Project Lead: Seeley Lake Community Council
The Seeley Lake Community Council led this effort with support from Western Montana’s Glacier Country. The Council serves as a voice for local residents and helps shape community priorities by gathering input and advocating for regional improvements.
Project Purpose/Need
The Seeley Lake Community Council identified a need to better understand how residents perceive their community—what they value, what concerns they have, and what they envision for the future. Conversations around growth, identity, and quality of life have been ongoing, and the Council sought reliable data to guide future planning, funding priorities, and local decision-making.
The survey was launched in summer 2024 to give residents an opportunity to express what matters most to them, in their own words and on their own terms.
Project Description
The Seeley Lake Community Pride Survey is part of a pilot effort launched through Western Montana’s Glacier Country’s Community Empowerment Program, a grant-funded initiative designed to help rural communities lead their own planning and engagement processes.
Seeley Lake was selected as the pilot community for this program, serving as a model for how data-driven community engagement can inform local priorities, guide public investments, and support long-term resilience.
The Community Pride Survey was the first tool used in this process. It asked residents to reflect on:
A total of 130 residents completed the survey, which was distributed both online and in print to maximize accessibility. All responses were anonymous and reviewed with identifying details removed.
The survey findings now serve as a shared foundation for local planning, community conversations, and future investments. As the pilot project, Seeley Lake’s process will help shape a replicable approach that Glacier Country can bring to other communities across the region.
Western Montana’s Glacier Country Role
Western Montana’s Glacier Country supported this project as part of its Community Empowerment Program—a new initiative funded through a destination resiliency grant focused on strengthening local leadership, civic participation, and community-driven planning.
As the pilot community, Seeley Lake is helping test and refine a model for meaningful engagement that can be adapted and applied in other rural communities across Western Montana.
Glacier Country provided strategic guidance, survey design support, data analysis, and reporting assistance, all while ensuring the process was locally led and reflective of Seeley Lake’s unique voice.
By starting in Seeley Lake, Glacier Country aims to demonstrate how this approach can foster stronger, more resilient communities—rooted in the values and priorities of the people who live there.
Goals and Objectives
Project Location
Seeley Lake, Montana
Located in Missoula County, Seeley Lake is a small, tight-knit community known for its natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and year-round tourism appeal. It sits between the Swan and Mission mountain ranges and serves as a hub for residents and visitors alike.
Project Partners
Project Outcomes
Completed:
Expected Outcomes:
