HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-06-23 - Economic Vitality Board - Agendas & Packet MaterialsA. Call to Order - 6:00 PM
B. Disclosures
C. Changes to the Agenda
D. Approval of Minutes
D.1 Approve the October 4, 2023 and November 8, 2023 Economic Vitality Board Meeting
Minutes(DiTommaso)
E. Public Comments
THE ECONOMIC VITALITY BOARD OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
EVB AGENDA
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
General information about the Economic Vitality Board is available in our Laserfiche repository.
If you are interested in commenting in writing on items on the agenda please send an email to
agenda@bozeman.net or by visiting the Public Comment Page prior to 12:00pm on the day of the
meeting.
Public comments will also be accepted in-person and through Video Conference during the appropriate
agenda items.
As always, the meeting will be streamed through the Commission's video page and available in the
City on cable channel 190.
For more information please contact Brit Fontenot, bfontenot@bozeman.net
This meeting will be held both in-person and also using an online videoconferencing system. You
can join this meeting:
Via Video Conference:
Click the Register link, enter the required information, and click submit.
Click Join Now to enter the meeting.
Via Phone: This is for listening only if you cannot watch the stream, channel 190, or attend in-
person
United States Toll
+1 253 205 0468
Access code: 984 4147 6350
This is the time to comment on any matter falling within the scope of the Economic Vitality Board.
There will also be time in conjunction with each agenda item for public comment relating to that
item but you may only speak once per topic. Please note, the Board cannot take action on any
item which does not appear on the agenda. All persons addressing the Board shall speak in a civil
and courteous manner and members of the audience shall be respectful of others. Please state
your name and place of residence in an audible tone of voice for the record and limit your
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F. FYI/Discussion
F.1 2024 Citizen Advisory Board Ethics Trainings (Fine)
G. Action Items
G.1 Consideration for final recommendation to City Commission to adopt Resolution 5556:
Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan(Hess & Lyon)
H. Adjournment
comments to three minutes.
General public comments to the Board can be found in their Laserfiche repository folder.
This board generally meets the first Wednesday of the month from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Citizen Advisory Board meetings are open to all members of the public. If you have a disability and
require assistance, please contact the City for ADA coordination, 406.582.2306 (TDD 406.582.2301).
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Economic Vitality Board
FROM:Jesse DiTommaso, Economic Development Specialist
Brit Fontenot, Economic Development Director
SUBJECT:Approve the October 4, 2023 and November 8, 2023 Economic Vitality Board
Meeting Minutes
MEETING DATE:December 6, 2023
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Minutes
RECOMMENDATION:Approve the October 4, 2023 and November 8, 2023 Economic Vitality Board
Meeting Minutes.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.2 Community Engagement: Broaden and deepen engagement of the
community in city government, innovating methods for inviting input from
the community and stakeholders.
BACKGROUND:In accordance with Commission Resolution 5323 and the City of Bozeman's
Citizen Advisory Board Manual, all boards must have minutes taken and
approved. Prepared minutes will be provided for approval by the board at
the next regularly scheduled meeting. Staff will make any corrections
identified to the minutes before submitting to the City Clerk's Office.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None.
ALTERNATIVES:As recommended by the Board.
FISCAL EFFECTS:None.
Attachments:
100423 EVB minutes.pdf
110123 EVB Minutes.pdf
Report compiled on: November 20, 2023
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, October 4, 2023
Page 1 of 3
THE ECONOMIC VITALITY BOARD MEETING OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
MINUTES
October 4, 2023
General information about the Economic Vitality Board is available in our Laserfiche repository.
A) 00:05:04 Call to Order - 6:00 PM
B) 00:05:43 Disclosures
• John Carey disclosed his relationships with potential borrowers through his work at the bank. At
this time, he is unaware of any projects that would be impacted by the Unified Development
Code Update.
C) 00:06:34 Changes to the Agenda
• There were no changes to the agenda.
D) 00:06:41 Approval of Minutes
D.1 00:06:45 Approve the September 6, 2023 Minutes
090623 EVB Minutes.pdf
00:06:45 Motion to approve Approve the September 6, 2023 Minutes.
Sara Savage: Motion
Danielle Rogers: 2nd
00:06:52 Vote on the Motion to approve the September 6, 2023 Minutes. The Motion carried 6 - 0.
Approve:
Sara Savage
Craig Ogilvie
Danielle Rogers
John Carey
Katharine Osterloth
Malory Peterson
Disapprove:
None
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, October 4, 2023
Page 2 of 3
E) 00:07:14 Public Comments
• There were no general public comments.
F) 00:07:52 Action Items
F.1 00:08:00 Economic Vitality Board Review and Recommendation Regarding
Specific Elements of the Repeal and Replacement of the Unified Development Code to
the Community Development Board and City Commission, Application 21381.
Key Dates List - Economic Vitality Advisory Board.pdf
CC Work Sessions List.pdf
SB382_City_Commission_summary_July_25__2023.pdf
SB382_-_Montana_Land_Use_Planning_Act.pdf
00:08:04 Senior City Planner Tom Rogers presented the Unified Development Code as it relates to
the work of the Economic Vitality Board.
00:39:38 Questions of Staff
01:23:48 Public Comment
• There were no public comments.
01:23:53 Discussion
01:39:23 Motion to approve Having reviewed and considered the draft replacement development code
as identified in the Economic Vitality Board Specific Background, public comment, and all information
presented, I move to recommend approval of the proposed text of the identified sections of Application
21381 to replace and augment existing economic vitality requirements and standards; and request staff
to forward our recommendation to the Community Development Board.
Sara Savage: Motion
Danielle Rogers: 2nd
01:40:13 Motion to amend the original motion to include a recommendation to the Community
Development Board to consider ways to have RC zoning in close proximity (example: half of a mile) in
business zones, industrial zones, and PLI zones that are also job centers.
Craig Ogilvie: Motion
Danielle Rogers: 2nd
01:45:00 Vote on the Motion to amend the original motion to include a recommendation to the
Community Development Board to consider ways to have RC zoning in close proximity (example: half of a
mile) in business zones, industrial zones, and PLI zones that are also job centers. The Motion carried 5 - 1.
Approve:
Sara Savage
Craig Ogilvie
John Carey
Katharine Osterloth
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, October 4, 2023
Page 3 of 3
Malory Peterson
Disapprove:
Danielle Rogers
01:48:36 Vote on the Motion to approve Having reviewed and considered the draft replacement
development code as identified in the Economic Vitality Board Specific Background, public comment, and
all information presented, I move to recommend approval of the proposed text of the identified sections
of Application 21381 to replace and augment existing economic vitality requirements and standards; and
request staff to forward our recommendation to the Community Development Board. The Motion carried
6 - 0.
Approve:
Sara Savage
Craig Ogilvie
Danielle Rogers
John Carey
Katharine Osterloth
Malory Peterson
Disapprove:
None
01:49:34 Chair Osterloth extended until 8:30pm.
G) 01:49:26 FYI/Discussion
G.1 01:49:27 Belonging in Bozeman Goals & Recommendations Work Session
BiB DRAFT Goals and Recommendations 09282023.pdf
01:53:21 Community Engagement Coordinator Dani Hess and Associate Planner Nakesha Lyon
presented the Belonging in Bozeman Equity & Inclusion Plan
02:29:23 Questions of staff
02:32:16 Discussion
H) 02:46:20 Adjournment
This board generally meets the first Wednesday of the month from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, November 1, 2023
Page 1 of 2
THE ECONOIMC VITALITY BOARD MEETING OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
MINUTES
November 1, 2023
General information about the Economic Vitality Board is available in our Laserfiche repository.
Present: Katy Osterloth, Daniel Rogers, Will Shepard, Craig Ogilvie, Sara Savage, John Carey
Excused: Malory Peterson (remote participate technology error)
A) 00:11:32 Call to Order - 6:00 PM
B) 00:12:21 Disclosures
• There were no disclosures.
C) 00:12:27 Changes to the Agenda
• There were no changes to the agenda.
•
D) 00:12:38 Public Comments
• There were no public comments.
E) 00:13:30 FYI/Discussion
E.1 00:13:34 Belonging in Bozeman Plan Update
E.2 00:16:41 Commission Action Updates
DRAFT_Ord._2149_9.26.23.pdf
Final_Ordinance_2147.pdf
Staff Liaison Brit Fontenot provided a broad overview of past work the board has done. Commissioner
Coburn provided an update on the Commission decisions related to work the Economic Vitality Board
participated in.
E.3 01:02:11 2023 Economic and Market Update Discussion
233070_Bozeman 2023Q2 Market Update.pdf
Economic Development Director Brit Fontenot and Economic Development Specialist Jesse DiTommaso
presented the highlights of the Q2 2023 Market Report.
E.4 01:45:19 Update on Board Terms & Upcoming Meetings
EV Board workplan - color coded 12.05.22 (003).pdf
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, November 1, 2023
Page 2 of 2
Economic Development Director Brit Fontenot reviewed upcoming board term expirations and what to
expect in the coming months.
F) 01:59:51 Adjournment
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Economic Vitality Board
FROM:David Fine, Economic Development Program Manager
Brit Fontenot, Economic Development Director
SUBJECT:2024 Citizen Advisory Board Ethics Trainings
MEETING DATE:December 6, 2023
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Listen to and participate in the 2024 advisory board ethics training.
STRATEGIC PLAN:7.1 Values-Driven Culture: Promote a values-driven organizational culture
that reinforces ethical behavior, exercises transparency and maintains the
community’s trust.
BACKGROUND:The City Charter was approved by the citizens in 2006 and became effective
in 2008. According to Charter requirements, the City is required to establish
standards and guidelines for conduct and provide annual trainings for all
representatives of the City to avoid the use of their public position for
private benefit.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None
ALTERNATIVES:None
FISCAL EFFECTS:None
Report compiled on: November 29, 2023
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Economic Vitality Board
FROM:Dani Hess, Community Engagement Coordinator
Nakeisha Lyon, Associate Planner
SUBJECT:Consideration for final recommendation to City Commission to adopt
Resolution 5556: Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan
MEETING DATE:December 6, 2023
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Having reviewed and considered the plan, I hereby move to recommend
approval of Resolution 5556, Adoption of The City of Bozeman's Belonging in
Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan, to the City Commission.
STRATEGIC PLAN:3.3 Friendly Community: Ensure Bozeman continues to welcome diversity
through policies and public awareness.
BACKGROUND:Staff is seeking a recommendation by The Economic Vitality Board to the City
Commission regarding the adoption of the Belonging in Bozeman Equity and
Inclusion Plan. The Belonging in Bozeman Plan follows through on the
commitment made in both Resolution 5384 establishing the City as a City for
CEDAW, as well as the Inclusive City Report to develop a community wide
action plan. The Equity & Inclusion Plan is guided by existing data from the
Equity Indicators Project, ongoing data collection efforts set forth in the
CEDAW resolution, and establishes vision statements, goals and
recommendations to implement policies, practices, and programs to address
disparities found within our community.
City Staff has worked alongside the Morten Group LLC, The Extreme History
Project, Community Liaisons, the Belonging in Bozeman Steering
Committees, and community members to cultivate a plan that strives to
ensure that every resident, visitor, and City of Bozeman employee feels
welcomed, valued, and can thrive no matter their race, identity, or life
circumstance.
Feedback and perspectives from the community directly informed the vision
statements, goals, and recommendations through surveys, workshops, one-
on-one conversations with City departments and partner organizations,
community chats, committee, board, and commission work sessions. The
result is a comprehensive plan narrative and implementation workplan that
incorporates lived experiences and professional expertise from individuals
and community partners to address a range of issues, with the mutual
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consent and commitment of Bozeman’s organizations, individuals, and
government bodies.
The plan elevates eight (8) issues areas identified by the community as
Priority Needs in the 2021 Equity Indicators Report through collectively-
developed vision statements for what an inclusive Bozeman would be like
for all. Outlined beneath each vision statement, are the goals and
recommendations to make each vision a reality. The implementation
workplan (Appendix B) sets priority levels, identifies lead and partner
organizations, resources needed, metrics and indications of progression.
