# 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)
1. Confirm City TIF is live + lock eligible exterior scope.  
2. Submit TIF with strong historic narrative (Nash-Finch line now VERIFIED).  
3. Open **Helena BID façade grant** in parallel (second façade source).  
4. Route **Big Sky jobs fund** via Big Sky EDA for the shop expansion.  
5. Owner conversation on historic tax credits (John Horne).  
6. Calendar **MHPG** for Mar 1, 2028.  
7. 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).