Montana Historical Society Receives $50,000 Grant to Launch Free Field Trip Program

• July 30 2025

The Montana Historical Society has been awarded a $50,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana to launch a free field trip program for Montana students.  The program is designed to bring students from every corner of Montana to the Montana Heritage Center and the State Capitol for immersive learning experiences about their state’s history and government.

The grant, announced by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana on July 15 alongside other community investment recipients, represents a significant step toward the Society’s ambitious goal of making Montana history and state government accessible to all Montana students, regardless of their school’s location or economic circumstances.

“For too many Montana students and teachers, particularly those in rural communities, a trip to the State Capitol and the Montana Heritage Center feels out of reach,” said Darby Bramble, Education Officer with the Montana Historical Society. “This program changes that reality. We’re talking about students who might have to drive several hours just to get to Helena, and for many schools, the cost of transportation has made this kind of educational experience impossible.”

The History and Civics Education Program will provide comprehensive grants to schools across Montana, covering transportation costs and lodging. Upon arrival in Helena, students will explore the Museum at the Montana Heritage Center, where they can engage with the state’s history through interactive exhibits and artifacts. They will also receive guided tours of the state Capitol, where they can witness Montana’s government in action and learn about the democratic process firsthand.

 “This trip, more than any other thing I did in the classroom, is what lit a spark for local and state history engagement among my students,” said an 8th grade teacher from Bonner who recently took his class on a field trip to Helena. “Kids were eager to dive into our local history unit, and as a result of our trip, a lot more of them want to learn about local civics now too.”

Thanks to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana’s contribution of $50,000, the program will launch in early 2026. Applications for the program will be accepted on an ongoing basis with two deadlines. The first round of applications will be accepted until October 13, 2025, and the second wave of funding will be open until January 4, 2026.

To expand the reach of this program, the Montana Historical Society is actively raising additional funds through an endowment campaign. The organization aims to build the endowment to sustain the program indefinitely, ensuring that geography and economics never prevent Montana students from experiencing their state’s history and capitol.

For more information on the History and Civics Endowment, or to contribute to the program, contact Darby Bramble at darby.bramble2@mt.gov or 406-444-2412, or visit: https://montanamuseum.org/historycivicsfieldtrips