BOZEMAN - The American Rescue Plan Funds provided Gallatin County with $22 million in direct funds. Recently they awarded $500,000 to One Valley Community Foundation with the goal of providing investment back into the community.
“[It] Seemed like an appropriate fit to partner with One Valley to support our non-profit community who is often at the front-line of the pandemic response,” says Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown.
Brown and other commissioners want to see the money become an investment in the community.
“Stimulus money is a really appropriate way to support the nonprofit sector, it'll bolster our economy, and also support families, organizations and businesses that are faced with challenges during this difficult time,” says Brown.
One Valley may have the money now, but that is not its final stop.
“We get to play a role of being a philanthropic matchmaker which is really fun,” says President and CEO of One Valley Community Foundation, Bridget Wilkinson.
The goal of providing other local non-profits access to these funds.
“This thing is really about providing relief for social service organizations,” says Brown.
One of those organizations that hope to apply is HRDC.
“Certainly we'll be looking at it to see if there is a way that we can get some of those dollars directly to people that we are serving and to help support their economic recovery,” says President and CEO of HRDC Heather Grenier.
One way that they hope to use funds is to invest in two issues that are affecting people the most in the Gallatin Valley.
“The biggest need is more housing units and more childcare options,” says Grenier.
“We're going to have more clarity on how those dollars are going to be allocated by March,” says Wilkinson.
One Valley is opening the grant application process for 501c3 non-profits in March. They will work with the Gallatin County Commissioners to select where the funds go.