Additionally, the plan provides a truthful history of Bozeman, denotes the
process and timeline for its development, and defines key terms and phrases
for it's navigation. The plan also includes summaries of the work of
Community Liaisons and provides next steps for implementation. As this plan
is a 3-5 year plan, it will be updated at least every five years as the contexts
and needs of our community change with annual progress updates to the
public, Economic Vitality Board and the City Commission. Community
partners and lead organizations will continue to help provide insight into
their work to inform these updates.
Please see the attached Resolution 5556 with the Belonging in Bozeman
Equity and Inclusion Plan in Attachment A.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None at this time
ALTERNATIVES:As determined by the Economic Vitality Board
FISCAL EFFECTS:The fiscal effects of City Commission adoption of Resolution 5556, The
Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan range from additional
funding for existing and new staff and dedication of funds for the fulfillment
of recommendations in which the City of Bozeman is a lead or contributing
partner.
Recommendations that include recommended staff and budget in the
"Resources needed + notes" section provide a preview of future budget and
staffing plan proposals in the coming years, however specific amounts are
undetermined at this time. The city will therefore need to balance its
priorities across the organization and invest additional resources in order to
implement the recommendations in the plan.
Attachments:
Resolution 5556 Belonging in Bozeman Plan FINAL.pdf
Attachment A: Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion
Plan 2023 FINAL.pdf
Report compiled on: November 30, 2023
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RESOLUTION 5556
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOZEMAN,
MONTANA, ADOPTING THE BELONGING IN BOZEMAN EQUITY AND INCLUSION
PLAN.
WHEREAS, the City of Bozeman has made commitments to fairness, inclusion and equity
through Resolution 4243 (2010) establishing a non-discrimination policy; Resolution 4601 (2015)
and Resolution 5169 (2020) addressing gender pay equity within the City of Bozeman; Resolution
4852 (2018) prioritizing a safe, healthy, welcoming, and inclusive community; and
WHEREAS, in response to local and national calls for action to prevent violence
and discrimination against BIPOC, the July 2020 Bozeman as an Inclusive City Report
recommended the development of a city diversity, equity and inclusion plan; and
WHEREAS, the 2021 Equity Indicators & Gaps Analysis project characterized
inequalities across race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, and socioeconomic status through data and
the lived experiences of a diverse representation of over 1500 community members; and
WHEREAS, the indicators, recommendations, and eight topic areas outlined in the 2021
Equity Indicators & Gaps Analysis project will guide the development of a plan to address gaps;
and
WHEREAS, Resolution 5384 established Bozeman as a City for CEDAW (Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and committed the city to
continued data collection, development of an equity and inclusion action plan; annual reporting on
implementation, and oversight via the city’s Economic Vitality Board; and
WHEREAS, extensive input and participation from community members, partner
organizations, and city staff is reflected in each element of the Belonging in Bozeman Equity and
Inclusion Plan and the implementation workbook; and
WHEREAS, the Economic Vitality Board whose charge is to advise the City Commission
on polices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion provided guidance throughout the
development of the plan during four public Work Sessions;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of
Bozeman, Montana:
Section 1
1. Commits to realizing the purpose of the Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion
Plan to ensure that all residents, visitors, and City of Bozeman employees can thrive regardless of
their race, identity, or life circumstance.
2. Commits to addressing collectively developed visions statements which elevate the
following eight distinct priority areas:
a. Housing: Housing is available, affordable, accessible, and safe.
b. Transportation: A variety of transportation options exist to meet mobility needs.
c. Health & Wellbeing: Health care services and programs that address physical,
emotional, mental, and sexual and reproductive wellbeing are available, accessible,
and inclusive.
d. Education: Learning opportunities allow for full participation and foster growth and
success.
e. Childcare and Youth Programming: Childcare and youth programs are high quality,
affordable, and accessible.
f. Economic Security: A thriving economy offers readily available living-wage jobs
and fair work environments.
g. Community Resiliency: Access to community spaces and resources fosters social
connection, health, and resilience in a changing climate.
h. Community Safety and Civic Health: Local government and major institutions
prioritize safety, inclusion, and representation.
3. Commits to the elements of the plan which include a historical narrative, an
overview of the process and timeline to develop the plan, key terms and definitions, the vision
statements, goals, and recommendations, community liaison summaries, next steps, and
references.
4. Commits to coordinating the implementation of the plan with lead and partner
organizations. The plan implementation workbook includes:
a. Specific goals and recommendations to accomplish the visions within the plan.
b. Priority level of each recommendation based on urgency, impact, cost, and difficulty
of implementation.
c. Lead and partner organizations who will carry out a particular recommendation and
contribute to the efforts, respectively.
d. Resources and support needed to carry out a particular recommendation.
e. Metrics which indicate whether a recommendation has been advanced.
f. Indication of progress on each recommendation.
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5. Is dedicated to the data collection as denoted in the 2021 Equity Indicators & Gaps
Analysis project which included the baseline data that informed the development of this plan and
will underlie the current and future metrics and progression of the goals and recommendations
within this plan.
6. Commits to annual progress updates to the public, Economic Vitality Board, and
the City Commission to ensure allocation of resources to advance the goals and recommendations,
transparency and accountability for the plan’s implementation, and alignment with existing and
new priorities of our community.
Section 2
The 2023 Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan is hereby adopted and shall be
as follows as attached in Exhibit A.
PASSED, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED by the City Commission of the City of
Bozeman, Montana, at a regular session thereof held on the 19th day of December, 2023.
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CYNTHIA L. ANDRUS
Mayor
ATTEST:
MIKE MAAS
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
GREG SULLIVAN
City Attorney
15
engage.bozeman.net/belonging -0 -16
Table of Contents
At-A-Glance..........................................................................................................................................2
Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 3
Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................4
A Truthful History of Bozeman...............................................................................................................8
Process and Timeline....................................................................................................................... 15
Key Terms.......................................................................................................................................... 17
Terms Found in the Plan........................................................................................................................ 17
Equity and Inclusion Terms....................................................................................................................18
The Equity and Inclusion Plan.........................................................................................................20
Housing.....................................................................................................................................................21
Transportation....................................................................................................................................24
Health and Wellbeing..............................................................................................................................26
Education..................................................................................................................................................28
Childcare and Youth Programming...................................................................................................... 30
Economic Stability................................................................................................................................... 32
Community Resiliency............................................................................................................................ 34
Community Safety and Civic Health..................................................................................................... 36
Community Liaison Report Summaries......................................................................................... 39
What’s Next....................................................................................................................................... 41
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................... 42
Appendix A: References..........................................................................................................................43
Appendix B: Implementation Workbook..............................................................................................43
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 1 -17
At-A-Glance
OVERVIEW
The process of bringing this document together involved extensive collaboration and input from
community members, partner organizations, and local government to identify needs, gather data,
and create a comprehensive plan. The plan reflects a personal approach by incorporating
individual experiences in the community and outlines goals and recommendations to address a
range of issues, with the mutual consent and commitment of Bozeman’s organizations,
individuals, and government bodies.
KEY PLAYERS
● Belonging in Bozeman Internal Committee
● Belonging in Bozeman Steering Committee
● Bozeman City Commission
● Economic Vitality Board
● Community Liaisons
● City of Bozeman Executive Leadership Team
PROCESS
The development of this plan entailed extensive engagement with community members and
partner organizations to delineate needs and gather pertinent data. Efforts concentrated on
removing participation barriers and fostering diverse pathways for input in envisioning the plan,
formulating goals, and defining specific recommendations. Building upon prior initiatives like the
Inclusive City Report, commitments of the Cities for CEDAW initiative, and the 2020 Equity
Indicators Report, this plan signifies a crucial milestone in advancing equity and inclusion in
Bozeman. Key milestones are outlined in the timeline and elaborated upon in the key terms
section.
This Equity and Inclusion Plan stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit and dedication of
Bozeman's diverse stakeholders towards creating a more equitable and inclusive community.
Grounded in shared experiences and fortified by comprehensive data and engagement, this plan
serves as a blueprint for action, signaling a commitment to foster a community where every voice
is heard, and every individual thrives. Its implementation marks a pivotal step towards a future
where equity and inclusion are woven into the fabric of Bozeman's identity.
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 2 -18
Introduction
You hold in your hands, or on your screen, a collectively-developed roadmap for ongoing shared
action to create a City of Bozeman that is equitable and inclusive for all who live in, work in, and
visit the city.
WHAT IS AN EQUITY AND INCLUSION PLAN?
The purpose of the Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan is to ensure that all residents,
visitors, and City of Bozeman employees can thrive regardless of their race, identity, or life
circumstance. It builds upon the 2021 Equity Indicators Report by moving forward with 8 issue
areas identified by the community as Priority Needs. Through committee work and public survey,
vision statements were created for each issue area. Then, committee members, community
liaisons, and community members developed and refined goals and recommendations for each
vision statement to move Bozeman in the direction of making those visions a reality.
WHOSE PLAN IS THIS?
This plan embodies a collective partnership involving the entire Bozeman community: it's a
collaborative effort between local government, nonprofits, businesses, community groups,
educational institutions, residents, employees, and visitors alike. While our organization plays a
pivotal role in leading this initiative and our city government approves it for action, it's crucial to
remember that no single entity or group holds more significance than others.
This isn't a checklist solely for our organization or any specific group to execute; rather, it's a
comprehensive roadmap for collective action, where every individual and entity's contribution is
equally valued and essential to its success.
A long legacy of civic engagement in Bozeman: at left, community gathers for the kickoff event for this planning process in
February 2023 (Photo credit: Vince Pagán-Hill). At right, in the late 1920s, the Montana Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs
convention at an unknown Montana location. Belle McDonald, who co-founded the Bozeman chapter with her sisters, is
pictured in the front row (photographer unknown; photo source here).
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 3 -19
Acknowledgements
LAND
We acknowledge and honor, with respect, the Indigenous Nations on whose traditional homelands
the City now stands and whose historical and cultural relationships with the land continue to this
day.
Montana's intricate tribal territories, shaped by historic treaties, are highlighted in this map, offering a glimpse
into ancestral lands. Explore more with this guide from Montana State University.
Among the Indigenous nations of this region are the Séliš (Bitterroot Salish), Qlispé (Pend
d’Orreille), Ktunaxa (Kootenai), Pikuni (Blackfeet), Tsistsis’tas (Northern Cheyenne), Apsáalooke
(Crow), Anishinaabe (Chippewa), Nehiyawak (Cree), Metis, Nakoda (Assiniboine), A’aninin (Gros
Ventre), Dakota, Lakota, and others.
In acknowledging these people, the land, the plant, animal, and water relatives, it is important to
recognize that our ability to live and work here, is due to colonizing policies, practices of genocide,
cultural erasure, and the enslavement of Black people.
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 4 -20
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We recognize that meaningful reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples have not occurred in
this country, and we encourage a growing awareness of our individual and shared abilities to
effect changes that will lead us to a more equitable future for all in our community.
GOVERNMENT
We thank the members of the Bozeman City Commission: Mayor Cynthia Andrus, Deputy Mayor
Terry Cunningham, Commissioner I-Ho Pomeroy, Commissioner Jennifer Madgic, and
Commissioner Christopher Coburn, Commissioner Douglas Fischer.
We thank the members of the Economic Vitality Board: Chair Katharine Osterloth, Vice Chair
Danielle Rogers, Board Member Will Shepherd, Board Member Sara Savage, Board Member Craig
Ogilvie, Board Member John Carey, and Board Member Malory Peterson.
We thank Jeff Mihelich, City Manager; Chuck Winn, Assistant City Manager; Kira Peters, Assistant
City Manager; Josh Waldo, Fire Chief; and Jim Veltkamp, Police Chief.
PROJECT TEAM
We thank the leaders of this project: Dani Hess, Community Engagement Coordinator, Belonging
in Bozeman Co-Lead; Nakeisha Lyon, Associate Planner, Belonging in Bozeman Co-Lead; and
Takami Clark, Communications and Engagement Manager.
