The Montana Historical Society received a $15,000 donation from Stockman Bank during the grand opening of the bank’s newest Helena branch on Feb. 12.
The gift will support the Montana History and Civics Education Endowment, which provides grants to schools across the state for educational field trips to the Montana Heritage Center and the Montana State Capitol.
The contribution continues Stockman Bank’s support of the historical society, following a previous $100,000 donation that helped fund construction of the recently opened Montana Heritage Center.
“Our roots are based in Montana and history is very important to us,” said Bill Coffee, CEO of Stockman Bank. “We value learning from the past to focus on the future.”
The bank’s latest gift will help schools cover travel costs so students from communities across Montana can visit Helena for immersive educational experiences. During the trips, students receive curated tours of the Capitol building and museum galleries inside the Heritage Center. Montana Historical Society staff coordinate with teachers to tailor visits to classroom curriculum and create meaningful learning opportunities.
Since field trips launched under the program in January 2026, dozens of schools have already received grants and traveled to Helena. Additional trips are scheduled throughout the spring.
“We are deeply grateful to Stockman Bank for this generous contribution,” said Darby Bramble, education officer with the Montana Historical Society. “Their support brings us closer to our vision of making these transformative educational experiences available to all Montana students, regardless of their school’s location or resources.”
The Montana History and Civics Education Endowment aims to raise $10 million to ensure long-term sustainability and equitable access to the state’s history for students statewide. To date, approximately $3.5 million has been raised. Applications for the next round of field trip grants will reopen in the fall.
By: DNU staff