Powder River Community Endowment Fund

	Contact Information
	Powder River Community Endowment Fund P.O. Box 421 Broadus, MT 59317 Christine Franklin Phone: (406) 436-2009 Email: franklinfam@rangeweb.net Website: http://www.broadus.net/pages/PRCEF/PRCEFhome.html

LEARN ABOUT US

Mission
We are a nonprofit, community-based organization striving to improve the quality of life in the Powder River area by building a local capacity for renewal. We strive to develop local leadership, especially from those traditionally undeserved and underrepresented through accessing information, training and maximizing the use of local resources.

History
In April 1994, the Powder River Community Development Council applied for the Montana Community Foundation’s Ford Foundation Rural Initiative Beacon Community Program. We were one of three Montana communities chosen to be a "Beacon Community,” which gave us the opportunity to receive $117,000 for developing projects; in return, we had to raise $117,000 in cash and $117,000 in revocable instruments. Through the hard work and generosity of our community, we have built our endowment fund to approximately $85,000. With our earnings we have been able to grant $20,400 to local and surrounding community organizations. Our goal, of course, is to reach our match of $117,000-plus and keep building our fund to help our community maintain, expand and improve projects that assist all generations. Our endowment fund will enable us to control our own destiny rather than waiting for others to decide our future for us.

Board
Information currently unavailable. For information about the Board of the Powder River Community Endowment Fund, please contact Christine Franklin.

GOOD WORKS

Through annual earnings, the Powder River Community Endowment Fund (PRCEF) awards about $3,500 annually to nonprofit organizations working to provide services that make the Greater Powder River Area of Southeastern Montana a better place to live. Recently, the PRCEF has helped to fund these projects:

Broadus Homemakers received $300 to purchase items for maintenance and improvement of the BroadusCommunity Center. Items purchased were dirt devil vacuum, bulletin board, kitchen utensils, thermos containers, stainless steel bowls, serving spoons and tongs, dinner forks.

Powder River County High School received $500 to help fund community beautification projects planned for the school's annual "Community Appreciation Day.”  Supplies were purchased for numerous projects that made a visible difference in our community.

Powder River Little League received $500 to help defray the cost of snow fence that needed replaced around the ball field and to help buy materials to repair the bleachers.

PR Senior Citizens Organization received $500 to help purchase a free-standing self -contained evaporative cooler.  The location where the Seniors meet had no cooling system and some sort of air conditioning was very much needed.

HOW TO GIVE

Memorialize/Recognize: Make a gift in memory of an individual or group of people. Memorial plaques with a picture and history are made and displayed in the courthouse lobby if $300 in one or multiple donations are received.

Honor a special occasion, such as an anniversary or birth, with a cash contribution. No matter the amount of the gift, all donations are appreciated and acknowledged.

An individual donation of $100 is acknowledged by adding your name to a handmade quilt displayed in the county courthouse. Your name will be placed on a quilt block that symbolizes the strong foundation for the future of our PRCEF. For each additional $500 donated, an embroidered heart is added by your name. Businesses can have their names placed on a block for a contribution of $200.

Legacy League. By naming the Fund in your will or as a beneficiary to your life insurance policy, you can join the Legacy League, which was started by Miss Louise Ambuel. Even though she left our area more than 50 years ago, she feels a strong attachment to the area and wants to be a part of its future.

Send donations to PRCEF c/o Christine Franklin, P.O. Box 421, Broadus, MT 59317.

HOW TO RECEIVE

The Powder River Community Endowment Fund has one grant cycle annually, beginning in March. Applicants have one month to complete their applications. The maximum grant amount is $500.

For more information about how to apply for a grant, contact: School/Community Development Council c/o Christine Franklin, P.O. Box 421, Broadus, MT59317, Ph: 406-436-2009.

NEWS & EVENTS

Annual Harvest Moon Social

We just held our 8th annual Harvest Moon Social/Chair calcutta fund raiser. For the price of a $35 ticket you receive a delicious meal of prime rib & wine and have an opportunity to win numerous cash and locally hand made door prizes. A chair calcutta takes place, chair owners, who are drawn from a drum, win money as they are eliminated by a drawing. First chair drawn out receives $15, second receives $25 and so on. The 7th chair out receives $125, 8th receives $250 and the last remaining chair receives $500! We hold two calcuttas; the first one is on all ten chairs and another one takes place when only five chairs are remaining. Our Endowment Fund holds 20% and the remaining 80% is paid out to the calcutta winners. We raised approximately $3200 with this event in 2006. Every year is a great success!

Return to Local Community Foundations

BACK TO TOP