Tag Archives: Caitlin Copple

Missoula Registry Passes

by D Gregory Smith

Dear Greg,

Thanks so much for your support of the registry. I’m happy to report that it passed unanimously last night at Council. Your email made a big difference. I’ll be in touch with how you can register once we solidify the timeline with the Clerk’s office…hopefully we’ll be up and running Aug. 1.

Best, Caitlin

More here: http://www.kpax.com/mobile/news/missoula-council-passes-domestic-partnership-resolution/

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Work Full-time For LGBTQ Montanans!

by D Gregory Smith

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If your dream is to work full-time helping to support and develop Montana’s LGBTQ community (and to receive excellent pay and benefits doing so), Pride Foundation has an opening for a full-time Regional Development Organizer (RDO).

This position, previously held by Caitlin Copple, will close soon, so I’d encourage anyone who’s been hesitating to apply ASAP.

The position description is here.

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Help Find Pride Foundation’s Next Montana Staffer

by D Gregory Smith
Dear Supporters,

As many of you know, Pride Foundation’s Montana Organizer, Caitlin Copple has recently accepted a role at the national nonprofit Women’s Voices for the Earth to be a part-time communications contractor. Women’s Voices for the Earth is a national nonprofit organization that works to eliminate toxic chemicals that harm women’s health by changing consumer behaviors, corporate practices, and government policies. Caitlin was with Pride Foundation for over two years and was an inaugural member of our regional team that expanded our staffing impact and structure across our 5-state region.
All along the way, and for years before, Caitlin has served as a proud champion and activist in our LGBTQ movement in Montana, and we are sad to see her go. Yet, we are aware of the incredible network and foundation she built with your help and excited for the opportunities ahead both for her and Pride Foundation’s work on justice issues around the Northwest.
With Caitlin’s departure, Pride Foundation is conducting a competitive regional search for the Regional Development Organizer (RDO) in Montana. And we’d like to ask for your help in this process.
Pride Foundation is a donor-supported community foundation that inspires a culture of generosity by connecting and strengthening organizations, leaders, and students who are advancing equality for LGBTQ people and their families in the Northwest. The Regional Development Organizer in Montana will provide strategic vision and leadership for Pride Foundation’s programmatic efforts throughout Montana. This person will also oversee all aspects of grants and scholarships across the state including scholar and grantee recruitment, review processes, and on-going support.

Additionally, the new RDO will have the unique opportunity to serve in collaboration with other statewide LGBTQ and allied organizations to continue to move equality forward in cities across the Treasure State. Finally, the new RDO will work closely with Pride Foundation’s Community Giving and Communications teams to ensure best practices in fund raising, donor stewardship, storytelling, and community support.
The ideal candidate would bring a creative and thoughtful approach to program support while maintaining an appreciation of Pride Foundation’s history, legacy, and commitment to social justice philanthropy. Pride Foundation has a $3 million operating budget with 16 full-time employees and several student interns. It is governed by a Board of Directors with 23 members from across the 5-state region with diverse professional, cultural, and personal backgrounds.
This position reports to the Director of Regional Operations and Leadership.  Please see the full position description and share the opportunity with your networks of friends and colleagues.
Best,
Amy White
Director of Regional Operations and Leadership

 
http://www.pridefoundation.org | info@pridefoundation.org | 1.800.735.7287 | Headquarters Mailing Address: 1122 E Pike St PMB 1001 | Seattle, WA 98122 US
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Off To PFLAG Conference

by D Gregory Smith

Today, I’ll be in the great town of Hamilton, MT for the 2012 PFLAG “Big Sky/Big Dreams” Pacific Northwest Regional Conference.

This event is being organized by PFLAG Hamilton/Bitterroot and is being held from September 21-23, 2012, at the Bitterroot River Inn.  The conference is an opportunity for PFLAG members to share in education, advocacy and fun.  Presentations being offered include those by Dr. Robert Minor: The Fairness Project and Jean Hodges:  Chair of Regional Directors, National PFLAG – “Faces and Facets of Transgender Experience.”

Caitlin Copple and I will also be presenting on organizing and the power of creating a solid organizational model on behalf of Pride Foundation.

Hope to see some of you there!

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Free Money! Pride Foundation Deadline July 31

by D Gregory Smith

Pride Foundation, The Northwest’s largest LGBT community foundation is accepting Letters of Inquiry for its 2012 Grant Cycle. Pride Foundation is proud to support LGBTQ equality in Montana. Building on our first Montana grant awarded in the 1990s supporting a LGBTQ youth conference, we have been growing support for Montana organizations and scholars thanks to donors and volunteers with more than $300,000 awarded to date. For Every $1.00 given in Montana, $3.80 comes back to the state- allowing Pride Foundation to make major investments in Montana Equality.

The simple online Letter of Inquiry application is available here. If you are a previous applicant, please log in using your email address and password. If you are a new applicant, please select “Create New Account” on the registration page. Only successful Letter of Inquiry applicants will be invited to submit a full application. However, all applicants will receive notification.