We thank the Community Liaisons who served as bridges between specific communities within
Bozeman and the larger project team to ensure their voices were heard: Chace McNinch, Kristen
Newman, and Jhenniffer Cifuentes.
We thank the members of the Belonging in Bozeman Internal Team (some individuals pictured
above): Andy Knight, Deputy Police Chief; Ali Chipouras, Sustainability Program Specialist; Calvin
Van Ryzin, Water Treatment Plant Operator; Renata Munfrada, Economic Development Specialist;
Sarah Rosenberg, Planner II; Kyle Kors, City Service Worker; Renee Boundy, V.E.T.S. Court
Coordinator; Josh Charles, Fire Captain; Julie Hunter, Executive Assistant; Alicia Paz-Solis, Engineer
I; Cassandra Tozer, Human Resources Director; Scott McMahon, Information Technology Director;
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 5 -21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Tony Modugno, Building Inspector II; Jennifer Giuttari, Assistant City Attorney; Kesslie
Carlson-Ham, GIS Analyst; Matthew Lee, Water Conservation Specialist; and Kaitlin Johnson,
Budget Analyst.
We thank Morten Group, LLC for their support throughout this process: Mary F. Morten,
President; Vince Pagán-Hill, Project Director; Jessica Kadish-Hernández, Consultant; and Lisa
Gilmore, Senior Consultant.
COMMUNITY
We thank the Bozeman Extreme History Project, led by Crystal Alegria and Dr. Cheryl Hendry
and the contributors to the historical narrative Dr. Shane Doyle, Crystal Wong Shors, Stacey
Haugland, Rachel Phillips, Dr. Mary Murphy, Scott Birkenbuel, Bob Cruz, Dr. Barbara do Amaral,
Judith Heilman, Pearl Michalson, Marsha Small, Michael Spears, and Dr. Walter Fleming
We thank our community chat hosts: City of Bozeman staff, Gallatin City-County Health
Department (GCCHD), HRDC, Bienvenidos a Gallatin Valley, Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association,
First-Generation Students Association at MSU, Gender Equity Alliance at MSU, and Bridgercare
Peer Educators.
We thank each member of the Belonging in Bozeman Steering Committee: Krista Dicomitis,
Human Resource Development Council IX (HRDC); Marilyn King, Bozeman School District #7;
Bethany Davies, Big Sky Chamber of Commerce; Scott Birkenbuel, Ability Montana; Ariel Donohue,
Montana State University; Michelle Bossert, Gallatin County; Mikayla Pitts, The Montana Racial
Equity Project; Katie Michael, Bozeman Health; Kendall Levinson, Montana Language Services;
Kaleigh Mency, Pride Foundation; Lyla Brown, Forward Montana; Lei Anna Bertelson, Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; Amber Traxinger, Community
Health Partners; Becky Wilbert, City of Belgrade; Valerie Webster, Gallatin Valley Interfaith
Association; Karen DeCotis, Bozeman Dharma Center; Sara Freedwoman, Queer Bozeman; Ben
Frentsos, Greater Gallatin United Way; Meshalya Cox, CoEquity Consulting; Joey Morrison,
Bozeman Tenants United; Tori Sproles, Child Care Connections; Sophia Fortuanto, Thrive; and Kate
Batchelder, Gallatin City-County Health Department.
We thank Montana State University faculty, staff, and students who contributed to the plan:
Dr. Kaylin Greene and SCOI 499 Sociology Capstone students; Professor Mikayla Pitts and HTH 445
Ethic of Care students; Susan Gallagher, Western Transportation Institute.
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 6 -22
November 8, 2023
Bozeman City Commission
121 N Rouse Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715
Dear Residents and Visitors:
The Gallatin Valley has long been a place of opportunity. Indigenous people from across the northwest
and northern plains came here to hunt, heal, gather, and celebrate. For many thousands of years, it has
sustained diverse plant, animal, and human communities.
Today, Bozeman continues to have a lot to offer to those in search of a better quality of life, connection
to nature, and a place to call home. However, whether all people can access these things is becoming a
larger and larger concern. Disparities in people’s ability to fulfill their basic needs and thrive within our
growing city are more apparent than ever.
That is why the Belonging in Bozeman Equity & Inclusion Plan is so important. This community-led plan
identifies areas of need and outlines the steps we need to take to address the challenges facing
underserved groups in our community. It will take determined leadership, commitment of resources,
and focused effort of not just the City of Bozeman, but local and regional partners, and community
members themselves to make this effort a success. We all have a role to play in ensuring Bozeman is a
community where everyone belongs.
This change won’t happen overnight. This plan outlines the necessary goals, recommendations, and
resources for the next 3-5 years. It will take changes in all aspects of our community down to the
individual level to make sure we make our aspirational visions a reality and create the city we want to
live in.
As a city, we aim to weave equity throughout our work and encourage others to do the same to ensure
that all who want to be here can thrive regardless of race, identity, or life circumstance. This will make
our city stronger and keep Bozeman as a special place of opportunity.
Thank you to all who have played a role in the creation of this plan. We look forward to our continued
partnership with you to create a more inclusive, welcoming, and equitable city.
Sincerely,
Mayor Cynthia Andrus
Deputy Mayor Terry Cunningham
Commissioner Christopher Coburn
Commissioner Douglas Fischer
Commissioner Jennifer Madgic
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A Truthful History of Bozeman
Researched and written by the Extreme History Project
The man for whom the city of Bozeman is named and his fellow wealthy white counterparts are
only one group of people who have shaped life in the Gallatin Valley, yet too often their narrative
is presented as the default. This framing neglects the long and complex history of the many
peoples who have called this region home, including Indigenous nations, Chinese immigrants,
Black migrants, and more. As part of this Equity & Inclusion planning process, Bozeman’s
Extreme History Project – whose work has already done much to educate residents and visitors
on many overlooked and underappreciated aspects of the city’s history – wrote a comprehensive
historical account of Bozeman that “seeks to center human experience, diverse perspectives,
and the influence of individual and collective efforts in creating Bozeman.”
The following historical account seeks to center human experience, diverse perspectives, and the
influence of individual and collective efforts in creating Bozeman. The approach centered on roundtable
discussions that engaged descendant community members, local equity advocates, and historical
experts. These voices shaped the structure of the narrative, guided its questions, and illuminated its
focal points. It is important to note that this approach does not yield a comprehensive, linear chronicle
of Bozeman’s history; gaps and unanswered questions remain. However, what has emerged serves as a
foundational framework – a mosaic of stories and viewpoints that collectively helps readers to
reimagine Bozeman’s past and invites us all to reflect, question, and participate in an ongoing dialogue
about Bozeman’s multifaceted heritage.
Beavers and bison, flora and fauna, were the original inhabitants of this place we now call Bozeman.
Séliš (Bitterroot Salish), Qlispé (Pend d’Orreille), Ktunaxa (Kootenai), Pikuni (Blackfeet), Tsistsis’tas
(Northern Cheyenne), Apsáalooke (Crow), Anishinaabe (Chippewa), Nehiyawak (Cree), Metis, Nakoda
(Assiniboine), A’aninin (Gros Ventre), Dakota, Lakota, and other indigenous nations who have
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CITY CONTEXT AND HISTORY
millennia-long relationships with this land, also had millennia-long relationships with these plant and
animal Relatives. For Indigenous people, this Valley was a gathering place, it provided seasonal
sustenance and shared space. Settlers arrived in the 1860s with a vastly different understanding of land
and ownership. Settlers killed the bison, dismantled beaver dams, plowed the land, and built a city on
top of the water. Colonization served to sever the relationships that Indigenous people had with their
Relatives, profoundly altering the landscape and its inhabitants.
In 1863, gold seekers bound for Alder Gulch invaded
the Gallatin Valley, a region allocated as Lakota
Territory under the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie. In
this valley, John Bozeman recognized an opportunity
to amass personal wealth. Utilizing Indigenous trails,
in 1863 Bozeman and John Jacobs laid out the
Bozeman Trail and led the first wagon train of
emigrants through the Gallatin Valley to gold mines
in Alder Gulch the following year. At the crossing of
what we now call Bozeman Creek, Bozeman, William
Beall, and Daniel Rouse platted a town to supply emigrants. When Indigenous people retaliated, the
United States Infantry and Cavalry entered the Valley and built Fort Ellis under the guise of protecting
emigrants. From Fort Ellis, soldiers enacted a brutal campaign of violent dispossession. Another fort,
Fort Parker, the first Indian Agency on the Crow Reservation, marked the forced transition to
Reservation life for the region’s Indigenous people.
It was government-sanctioned violent dispossession of Indigenous people that enabled non-Indigenous
American settlement in the Gallatin Valley in the 1860s and all subsequent economic growth. For
Indigenous people, construction and operation of the Forts marked the beginning of a forced transition
from their traditional buffalo hunting lifestyle. For the residents of the small town of Bozeman, the Forts
signaled safety and stability. For people like Nelson Story, the Forts were the source of a massive
accumulation of wealth; it is men in this latter group whose names are now given pride of place in the
Gallatin Valley.
According to the federal population census of 1870, there
were just over 400 people living in Bozeman, outside of Fort
Ellis. These early settlers were not exclusively white
Americans. Nearly 20% of Bozeman’s population in 1870
were immigrants, the majority of whom came from Germanic
states. The Speith and Krug brewery, opened by two German
immigrants was a saloon, public hall, and focal point for
social and civic activity in Bozeman that served as a
cornerstone for the town’s German community. By 1880,
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CITY CONTEXT AND HISTORY
Chinese immigrants made up at least 16% of Bozeman’s immigrant population. Bozeman’s Chinese
residents lived in lodging rooms in hotels, at their workplaces and businesses, in residential houses, and
in the area known as “China Alley” - an alleyway located between East Main Street and East Mendenhall
Street, and North Bozeman Avenue and North Rouse Avenue. They ran businesses like laundries
restaurants, and boarding houses in China Alley and on Main Street in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. One particularly successful Chinese businessman, Chin Ah Ban, owned several restaurants on
Main Street over the course of the early 20th century. Most of Bozeman’s early Black community came to
Montana as refugees from racial violence in the post-Civil War South. Some, like Lizzie Williams, Samuel
Lewis, and Richard and Mary McDonald played pivotal roles in the community’s economic and social
development through their investment in real estate, businesses, and homes during the early 1870s.
Like their Chinese counterparts, businesses like Lizzie Williams’s restaurant and Samuel Lewis’s barber
shop were located on Main Street and were patronized by the entirety of the Bozeman community.
Despite their contributions to the founding of Bozeman, memory of these Black and immigrant founders
has been erased by a city whose streets now bear the names of their white American contemporaries –
Beall, Story, Black, Cooper.
While people like Chin Au Ban, Lizzie Williams, and Samuel Lewis, became financially successful, most
early Black, Chinese, and other immigrant residents worked in service roles, predominately in domestic
service for Bozeman’s middle- and upper-class families. As the 20th century approached, these
working-class people became increasingly more segregated into the neighborhoods north of Main Street
as investment and enhancement on the south side attracted residents of affluence. Main Street became
an economic dividing line.
The domestic labor of the Bozeman's
minority and working-class residents
afforded middle- and upper-class white
residents the time and ability to
establish churches, clubs, and voluntary
associations. During the era when the
government's presence in Bozeman was
relatively modest, civic organizations,
churches, and volunteer associations
shaped the civic and social fabric of the
community. In this, women played
influential roles. Mary Alderson
organized with the Women’s Christian
Temperance Union (WCTU), fought for Montana women’s right to vote and helped successfully secure
this right for white women in Montana in 1914, six years ahead of the nationwide enactment of the 19th
Amendment. In doing this advocacy work, she asserted white women’s right to participate in the city’s
and state’s civic affairs.
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CITY CONTEXT AND HISTORY
Black women in Montana also came together for social and intellectual connection and civic
improvement. Founded in 1921, The Montana Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs gave voice to Black
women throughout the state. In Bozeman, the McDonald sisters – Mollie, Belle, and Melissa – along with
club president Eva Robinson, formed a chapter called the Sweet Pea Study Club that raised money to
help Black high school students attend college, advocated for civil rights legislation, and worked to
improve racial relations at the state and local level.
