, hazard awareness, and stewardship to build a skilled, informed, and passionate community dedicated to protecting our free-flowing rivers.
Montana Youth Diabetes Alliance
Use of Funds: Funds raised will ensure Flathead-area youth with Type 1 diabetes ages 8-17 can attend Camp MYDA in 2027. Camp MYDA provides a life-changing opportunity and medical education that these youth cannot get elsewhere in Montana.
My Glacier Village
Use of Funds: My Glacier Village is enriching lives and combating senior isolation by providing the connections, education, and support services that seniors need to age confidently in their own homes. We are bringing about social change that redefines what it means to age.
Nate Chute Foundation
Primary Use of Funds: The Nate Chute Foundation supports, educates, and empowers our community to promote mental wellness and reduce suicide.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Nate Chute Foundation Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation
North Valley Food Bank
Primary Use of Funds: North Valley Food Bank builds food security and strengthens communities. We provide access to nourishing food to more than 1,500 people weekly through our free grocery store, mobile pantries, and community kitchen programs.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the North Valley Food Bank Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
North Valley Music School
Use of Funds: Funds raised will change lives through music, enriching our Montana community through music education, appreciation, and performance by providing musical opportunities for all.
Northwest Montana Community Land Trust
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support the creation of affordable housing and housing solutions in the Flathead Valley.
Northwest Montana History Museum
Use of Funds: The museum leads the region in sharing the history of Northwest Montana with local residents and visitors. Funds raised will support museum exhibits and programs, educational outreach, online resources, volunteerism, and the continued preservation of the past.
Project Whitefish Kids
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will be used to build a secure equipment barn to protect tractors, field equipment, and tools from weather and theft. Indoor storage will extend equipment life and reduce maintenance costs.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the mission and programs of Project Whitefish Kids.
Samaritan House
Use of Funds: Samaritan House provides year-round shelter, meals, and case management for individuals, families, and veterans experiencing homelessness. Funds raised will support housing stability, access to resources, and pathways toward long-term independence.
Shepherd's Hand
Primary Use of Funds: Our aging neighbors face daily challenges. Shepherd's Hand assists them to safely remain at home through companionship, practical support, home repairs, caregiver respite, and a Memory Cafe for those living with dementia.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Shepherd's Hand Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Sparrow's Nest of Northwest Montana
Use of Funds: Sparrow's Nest is dedicated to providing housing and resources to unaccompanied homeless high school students, enabling them to graduate with their peers and become productive members of our community.
Stumptown Art Studio
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will support arts and culture in our community, while maintaining a space that provides affordable and accessible education, inspiration, and creative outlets for people of all ages and abilities.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Stumptown Art Studio Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Tamarack Grief Resource Center
Use of Funds: Tamarack Grief Resource Center is here for the unimaginable. When someone dies, Tamarack Grief Resource Center offers grief camps, groups, and 1:1 support. When death rocks a community, Tamarack Grief Resource Center offers urgent response support, and when local professionals reach out, Tamarack Grief Resource Center offers grief education.
The Nurturing Center
Use of Funds: Funds raised will keep local families safe, stable, and connected through childcare scholarships, emergency family support, and essential items such as diapers, formula, car seats, and other items necessary for raising children in a safe environment.
Two Bear Therapeutic Riding Center
Use of Funds: Two Bear Therapeutic Riding Center creates meaningful, horse-partnered experiences that build confidence, connection, and growth. Funds raised will support adaptive horsemanship, physical therapy, groups, and summer camps for individuals of all abilities.
West Shore Food Bank
Use of Funds: Every dollar fights hunger—feeding 3,000+ neighbors, expanding SnackPak for students, increasing support for underserved neighbors and seniors along the west shore of Flathead Lake, sharing our surplus and ensuring no food is wasted. West Shore Food Bank is 100% volunteer-run, so your gift goes further.
Whitefish Community Center
Use of Funds: Whitefish Community Center programs reduce isolation, promote wellness for all ages, and strengthen community connections. As a local gathering place, Whitefish Community Center hosts Meals on Wheels, a variety of enrichment classes, events, and educational activities.
Whitefish Community Foundation
Use of Funds: Your gift will support Whitefish Community Foundation, allowing us to deliver crucial funding, build endowments, and provide educational programs that support and strengthen our local nonprofit community.
Whitefish Community School
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support Whitefish Community School's mission by sustaining a safe, nurturing space for early learning. Whitefish Community School will invest in staff development, facility safety, and creative resources to inspire independence and a lifelong love for learning in every student.
Whitefish Dog Park Great Fish Fund
Primary Use of Funds: Funds raised will continually improve the Whitefish Dog Park as a safe, welcoming community space where dogs and people can gather, play, and connect.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the Whitefish Dog Park Permanent Endowment Fund held at Whitefish Community Foundation.
Whitefish Education Foundation
Use of Funds: Your support changes lives and strengthens Whitefish public schools by funding field trips and classroom needs, connecting graduating seniors with scholarships, supporting family mental health, and empowering educators with tools and training.
Whitefish Firefighters Association
Primary Use of Funds: Historic World Trade Center artifacts anchor the heart of the Whitefish 9/11 Memorial. Funds raised will bring this monumental symbol of resilience, remembrance, and gratitude to life in honor of the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
Secondary Use of Funds: Additional funds raised will support the mission and programs of Whitefish Firefighters Association.
Whitefish Lake Institute
Use of Funds: Your gift powers the Whitefish Lake Institute to protect Whitefish Lake and nearby lakes and streams through long-term monitoring and education, keeping our waters clean, healthy, and free of invasive species.
Whitefish Legacy Partners
Use of Funds: Funds raised will strengthen Whitefish Trail connectivity, protect community conservation lands, and expand education opportunities. Funds will also support outdoor education programs and deepen community engagement at the new Whitefish Legacy Center.
Whitefish Review
Use of Funds: Whitefish Review publishes art and literature that explores the landscapes of the human condition, our connection to the natural world, and illuminates the confluence of art, storytelling, society, and science.
Whitefish Songwriter Festival
Use of Funds: This three-day festival brings 26 songwriters to 30 shows and workshops in nine downtown venues, celebrating the origin of music with storytelling and hit songs. Funds raised will nurture cultural and economic growth, music education, and community enrichment.
Whitefish Theatre Company
Use of Funds: Funds raised will present quality theatre, music, and special events to engage our community in the arts, as well as support free theatre and music outreach performances and reduced ticket prices for students, seniors, and other underserved populations.
Whitefish Veterans Support Team
Use of Funds: Funds raised will empower injured veterans, active-duty personnel, caregivers, and their families through opportunities to build meaningful relationships and engage them in physically and emotionally challenging activities to advance healing, growth, and resiliency.
Wings Regional Cancer Support
Use of Funds: Funds raised will support local cancer patients by reimbursing travel expenses associated with their treatment.
Writing Coaches of Montana
Use of Funds: Funds raised will provide Flathead public school students with free, one-on-one literacy coaching. Coaches support over 1,000 local students annually across disciplines to increase critical thinking and communication skills.