It was an honor to be part of the Whitefish Community Foundation Awards Night last week. Being surrounded by people and organizations committed to supporting others and creating opportunity in our community is both humbling and energizing. Through the generosity of its donors, the Whitefish Community Foundation awarded $524,500 to 79 local nonprofits, and we are grateful to be among this year’s recipients.

Our $6,000 award will support both our Fire and Rain resilience programs here in Flathead County.

For our Fire program, this funding will help us build on ongoing efforts to improve access to clean air for vulnerable populations. This includes our partnership with Logan Health to distribute HEPA filters to at-risk individuals, our work with childcare providers to ensure children have clean air during wildfire smoke events, and our coordination with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to establish clean air centers in Flathead County.

For our Rain program, this funding will support continued efforts to build awareness and preparedness around the potential for a 1964-scale flood in the Flathead Valley. This includes ongoing collaboration with the cities of Whitefish, Kalispell, and Columbia Falls to ensure future growth planning considers flood risk, as well as continued work toward a partnership with Flathead County that would allow our outreach and education efforts to contribute to the County’s Community Rating System (CRS) program—helping reduce flood insurance premiums for local residents.

At Climate Smart Glacier, we believe community resilience is built through practical, locally driven solutions that help people prepare for and respond to real risks—whether from wildfire smoke, flooding, or other disruptions. Our role is to help bring people together—residents, local governments, schools, businesses, and community organizations—to build shared understanding and take meaningful action.

These efforts are focused first and foremost on those most vulnerable to these impacts, while also strengthening the broader community. By supporting on-the-ground actions and building trusted partnerships, we aim to create tangible benefits today while laying the groundwork for long-term resilience. Over time, this work helps communities become more adaptable, more self-reliant, and better prepared for whatever comes next.

Together, we’re building something that goes beyond any single project—a more prepared, connected, and resilient Flathead community.