Missouri-Madison River Fund Grant Program

About this program

NorthWestern Energy administers the Missouri‑Madison River Fund Grant Program, a public–private partnership that awards annual grants—supplemented by NorthWestern Energy matching funds—to support public recreation projects within the Missouri‑Madison Project Area (Project 2188 Hydroelectric Project). Application materials are posted each mid‑May, completed applications are due in September, reviews occur in late fall, and funding decisions are made in December; historically the program has awarded $7.2M in grants (2007–2025) with $1.85M in matching funds. Eligible applicants include local governments, state and federal agencies, and other organizations proposing qualifying public recreation projects in the Project Area, and projects must comply with the Missouri‑Madison Comprehensive Recreation Plan and River Fund scoring criteria. Applicants are required to provide matching or partner contributions per the application guidance; contact program staff via the River Fund web page for submission details.