BOZEMAN — Nonprofits are a vital part of any community, but did you know that $34 million in federal funding is currently at risk for Gallatin County nonprofits alone? So, let's talk to one of the organizations that could be affected.
“This is a concern not only for Haven, but also so many other vital social service organizations in our community,” Erica Aytes Coyle tells me.
Watch the story here:
For more than 40 years, Haven has served the Gallatin Valley by supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking. Erica Aytes Coyle, the executive director of Haven, tells me this nonprofit addresses a major issue that many in the valley are unaware of.
“For the past several years, we’ve been serving well over 1200 survivors on an annual basis,” Coyle informs me.
To help these survivors, Haven has relied heavily on federal funding. In fact, that's where one-third of Haven's budget for this upcoming fiscal year is expected to come from. But Erica tells me there’s uncertainty with that expectation.
“The main federal funder for domestic violence programs, which is called the Office On Violence Against Women, it has stopped accepting all new applications. And said that they are, until further notice, on pause for increasing or renewing any grants,” says Coyle.
Haven hasn’t lost any federal funding yet, but Erica says concerns are still high. Because if federal funding is lost?
“If it’s a third of our funding? If you translate that directly to the number of survivors we serve, thats about 400 survivors right here in Gallatin County whose lives would be affected in a very negative way,” adds Coyle.
Although Haven hasn’t experienced a loss, some nonprofits have. Bridgercare, a Bozeman nonprofit that provides affordable reproductive and sexual healthcare services, tells me in a statement that annually, their organization receives around $325,000 in federal funding through a federal grant called Title X. That makes up 10% of their clinic budget, but as of April 1, their federal funding has been frozen indefinitely, forcing them to use private donations to keep services running while awaiting news from the administration.
And they’re not alone. One Valley Community Foundation, a nonprofit that addresses the needs of Gallatin Valley, conducted a survey of nonprofits in the area that drew responses from 44 local organizations.
“They shared with us that what is at risk is about $34 million that nonprofit organizations within Gallatin County were anticipating. That might be at risk if there was an elimination or reduction of federal funding,” explains Bridget Wilkinson.
Wilkinson is the president and CEO of One Valley. Her greatest fear? If federal funding disappears, so could our nonprofits.
“Seventy-five percent of folks that responded to our survey said that they would not be able to exist in a year. So, there is a lot at stake right now,” adds Wilkinson.
Nonprofits in our community provide services everywhere from healthcare to housing, to food security, and more. Which is why Bridget says their upcoming "Give Big" event, a day of giving back to local nonprofits, is vital.
“Due to the uncertainty and somewhat destabilization of our nonprofit sector right now? Give Big, I think, is more important than ever. So we just ask that people show up for them. Whether it's a gift of 5 to 500 dollars, all those gifts matter collectively when we do it together,” says Wilkinson.
The 24-hour fundraiser kicks off on May 1, 2025. Learn more at the Give Big Gallatin Valley website.
You can read Bridgercare’s full statement below:
Bridgercare receives federal funding through a federal grant called Title X, which funds sliding fee scale family planning services to folks in need. Last year Bridgercare received $325,000 in federal funding, which is 10% of our clinic budget. Bridgercare also manages the statewide Title X program that receives federal funding to disperse to 20 reproductive healthcare clinics across the state of Montana, the majority of which are located in extremely rural areas. Bridgercare and our network of 20 family planning clinics across the state provide contraception and other sexual and reproductive health services to people who want it but can’t afford it.
As of April 1st, our federal funding through the Title X family planning grant has been frozen indefinitely. We've been operating without federal Title X funds for 22 days now, temporarily using private donations to keep services running while we await news from the administration.
Bridgercare is lucky to have diverse funding streams and we have always been resilient thanks to the incredible support of this community and the patients we serve. As a result, we won't be closing ours doors anytime soon. But we're concerned about the long-term impact if this annual federal funding doesn't return. Without this federal support, many patients could lose access to affordable birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing, and annual wellness exams – the essential care everyone deserves.
Right now, our primary concern is ensuring that everyone in our community has access to the high-quality healthcare they deserve, no matter where they live or how much money they make.