By the turn of the twentieth century, Montana was one of the most ethnically diverse states in the
country, and the population in Bozeman reflected this larger trend. Yet today, Montana is among the
whitest states in the country. Legislation and formal and informal racial discrimination and exclusion
accounts for this shift.
One of the first ordinances to be adopted after the City of Bozeman was incorporated in 1883 was
Ordinance No. 8, “Concerning Offenses Against Good Order and Morals." Ostensibly passed to protect
the business district from the threat of fire, Section 5 of the ordinance allowed Bozeman police to closely
monitor the Chinese and conduct raids against supposed opium dens and arrest and fine Chinese
residents. Ordinance No. 8 also included gendered definitions of “morality.” Section 7’s prohibition
against “in any public place...in a dress not belonging to his or her sex, or in an indecent or lewd
dress...” reflects an early attempt to legislate gender expression.
State laws also impacted Bozeman residents. In 1909, the Montana State legislature passed an
anti-miscegenation law that made interracial marriage illegal, nullified existing unions, and rejected
those from other states. The number of young, single African Americans living in Montana dropped
between 1910 and 1930. This bill threatened the Black family structure; with a limited choice of legal
spouses in Bozeman, young Black Bozeman residents had to look elsewhere for marriage prospects.
Belle Ward, the granddaughter of Richard and Mary McDonald, went to Helena to marry a Black man in
1925. Fred Harris Jr. moved with his parents to Tacoma, Washington in 1918. At that time, there was not
a single person living in Bozeman that he might legally marry. The adoption of this anti-miscegenation
bill, which remained in law until 1953, shows the shift from a society in Montana that offered a future
for a Black community into one that did not.
Bozeman’s minority communities also encountered racial discrimination in the form of threats,
belittlement, harassment, and exclusion. The Chinese were seen by some as lowly and immoral, Chinese
men were seen as less of “men” based upon their clothing. Mocking and finding amusement in Chinese
accents or broken English was a common sentiment found in early newspapers. Chinese residents were
frequent victims of conflict and assault at their places of business and on the streets of Bozeman; some
faced open threats of lynching. Bozeman’s Black community faced threat in the form of a resurging Ku
Klux Klan in the 1920s. In August 1926, 1,000 people attended a Klan picnic and public lecture at the
Bozeman Hot Springs. By the mid-20th century, Black people were increasingly excluded from public
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CITY CONTEXT AND HISTORY
space in Bozeman. One example occurred in 1950 when nationally recognized singer Dorothy Maynor
came to Bozeman for a concert and the Baxter Hotel refused to let her stay there.
Decades of formal and informal exclusionary practices have created a sense of invisibility among
Bozeman’s minority residents. For Indigenous people, this goes back to the formal violent exclusion of
the 1860s and 1870s. People with disabilities have also been formally excluded, displaced by
institutionalization since 1877 when Warm
Springs hospital was built in western
Montana. In some cases, invisibility is due to
outmigration – by the 1930s, half of
Montana’s Black residents had left,
Bozeman’s Chinese community precipitously
dropped in the same period. Invisibility is
compounded by the rebranding of the land
which has erased Indigenous history and the
naming of places which celebrates specific
aspects and people of our past, while
erasing others.
Despite this, Bozeman residents have
worked to hold on to their culture and customs, actively dismantle barriers, and create inclusive spaces.
A key effort in this was and is claiming visible space as the region’s Indigenous people have done for
over fifty years at the annual Montana State University (MSU) Powwow. The Powwow represents an
ongoing tradition spanning countless generations—stretching back hundreds, even thousands of
years—where people gather, revel in each other's company, and reconnect with their origins.
Despite its complicated history, MSU has played a key role in efforts to create community and inclusive
spaces. MSU was established in 1893 through the Morrill Act, a piece of legislation that utilized wealth
from stolen Indigenous land to fund higher education. Through its democratization of higher education,
the land grant, though problematic, provided a path to diversity. The Multicultural Resource Center,
established in 1999 by the Associated Students of Montana State University with leadership by the Black
Student Union. Evolving over the years, it became the Diversity & Inclusion Student Commons in 2017.
The Department of Native American Studies and the American Indian Council were established to
advance education for and about American Indians of Montana and to promote community and
academic success for MSU’s Native students. Over the past five decades, these entities have evolved into
a central hub for Indigenous life in Bozeman.
The University serves as a magnet for diverse students and families, contributing to the presence of
people of color in the community. However, this influx is often perceived as temporary, with the notion
that diverse individuals are primarily students and, consequently, transient residents. The paradox
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CITY CONTEXT AND HISTORY
emerges as MSU attracts diversity, albeit temporarily. It functions as a dynamic hub for a variety of
perspectives and people, yet a considerable number do not stay in Bozeman, facing challenges in
establishing more permanent roots. Notably, the visibility of Native families is predominantly associated
with MSU, but many can only afford to reside in Bozeman during their college years, relying on
scholarships or loans for support. This dynamic raises important considerations about the sustainability
of diversity within the community beyond the confines of academic pursuits.
Beyond MSU, other groups have worked to build community. In the 1990s, Stacey Haugland realized
that she would have to push hard to make space for herself and other lesbians in Bozeman. She hung
posters around town advertising a “Lesbian Community Potluck” to be held at her house. What began as
casual gatherings evolved into the formation of Gallatin Area Lesbian Society. Haugland later became a
plaintiff in a successful legal effort to decriminalize homosexuality in Montana in 1997. Meanwhile,
another notable legal battle unfolded at Bozeman airport, where a lawsuit addressed accessibility
issues. The lawsuit sought improvements in infrastructure and services to ensure equal access for all
travelers, highlighting the importance of inclusive facilities in public spaces.
The legacy of past efforts for inclusivity and visibility endures in the ongoing advocacy of Bozeman's
residents who continue to fight for a community that embraces diversity and ensures equal
representation in the 21st century. In the 21st century, the City of Bozeman has passed several
ordinances and resolutions to support and celebrate Bozeman’s diverse population. The City
Commission continued its commitment to inclusivity with its endorsement of the Convention on the
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2022 along with the official
recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Juneteenth holidays. These holidays recognize the city's rich
multicultural heritage and are marked by celebratory events throughout town and on the MSU campus.
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CITY CONTEXT AND HISTORY
Delving into the past serves as a poignant reminder that Bozeman has always been a diverse locale,
with historical factors contributing to the evolving nature of its diversity. Our historical narratives reveal
harassment, discrimination, and the struggle for visibility alongside stories of community building,
resistance, and resilience.
Find the full-length version of this history on the city website.
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Process and Timeline
The process to develop this plan was grounded in input from community members and partner
organizations to define needs, gather data, and chart a path forward. Community engagement
efforts focused on reducing barriers to participation and creating multiple ways for everyone to
help establish the vision for the plan, generate goals, and define the specific recommendations to
achieve them. The content of the plan built on previous efforts defined in the Inclusive City Report,
commitments of the Cities for CEDAW initiative, and the Equity Indicators Report. Key milestones
in the process are outlined in the following timeline and further defined in the key terms section.
2020: Inclusive City Policy Review
On June 8, 2020, in response to local and national calls for action to address violence against
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), the Bozeman City Commission directed the City
Manager to review the city’s policies, training, and frameworks. The “Bozeman as an Inclusive City:
Review of Policies'' report was released on July 22, 2020 and established the commitment to
conduct a “gaps analysis” and develop equity indicators to ultimately guide an equity and inclusion
plan for the community.
2021: Establishing a Baseline - Equity Indicators Project & CEDAW priorities
In 2021, The City of Bozeman launched the Equity Indicators
Project to measure equity and access to resources in the City.
The purpose was to establish a baseline to make Bozeman a
more inclusive, welcoming, and equitable place. The resulting
Equity Indicators Report, released on July 31, 2021, revealed
key needs and gaps in priority areas identified by the
community such as housing, healthcare, and education.
The Equity Indicators Hub is a resource that tracks the data
behind this plan. Data comes from publicly available databases
like the 2020 Census, American Community Survey, and local
data sharing partners. Check out the Equity Indicators Hub and
find interactive data displays as well as the open data portal
where local partners and community members can access the
data themselves to inform and support their efforts in the Gallatin Valley.
Also in 2021, the City of Bozeman signed on to Resolution 5384, Establishing Bozeman as a City for
the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). This
local grassroots effort defines key priorities for the city to undertake to conform with this United
Nations convention. These priorities include continuing to collect data around disparities in our
community as well as developing an equity and inclusion plan.
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PROCESS AND TIMELINE
2022: Beginning Action — Belonging in Bozeman
In the spring of 2022, the City convened the internal Belonging in Bozeman team with city staff
from across all departments in the organization to guide the development of the city’s first Equity
& Inclusion Plan. The team helped shape the definitions of key terms to be used in this plan and
establish a community engagement strategy and an outline of this very document.
2022 also marked the year that the the City of Bozeman established both Juneteenth and
Indigenous People’s Day as officially recognized holidays. Indigenous People’s Day began with the
vision, followed by years of action, and ultimately success of Indigenous Peoples Day Montana, a
group of local and state organizers who helped make this holiday official in the City of Bozeman.
2023: Continuing Action — Equity & Inclusion Planning Process
The Equity and Inclusion Planning Process kicked off with
the official launch event on March 7, 2023. A Steering
Committee of organizational partners doing work across all
eight topic areas was established to meet monthly
throughout the process. That spring, three Community
Liaisons were hired to elevate community voices and gather
input from communities that often face additional barriers to
participating in local government processes, such as the
Spanish-speaking community, LGBTQ+ community, and the
disability community. In June, a community-wide survey gathered input from nearly 400
community members on the plan’s Vision Statements. With this input, the final Vision Statements
were drafted and edited with input from both the Belonging in Bozeman Steering Committee and
internal city staff team.
In August, a half-day workshop was held with these two groups to generate the goals and
recommendations of the plan. Broader community input was sought on the goals and
recommendations through Community Chats, held from July-September. Throughout the year,
guidance was sought and updates were provided to the city’s Economic Vitality Board on a
monthly basis, and on a quarterly basis with the City Commission. With all of this input, the project
team met with city staff and community partners to ensure that the plan’s aspirations were
balanced with what could be realistically achieved in the next 3-5 years.
With over 15 different city departments and over 30 community partner organizations, the team
dug into the details like establishing lead and partner organizations, metrics, and resources
needed for implementation. And, finally, this report was drafted from September to November
and considered for approval by the city’s Economic Vitality Board and City Commission in
December 2023.
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Key Terms
The following terms are helpful to understand as you take in the plan:
Terms Found in the Plan
Vision Statements: Vision Statements serve as bold, short, and consistent phrases that clearly
state a desired outcome for all individuals in our community. This plan’s Vision Statements are
based on the Equity Indicators Report (2021), priorities of the Convention for the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) per Resolution 5384, and feedback from City staff,
applicable advisory bodies, and community members.
Goal: Goals put visions into practice by describing the overarching action that must be taken in
order to achieve the vision.
Recommendation: Recommendations take goals to a finer level of detail by clarifying the steps
that must be taken in order to achieve the goal.
Priority #1, #2, #3: A prioritization matrix helped rank the priority level of each recommendation
based on “cost/difficulty” and “impact/urgency.” Cost and difficulty depends on factors like existing
efforts underway, staff capacity, resources available, and cost. Impact and urgency depends on
alignment with existing city/partner priorities and how directly the recommendation addresses the
goal, vision statement, and relevant equity indicators.
Priority #1 indicates recommendations that have relatively high impact/urgency, are most
difficult/costly to implement, and may need more time to gather resources and build
capacity. Begin first, but progress may not occur for 2-3 years.
Priority #2 indicates recommendations with relatively high impact/urgency, are relatively
less difficult/costly and should be undertaken early, progress expected within 1-2 yrs.
Priority #3 indicates recommendations that have relatively lower impact/urgency and are
least difficult/costly and should be undertaken after progress and/or successful
implementation of #1 and #2 recommendations. Progress expected in 3+ years.
