Montana State Elks Association — State Major Project

Aid to Rural Volunteer Fire Departments 

The purpose of the MSEA State Major Project is to provide monetary assistance for the purchase of equipment and training to better serve the community. Grant money is intended to improve safety and efficiency for Rural Volunteer Firefighters by providing funding for “necessary” equipment and training.



In the State of Montana, we have over 380 Rural Volunteer Fire Departments who respond to emergencies in our small communities. 

72% of these incidents are emergency medical services, fires, weather, explosions and other hazardous situations. They must have the right equipment and training for the situation at hand.

Most departments depend on donations raised through community activities. They rarely receive funding from taxes and if they do, the tax base is too small to adequately equip and train them for all situations.

Montana Volunteer Fire Departments make up 83.6% of all Montana departments, 13.2% higher than the national average.