Applications have closed for this year.

The Community Assistance Fund (CAF) is levied by the Board of County Commissioners to provide human services and establish a safety net or continuum of services to meet basic human needs in Missoula County. Projects awarded funding through the Community Assistance Fund serve at-risk populations at the most basic levels of food, shelter, medical care, and emergency transportation. 
At-risk populations are broadly described as groups of persons who experience temporary or permanent situations that interfere with their ability to access or receive assistance to meet their basic human needs. Such at-risk populations may include but are not limited to: 

• Children
• Older adults
• Persons with disabilities 
• Persons who live in an institutional or group center setting 
• Persons with chronic conditions 
• Persons who are economically disadvantaged 
• Persons with substance use dependency 
• Persons experiencing homelessness 
• Persons with limited access to transportation 

Eligibility: Eligible entities are 501(c)3 not-for-profit health and human service organizations or governmental agencies that provide basic needs assistance to at-risk populations in Missoula County. 

Funding: The total amount available in the Community Assistance Fund is unknown until determined during the annual budget process. It is the purview of the Board of County Commissioners to determine the total amount, if any, to be available for funding.

Matching funds: No matching funds are required. 

Program period: This runs with the county fiscal year, July 1 of the current year to June 30 of the following year.

Application period: The application period is in the spring, generally opening in early April and closing mid-May. Potential applicants can see which programs are currently accepting applications on the county grant portal.

Tentative timeline: A citizens review committee will be reading, evaluating, and scoring applications in May and June. County staff will take recommendations for proposed grant funding to the Board of County Commissioners in June or July for possible inclusion in the Missoula County fiscal year 2025 budget. Adoption of the budget typically occurs in September after which contracts are executed if funding is available. The contract period is retroactive to July 1. 

• Garden City Harvest
• Missoula Aging Services
• Missoula Food Bank
• Poverello Center
• Homeword
• Crosswinds Recovery
• Hope Rescue Mission
• The Salvation Army
• YWCA Missoula
• Seeley Lake Community Foundation