Montana nonprofits and local governments can apply for grant money to help make their communities more livable. The AARP Community Challenge grant program supports projects such as improving bike trails and community gardens. One example is the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation, which won a $15,000 grant last year.
Kendall Ard, the foundation's grant associate, said it used the money to make the Roosevelt Center Sculpture Garden in Red Lodge easier to use.
"The grounds of the Roosevelt Center Sculpture Garden were uneven, which made for an unsafe walking surface for our mobility-aided residents and visitors," she said, "and it wasn't obvious that people could walk the grounds and view the artwork."
Ard said thanks to the grant money, the pathway is now flat. They also installed signs explaining the garden's purpose.
This is the program's 10th year. The organization says it's nearly doubling the amount of money it'll award nationwide, from around $4 million to $8 million. AARP Montana says the grants can range from $700 to $25,000. Groups can apply through March 4, and projects must be finished by Dec. 15.
Montana groups that got grants last year used the money for accessible trails, pathways compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and high-visibility crosswalks. Ard said the foundation's grant has made a big difference in Red Lodge.
"This project has transformed the Roosevelt Center Sculpture Garden into the welcoming and immersive outdoor space we have always envisioned," she said, "and it compliments the walkability of our vibrant community."
AARP gave eight grants in Montana last year, and 61 since the program began in 2017, totaling more than $632,000.