Lead org + partners: The organization that is leading the effort to carry out a particular
recommendation and the fellow organizations that are contributing to the effort.
Metric: The result or action taken that indicates whether a recommendation has been advanced
or partners have made progress.
Progress: The category expressing movement or headway on a recommendation. Will be updated
annually by the City of Bozeman to show: “Not yet started” / “In-progress” / “Ongoing” / “Complete”
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KEY TERMS
Equity and Inclusion Terms
Access: The elimination of discrimination and other physical or structural barriers that result in
some people being unable to use a physical space, benefit from a service or resource, or join and
participate in an activity, event, program, or organization.
Belonging: A feeling of belonging revolves around trust, openness, empathy, connection, purpose,
and agency within a particular group, organization, or community. An individual feels like they
belong when they can show up as their authentic self and feel valued, understood, respected,
safe, and represented. Organizations can contribute to a culture of belonging by supporting
policies, practices, and programs that foster a sense of security, acceptance, and celebration
across identities.
Belonging in Bozeman: The initiative undertaken by the City of Bozeman to complete this Equity
& Inclusion plan. Initially begun as the “Inclusive City” effort that resulted in the Inclusive City
Report & Recommendations, the Belonging in Bozeman effort builds off of this early work to
expand and sustain the city’s work in equity and inclusion.
Equality: Sameness; treating everyone the same regardless of identity, life circumstance, or
needs. The same resources or services may be available to all, but some people may face barriers
in accessing or benefitting from them.
Equity: Recognizing differences in people’s identities, life circumstances, and needs to ensure that
all are welcome, valued, and can thrive in our community. When we strive for equity, we
intentionally create systems that are informed by people’s lived experiences so that everyone can
access and benefit from the services and resources they need.
EQUALITY EQUITY
Everyone gets the same -Everyone gets what they need -
regardless of if it’s needed or understanding the barriers,
right for them. circumstances, and conditions.
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KEY TERMS
Diversity: Variation and difference across individuals in a group, organization, or community. A
group can be described as diverse when it is made up of individuals of varying characteristics
including (but not limited to!) race, ethnicity, language spoken, nationality, cultural identity,
spiritual practice, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ability, and income
or socioeconomic status. When we strive for diversity, we honor the richness, value, and benefits
of bringing people with different perspectives, identities, and experiences together.
Inclusion: What we do with diversity. An individual, a group, an organization, or community is
inclusive when it leverages and celebrates the skills, abilities, and talents of all of its members.
When we strive for inclusion we are aware of how our words, actions, and beliefs impact others.
Inclusive spaces are those in which people are respected, heard, and feel like they belong, even
when they hold different identities, experiences, or perspectives from each other.
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The Equity and Inclusion Plan
“When it comes to equity, where are our city’s gaps and needs, and what indicators would demonstrate
movement on closing these gaps and addressing these needs?”
This was the question asked by the Equity Indicators Project in 2021. “How do we translate the
data from the Equity Indicators Report into tangible actions to create a more equitable and
inclusive city within the next 3-5 years?” This was the question asked – and, now, answered – by
this Equity & Inclusion planning process. The plan directly builds upon the 2021 Equity Indicators
Report by addressing eight distinct issue areas that correspond to the eight themes/categories of
gaps/needs found in that report. The planning process has been grounded in the data from the
Equity Indicators project every step of the way. For example, the Vision Statements Overview
document made available to Community Chat hosts in the summer of 2023 contained statistics
and facts from the Equity Indicators Report to guide discussions.
Each section of the plan begins with a collectively-developed vision statement of what an
equitable and inclusive Bozeman would be like for all, followed by a list of goals and
recommendations to make that vision a reality. View the full implementation workbook which
includes priority level, organizational leads + partners, resources needed, metrics, and
progress in Appendix B. To view the equity indicators that serve as the baseline data guiding this
plan, please visit the Equity Indicators Hub.
Our collective vision for the City of Bozeman:
Housing is available, affordable, Childcare and youth programs are high
accessible, and safe. quality, affordable, and accessible.
A variety of transportation options exist to A thriving economy offers readily available
meet mobility needs. living-wage jobs and fair work environments.
Healthcare services and programs that address Access to community spaces and resources
physical, mental, and sexual & reproductive fosters social connection, health, and resilience
well-being are available, accessible, and in a changing climate.
inclusive. Local government and major institutions
Learning opportunities allow for full prioritize safety, inclusion, and
participation and foster growth and success. representation.
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Housing is available, affordable, accessible, and safe.
Housing has been an issue for Bozeman residents for many years; concern has increased as costs
have skyrocketed following the COVID-19 pandemic. This is well-documented across several
existing reports. The Bozeman Community Housing Needs Assessment (2019) revealed that prior
to the pandemic, housing costs were already becoming unmanageable — the percentage of
households paying over 30% of their income for rent plus utilities was 55%.
Bozeman’s Equity Indicators Project (2021) found housing access to affordable housing was the
top need identified by survey takers (69% reported “large need”). The most recent Gallatin Valley
Housing Report (2023) confirms that the post-COVID real estate price surge has been staggering:
“the median price of a newly-built single-family home in 2022 was $950,000, nearly double the
amount recorded in 2019.”
This plan proposes making equitable and inclusive housing a reality in Bozeman by focusing
strategically on homelessness, displacement, aging in place and universal building
accessibility, increasing community knowledge, and lobbying for local solutions at the state
level, so that Bozeman residents of all ages, abilities, and income levels can feel confident and
secure in calling Bozeman their home.
HOUSING GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Goal 1. Develop a coordinated strategy to address homelessness in
the Bozeman area
● Identify and prioritize Housing First approaches to address housing instability and
homelessness.
● Support partner organizations by funding transitional and emergency housing initiatives
and programs.
● Work with partners to leverage creative funding mechanisms, incentives, and existing
assets to increase long-term affordable housing supply and housing preservation for
people earning below 60% of AMI.
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HOUSING
Goal 2. Reduce displacement of residents who work and go to
school in Bozeman but cannot afford to live in Bozeman.
● Evaluate city employee housing cost burden and consider options for employee housing
assistance.
● Convene local partners to explore the potential for co-operative housing models.
● Strengthen coordination with MSU and partnerships with the Office of Off-Campus Student
Life and student housing developers and property management companies.
Goal 3. Promote aging-in-place and universally accessible residential
development.
● Conduct an educational workshop for design, construction, and real estate professionals
on universal design practices and adaptable dwellings within residential developments
● Codify development incentives for design that enables aging in place and universal
accessibility beyond the requirements of the building code, for example:
○ Establish requirements for the number of adaptable units in developments that utilize
city Community Housing Funds;
○ Amend division 38.430 of the UDC to include an option in the novel public benefits
section to include universal design best practices and incentives for elevators in
multistory buildings
Goal 4. Increase community knowledge in housing issues.
● Host workshops for landlords and tenants on the Montana Tenant Act and Fair Housing
Act, becoming a Housing Choice Voucher Landlord, Resident-owned community models
● Develop and distribute materials to support understanding of community housing
approaches, programs, and terms such as:
○ Area Median Income and how affordability in housing development is defined
○ Housing subsidy/financing programs and terms such as LIHTC, TIF, deed restrictions, etc.
○ Issues around local control, state legislation, and local incentive strategies – what can
and can’t we do at the local level and why?
○ Rental, mortgage, and down payment assistance programs
○ Short term rental regulations
○ Urban camping regulations
○ Definition of homelessness (McKinney Vento, HUD)
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HOUSING
Goal 5. Support and defend local housing solutions at the state
legislature.
● Identify and pursue local and state revenue streams for the creation of affordable housing
and housing assistance programs:
○ Available to residents regardless of immigration status or english proficiency (local)
○ Dedicated mills (local)
○ Sales tax (state)
○ Circuit breaker in the 70th MT Legislative session to target relief to homeowners on a
fixed income and renters (state)
○ Preserves the ability to use Tax Increment Financing as a tool for affordable housing
(state)
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A variety of transportation options exist to meet mobility needs.
Bozeman’s main street has changed dramatically since the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps, a unit of
Black soldiers, passed through it in 1897, “attracting much attention and interest.” Today, an
onlooker in downtown Bozeman will find a mix of bicycles, pedestrians, buses, and cars, and a
population ready for these varying modes of transit to be more accessible to all.
This plan proposes focusing on the most vulnerable travelers, meaning those who rely on getting
where they need to go without a personal vehicle. That means people who walk or use a
wheelchair, ride a bike, share rides, or take the Streamline Bus or Galavan system. There are many
beneficial reasons why people choose to not drive; however, many don’t even have the option -
some are too young to get behind the wheel, some can’t afford to own vehicles, others are unable
to drive due to age or disability.
That’s why these recommendations prioritize meeting mobility needs for all Bozeman
residents, visitors, and employees by expanding reliable transit and paratransit services, going
beyond ADA compliance, prioritizing winter mobility, and using an equity lens in parking
management.
TRANSPORTATION GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Goal 1. Expand reliable transit and paratransit services, prioritizing
winter accessibility.
● Leverage new revenue streams to support increased frequency of fixed-route transit and
paratransit service (for example, paid on-street parking, future UTD ballot measure, federal
grants).
● Ensure that city funds contribute to comparable service of paratransit to fixed-route transit
operations.
● Develop standards and formalize processes for ensuring bus stops are comfortable, safe,
shaded from sun, and accessible to riders in the winter.
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TRANSPORTATION
Goal 2. Center the most vulnerable road users in transportation
infrastructure design.
● Develop and implement an Equity Impacts Tool to utilize in Transportation Planning and
train staff, directors, and decision makers in this approach
● Mitigate implicit bias and enhance freedom of movement in transportation design and
behavior, (for example, update the city’s Complete Streets Resolution with an equity
component)
● Retrofit bicycle lanes to separate vehicles and bicyclists.
● Strengthen partnership with Gallatin County and Montana Department of Transportation
for safety improvements on streets not within the City’s jurisdiction.
● Leverage expertise of the disability community to educate design and building
professionals on accessible community design, for example:
○ Seasonal (summer/winter) inclusive interdisciplinary walking audits with members of the
disability community, contractors, engineers, and others to assess for ADA compliance
and foster co-design of built environment
○ Develop a Sidewalk Audit process for city staff to implement
○ Conduct parks accessibility audits and develop standards
Goal 3. Prioritize equity in parking management practices.
● Develop a public outreach and education campaign about the proper use of accessible
parking spaces and access aisles.
● Improve enforcement and responsiveness of PD/Parking Enforcement Officers when
vehicles are parked unlawfully inaccessible spaces, as per city ordinance.
● Ensure accessible parking spaces are provided in areas where the city does not require the
provision of on-site parking.
● Use an Equity Impacts Tool to evaluate parking fines and fees, towing and impounding
practices, and allocation of enforcement resources.
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Healthcare services and health programs that address physical, mental,
and sexual & reproductive well-being are available, accessible, and
inclusive.
Healthcare access and quality is only one of the five key Social Determinants of Health, but it is, of
course, a critical one. We know that health is greatly influenced by the other four – neighborhood,
education, community, and economic stability – which you’ll see in other issue areas of the plan.
Over the last several years, Bozeman residents have consistently reported access to healthcare,
mental health services, and substance use as top concerns. (This is evident in the 2021 Equity
Indicators Report as well as the 2020 and 2017 Community Health Needs Assessment reports.)
Through this Equity and Inclusion planning process, participants have identified ways to make
progress in these areas and reduce disparities by amplifying the voices of groups often
marginalized in healthcare settings, such as the disability community.
This plan proposes achieving equitable & inclusive health & well-being for Bozeman residents
and workers through continuing education for professionals, increased coordination between
agencies, support and implementation of proven efforts, and expansion of meaningful
language access.
HEALTH + WELLBEING GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Goal 1. Support continuing education for health professionals on
working with underserved communities.
● Provide opportunities for health professionals to participate in training on: Healthcare
Allies training; Disability identity, wellness, etiquette; Working with LEP (Limited English
Proficiency) patients.
