Investing in young women and girls, helping them feel empowered to lead and make a difference, builds a stronger, more equitable future for our state.

This month, we’re delighted to highlight our partnership with EmpowerMT’s UpRising Fellowship, a program made possible by the Women's Foundation of Montana's participation in the National Philanthropic Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives. UpRising lifts young women and gender-expansive youth who are already leading in their communities by connecting them with the support, resources, and opportunities to grow their skills and turn their visions into action.

In its first year, the fellowship brings together 13 participants who are already working to identify issues in their communities and develop plans of action for meaningful change. Through this experience, the cohort will not only strengthen individual skills and capacity, but also build a network of leaders equipped to address the challenges facing communities across Montana.

I was able to meet the young women who are part of the inaugural cohort of the UpRising Fellowship. Hearing directly from UpRising Fellows about their concerns for the future brings WFM’s purpose into sharp focus; it underscores exactly why WFM exists. Their perspectives call us to be bold and responsive in addressing the issues most affecting young women of color, including immigrant and women’s rights, mental health care, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and climate change.

We know that when young women are given the tools to lead, they bring forward solutions that are innovative, inclusive, and deeply rooted in lived experience.

We’re honored to partner with organizations like EmpowerMT and the National Philanthropic Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives to make this work possible.

With gratitude,

UpRising Fellowship Bringing Together Future Leaders

We’re proud to feature the UpRising Fellowship, a program that brings together young BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) leaders who identify as women from across Montana for a year-long experience focused on building skills in leadership, storytelling, and policy advocacy.

The UpRising Fellowship is funded through the National Philanthropic Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives (The Collaborative), whose Young Women’s Initiative supports young women and gender-expansive youth of color in becoming strong leaders, achieving economic security, and living safe, healthy lives. The Collaborative partners with the Women’s Foundation of Montana, which works with EmpowerMT to operate the fellowship.

As part of the program, fellows ages 16-24 will identify issues they want to address in their communities and develop action plans to drive meaningful change. The inaugural cohort began meeting in January 2026 and will gather monthly in virtual sessions, along with at least two in-person trainings throughout the year.

“Even though their backgrounds are really different, the fellows have a lot of shared experiences as women of color living in Montana,” said Faith Price, the Director of Growth and Development at EmpowerMT and leader of the UpRising Fellowship program. “In a place that’s not very diverse, they feel some support, and they can resonate with each other’s experience because of that.”

During their March session, fellows began exploring the issues they want to focus on, with several key themes emerging: women’s rights, immigration, and Native American youth behavioral health.

“They bring a unique perspective as women of color,” Faith said. “They see issues that other groups would not have identified as priority issues.”

In April, fellows will begin researching the root causes of these issues and exploring potential solutions, including possibly working with stakeholders and policymakers to help shape effective responses and policies.

Grounded in principles of inclusion, safety, and community, the program is designed to be led by and for young women and gender-expansive youth of color. It emphasizes leadership development, civic engagement, and open conversations about identity in the context of systems change.

Throughout the remainder of the year, fellows will continue refining their focus areas and putting their learning into action by crafting actionable solutions.

“It’s critical for all of us to be engaged in our communities and helping create the communities that we want to live in and the societies that we want to live in,” Faith said. “Helping young people to recognize that they can be a part of the solution and that it’s important that their voices are heard, that everyone has a voice in our democracy, is really important. When we have a diversity of perspectives and opinions, it only makes us stronger, and we come up with better solutions.”

WFM is a powerful force for philanthropy in Montana because of your support. WFM grantees lead the way in creating strong communities that work for women and girls.

Learn more about WFM grantees here and see our 2025 funding summary.