HELENA — According to the Montana Nonprofit Association, Montana has 2,850 nonprofit organizations, employing 60,181 Montanans, nearly 12 percent of the population.
Two hundred people representing those organizations gathered at the Capitol on Thursday to connect while celebrating their work.
Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) hosts this event each legislative session, allowing nonprofits to speak with lawmakers face-to-face.
This year's Nonprofit Day at the Capitol is the biggest they have had since it began in the early 2000s.
The event includes presentations and panels, but a primary focus is networking.
One organization attending is the Friendship Center, which provides services to those affected by and for the prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Its executive director, Gina Boesdorfer, says one major topic is future funding, particularly in the wake of a potential freeze of federal money.
"When those funds were frozen, they don't stop future work. They stop paying for past work in addition to stopping future work. That impact is really big. Right now, two-thirds of our funding is funded by the federal government because of these new programs we have recently been working on. That is two-thirds of our services. We provided services to 733 people in 2024, so that means 500 people could go without services," said Boesdorfer.
MTN asked MNA how they feel about the possible freeze, and they said, "We operate as good faith partners with the government to deliver services people need, and we expect the government to return that good faith and uphold their contractual obligations as appropriated by Congress."
As for the Friendship Center, Boesdorfer says they are committed to providing services during this uncertain time.