● Increase access to mental health supports and training for health professionals and first
responders.
Goal 2. Increase coordination between health agencies to reduce
barriers to healthcare services and programs.
● Develop data governance processes and infrastructure to enable data sharing across
organizations to better characterize and address health disparities and social needs.
● Support additional resources to improve referral processes and help patients/clients
connect with community resources.
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HEALTH + WELLBEING
Goal 3. Support and implement proven health education and
healthcare access efforts.
● Expand the use of harm reduction approaches to treat substance use disorder.
● Increase telehealth offerings and publicly-available tele-health spaces for clients (e.g.
private telehealth rooms in libraries and other community spaces).
● Support access to reproductive healthcare and comprehensive sexual education.
Goal 4. Expand meaningful language access in clinical settings and
in health promotion programs.
● Provide on-demand interpretation in clinical and public health settings, train providers and
professionals in its use, and translate signage and documents.
● Partner with organizations to reach underserved communities through mobile/pop-up
health clinics and health education and promotion programs
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Learning opportunities allow for full participation and foster growth
and success.
Bozeman is a college town, home to Montana State University – the largest university in Montana,
Wyoming, and the Dakotas, with students hailing from all 50 states. At the K-12 level, U.S. News
and World Report ranks Bozeman High School as #1 in the State of Montana. When it comes to
equity and inclusion both within and outside of these institutions, however, access and
achievement gaps persist for some students.
This plan advocates for a more equitable and inclusive education landscape in Bozeman
through expanding opportunities for multilingual learners, supporting higher education for
underserved communities, prioritizing “cradle-to-career” educational systems, and increasing
support for students experiencing homelessness.
EDUCATION GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Goal 1. Expand opportunities for multilingual learners of all ages.
● Increase resources for multilingual education.
● Provide meaningful language access to school services, online, and print materials to
provide LEP families with the info they need.
● Partner with local educators, organizations, and employers to provide English learning
opportunities for Spanish-speaking residents.
Goal 2. Increase recruitment and resources to support higher
education for underserved communities.
● Continue to foster professional development opportunities for educators that emphasize
LGBTQ+ allyship, cultural humility, supporting students with disabilities, and inclusive
learning environments.
● Support growth in resources for recruitment, retention, and graduation of American Indian
& Alaska Native students at MSU.
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EDUCATION
Goal 3. Prioritize the creation of “cradle-to-career” educational
systems by investing in sector-based strategies and career
pathways.
● Prioritize funding mechanisms to support early literacy interventions for 4-year olds.,
targeting families earning low-incomes, experiencing housing instability, or limited english
proficiency.
● Continue to engage students in budget processes and strategic planning.
● Establish avenues for mentorship and shadowing for students at all levels who are
exploring career paths in fields in which they are underrepresented (eg: women in the
trades, BIPOC in executive leadership or local government).
● Target professional development in alternative energy technologies to existing contractors
to grow their skills and experience.
● Increase opportunities for underserved youth in Junior Leadership Programs geared
towards photonic, aviation, and manufacturing sectors.
Goal 4. Increase wrap-around support and resources available to
students experiencing homelessness.
● Partner with local schools and universities to assess the needs of affected students and
assist with support delivery.
● Distribute materials to educators around the prevalence of homelessness, resources to
support students and families, and the intersectionality of this issue.
● Partner with educators and schools to build a coordinated strategy to address
homelessness.
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Childcare and youth programs are high-quality, affordable, and accessible.
In Bozeman’s 2021 Equity Indicators Report, early childhood care and education was identified as
a large or moderate need across all demographic subgroups. An April 2023 article published by
Bozeman radio station The Moose ran with the headline, “How on earth do Bozeman families
afford preschool or daycare?”
This plan envisions a City of Bozeman in which programming for children and youth is
affordable, of excellent quality, inclusive of young people of varied backgrounds, and
accessible to all. To this end, the plan’s co-authors have identified the following goals: reducing
barriers for underserved children, increasing program capacity, increasing program and
provider subsidies, and recruiting and retaining quality staff.
CHILDCARE + YOUTH PROGRAMMING
GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Goal 1. Reduce barriers to out-of-school opportunities and programs
for underserved children.
● Evaluate and address barriers around participation in out-of-school programs, including
transportation and cost.
● Support participation in city programs and activities for families with children with
disabilities.
● Explore opportunities to integrate indigenous food systems, languages, and culture into
summer and after school programs.
Goal 2. Increase capacity of after-school and summer programs.
● Perform an equity impact analysis of the city’s enrollment processes, level of subsidy, and
scholarships for recreation programs and youth camps.
● Establish and continue partnerships with governmental and non-profit organizations for
free use of space access, subsidies, and other mechanisms to support youth programming
within Gallatin Valley.
● Develop a quick response plan for providing childcare in the case of emergency school
closure or other community emergencies.
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CHILDCARE + YOUTH PROGRAMMING
Goal 3. Increase subsidy for childcare programs and providers.
● Lobby for additional local, state, and federal funding/subsidy of quality childcare.
Goal 4. Recruit, develop, and retain quality staff.
● Support efforts to recruit multilingual and multicultural staff for recreational programming.
● Implement a mentorship and training program for youth who want to work as future
recreation/camp leaders.
● Spotlight the value and contributions of child care and youth programming employees
through a communications campaign.
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A thriving economy offers readily available living-wage jobs and fair
work environments.
Bozeman’s unemployment rate was just 1.8% in September 2023, but this is just one piece of the
overall economic picture. In the words of a stakeholder in the 2021 Equity Indicators Project, “I
wish my salary kept up with cost of living expenses.” This need for more livable wages given the
high local cost of living continues to be prevalent in 2023, and the state’s most recent Labor Day
report affirmed this, stating that Bozeman and the surrounding area was one of the “most
expensive areas of the state relative to income levels.” Additionally, gender-based wage gaps
continue to persist, as do race-based disparities in median household income.
This plan proposes moving Bozeman towards an economy that is equitable, inclusive, and
thriving, by fostering fair and inclusive work environments, supporting and recognizing
inclusive businesses and employers, expanding access to city contracts and funding for local
businesses, and supporting the growing Hispanic and Latino workforce.
ECONOMIC SECURITY GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
GOAL 1: Serve as a model for fostering fair and inclusive work
environments
● Introduce a Minority and Women-Owned Business criteria into the city’s RFP scoring
process.
● Bolster guidance and accountability measures for city vendors in adhering to: The city’s
Non-Discrimination and Equal Pay requirements; Federal labor law as it relates to fair
treatment of workers.
● Continue to narrow the gender pay gap among city employees.
Goal 2. Support and recognize inclusive businesses and employers.
● Distribute guidance on being a fully accessible workplace/employer for people with
disabilities.
● Develop an Inclusive Businesses Toolkit (LGBTQ+, Disability, BIPOC) and recognition
program.
Goal 3. Expand access to city contracts and funding for local firms,
businesses, and vendors.
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ECONOMIC SECURITY
● Evaluate TIF funding eligibility criteria to:
○ Target TIF benefits to communities that have been historically disadvantaged.
○ Prioritize the development or preservation of workforce housing.
○ Consciously and proactively work to reverse patterns of racial inequity in investment and
development.
● Provide training on how to apply for city contracts/become a city vendor and connect
experienced city vendors with small business owners to subcontract and gain experience.
● Convene local lenders, small business service providers, and minority-owned businesses to
provide guidance on supporting and sustaining small businesses.
Goal 4. Support the growing Hispanic + Latino workforce to our
economy and community.
● Support the Montana Compact on Immigration.
● Partner with local financial institutions to provide access to banking and lending
opportunities for Hispanic + Latino workers.
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Access to community spaces and resources fosters social connection,
health, and resilience in a changing climate.
Individuals from all over the world come to the Gallatin Valley to appreciate its vast open spaces
and natural resources. However, when it comes to resources for residents and employees, our
city’s most vulnerable residents disproportionately struggle to afford basic utilities and bear the
brunt of the effects of extreme weather and climate change most deeply. The human resources
offered by the diversity of identities and experiences of our city staff and residents are also not yet
fully appreciated.
This plan proposes to create a more equitable and inclusive Bozeman in this area by increasing
knowledge and use of resources for underserved communities, recognizing and celebrating
diversity among city staff and the community at large, responding to climate change and
extreme weather’s disproportionate impact on vulnerable community members, and
alleviating the utility cost burden for low-income residents.
COMMUNITY RESILIENCY GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Goal 1. Increase knowledge and use of resources for underserved
communities.
● Coordinate to develop shared platforms and spaces for underserved communities to
connect with resources and service providers and share information about meeting
individual and community needs.
Goal 2. Recognize and celebrate diversity among city staff and
community at large.
● Actively support events and education for holidays like Juneteenth and Indigenous People’s
Day.
● Evaluate city employee engagement through an intersectional lens.
● Support learning opportunities for the broader community on equity issues.
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COMMUNITY RESILIENCY
Goal 3. Respond to the disproportionate impacts to vulnerable
community members due to climate change and extreme weather.
● Develop emergency preparedness programs that:
○ Ensure multilingual communication and outreach during extreme weather events (cold,
heat, flooding, smoke/fire)
○ Develop policies for employers to mitigate impacts of extreme heat and wildfire
smoke/poor air quality for people who work or live outside
○ Establish guidance for safe, accessible, ADA compliant, and inclusive use of alternative
facilities
○ Identify ways to provide food access during supply chain disruptions
● Work with partners to ensure investments in the urban tree canopy are equitably
distributed across neighborhoods.
Goal 4. Alleviate utility cost burden for low-income residents.
● Support home energy efficient and weatherization for low-income residents through:
○ Assistance programs, rebates and incentives for upgrades and improvements
○ Installation of heat pump water heaters
○ Solar for All programs
○ Outreach about how to improve indoor air quality during wildfire smoke events
● Incorporate water equity considerations into the city’s Water/Wastewater Rate Study and
its implementation.
Goal 5. Prioritize food access for low-income communities.
● Work with partners to improve access to healthy local food and nutrition programs through
the sharing and celebration of cultural and indigenous foods.
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Local government and major institutions prioritize safety, inclusion,
and representation.
Bozeman’s inclusive city review process began in 2020 in the context of national calls for action to
address violence against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and the roles that the
policies, training, and frameworks of local governments play in the same. During the 2023 equity
and inclusion planning process, rebuilding of trust between city government, police, and
marginalized groups was identified as an important ongoing process. The City realizes that equity
and inclusion are not one-time projects but ongoing work to ensure that all can truly belong in
Bozeman. As the City looks to continue embedding equity- and inclusion-based policies, practices,
and programs into the fabric of its existence, this section of the plan elaborates how that will
come about.
This plan proposes a more equitable and inclusive City of Bozeman in the areas of community
safety and civic health by creating an organizational structure to sustain and grow Belonging in
Bozeman efforts, deepening engagement with underserved communities, addressing language
barriers, ensuring city staff and law enforcement demographics reflect the city, elevating
equity in decision-making processes and policy development, providing ongoing training, and
promoting transparency and open communication between the City, Police Department, and
community.
COMMUNITY SAFETY + CIVIC HEALTH
GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Goal 1. Create organizational structure to sustain and grow
Belonging in Bozeman efforts.
● Create a new staff position, a dedicated budget, and an outline of how this position will fit
and grow within the organization to advance the work of Belonging in Bozeman.
● Retain interdepartmental Belonging in Bozeman committee with representation from City
of Bozeman departments and update the committee charter.
● Continue to convene external partners to implement the Belonging in Bozeman Plan.
● Create a full time position to serve as ADA Coordinator.
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COMMUNITY SAFETY + CIVIC HEALTH
Goal 2. Deepen engagement with underserved communities.
● Identify funding, resources, and partners to develop a Civic Academy program to create a
pipeline of talented, connected, and diverse staff, advisory board members, elected
officials and non-profit leaders
● Evaluate and formalize the Community Liaison roles, for example: Hire a part-time
Disability Community Liaison and a full-time Bozeman PD Community Liaison.
