Three live lanes + one next-cycle

Money Map · 1316 Bozeman

Re-researched 2026-08-17 — the extra grants are now mapped.

SECONDARY GRANT & MONEY STACK

Beyond the Railroad District City match — 1316 Bozeman / Joshua Tree

Primary path remains Helena RURD/HURTIF TIF (≤50% match). Everything below is additive. Never double-bill the same invoice. Re-researched 2026-08-17.

Source	What it funds	Who claims	Fit for this project	Status / next
Helena Railroad URD TIF	Exterior rehab, façade, accessibility, blight cure	Applicant (with owner permission)	PRIMARY	City already engaged (Diane draft: "per our conversation yesterday")
Helena BID Downtown Façade Improvement Program (Montana Main Street)	Façade grants to downtown building/business owners	Business owner	SECOND façade source — separate from TIF	Helena BID already runs one (modeled on Kalispell). ~$1 local per $5 (20% match). Annual cycle ~mid-Nov. Confirm live.
Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund	Job creation — up to $5,000/job ($7,500 high-poverty)	Local gov applies on business's behalf	Shop expansion + jobs (not façade)	Basic-sector + wage-floor test. Route via Big Sky EDA.
Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program (Commerce; accommodations tax)	Historic rehab, up to $350k, 1:1 match	Owner / eligible entity	Strong if building qualifies + owner willing	Feb 28, 2026 passed. Next: Mar 1, 2028. Calendar.
Federal Historic Tax Credit (~20%)	Qualified rehab on certified historic structure	Usually owner	Building not in City historic-district GIS; NR eligibility open with SHPO/HPO	Eligibility first
Montana Historic Tax Credit (25% of federal credit amount)	Follows federal certification	Owner	Same gate as federal	Same
Preserve Montana / SHPO technical assistance	Guidance, grant navigation	Anyone	Use early	Call / email
MBAC (Montana Business Assistance Connection)	Small-business counseling, financing navigation	Business	Shop ops, not façade	Intro after TIF path clear
Helena Chamber / local econ dev	Networks, letters of support	Business	Soft support for board packet	Request letter
USDA Rural / small business programs	Equipment, working capital (if eligible)	Business	Shop tools — separate from façade	Screen eligibility
Private lender / cash / sweat equity	Match + interior	Applicant	Required leverage story	DOCUMENTED Aug 17 — up to $250,000 home-equity line of credit + own funds/labor already in (Diane's narrative)

Ruled out (do not spend time here)

Helena Area Community Foundation — nonprofits only, not small business.
Indian Equity Fund — Native-owned businesses only.
Kansas IRONED / Louisiana Main Street / Minnesota Paul Bruhn — wrong states.

Sequencing (smart money)

Confirm City TIF is live + lock eligible exterior scope.
Submit TIF with strong historic narrative (Nash-Finch line now VERIFIED).
Open Helena BID façade grant in parallel (second façade source).
Route Big Sky jobs fund via Big Sky EDA for the shop expansion.
Owner conversation on historic tax credits (John Horne).
Calendar MHPG for Mar 1, 2028.
Shop-equipment money only after façade path is stable.

Precedents to cite in any ask

Pattern House — ~$75K RURD TIF for accessibility + façade.
YWCA Helena — ~$150K TIF toward large window replacement package.
Helena/Kalispell BID façade programs — funded via Montana Main Street ("Beyond the Façade," MT Commerce).