Publication finds Montana has second highest demand for leaders in the U.S.

BOZEMAN — Montana has the second highest demand for leaders per capita in the country, according to the findings of a report that will be presented in a Montana State University Extension webinar at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18.

The publication, prepared for Montana by rural sociologist Benjamin Winchester of the University of Minnesota Extension, is titled “Montana’s Leadership Demand.” It reports that one in every 13 adults must hold a leadership position to keep the state’s existing government and nonprofit organizations running, according to Tara Mastel, MSU Extension community development program leader.

For example, she said, all organizations are required by law to have a certain number of members on their board of directors, and many organizations rely on volunteers to help staff events and assist with programs.

Mastel, who organizes Reimagining Rural, an MSU Extension program that works to strengthen small Montana communities, said the report’s findings were a relief to many living in small towns.

“They were glad to know it wasn’t just their town that was struggling with not enough volunteers,” she said. “The social life in our small towns is rich and requires a lot of volunteers to keep everything going.”

Leadership demand is calculated by dividing the number of residents over age 18 in a county or state by the number of leaders needed to run government and nonprofit boards in that jurisdiction. The number of leaders needed is calculated conservatively, Mastel said, by estimating only three volunteers for government organizations and six for nonprofits.

Winchester’s report calculates the leadership demand for each Montana county. The highest leadership demand is found in the state’s low-population counties — where one in five adults are needed to hold leadership positions — including Garfield, Prairie and Treasure counties.

“Finding new volunteers to take the place of those retiring is a struggle across the state. We know from a recent MSU survey of newcomers that people want to get involved in community life,” said Mastel. “To find volunteers, look beyond those who already give time to people who are new to town, younger, or who haven’t been involved before. To keep them involved, be open to their fresh perspectives so they feel they belong and their time is valued.”

Volunteers are essential to the functioning of local government organizations that drive many aspects of the state’s communities, including school boards, fire districts and planning boards, according to Ashley Kent, associate director of the Local Government Center at MSU Extension. 

“In our work with local governments, we often hear of citizens volunteering to serve on multiple boards because they are committed to providing local services to current and future generations alike,” Kent said. “Supporting the development of local leaders is critical to ensuring our communities remain such special places to live.”

Winchester calculated the leadership demand for Montana as a follow-up to contributions to the Reimagining Rural program administered by MSU Extension community development. Winchester’s Jan. 18 presentation about his findings is the first in a yearlong series planned for community volunteer leaders called “Inspiration Hour.” The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

To learn more or to register for the webinar, visit

montana.edu/extension/communitydevelopment/RRinspiration.html. For more information, contact Mastel at tara.mastel@montana.edu or Winchester at benw@umn.edu.