Forward Mt

Programs: Forward montanas mission is to mobilize and engage young montanans to use the democratic process to improve their lives and the lives of their fellow montanas. We believe that if more young people vote and advocate civically for public policies that reflect their values, a more supportive climate will be created to advance public policies that better the lives of young people and all montanans. This change will happen faster if more young montanans have the leadership skills and training to be effective civic advocates. To accomplish our mission and our theory of change, we focus on leadershipdevelopment, voter registration, voter mobilization, and issue advocacy. In 2017 fmt graduated 27 interns from their leadership development programs. Theseprograms were geared towards high school and college-aged students. Fmt workedwith the university of montana and montana state university to host these students, in exchange for class credit. Students participated in weekly classes, a field program, and led a final project. We also hosted six advocacy trainings. Fmt hosts happy hours and public information nights to educate and activate youngpeople around current events in their community and in montana. In 2017, fmt heldseveral progressive happy hours in billings, bozeman and missoula, including election night watch parties. Fmt worked administratively and through public education and advocacy to push forward the issues young people most care about: the environment, equality, election reform, health care, education, and economic justice. During the 2017 legislature, fmt monitored legislation, worked in coalitions, and supported education and advocacy efforts that protected montanas heritage of public lands, and supported renewable energy development. They opposed efforts that restricted voting rights of young montanans, efforts that invaded transgender individuals privacy, safety, and dignity to use public facilities, and efforts to cut the budget, impacting important programming that would have negative outcomes for thousands of young montanans. Fmt created and distributed 30,000 non-partisan voter guides that highlighted where candidates stand on issues important to young people during the elections in montana. Volunteers and staff distributed these voter guides at local colleges and universities, coffee shops and local businesses, and door-to-door in areas where young people live. They also promoted an online voter guide via facebook and social media. During the spring special election, they hosted online town hall interviews with candidates. These online interviews were led by young, montana journalists and then displayed online and through social media. During the fall municipal elections, fmt worked with partners in bozeman, billings, and missoula to host fun, relevant candidate forums that focused on local issues important to young montanans from public lands & open spaces to affordable housing and education. Fmt hosted student voter day at the university of montana and montana stateuniversity campuses. This year they expanded the event by partnering with studentgroups including the [associated students of montana state university, montpirg,office of student engagement, and montana wilderness association].