Montana Department of Commerce Allocates Planning Grants to 8 Montana Communities; Town of Saco Included

The Montana Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced today that eight Montana towns, cities and counties will share more than $317,000 of grant funding to help plan significant community development projects. The funding is through Commerce’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Planning Grant program.

“Through Commerce’s CDBG programs, we can help eligible counties, cities and towns prepare for vital community development projects,” said Paul Green, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “This funding will help local governments advance projects that will provide services in our communities while creating and retaining jobs.”

The CDBG Planning Grant program is designed to help communities plan by supporting the implementation of growth policies, capital improvement plans, subdivision and zoning regulations, downtown plans, housing plans, and preliminary architectural and engineering reports.

The following communities and districts will receive CDBG Planning grants:

The City of Dillon will receive $30,000 of CDBG planning grant funding for a growth policy update.

The City of Hardin will receive $25,000 of CDBG planning grant funding for a comprehensive economic development strategy plan.

The Town of Hysham will receive $50,000 of CDBG planning grant funding for a comprehensive school facility master plan and professional architectural report for Hysham Public School.

Lake County will receive $50,000 of CDBG planning grant funding for an affordable housing development and constructability study.

The City of Lewistown will receive $50,000 of CDBG planning grant funding for a library master plan and preliminary architectural report for the Lewistown Public Library.

The Town of Saco will receive $50,000 of CDBG planning grant funding for a levee feasibility study.

The Town of Superior will receive $39,500 of CDBG planning grant funding for a preliminary architectural report for the Town of Superior’s swimming pool.

The City of White Sulphur Springs will receive $23,377 of CDBG planning grant funding for a comprehensive recreation master plan.

In 2022, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County was awarded $35,000 of CDBG planning grant funds to complete a housing site redevelopment plan.

“The planning process made us realize the need and opportunity to modernize all three public housing sites in Anaconda: Cedar Park Homes, Mount Haggin Homes and PJ Hagan Manor,” said Kaitlin Leary, Executive Director of Anaconda Housing Authority. “Without this CDBG planning grant, such a large scale of modernization may not have been identified.”

Eligible applicants for CDBG planning grants include Montana counties, cities, and towns. Local governments may apply on behalf of special purpose districts, unincorporated areas or on behalf of non-profit organizations such as a human resource development council, an area agency on aging, a local domestic violence shelter, a boys and girls club, local food bank, hospital, nursing home or a similar non-profit agency. Counties may also apply for planning grants on behalf of tribal utility authorities.

For more information about CDBG planning grants, visit comdev.mt.gov.