About The Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust
The Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust was established by the U.S. Congress in 1998, funded by proceeds from the sale of cabin sites on Canyon Ferry Reservoir that had previously been leased from the Federal government.
The purpose of the trust is to provide a permanent source of funding through grants for the acquisition of publicly accessible land in Montana in order to:
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Restore and conserve fisheries habitat, including riparian habitat, - Restore and conserve wildlife habitat,
- Enhance public hunting, fishing and recreational opportunities, and
- Improve public access to public lands.
By 2004, the initial value of this trust was $14,945,403. As of December 31, 2023 the value of the Trust has grown to approximately $28,204,079. Grants to date are $15,945,297.
As a result of our conservative investment strategy, investments since inception have earned a net of 6.55%, of which 4% was invested in projects across Montana and 2.55% was reinvested in the Trust. Actual Investment Allocation Percentages are depicted on this chart.
Funds are managed according to guidelines in the Trust Plan.
Grants are awarded annually from a portion of the interest generated by the Trust. Granting cycles begin in January with awards announced in June. Application forms and instructions are available on this website under Apply For Grants.
Two independent oversight boards, a Joint State-Federal Board and a Citizen’s Advisory Board, are responsible for ensuring the goals of the Trust are met. Board meetings are held quarterly, published regionally and on this website; public participation is encouraged. Meeting schedule.
All project applicants awarded Trust funding are allowed up to two years to complete their projects. Not all projects awarded funding are completed. The project funds are retained by the Trust until a project is complete; if unused they are then available for other project funding.
Latest News
The 2024 funding cycle ended on April 5, 2024. The CAB has reviewed the applications and will begin the public comment period on May 3, 2024. It will end on June 1, 2024.
The next Joint Board meeting date will be on June 4, 2024. Please check the meeting schedule page for additional meeting linformation.
For more information, please call Deb Lane at 406-461-9524.