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 | Document on worksheet |
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).