Grants and Community Programs staff use their research, writing, communication, planning, project development, and grant management skills to foster, coordinate, and support community needs and priorities of the Board of County Commissioners for the benefit of Missoula County residents.

Depending upon the project, these efforts can be focused on one-time endeavors such as writing grant applications for a specific need or more long-term, coordinated efforts involving leadership and active participation. Typically, GCP staff initiatives fall within the general framework of the following county functional areas:

Community/Economic Development

• Housing
• Brownfields Program (assessment, inventory, prioritize sites; conduct site assessments; develop clean-up and re-use plans; awaiting grant award decision from EPA)
•  Housing and Community Development Survey
• CDBG Economic Development Revolving Loans

Criminal Justice/Public Safety/Mental Health

• Mobile Crisis Response Unit (state DPHHS grant)
• COVID-related Behavioral Health (SAMHSA grant)
• Prosecutor position to assist with backlog of cases in County Attorney's Office due to COVID (state MBCC grant)
• ROAD Court (state Dept of Transportation grant)

Culture and Recreation

• Historical Museum at Fort Missoula Alien Detention Center (NPS JACS grant)
• LaLonde Ranch and its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places 
• Elevator installation in Commercial Building at Fairgrounds (state Tourism grant)
• WWI Doughboy Memorial restoration (public and private foundations)

Health and Human Services

• Continuum of Care Rapid Re-housing/YWCA as partner (federal HUD grant)
• Interim Assistance Program (IAP) that assists elderly and disabled with rental assistance while they await their social security determination (federal SSA program)
• Collaborative activities with the City of Missoula involving homelessness, housing, and other issues as they arise
• Resource to HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) information.
• NACo Live Healthy/Prescription Discount Card program (distribution of materials)