Community Notes

Arlee CDC receives $18,000 grant

The Arlee Community Development Corporation has received a $18,369 Community Challenge Grant from AARP Livable Communities and AARP Montana.

This grant program is part of the nationwide AARP Livable Communities initiative, which helps cities, towns, and rural areas become great places to live for residents of all ages. Now in its seventh year, the Community Challenge grant is investing more than $3.6 million in communities all across the country.

“We’re so excited to be awarded this grant that enables us to make our public spaces more livable,” said Marie Hirsch, executive director of the Arlee CDC. “The funds will be used to provide park benches and picnic tables at our community garden, making this beautiful outdoor space more accessible and comfortable for everyone to enjoy.”

The Arlee CDC was one of 310 communities nationwide to receive a 2023 Community Challenge Grant. The goals of the program include creating vibrant public spaces, improving walkability and community health, and providing a wider range of transportation and mobility options.

Historic Preservation Grant awarded to Polson museum

The Miracle of America Museum in Polson was among 44 organizations in 31 Montana communities to recently receive a Historic Preservation Grant. The nonprofit museum, founded in 1981 by Gil and Joanne Mangels, was awarded $70,351. Its collection includes thousands of artifacts, housed in dozens of buildings.

Grant recipients may use grants for infrastructure repair, building renovations, maintenance, remediating building-code issues, security enhancements and fire protection.

“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.”

The museum, open year-around, is currently gearing up for Live History Days, July 15-16. For more information, visit miracleofamericamuseum.org.