Montana Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from the Hi-Line to the Bitterroot Valley
A slow season, a busted furnace or a long drive to a specialist can stretch a Montana budget thin. Helping Hands tells you which Montana assistance programs match your needs and how to reach them without wasted miles.
Say what you need. We point you to the programs, the basic rules and the Montana offices that can help, so you drive to the right place the first time.
Our guidance stretches across all 56 counties in Montana. You could live in Billings, Missoula or Great Falls, in Yellowstone, Gallatin or Flathead County, or on a ranch two hours from the nearest stoplight. It costs you nothing.
Montana help comes from DPHHS programs, federal benefits, Tribal programs, local charities, food banks and Human Resource Development Councils. We help you find the ones that fit.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
DPHHS, the HRDCs and Tribal programs each set their own rules. Household income, family size, age, disability, housing costs and work history can all affect what you qualify for.
Helping Hands helps you see which programs may fit and which office to call first.
Montana Financial Assistance Programs
A seasonal job ending, an injury or a bad year on the farm can drain your savings fast. Montana families have several kinds of financial help to consider.
If covering the basics has gotten tough, we help you find resources that fit and show you where to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
Montana Food Assistance and SNAP Benefits
Groceries cost more every year, and in small towns the nearest big store can sit an hour away.
We cover Montana food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Montana issues SNAP on an EBT card, and you can use it like a debit card at approved stores, from Billings supermarkets to small-town grocers that take EBT.
Short on food? Check your SNAP eligibility before your next trip to town.
You can apply for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid and LIHEAP through the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) online at apply.mt.gov.
We can also help Montana residents locate:
Montana Utility Bill Assistance
Montana winters bring subzero nights, and propane or natural gas bills can climb fast. Falling behind on heat in January puts your family at real risk.
We can show you heating help that Montana households may qualify for before the first hard freeze.
Resources may include information about:
LIHEAP Assistance in Montana
Montana runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through the Department of Public Health and Human Services. It pays part of winter energy bills and may help with furnace emergencies.
You apply through the local eligibility office or Tribal LIHEAP office for your area. Funding, rules and application periods change, so confirm current details with that office.
We help you find your office and get your application going.
Montana Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
Rents in Bozeman, Missoula and the Flathead have climbed fast, and a cut in pay makes them harder to cover.
Behind on rent, facing eviction, or looking for an affordable place to live? We connect you with Montana programs and organizations that may step in.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying Montana residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in Montana
Montanans who need lower housing costs should learn about Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized housing.
Montana Housing and local housing authorities run these programs, and wait lists differ from town to town.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
Montana Eviction Assistance
An eviction notice or past-due rent calls for quick action. The sooner you ask for help, the more options you keep.
Ask your local HRDC and legal aid office about rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and local community resources; we help you find both.
Help may come from nonprofits, legal aid groups, HRDCs or housing programs, depending on your situation.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in Montana
Homeowners in a tough spot should look at their options before missed payments stack up.
We also pass along referrals for foreclosure prevention and housing counseling anywhere in Montana.
If you fear losing your home, call a housing counselor and your mortgage servicer early.
Montana Assistance for Seniors
Older Montanans may qualify for help with health care, meals, housing, rides and everyday bills, even in the most rural counties.
For aging and Medicare questions, call your Montana Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-551-3191.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
Montana Medicaid and Medicare Resources
Medical bills land hardest on seniors, people with disabilities and families with low incomes, and rural patients often pay for long trips too.
Helping Hands helps you find information about Medicare, Montana Medicaid, Healthy Montana Kids and other medical resources that fit your situation.
Each program follows its own rules, so review current requirements for the one you want.
Disability Assistance in Montana
Montanans living with a disability may qualify for specialized programs, home supports and community services.
Qualifications vary by program, so check each one on its own.
Helping Hands can help Montana residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for Montana Residents
A benefit denial, a landlord dispute or a debt problem can call for a lawyer.
Montana Legal Services Association serves the whole state, and we can help you reach legal aid and free legal resources if you qualify.
MLSA and other groups set their own limits on who gets free or low-cost help.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
Real stability often starts with new skills.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that can help Montanans land steadier, year-round work.
Resources may include:
Montana Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? Montana food banks and pantries serve cities, reservations and small towns across the state.
Helping Hands helps you find food resources closest to you, including options for families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone in a short-term crisis.
Stuck without food, shelter or money for a bill? Dial 2-1-1 in Montana. Montana 211 connects you with local services, even in remote areas.
Assistance Available Throughout All 56 Montana Counties
You can use our program information and guidance in all 56 counties in Montana, from Libby to Ekalaka.
Places we cover include:
- Billings
- Missoula
- Great Falls
- Bozeman
- Butte
- Helena
- Kalispell
- Havre
- Anaconda
- Miles City
- Belgrade
- Livingston
- Whitefish
- Laurel
- Lewistown
- Yellowstone County
- Gallatin County
- Missoula County
- Flathead County
- Cascade County
- And communities throughout Montana
From a Billings apartment to a ranch outside Miles City, the help you can get depends on your household and the programs in your area.
How Helping Hands Can Help
In a state this big, calling the wrong office can cost you a day and a tank of gas.
Helping Hands sorts it out before you make the drive.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
Our help and resource information cost Montanans nothing.
Need Help in Montana? Start Here.
Running low on food, rent money or heating fuel? You don't have to track down every program by yourself.
Tell us your situation, and we'll point out the DPHHS offices, HRDCs and nonprofits worth calling.
Common Montana Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- SNAP / Food Stamps
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate Montana Assistance
Need help now? Dial 2-1-1 and Montana 211 will look up food, shelter and utility help near you.
For SNAP, TANF, Medicaid and LIHEAP, contact the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) or apply at apply.mt.gov.
For aging and Medicare questions, call your Montana Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-551-3191.
Helping Hands makes finding help across Montana easier.
Check what you may qualify for and start with Montana assistance programs today.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
