Commerce Awards Historic Preservation Grants to 31 Montana Communities

Paradise Center HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that 31 Montana communities will share more than $10 million of grant funding for 44 historic preservation projects. The grants, awarded through Commerce’s Montana Historic Preservation Grant program (MHPG) will be used to improve historical sites, historical societies and history museums in Montana.

“It is important for us to showcase our state’s rich history, as well as the culture and heritage that created Montana as we know it today,” said Scott Osterman, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “Montana Historic Preservation Grants help Montana communities increase economic development, community revitalization and statewide tourism through added investment, job creation, business expansion and local tax-base growth.”

In 2021, the Paradise Center was awarded $123,220 of MHPG funding to install an interior elevator and renovate a restroom to be ADA compliant.

“MHPG funding helped us make our historic building fully accessible to individuals with mobility constraints, while protecting its historic nature through the discrete installation of two passenger lifts and the renovation of old restrooms to be ADA compliant. We can now accommodate the needs of everyone and share the full history of the area with residents and all visitors. We are so very grateful for this historic preservation assistance, which will serve generations to come,” said Karen Thorson, Paradise Center Secretary of the Board.

Project improvements may include infrastructure repair, building renovations, maintenance, remediating building code issues, security enhancements and fire protection.

The following community projects will receive Montana Historic Preservation grant funding:

Eligible applicants for the MHPG program include incorporated nonprofit organizations, incorporated cities or towns, associations, counties and tribal governments. The next application cycle for the MHPG program is expected to be in the fall of 2023 with a tentative grant deadline of February 28, 2024.

For more information, visit comdev.mt.gov.

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