HELENA — The Montana Family Foundation is relocating from Laurel to Helena after nearly 25 years, constructing what its leadership calls “the first vertically integrated hub” for Christian policy advocacy in state history.
The organization is building the Montana Center for Christian Policy, a three-story, 10,000-square-foot facility on an empty lot at the southwest corner of Roberts Street and 11th Avenue—three blocks north of the Montana State Capitol.
The project, described as a “several million dollar” investment in a fundraising email sent Monday, represents a strategic shift for the conservative advocacy organization. Rather than working from Laurel, the foundation is establishing a permanent base in the capital city.
“What if I told you that for the first time in Montana history, Christians are building a home base to shape public policy?” said Derek Oestreicher, the foundation’s chief legal counsel, in a recent video message to supporters.
Three-Tier Structure
The building is designed with distinct functions on each floor, according to the foundation’s materials.
The third floor will house the Montana Family Foundation’s policy and strategy operations, including legislative research, communications work, staff offices, a large briefing space, and what the organization describes as a “secure Capitol-view room for private meetings.”
The second floor is designated as a legal suite with Class-A offices for Christian attorneys who will provide pro bono support to the foundation’s legislative and litigation efforts.
The first floor will function as a nonprofit incubator, offering affordable workspace and shared resources for smaller Christian organizations that will benefit from the legal and policy infrastructure above them.
“This truly is Montana’s first vertically integrated hub where Christian non-profits, conservative attorneys and advocates of social conservative public policy work together to defend biblical values and strengthen the voice of faith in Montana’s public square,” the foundation stated in its fundraising appeal.
Legislative Work
The Montana Family Foundation, led by President Jeff Laszloffy, a former Republican state legislator, has been active at the state Capitol for more than two decades.
During the 2021 session, Laszloffy lobbied for 29 bills, 15 of which passed and were signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte.^3
In recent sessions, the foundation has supported legislation including Senate Bill 164, which prohibits medical treatments aimed at altering a child’s biological sex for minors under 16,^4 and House Bill 300, which prohibits biological males from using female bathrooms, locker rooms, and competing on girls’ sports teams.^5
The organization also filed a lawsuit in June challenging Constitutional Initiative 128, the abortion rights amendment that Montana voters approved 57% to 43% in November 2024. The lawsuit asked the Montana Supreme Court to declare the election results “null and void” based on a procedural claim.
National Partnerships
The Montana Family Foundation describes itself as a 25-year-old policy partner of Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, and Alliance Defending Freedom. The organization advances what it calls “pro-life, pro-family, and religious-freedom principles through legislation and litigation, grounded in a Judeo-Christian worldview.”
The related Montana Family Institute, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that shares leadership with the foundation, has received donations from the Gianforte Family Charitable Trust, including $254,231 in 2023, according to tax filings.^7
The institute also owns at least one rental property in Helena near the Capitol, acquired from the Gianforte Family Charitable Trust in December 2020.^8
Fundraising Appeal
The foundation is asking for tax-deductible contributions through the Montana Family Institute to fund construction and operations of the new center.
“Your tax-deductible gift to the Montana Family Institute will build a facility where churches and families are protected and where the Judeo-Christian values of faith, family, and freedom are boldly proclaimed,” the fundraising email stated. “Every gift is a meaningful investment in opening the doors of this center and expanding a mission that will shape Montana’s future.”