DES MOINES, Iowa, June 18, 2026 /3BL/ – Thanks to a collaboration between Wells Fargo and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines), NeighborWorks Montana (NWMT) received $685,952 through the Member Impact Fund to support homebuyer education and counseling across Montana.
This grant program matches member financial institution contributions to support nonprofit organizations focused on promoting affordable housing or community development. FHLB Des Moines matched more than $2.40 for every $1 contributed by a member institution, resulting in $1.6 million from members and $4 million awarded by FHLB Des Moines in Montana.
“Homeownership feels so far out of reach for many of our clients, but education and counseling gives residents the support and confidence they need to work toward and realize this goal. Wells Fargo has long recognized the power of housing education. Their generous support is even more critical now given the significant housing affordability gaps in Montana and declining federal support for housing programs.” said NWMT’s Executive Director, Kaia Peterson
Wells Fargo is a long-standing partner that has supported NeighborWorks Montana since its inception. As one of the original signers of NWMT’s partnership agreement in 2001, Wells Fargo pledged to work cooperatively to make homeownership a reality by supporting the launch of the Montana HomeOwnership Network, a system of statewide partners that provides homebuying resources to residents.
In this way, the impact of Wells Fargo’s support ripples throughout Montana. Through NWMT’s partner network, homebuyer education and financial counseling are available to residents within their communities and virtually for rural neighbors across the state.
“At Wells Fargo, we believe that access to housing starts with access to knowledge,” said Katie Rollyson, Philanthropy and Community Impact for Wells Fargo. “Through our collaboration with NeighborWorks Montana and FHLB Des Moines, we’re proud to help expand homebuyer education and counseling so more individuals and families can navigate today’s challenging housing market with confidence. Investments like this are critical to closing affordability gaps and strengthening communities across Montana.”
NeighborWorks Montana is grateful for the support of Wells Fargo and FHLB Des Moines supporting the organization’s mission to provide education and financing that gives every Montanan the opportunity to live in a home where they can thrive.
About NeighborWorks Montana
NeighborWorks Montana is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that works with a network of statewide partners to deliver HUD-approved homebuyer education and counseling. NWMT provides home loans for individual homebuyers and financing for affordable housing developers. Additionally, NWMT helps residents of manufactured home parks and multifamily housing in purchasing and managing their communities. Since 1998, NWMT has been proudly serving communities across the state and working towards a future where stable housing is a reality.
Media Inquiries:
Chelsey Lyle, Communications Manager
NeighborWorks Montana
406-604-4546
clyle@nwmt.org
###