● Establish a Community Engagement Compensation Policy that outlines ways in which
community members who face barriers to participation may receive compensation for
providing input on city initiatives.
● Foster relationships with student organizations at MSU to reduce barriers to accessing
community spaces and events.
Goal 3. Address language barriers to local government services and
public engagement processes.
● Implement on-demand interpretation services and train frontline city staff in utilizing them.
● Develop and implement a comprehensive Language Access Plan.
● Consider multilingual learning opportunities (language classes/training) and benefits for
multilingual staff (add-pay for multilingual staff in qualifying languages).
Ensure city staff and law enforcement demographics reflect at
minimum the demographics of the community.
● Evaluate advertising and recruitment strategies to reach more diverse applicant pools.
● Update City of Bozeman Hiring Practices Policy.
● Continue to review minimum qualifications in Class Specifications.
● Track the factors that contribute to employee turnover, candidate withdrawals, and
rejections of offers.
● Create a Second Chance Background Screening Process.
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COMMUNITY SAFETY + CIVIC HEALTH
Goal 5. Elevate equity in city decision-making processes and policy
development.
● Develop an Equity Impacts decision-making tool and train elected officials, advisory board
members, and staff in its use.
● Establish a Disability/Accessibility Advisory Board that meets quarterly and as needed to
provide guidance on accessibility and design of city facilities, policy, and programs.
● Build staff capacity and resources needed to broaden communications and engagement in
the city budget development process.
● Neutralize gendered language in city policies and municipal code.
Goal 6. Provide high-quality, ongoing, and relevant training to all city
staff and decision-makers.
● Establish a budget and menu of annual Governing for Racial Equity training for city staff
(including elected officials and advisory board members; department directors and
managers/supervisors).
● Promote the exchange of knowledge between City of Bozeman staff, Bozeman PD, and
local community leaders on topics such as: De-escalation, implicit bias, and bystander
intervention; Mental Health First Aid; LGBTQ+ Everyday Allies; Know Your Rights; Disability
awareness and etiquette training for first responders)
Goal 7. Promote transparency, open communication, and
responsiveness between the City, Police Department, and the
community.
● Develop standard procedures to ensure timely communications and response to address
incidents of hate in the community.
● Provide city staff and leadership with media training on the city’s community engagement
framework and share learning opportunities with community partners.
To view the full plan in workbook format, including priority level, organizational leads +
partners, resources needed, metrics, and progress, please refer to Appendix B.
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Community Liaison Report Summaries
As we stated when we began this planning project, the Equity Indicators Report found that not
everyone has equal access to the opportunities or resources they need in order to thrive in
Bozeman. This reflects a common theme in equity and inclusion assessments across the country:
that different people may experience the same place in a profoundly different manner, especially
when considering groups that are often marginalized, underrepresented, or under-resourced.
People of all identities have been important participants in the civic life of Bozeman for hundreds
of years. That has continued to be true for this process, and highlighted below are the
perspectives of several communities within the larger Bozeman community.
Community Liaisons were hired as paid city staff members for the duration of this project and played
an instrumental role in bringing more voices from the community to this effort. Liaisons hosted and
participated in community chats, amplified messages and engaged their networks in providing input,
and incorporated their expertise and lived experience into crafting the goals and recommendations of
the plan. Complete Community Liaison reports can be found at engage.bozeman.net/belonging.
Jhenniffer Cifuentes is a healthcare professional in Bozeman whose years of experience have
informed her focus on health & well-being recommendations of the plan. As a Community Liaison,
Jhenniffer supported a bilingual Community Chat held with Spanish-speaking community
members. Attendees shared their stories of working hard to support their families, build
community, and learn English. Issues they face include employment discrimination, wage theft
and lack of access to healthcare and reliable transportation. Jhenniffer then helped convene
partner organizations in the health & well-being topic area to discuss how to elevate the need for
more support and coordination across organizations to address issues like language access raised
by the community.
The results of her work are reflected in Health & Wellbeing recommendations under Goals #2 and #4.
Kristen Newman is a local disability advocate and Certified ADA Coordinator who works as an
ADA Accessibility Specialist with Ability Montana. Along with her Service Dog, Cricket, Kristen
worked to understand existing gaps in policies and protocols at the City of Bozeman and
organized and facilitated three Community Chats. She successfully worked on a mayoral
proclamation to proclaim July as Americans with Disabilities Month in the City of Bozeman. Kristen
advanced the input from the community by working with city staff to develop actionable steps
such as increasing funding allocations to provide comparable service for Galavan paratransit,
addressing winter mobility issues on sidewalks and at transit stops, deepening engagement with
people with disabilities, and prioritizing public and private accessibility through development
codes, advisory bodies, staff positions, and community outreach.
Kristen’s efforts are woven into each of the topic areas of the plan.
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COMMUNITY LIAISON REPORTS
Chace McNinch is a talented local entertainer who has performed as a musician across the
country and was recently named “Montana’s Funniest Human Person” in a local comedy
competition. Chace’s work in Bozeman connects her to many diverse communities in settings that
allow tough topics to unfold in approachable settings. As a proud Bozeman resident and member
of the LGBTQ+ community, Chace hosted a pop-up activity at the 2023 Bozeman Pride Stroll,
organized and facilitated two Community Chats, and gathered input through one-on-one
conversations on how to create a more inclusive city for LGBTQ+ residents. Voices from her
engagement efforts emphasized the need for safe community gathering spaces to connect with
others and learn about resources, recognize and support local businesses who are welcoming to
all, foster opportunities and policies that build trust between local government, law enforcement,
and marginalized communities, as well as invest in affordable housing solutions at the local and
state level. The results of Chace’s efforts are reflected in the Housing, Community Resiliency, and
Community Safety & Civic Health topic areas.
Chace (right) hosting her community chat with members of Bozeman’s LGBTQ+ community.
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What’s Next
The above section outlined the what of the Equity & Inclusion plan: the goals to realize the vision,
and the recommendations to achieve the goals. Next comes the how and the who. The full plan,
presented in an implementation workbook in Appendix B, includes categories that address
organizational leads for each recommendation and partners who will collaborate, priority levels
and corresponding timeline for completion, resources needed to undertake the recommendation,
and metrics for tracking progress.
This plan is a 3-5 year plan, which means it will be updated at least every five years as the contexts
and needs of our community change. Each year, the City of Bozeman will provide an update to the
public and the City Commission on the progress of implementing the plan. Community partners
and lead organizations will help provide insight into their work to inform annual progress updates.
You can stay in the know about how this work will unfold on the city’s website at
engage.bozeman.net/belonging.
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Conclusion
On February 3, 1881, John Anderson and Julia Harris, two early Black settlers of Bozeman, were
married in Gallatin County. Both were born into slavery elsewhere and arrived in Bozeman by the
early 1870s. Their marriage certificate notes that they were “join[ed] in lawful wedlock…with their
mutual consent.”
(source: Bozeman Magazine)
With their mutual consent.
Two formerly enslaved individuals found, in Bozeman, a place that valued and affirmed their
personhood, a place where the government noted that their will as free people was essential to
their union and their forward movement in their life together.
Bozeman in 2023 is still a city that deeply values and affirms individual freedom and personhood.
And, like the Anderson-Harris marriage, individuals in our city come together to create forward
movement in their collective lives, with their mutual consent.
With the commitment and mutual consent of Bozeman’s organizations, individuals, and
government bodies, it is our deepest hope and aim that the vision outlined in this Equity and
Inclusion Plan will become reality.
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Appendix A: References
Bozeman As An Inclusive City: Review of Policies (2020).
https://www.bozeman.net/home/showpublisheddocument/10779/638188783173930000
Equity Indicators Project (2021).
https://www.bozeman.net/home/showpublisheddocument/11674/638213125785900000
Gallatin Valley Sensitive Lands Protection Plan. https://gallatinvalleyplan.bozeman.net/
“Best High Schools in Montana.” U.S. News and World Report. Accessed at
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/montana.
Eavis, Victoria. “The plight of Bozeman’s homeless people.” Montana Free Press. Accessed at
https://montanafreepress.org/2023/01/05/options-limited-for-bozemans-growing-homeless-popul
ation/.
Schontzler, Gail. “Bozeman women advanced standing of Black people in Montana.” The
Philadelphia Tribune. Accessed at
https://www.phillytrib.com/bozeman-women-advanced-standing-of-black-people-in-montana/artic
le_3590e670-de4a-55c2-8af8-355ebc404ab8.html.
Wolfe, Michelle. “How on earth do Bozeman area families afford preschool or daycare?” The Moose
94.7. Accessed at
https://mooseradio.com/how-on-earth-do-bozeman-area-families-afford-preschool-or-daycare/.
State of Montana. “Social Determinants of Health.” Montana.gov. Accessed at
https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/chronicdisease/SDOH/index.
Montana State University. “Diversity at a Glance.” Montana.edu. Accessed at
https://www.montana.edu/diversity/glance/index.html.
Alegria, Crystal. “Bozeman’s Historic African American Community.” Bozeman Magazine. Accessed
at
https://bozemanmagazine.com/articles/2022/02/01/112993-bozemans-historic-african-american-c
ommunity.
Gallatin Association of Realtors. “2023 Gallatin Valley Housing Report.” Accessed at
https://www.flipbookpdf.net/web/site/defdf32480f906ff3a8d2acfe17d0b1e9dd3aa22FBP24580780
.pdf.html.
Anacker, Caelen. “25th Infantry Bicycle Corps (1896-97).” Blackpast.org.
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/25th-infantry-bicycle-corp-1896-97/
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 43 -59
NBC Montana Staff. “Gallatin Co. voters strongly support urban transportation district.” NBC
Montana. Accessed at
https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/gallatin-co-voters-strongly-support-urban-transportation-dist
rict.
Montana Department of Labor and Industry. “2023 Montana Labor Day Report.” Mt.gov. Accessed
at https://lmi.mt.gov/_docs/Publications/LMI-Pubs/Labor-Market-Publications/LDR20221.pdf
FRED Economic Data. “Unemployment Rate in Gallatin County, Montana.” Federal Reserve Bank of
St. Louis. Accessed at https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MTGALL1URN.
engage.bozeman.net/belonging - 44 -60
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Appendix B
Complete Belonging in Bozeman Plan
Implementation Workbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HOUSING............................................................................................................................................... 2
TRANSPORTATION................................................................................................................................6
HEALTH & WELLBEING.........................................................................................................................9
EDUCATION.........................................................................................................................................11
CHILDCARE + YOUTH PROGRAMMING............................................................................................14
ECONOMIC SECURITY........................................................................................................................ 16
COMMUNITY RESILIENCY.................................................................................................................. 18
COMMUNITY SAFETY + CIVIC HEALTH.............................................................................................20
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HOUSING | Housing is available, affordable, accessible and safe.
Goal 1. Develop a coordinated strategy to address homelessness in the Bozeman area
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Identify and prioritize Housing First approaches to #1 City of Bozeman, HRDC, Staff time, partner participation White paper/report Not yet started
address housing instability and homelessness One Valley’s Regional
Housing Coalition
in HUD Consolidated Plan
development
published and incorporated
into strategy to address
homelessness
2. Support partner organizations by funding transitional
and emergency housing initiatives and programs
#2 City of Bozeman, HRDC,
Family Promise, Haven
City generals funds allocated via
non-profit grant award process
Dollars allocated each year
to housing
In-progress;
Ongoing
3. Work with partners to leverage creative funding
mechanisms, incentives, existing assets to increase
long term affordable housing supply and housing
preservation for people earning below 60% of AMI
(Federal funding, LIHTC, TIF, Community Land Trusts,
Community Housing Fund, land banking, city-owned
land etc.)
