Disability Rights Montana seeks $50,000 CDBG planning grant to convert building into community center

Disability Rights Montana presented a request for city sponsorship of a $50,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) planning grant to study repurposing the nonprofit’s underused 11,000‑square‑foot building into a community center for people with disabilities.

David Carlson, executive director, said the organization has preserved its building to protect staff and service continuity and now hopes to convert the large facility into a disability cultural and resource center offering mentoring, classes and social supports. Carlson described the project as a possible model that would serve people with mobility, cognitive and other disabilities, and he outlined a likely timeline: staff expect a Montana Department of Commerce application cycle as early as December; if awarded, planning and contracting would take months and construction or execution could extend 18 months or more.

Carlson said Disability Rights Montana relies heavily on federal funding but has reserves and other reimbursements that could cover a required local match if Commerce requires one; he also noted the organization’s long history in the state and said it has the capacity to partner on a planning effort.

City staff told the commission that planning grants of this nature do not always require formal commission action for submittal but that the application packet was provided for the commission’s information. Commissioners expressed support and asked staff and the applicant to keep the commission informed as the application cycle and timeline become firm.

Next steps: applicant and staff will monitor the Commerce application opening and return to the commission with any required local sponsorship paperwork or requests for additional consideration.