[MCN] News Alert// Missoula Downtown Foundation Creates Downtown Missoula Business Support Fund And Pivots Spring Fundraising Campaign To Build Support For Businesses Impacted By Coronavirus Pandemic

[Bram Moore]

April 24, 2020

Missoula Media


*MISSOULA DOWNTOWN FOUNDATION CREATES*

*DOWNTOWN MISSOULA BUSINESS SUPPORT FUND AND*

*PIVOTS SPRING FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR *

*BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC*



With unanimous support from the Board of Directors, the Missoula Downtown
Foundation (MDF) has established a Downtown Missoula Business Support Fund
and will use its annual spring campaign to raise funds that can support
businesses and organizations negatively impacted by the Coronavirus
pandemic.

As the fundraising arm of the Downtown Missoula Partnership, the Missoula
Downtown Foundation has the mission to support and promote the spirit and
heritage of Missoula through cultural, historical and *economic enhancement
of Downtown Missoula*, now and for future generations. In an effort to help
rebuild the economy and vibrancy of Downtown, the MDF will seek support
from individuals, grantors, businesses not impacted by the crisis, partner
organizations, and government agencies to raise and distribute a minimum of
$100,000 in 2020.

The Foundation will roll out an online fundraising campaign in conjunction
with the Missoula Gives (https://www.missoulagives.org/) annual fundraising
campaign next week: April 30-May 1, 2020. With the original intent of
raising funds for Downtown holiday décor and wayfinding, the Foundation’s
spring campaign will instead provide the opportunity for any and all
individuals or entities to support Downtown businesses and organizations
through the Missoula Downtown Business Support Fund.

“A vibrant and healthy city is built upon the tenacity and dedication of
business owners who give their time, talent and treasure to many different
projects and programs that make Missoula such a special space,” said Jared
Kuehn, President of the MDF Board of Directors and commercial lender at
First Security Bank. “The COVID pandemic has had a significant impact on
the health of the Downtown business community, and the Foundation believes
this is the time for us to do all we can to support those businesses that
could use a lift.”

Small, locally-owned businesses and organizations are the heart of Missoula
and are the first ones to support community initiatives, non-profit
organizations, and individuals in need. The world-wide COVID-19 pandemic
has been particularly impactful on small downtown businesses. Businesses
have been shuttered, jobs have been lost, and the supply chain has been
compromised.

The Downtown Foundation has allocated $25,000, and will pivot its spring
fundraising campaign from street décor to the business support fund. The
Downtown Business Improvement District contributed $10,000 from its
business development budget to the fund. As of April 23, Clearwater Credit
Union, First Interstate Bank, First Interstate Bank and TrailWest Bank have
each contributed to the fund, which is now at $65,000 in just three days.

Individuals and businesses interested in contributing to the Downtown
Missoula Business Assistance Fund can send a check, payable to the Missoula
Downtown Foundation, to 218 East Main Street, Missoula, MT 59802. Donors
can also contribute through the Missoula Gives Campaign April 30-May 1, or
through the Foundation’s GoFundMe Campaign (
https://www.gofundme.com/f/downtown-missoula-business-support-fund). The
MDF is a qualified charitable organization, and all donations are
deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

“As neighbors and friends, Missoulians will come together to support our
local businesses and organizations, lessen the economic impacts of this
crisis, and help build resiliency among our business community,” Kuehn
said. “The Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to support Downtown
recovery during this time of need.

Applicants must have a City of Missoula Business License or an IRS
Determination Letter, be located in the Downtown Business Improvement
District, or service the community in Downtown Missoula. Downtown
businesses and organizations in need of support shall complete a simple
online application located at www.missouladowntown.com and scheduled to
open on Monday, May 4. Applications will be reviewed by committee, and
disbursement of funds shall be one-time checks distributed by the Downtown
Missoula Partnership.

For more information, visit www.missouladowntown.com or contact the
Downtown Missoula Partnership office via phone (406-543-4238) or email (
info at missouladowntown.com).



*Bram Moore*

*Operations Coordinator*

Downtown Missoula Partnership

218 E Main | Missoula, MT

406.543.4238 | missouladowntown.com <http://www.missouladowntown.com/>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://bigskynet.org/pipermail/missoula-community-news_bigskynet.org/attachments/20200424/4794492c/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: MDFCreatesDTBusinessSupportFund2020April24.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 168922 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://bigskynet.org/pipermail/missoula-community-news_bigskynet.org/attachments/20200424/4794492c/attachment.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: MDFCreatesDTBusinessSupportFund2020April24.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 140375 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://bigskynet.org/pipermail/missoula-community-news_bigskynet.org/attachments/20200424/4794492c/attachment.docx>