Please review our grant guidelines before applying.

2012 Application Process

Letter of Inquiry

  • Letter of Inquiry available: June 1, 2012
  • Letter of Inquiry deadline: July 31, 2012
  • Letter of Inquiry applicant notification: August 27, 2012

Full Application (By Invitation)

  • Full Application invitation notification: August 27, 2012
  • Full Application deadline: September 21, 2012
  • Full Application notification: November 30, 2012

(Funds will be disbursed in December 2012)

All of Pride Foundation’s granting decisions are made by teams of local volunteers knowledgeable in their community’s needs.

Questions?

If you need more information regarding this process, contact your area’s Regional Development Organizer.
In Montana, that’s Caitlin Copple. She can be reached at 406.546.7017, by email: Caitlin@pridefoundation.org
For general grant assistance or questions, please email our Director of Grants Programming or call 206.323.3318 or toll free at 800.735.7287.

Sign up for Pride Foundation’s monthly eNewsletter to receive notification of future grant and scholarship deadlines, and other Pride Foundation news.

You’re Invited

by D Gregory Smith
Come together to celebrate Pride Foundation’s
impact on Montana’s equality movement!
_________________________
Partners in Pride Buffet Dinner
Saturday, June 16, 2012
5:30 – 7:30 PM

 

Hosted by
Tom Marsh, Greg Smith, and Ken Spencer
Montana State University
Student Union Building | Room 168
Donations accepted but never required!

Please RSVP by Thursday, June 14 by texting or calling Pride Foundation’s Regional Development Organizer in Montana, Caitlin Copple at 546.7017 or by emailing caitlin@pridefoundation.org.
 


Founded in 1985, Pride Foundation inspires a culture of generosity that connects and strengthens Northwest organizations, leaders, and students who are creating LGBTQ equality in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington State.
Visit www.pridefoundation.org for more information.
 Pride Foundation’s mailing address in Montana is P.O. Box 7456 Missoula, MT 59807  

_________________________

Pride Foundation In Montana: Promoting Equality And Generosity- With A New Website

by D Gregory Smith

Pride Foundation launched a new website this week, making it much easier to focus on the great work we are doing throughout the Pacific Northwest. And yes, I say we. And so should you.

Since 1985, Pride Foundation has been promoting a culture of philanthropy and generosity among LGBT people and our allies- most recently supporting Marriage Equality in Washington State. And we’re not stopping there.

Pride Foundation is proud to support LGBTQ equality in Montana. Building on the first Montana grant awarded in the 1990s supporting a LGBTQ youth conference, we have been growing support for Montana organizations and scholars thanks to donors and volunteers with more than $300,000 awarded to date. For every $1.00 given in Montana, $3.80 is returned to Montana by Pride Foundation.  Seriously. That’s a firm and amazing commitment.

As a donor-supported community foundation and a catalyst for change, we support transformative philanthropy, programs, and individuals in the Northwest that help people find joy and strength in who they are and where they are—in urban, rural, and remote communities.

Caitlin Copple is Pride Foundation’s full-time Regional Development Organizer in Montana, based in Missoula. But Caitlin travels throughout the Treasure State meeting donors, volunteers, grantees, and scholars—building a community to move LGBTQ equality forward in Montana. She’s on the road for Pride Foundation every week.

Contact Caitlin to learn more about Pride Foundation’s work in Montana and to find out how you can get involved. Be sure to sign up for Pride Foundation’s monthly eNewsletter to learn more about our supporters, grantees, and scholars. You can also read all of Caitlin’s Montana stories online.

Local Leadership: For Montana, By Montana

Local leadership makes Pride Foundation’s work meaningful and relevant as local Montana volunteers help award our grants and scholarships in Montana. Montana’s Leadership Action Team is one group of volunteers that provides guidance and advice to staff. I am proud to be a part of this group of amazing individuals. With representation from Arlee, Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell and Missoula, the members of the 2012 Leadership Action Team are:

  • Chris Bedoian
  • Rep. Bryce Bennett (D-Missoula)
  • Aaron Browning
  • Suzie Eades
  • Mel Fisher
  • Ginny Furshong
  • Shelley Hayes
  • David Herrera
  • Pat Kemp
  • Tom Marsh
  • Greg Smith – Chairperson
  • Mary Stranahan
  • Mike Wessler
  • Bobbie Zenker
Look for us this summer at Montana Pride– and remember, groups/events can request sponsorships ($50.00 to $500.00 separate from the larger grant cycle) from Pride Foundation through a quick and easy form. Pride Foundation is committed to LGBT Equality and philanthropy in Montana- we want you with us. Remember, for every dollar given by Montanans to Pride Foundation, $3.80 comes back to Montana. That’s an incredible return on your investment.
And our lives here are more than worth it.

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Missoula Sips For Pride Foundation!

by D Gregory Smith

If you’re looking for something to do Saturday evening, look no further!

