City Commissioners approved two agreements in August for Community Development Block Grant funding.

The first is $24,000 to the Montana Legal Services Association for the Montana Housing Justice Project.

The agency is using the funds to support legal service for their Montana Housing Justice Project, which will provide legal service to 15 low-moderate income individuals or families, who are experiencing housing-related legal problems.

The city’s internal CDBG review committee approved the application for funds, as did city staff.

City approves $65,000 in CDBG funds for park ADA improvements

The association is a statewide nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to low-income Montanans with its operating expenses funded through federal and state programs.

The CDBG funds will help increase operational capacity in Great Falls, according to city staff.

The association has the ability to collect and track the income status of individual clients, ensuring they meet the CDBG requirements to serve low to moderate income individuals, and will will collect status updates and outcomes from their contracted attorneys, according to city staff.

The second is $111,077 to the Spark! Children’s Museum of Montana for their “Spark Inclusion” project.

City Commission approves several CDBG agreements

The museum requested the funding to support the installation of ADA accessible features in their new location at 201 2nd Ave. S.

Children’s Museum has selected new location downtown

The city’s internal CDBG review committee and city staff reviewed the application and recommended approval.

The museum’s inclusion project includes design, permitting and construction oversight from Cushing Terrell; installation of two exterior ADA ramps, one interior ADA ramp, two electronic-assist doors/frames, and an ADA compliant front desk.

ADA improvements are eligible for CDBG funding as “it provides a suitable living environment for disabled community members, who qualify as low-to-moderate income persons according to HUD regulations.”

Both funding agreements are using CDBG funds from the fiscal year program that ended June 30, 2024.