MONTANA PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP

MONTPIRG CREATES POSITIVE, TANGIBLE CHANGE IN MONTANA MONTPIRG EDUCATES AND ORGANIZES COLLEGE STUDENTS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING AND ADVOCACY. WE TACKLE IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING MONTANA INCLUDING PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, ADVANCING CLEAN ENERGY, EMPOWERING YOUNG VOTERS, AND DEFENDING CONSUMER RIGHTS. IN 2023-2024, MONTPIRG TRAINED STUDENT LEADERS WHO WORKED TO PROTECT MONTANA'S WATER QUALITY BY WORKING TO BAN CERTAIN PLASTICS IN CONSUMER GOODS, KNOCKED ON THOUSANDS OF DOORS TO DISCUSS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, AND REGISTERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO VOTE, PROVIDING VOTER INFORMATION, AND GETTING THEM OUT TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS. VOTER ENGAGEMENT REGISTERING TO VOTE IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS TO BECOMING CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND ACCORDINGLY, ONE OF MONTPIRG'S MOST IMPORTANT GOALS IS ITS YEARLY VOTER REGISTRATION GOAL. EACH SEMESTER, OUR TEAMS WORK TO MAKE ACCESS TO REGISTERING TO VOTE AS EASY AND ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. WORKING THROUGHOUT THE MISSOULA AND BOZEMAN COMMUNITIES, WE HELP THE THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE VOTE. BY DIRECTLY LINKING CANDIDATES AND CAUSES WITH STUDENTS, MOBILIZING STUDENT VOTER TURNOUT, AND EQUIPPING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS, MONTPIRG FACILITATED INFORMED PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. THROUGH ON-CAMPUS INFORMATIONAL EVENTS, CANDIDATE FORUMS, AND RALLIES, WE HELPED COLLEGE STUDENTS VOTE. WHILE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY SEEM DISTANT TO MANY PEOPLE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT LOCAL DECISION-MAKERS OFTEN HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON DAILY LIVES, MAKING IT IMPERATIVE TO CONNECT YOUNG AND FIRST-TIME VOTERS WITH THESE OFFICIALS TO AMPLIFY YOUNGER VOICES IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. STANDING UP FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE SUMMER OF 2024, MONTPIRG ENGAGED IN SIGNATURE GATHERING AND CANVASSING EFFORTS TO ADD BALLOT INITIATIVES TO THE NOVEMBER 2024 ELECTION THAT WOULD BAN CERTAIN PLASTICS FROM THE CITIES OF BOZEMAN AND MISSOULA. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AT THE CORE OF MONTPIRG'S MISSION LIES A COMMITMENT TO EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. RECOGNIZING THE ROLE YOUNG LEADERS PLAY ACROSS SOCIETY, OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO EMPOWER THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE NECESSARY COMPETENCIES AND KNOWLEDGE TO ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS YEAR, WE CONDUCTED INTENSIVE TRAINING SESSIONS FOR COHORTS OF INTERNS IN BOZEMAN AND MISSOULA, FOCUSING ON A DIVERSE RANGE OF SKILLS SUCH AS FUNDRAISING, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING (INCLUDING DOOR KNOCKING AND PHONE CALLING), WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING LETTER WRITING), PUBLIC SPEAKING, EVENT COORDINATION, AND PEER-TO-PEER OUTREACH. IN ADDITION TO OUR INTERN PROGRAM, WE ACTIVELY ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS WHO COLLABORATE WITH INTERNS AND STAFF TO CULTIVATE THESE PROFICIENCIES AND DRIVE MEANINGFUL CHANGE. PARTICIPANTS GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE BY ADDRESSING ISSUES DIRECTLY IMPACTING BOTH THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AMPLIFYING THEIR IMPACT AND ENHANCING THEIR LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES.