MONTANA PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
141 CORBIN HALL, MISSOULA, MT 59812 www.mtpirg.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MONTANA PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP (MONTPIRG) IS A STUDENT DIRECTED AND FUNDED NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO AFFECTING TANGIBLE, POSITIVE CHANGE THROUGH EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CIVIC LEADERS.

MONTPIRG IS DEDICATED TO TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CIVIC LEADERS THROUGH HANDS-ON ADVOCACY. WE TAKE ON THE IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING MONTANA BY PUSHING WORK TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND ADVANCE CLEAN ENERGY, EMPOWER YOUNG VOTERS, AND DEFEND CONSUMER RIGHTS. THIS YEAR, IN ADDITION TO TAKING ON A NUMBER OF EXCITING CAMPAIGNS, IN THE SPRING OF 2020 MONTPIRG HAD TO ADJUST AND ADAPT TO THE HURDLES CREATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE REST OF 2020 AND 2021 HOLD, MONTPIRG WILL WORK TIRELESSLY TO ADVANCE THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND TRAIN YOUNG LEADERS. BELOW ARE SOME OF OUR IMPORTANT EFFORTS. -VOTER ENGAGEMENT: #APATHYISCANCELLED: IN THE FALL OF 2019 MONTPIRG LAUNCHED ITS APATHY IS CANCELLED PROGRAM. THE 2019-2020 APATHY IS CANCELLED CAMPAIGN IS ABOUT MORE THAN TURNING OUT YOUNG PEOPLE TO VOTE; IT'S ABOUT INSPIRING EACH INDIVIDUAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR DEMOCRACY IN ORDER TO MAKE POSITIVE, TANGIBLE CHANGE IN ASPECTS OF LIFE WHICH THEY CARE ABOUT. WHETHER VOTING TO ELECT LEADERS WHO WILL WORK ON SOLVING CLIMATE CHANGE OR VOTING TO PROTECT SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS, WE NEED ALL YOUNG PEOPLE TO SHOW UP AND VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION. APATHY IS CANCELLED IS THE THREAD THAT TIES ALL OF MONTPIRG'S WORK TOGETHER THROUGH THE NOVEMBER 2020 ELECTION. THROUGH OUR WORK INTERACTING WITH YOUNG VOTERS ACROSS COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT MONTANA WE WILL SEEK TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPLORE THE PLETHORA OF REASONS YOUNG PEOPLE SHOW UP TO VOTE. THIS CAMPAIGN GIVES MONTPIRG A STRONGER KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUES THAT INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ALLOWING THE VOTER TO THINK OUT THEIR REASONS TO PARTICIPATE WHICH WILL DRIVE THEM TO TURNOUT IN 2020. EMPOWERING YOUNG VOTERS: IN THE SPRING OF 2020, MONTPIRG LAUNCHED ITS ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION PORTAL, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN MONTANA. THE PROCESS MAKES IT SIMPLE FOR SOMEONE IN MONTANA TO REGISTER TO VOTE WITHOUT LEAVING HOME; SOMETHING THAT BECAME ESSENTIAL IN 2020. ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS VISIT MTPIRG.ORG/REGISTER, FILL OUT THE REQUISITE INFO AND HIT SUBMIT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY'LL GET THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION FORM IN THE MAIL. FROM THERE, THEY JUST HAVE TO FILL IN ONE BOX AND SIGN, PLACE IT IN THE PRE-ADDRESSED, PRE-STAMPED ENVELOPE AND SEND IT OFF TO THEIR COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE. MONTPIRG IS EXCITED TO UTILIZE THIS EXCITING NEW TOOL IN THE 2020 ELECTION AND BEYOND. IN 2019, MONTPIRG REGISTERED 1,153 VOTERS, 957 OF WHOM REGISTERED TO VOTE BY MAIL. AS OF OCTOBER 15, 2020, MONTPIRG REGISTERED 5,350 MONTANANS TO VOTE FOR THE 2020 ELECTION. WE HAVE DONE SO THROUGH THE ABOVE MENTIONED ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION PORTAL, EVENTS, OUR EFFORTS TO CERTIFY THE CI-118 AND I-190 BALLOT INITIATIVES, AND GOOD OLD FASHIONED TABLING ON MONTANA COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES. IN ADDITION TO REGISTERING YOUNG VOTERS, MONTPIRG KNOWS GETTING OUT THE VOTE IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT. IN ADDITION TO OBTAINING APPROXIMATELY 1,103 PLEDGES TO VOTE FROM YOUNG VOTERS, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE 2020 PRIMARY ELECTION (JUNE 2, 2020) THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY MAIL, MONTPIRG MADE 1,810 PHONE CALLS REMINDING PEOPLE TO GET THEIR BALLOTS IN. MONTPIRG ALSO PLANS TO MAKE 60,000 PHONE CALLS FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION REMINDING PEOPLE TO MAIL THEIR BALLOTS BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THEY ARE RECEIVED BY THEIR LOCAL ELECTIONS OFFICE BY 8PM ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020; -DEFENDING OUR OUTDOORS: LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUND & BADGER-TWO MEDICINE: IN 2019, MONTPIRG ORGANIZED AND EXECUTED TWO STATEWIDE CANVASSES TO EDUCATE MONTANANS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING PUBLIC LANDS AND THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION FUNDING. FOR ITS 2019 SUMMER CANVASS, MONTPIRG KNOCKED ON APPROXIMATELY 16,667 DOORS, IN SUPPORT OF PROTECTING THE BADGER-TWO MEDICINE AREA IN NORTHWEST MONTANA FROM GAS AND OIL DRILLING. MONTPIRG ALSO SUBMITTED EIGHT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR AND COLLECTED 3,064 COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF PROTECTING THIS TREASURED LANDMARK. IN 2019, MONTPIRG ALSO ADVOCATED FOR FULL FUNDING OF THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF). IMPLEMENTED IN THE 1960S, THE LWCF TAKES REVENUE GENERATED FROM EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND USES IT TO CONSERVE AMERICA'S MOST VULNERABLE AND PRECIOUS OUTDOOR RESOURCES INCLUDING PARKS, WILDLIFE REFUGES, FORESTS, OPEN SPACES, TRAILS AND WILDLIFE HABITATS. FOR DECADES, CONSERVATIONISTS HAVE CALLED FOR THE LWCF TO BE MADE PERMANENT AND FULLY FUNDED. BEGINNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2019, MONTPIRG KNOCKED ON 5,354 DOORS AND COLLECTED 672 COMMENTS URGING MONTANA'S FEDERAL DELEGATION TO FULLY FUND THE LWCF. MONTPIRG CAPPED ITS LWCF WORK OFF WITH THE LARGEST MONTPIRG EVENT OF 2019: THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FEST IN BOZEMAN. THE RESULT WAS THREE BANDS, DONATED BEER, MANY SUPPORTIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES, AND A HUGE TURNOUT. IN THE END, MONTPIRG ESTIMATES AROUND 300 PEOPLE CAME TO THE EVENT AND AROUND 100 TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE A COMMENT TO MONTANA SENATOR DAINES TO SUPPORT FULL FUNDING OF THE LWCF. IN JULY 2020 MONTPIRG WAS ABLE TO CELEBRATE ALL ITS HARD WORK WHEN THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT PASSED BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS, WITH FULL, PERMANENT FUNDING OF THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND. MONTPIRG'S CAMPAIGN TO HOLD ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE ON PROMISES TO PASS THIS LEGISLATION WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS AND SERVES AS A MODEL FOR HOW MONTPIRG CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE FEDERAL POLICYMAKERS TO STAND UP FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST, NOTABLY THE ENVIRONMENT. CI-118 AND I-190 BALLOT INITIATIVES: IN MAY 2020, MONTPIRG BEGAN COLLECTING SIGNATURES TO CERTIFY CI-118 AND 1-190 FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION BALLOT. IF PASSED BY MONTANA VOTERS IN NOVEMBER, CI-118 AND I-190 WOULD LEGALIZE, REGULATE AND TAX RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA FOR INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF 21 IN MONTANA. MONTPIRG ENGAGED IN THESE SIGNATURE GATHERING EFFORTS BECAUSE CLOSE TO 50% OF LEGAL MARIJUANA'S TAX DOLLARS WOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS CONSERVATION FUNDING IN THE STATE. WITH LITTLE TIME TO MOBILIZE, MONTPIRG OBTAINED 15,695 SIGNATURES TOTAL FOR THE INITIATIVES AND REGISTERED CLOSE TO 600 VOTERS. MONTPIRG CONTINUED ITS WORK ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE THROUGH THE SUMMER OF 2020 WITH ITS ANNUAL SUMMER CANVASING, MAKING 8,584 PHONE CALLS TO LET MONTANA VOTERS KNOW ABOUT THE IMPACT LEGALIZED MARIJUANA WOULD HAVE ON CONSERVATION FUNDING IN THE STATE. THESE EFFORTS CONTINUED INTO THE FALL OF 2020 AND AS OF OCTOBER 10, 2020, MONTPIRG HAS MADE OVER 183,00 CALLS AND SENT 16,000 TEXTS SUPPORTING THESE INITIATIVES, IN ADDITION TO SUBMITTING THIRTEEN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR; -RENTERS RIGHTS: IN THE FALL OF 2019, MONTPIRG HOSTED ITS RENTERPALOOZA, ITS ANNUAL EVENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS KNOW THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES BEFORE ENTERING INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT. ATTENDEES OF RENTERPALOOZA COME AWAY WITH MORE CONFIDENCE ABOUT RENTING, AS WELL AS A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR RIGHTS AS A RENTER. THROUGH 2020, MONTPIRG ALSO CONTINUED ITS WORK TO RELAUNCH ITS ONLINE TENANT LANDLORD GUIDE AND HOTLINE. FOR CLOSE TO FORTY YEARS, THE MONTPIRG TENANT LANDLORD GUIDE AND HOTLINE HAVE GIVEN RENTERS THE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE ON WHAT TO DO WHEN THEIR LANDLORD KNOCKS. IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TENANT LANDLORD GUIDE AND HOTLINE RELAUNCH, 111 INDIVIDUALS FILLED OUT OUR ONLINE RENTER SURVEY. IN AUGUST 2020, THE TENANT LANDLORD GUIDE AND HOTLINE RELAUNCHED ON THE MONTPIRG WEBSITE WITH FAQS, THE AFOREMENTIONED LANDLORD REVIEWS AND A DOCUMENT LIBRARY WITH HELPFUL FORMS AND SAMPLE DOCUMENTS FOR TENANTS' USE; -LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CIVIC LEADERS-NO MATTER WHAT: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MONTPIRG DOES IS TRAIN NEW AND RISING LEADERS. BEYOND THE ISSUES WE ADVOCATE FOR, THIS WORK IS THE LONGEST LASTING AND MOST CRITICAL. EACH YEAR, MONTPIRG TRAINS THREE CLASSES (SPRING, SUMMER, FALL) OF INTERNS AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY BOZEMAN AND UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA WHO LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO CREATE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, STATE, NATION AND WORLD. WE WORK ON THE MAJOR ISSUES FACING MONTANA WHICH INCLUDES EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, EXPAND VOTING RIGHTS, PROTECT CONSUMERS, AND MORE. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, MONTPIRG HAS BUILT A ROBUST INTERNSHIP AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. OUR WORK IS FOCUSED ON GIVING YOUNG MONTANANS THE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING SKILLS TO STEP UP, TAKE CHARGE, AND LEAD ON THE ISSUES FACING OUR STATE. THESE TOOLS NOT ONLY HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AS AN INTERN BUT ARE TRANSFERABLE TO THE WORK THEY WILL DO AS THEY CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN OUR MOVEMENT FOR YEARS TO COME. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITHIN BELOW.

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