Initiative Description
This year, MonTECH deepened its relationship with the Cutting Fences Foundation, a non-profit serving farmers, ranchers, and veterans with disabilities in Montana. The Cutting Fences Foundation founder and director has been a MonTECH champion throughout her career, but this year also joined the team part-time as an AT Ambassador. In that role, she promotes MonTECH services and equipment while working conferences, events, and activities in agriculture-focused settings. This allows a population that MonTECH has not reached in the past to be served in new and innovative ways. Additionally, Cutting Fences Foundation has received grants to purchase large equipment most suitable to farmers and ranches, including an Action Trackchair, a TerrainHopper, and a Freedom Trax. These pieces of equipment are cross-promoted on the MonTECH website so all consumers can have access.
Lessons Learned/Replication
MonTECH alone did not have the funds for any of these large pieces of equipment, nor a place to store them or a way to deliver them. This connection with the Cutting Fences Foundation has completely broadened our ability to provide access to these devices, as well as to promote services to new populations across the state. Through a memorandum of understanding, Cutting Fences Foundation benefits from use of the MonTECH website and loan agreement for coordinating all loans of their equipment and MonTECH beneftis from outreach to agriculture-related settings and populations. This partnership has been nothing but positive and both parties are excited to have it grow and deepen even more in the future.