Missoula Sips for Pride Foundation
Saturday, March 31 – 5:00-9:00 PM
Celebrate spring with Missoula’s LGBTQ and allied
community with a wine tasting and friend-raiser
hosted by Ten Spoon Winery!

Please RSVP by Thursday, March 29th

To RSVP or should you have any questions, please contact Caitlin Copple at 406-546-7017 or caitlin@pridefoundation.org

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Red Lodge Ski Event to Raise Money for Scholarship

by D Gregory Smith


Billings Group Hopes to Establish LGBTQ Scholarship for Montana

RED LODGE, MT — The Billings-based group TAP 365 will bring Slide 4 Pride to the Beartooth Recreational Nordic Center on Saturday, March 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  This family-friendly cross-country ski event aims to raise money to start a scholarship fund for a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or straight-allied Montana student, and will also accept donations for the Beartooth Recreational Trails Association.

“Gay students are more likely to lose family support and even face homelessness after they come out,” explained Suzie Eades, a volunteer with TAP 365 and Pride Foundation who is planning the ski event after two successful 4 Pride fundraisers earlier this year in Billings. “It’s important that our community step up and show these students that we believe in them and know they can succeed in college.”

TAP 365 is a new nonprofit aimed at raising awareness about LGBTQ issues east of the Continental Divide and to build bridges with heterosexual allies. TAP 365 hopes the 4 Pride events will raise enough money to endow a scholarship fund, which will be managed by Pride Foundation and perpetually support a Montana LGBTQ student who is pursuing a degree or post-secondary certification in Montana.

“We are thrilled to partner once again with TAP 365 and the 4 Pride Event Series,” said Caitlin Copple, Montana’s Regional Development Organizer for Pride Foundation.  “It’s great to see the energy and enthusiasm coming out of the Billings community for LGBTQ equality, thanks to the work of these volunteers.”

Slide 4 Pride is a free event featuring beginning cross-country ski instruction, food, and music under a heated tent. All donations are tax deductible, and sponsorships from the Pride Foundation, Jason Webinger of Farmers Insurance in Billings and Café Regis of Red Lodge helped underwrite event costs.

Pride Foundation provides grants and scholarships to strengthen the LGBTQ equality movement across the Northwest states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.  It is the single largest provider of scholarships for LGBTQ students in the nation, and will give away $380,000 in community scholarships this year.  To learn more, visit www.pridefoundation.org or email Caitlin@pridefoundation.org or call 406.546.7017.

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Pride Foundation: Big Plans for Montana

by D Gregory Smith

By Caitlin Copple, Montana Regional Development Organizer, Pride Foundation

During new Executive Director Kris Hermanns’ inaugural visit to Montana, the state’s Leadership Action Team volunteers convened at a retreat center in Red Lodge January 28 to assess the first year of Pride Foundation’s regional expansion in Montana and to help set the course for 2012.

“The Montana retreat recognized, created and harnessed some of the most encouraging energy I’ve been a part of in a long time,” said volunteer and monthly donor Greg Smith of Bozeman. “There is a unity of purpose and vision among us that’s palpable, and we are absolutely committed to LGBTQ equality in Montana.”

Added volunteer and donor Mary Stranahan of Arlee: “It was a good whirlwind of networking and making connections across the state, and I am very glad to have met Kris.”

Among the highlights were the notable increase in the number of LGBTQ events around the state, feeling more connected as a statewide community, giving away more money than ever, and feeling like we are working to create a better world through social change.  Wishes from team members included the need for more political and legal change, more visibility to reach people outside the “choir” of progressive and LGBTQ activists, and to diversify in fundraising strategies.

LAT Members with Pride Foundation's Amy White

The team, which functions much like a statewide board, decided to split into three subcommittees focusing on fundraising, visibility and communications, and leadership development.  The fundraising committee, co-chaired by Aaron Browning of Billings and Ginny Furshong of Helena, will focus on major donor and monthly giving development and donor retention, as well as connecting with Montana’s many “expats” who have left the state for either coast but remaining committed to social justice here.

The communications committee will develop Montana-specific “talking points” about the impact of Pride Foundation and its grantees in Montana, and work to present to businesses and service clubs.

The leadership development committee will focus on power-building by providing capacity building and technical assistance to grantee organizations and allies, as well as providing greater volunteer support to grantees, especially those focused on advocacy and education.

“Volunteering with and donating to Pride Foundation means being a part of something bigger than myself without losing my individual identity – or my voice,” explains LAT member and monthly donor Greg Smith of Bozeman. “In fact, Pride Foundation amplifies my voice because it is the vehicle for change in the Pacific Northwest for all LGBTQ persons and our allies, urbanand rural. Pride Foundation’s investment in my home state of Montana couldn’t be clearer- it’s professional, it’s consistent and it’s becoming stronger every day.”

Moving forward, the Leadership Action Team plans to meet quarterly in person and monthly in subcommittees.  If you have feedback or suggestions for how Pride Foundation can better serve your community, please contact Caitlin@pridefoundation.org or one of your local LAT members.

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