#1 HRDC, City of Bozeman,
Headwaters Community
Housing Trust, Family
Promise, Haven, Local
lenders, One Valley’s
Regional Housing Coalition
City staff support and
collaboration on projects, grant
opportunities, HUD
Consolidated Plan development,
political support from local,
state officials
Number of units produced
for people earning below
60% AMI
(MT data from NLIHC
illustrates need at different
income levels)
In-progress;
Ongoing
Goal 2. Reduce displacement of residents who work and go to school in Bozeman but cannot afford to live in Bozeman
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Evaluate city employee housing cost burden and #2 City of Bozeman HR staff time/potential outside Report shared with City Not yet started
consider options for employee housing assistance consultants to survey staff,
propose options with cost
estimates, examples from other
communities and program
implementation guidance
Management
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2. Convene local partners to explore the potential for
co-operative housing models
#3 City of Bozeman,
NeighborWorks MT, HRDC,
Bozeman Tenants United,
local landlords, North
Missoula Community
Development Corporation
Staff time, coordination
meetings, align with equity and
engagement priorities of HUD
Consolidated Plan
Create partner list, host
partner meeting
Not yet started
3. Strengthen coordination with MSU and partnerships
with the Office of Off Campus Student Life, student
housing developers and property management
companies
#3 City of Bozeman, MSU
Office of Off Campus
Student Life
Staff time, support from
organizational
administration/leadership
Create partner list, host
partner meeting
Not yet started
Goal 3. Promote aging in place and universally accessible residential development
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Conduct an educational workshop for design,
construction, and real estate professionals on universal
design practices and adaptable dwellings within
residential developments
#3 Ability MT, City of Bozeman Funding for developing and
implementing resources and
workshops
Host workshop, share
materials and resources on
city and partner websites
Not yet started
2. Codify development incentives for design that enables
aging in place and universal accessibility beyond the
requirements of the building code, for example:
A. Establish requirements for the number of
adaptable units in developments that utilize
city Community Housing Funds
B. Amend division 38.430 of the UDC to include
an option in the novel public benefits section
to include universal design best practices and
incentives for elevators in multistory buildings
#2 City of Bozeman, Ability
MT, AARP Livable
Communities
Staff time, potential consultant
assistance, City Commission
support, support from the
development community, public
Code amendment adopted Not yet started
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Goal 4. Increase community knowledge in housing issues
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Host workshops on the Montana Tenant Act and Fair
Housing Act for landlords and tenants, becoming a
Housing Choice Voucher Landlord, and
Resident-owned community models
#2 City of Bozeman, HRDC,
Neighborworks MT,
Montana Fair Housing
501c3, Bozeman Tenants
United
Staff time, coordination
meetings to develop resources,
workshop objectives, plan and
host workshops
Host up to 3 workshops on
the different topics
recommended
Not yet started
2. Develop and distribute materials to support
understanding of community housing approaches,
programs, and terms such as:
● Area Median Income and how affordability in
housing development is defined
● Housing subsidy and financing programs and
terms such as LIHTC, TIF, deed restrictions, etc.
● Issues around local control, state legislation,
and local incentive strategies – what can and
can’t we do at the local level and why?
● Rental, mortgage, and down payment
assistance programs
● Short term rental regulations
● Urban camping regulations
● Definition of homelessness (McKinney Vento,
HUD)
#3 City of Bozeman, HRDC,
NeighborWorks MT,
Montana Fair Housing
501c3, Bozeman Tenants
United, One Valley’s
Regional Housing Coalition
Staff time, coordination
meetings
Share materials and
resources on city and
partner websites
In-progress
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Goal 5. Support and defend local housing solutions at the state legislature
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Identify and pursue local and state revenue streams
for the creation of affordable housing and housing
assistance programs:
● Available to residents regardless of immigration
status or english proficiency (local)
● Dedicated mills (local)
● Sales tax (state)
● Circuit breaker in the 70th MT Legislative session
to target relief to homeowners on a fixed
income and renters (state)
● Preserves the ability to use Tax Increment
Financing as a tool for affordable housing (state)
#1 City of Bozeman, HRDC,
Bienvenidos a Gallatin
Valley, Montana Housing
Coalition, MT Infrastructure
Coalition, MT League of
Cities and Towns, state
legislators, state-wide TIF
administrators, Chamber of
Commerce, One Valley’s
Regional Housing Coalition
Staff time, coordination
meetings, funding for lobbying
efforts
Increase local and state
funding sources for
affordable housing creation
and assistance programs
In-progress
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TRANSPORTATION | A variety of transportation options exist to meet mobility needs.
Goal 1. Expand reliable public transit and paratransit services, prioritizing winter accessibility
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Leverage new revenue streams to support increased
frequency of fixed-route transit and paratransit service,
for example:
● Paid on-street parking
● Future UTD ballot measure
● Federal grants
#1 HRDC/Streamline and
Galavan, City of
Bozeman
Political support from local and
state officials, voter support, city
and partner staff time and
coordination for grant applications
and administration
Local ballot initiatives
proposed/passed, Amount
of new revenue sources,
dollars allocated each year,
increase in frequency of
these services
In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Ensure that city funds contribute to comparable service
of paratransit to fixed-route transit operations
#1 City of Bozeman,
HRDC/Streamline, UTD
Board, MPO, ASMSU
City and partner staff time and
coordination
Proportion of city funding
dedicated to fixed route vs
paratransit is increased
and reported to support
staff/operations/capital
Not yet started
3. Develop standards and formalize processes for ensuring
bus stops are well lit, comfortable, safe for women and
girls, shaded from sun, and accessible to riders in the
winter
#2 City of Bozeman,
HRDC/Streamline, UTD
Board, MPO, ASMSU,
CEDAW Task Force
Staff time; Revisit MOU between
city and HRDC that outlines
responsibility to maintain bus
stops (signage, snow removal, etc.)
Creation of standards and
of added capacity needed
to adhere to standards
and processes
In-progress;
Ongoing
4. Pilot a “Snow Angels” program to connect volunteers
and people with disabilities, older adults who are
unable to remove snow from their sidewalks
#2 City of Bozeman; MSU
Office of Student
Engagement; Greek
Organizations; County
Community Service
Workers program
Staff time; Volunteers Pilot program implemented In-progress
5. Prioritize snow and ice removal at transit stops #1 City of Bozeman, HRDC Staff time to update MOU; Additional
staff capacity to respond to calls and
maintain locations; potential
coordination with Snow Angels
program
MOU updated Not yet started
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Goal 2: Center the most vulnerable road users in transportation infrastructure design
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Develop and implement an Equity Impacts Tool to utilize
in Transportation Planning and train staff, directors, and
decision makers in this approach
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time; training (eg: use Equity
Impacts Tool to help prioritize major
capital investments that require voter
approval like the Bozeman
Community Center, or are multi-year
infrastructure investments like Fowler
or Kagy Ave)
Tool and training
developed and piloted
Not yet started
2. Mitigate implicit bias and enhance freedom of movement
in transportation design and behavior, for example:
A. Update the city’s Complete Streets Resolution with
an equity component
#3 City of Bozeman Staff time Complete Streets
Resolution updated,
integrated into new
project/reconstruction
processes and designs
Not yet started
3. Retrofit of bicycle lanes to separate vehicles and bicyclists #2 City of Bozeman Staff time; Budget for technical
assistance/ consulting may be
needed; Included in process to
develop bicycle master plan
Bicycle Master Plan
adopted, retrofits
included in CIP
Not yet started
4. Strengthen partnership with Gallatin County and
Montana Department of Transportation for safety
improvements on streets not within the City’s jurisdiction
#2 City of Bozeman, MDT,
Gallatin County, MPO,
MT League of Cities
and Towns
City and partner staff time On-going meetings with
Gallatin County and MDT
In-progress;
Ongoing
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5. Leverage expertise of the disability community to educate
design and building professionals on accessible
community design, for example:
A. Seasonal (summer/winter) inclusive interdisciplinary
walking audits with members of the disability
community, contractors, engineers, and others to assess
for ADA compliance and foster co-design of built
environment
B. Develop a Sidewalk Audit process for city staff to
implement
C. Conduct parks accessibility audits and develop
standards
#2 City of Bozeman, Ability
MT
City and partner staff time and
coordination; Budget for technical
assistance/ consulting and
implementation of design changes
may be needed
Development of Mobility,
Sidewalk, and Accessibility
Audit Tools, audit reports
and evaluation process for
design changes
Not yet started
Goal 3: Prioritize equity in parking management practices
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Develop a public outreach and education campaign about
the proper use of accessible parking spaces and access
aisles
#1 Ability MT, City of
Bozeman
Staff to develop educational
programming and tools, and
coordinate public outreach
Educational materials on
City’s website
Not yet started
2. Improve enforcement and responsiveness of PD/Parking
Enforcement Officers when vehicles are parked unlawfully
in accessible spaces, as per city ordinance
#3 City of Bozeman Staff time and capacity to enforce
and respond
Increased amount of
citations by PD/Parking
Enforcement Officers for
this issue
Not yet started
3. Ensure accessible parking spaces are provided in areas
where the city does not require the provision of on-site
parking
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time Adoption of process for
review during development
and retrofit of streets
Not yet started
4. Use an Equity Impacts Tool to evaluate parking fines and
fees, towing and impounding practices, and allocation of
enforcement resources
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time; training (eg: use Equity
Impacts Tool to help evaluate areas
with high amounts of parking
citations, towing and impounding
occurrences, audit of existing fines
and fees for citations, and prioritize
allocation of enforcement funds, staff,
and other resources)
Tool piloted by PD and
Parking Division
Not yet started
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Healthcare services and health programs that address physical, mental, and sexual & reproductive wellbeing are
available, accessible and inclusive.
GOAL 1: Support continuing education for health professionals on working with underserved communities
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Provide opportunities for health professionals to
participate in training on:
● Healthcare Allies training
● Disability identity, wellness, etiquette
● Working with LEP (Limited English Proficiency)
patients
#2 Bridgercare, Ability MT,
MT Language Services,
GCCHD, Clinic + hospital
partners
Coordination meetings to
discuss scope/cost with potential
trainers and organizations
receiving training; training
budget; staff time
Number of trainings hosted
by trainers; number of staff
trained at various
organizations
In-progress
2. Increase access to mental health supports and
training for health professionals and first responders
#3 City of Bozeman, local law
enforcement, Clinic +
hospital partners
Coordination meetings with
potential trainers; training
budget; staff time, Employee
Assistance Programs specific to
mental health
Host training opportunities,
promote mental health
related benefits to staff
In-process,
Ongoing
GOAL 2: Increase coordination between health agencies to reduce barriers to healthcare services and programs
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Develop data governance processes and
infrastructure to enable data sharing across
organizations to better characterize and address
health disparities and social needs
#2 Bienvenidos a Gallatin
Valley - MCC, Proyecto
Salud, SciGaia, GCCHD,
HRDC, Clinic + hospital
partners
Staff time; Technical expertise
from SciGaia on data
coordination platforms, data
sharing agreements, security,
etc.; Coordination meetings with
Bienvenidos/MCC
Number of organizations
participating in data
coordination efforts
In-progress;
Ongoing
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2. Support additional resources to improve referral
processes and help patients/clients connect with
community resources
#2 GCCHD, Proyecto Salud,
Bienvenidos a Gallatin
Valley, other human
service providers
Connect referral platform
offered through GCCHD
Number of organizations
utilizing the Connect
referral platform
In-progress;
Ongoing
GOAL 3: Support and implement proven health education and healthcare access efforts
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Expand the use of harm reduction approaches to treat
substance use disorder
#3 Gallatin Behavioral Health
Coalition, Help Center,
CHP, Clinics + hospitals,
GCCHD
Training; Coordination with local
law enforcement; Grant funding;
Staff time at clinics + hospitals,
alignment with GBHC’s Strategic
Plan
Info about harm reduction
approaches posted on
websites, 2-1-1 directory
In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Increase telehealth offerings and publicly-available
tele-health spaces for clients (e.g. private telehealth
rooms in libraries and other community spaces)
#3 Bozeman Public Library Staff time to develop and post
info about flexible use of these
spaces, Open Door at BPL
Info posted at locations and
on websites
Not yet started
3. Support access to reproductive healthcare and
comprehensive sexual education
#1 Bridgercare, Proyecto
Salud, CEDAW Task Force
Collaboration across
organizations, avenues for
delivery of education/materials
Number of additional
avenues created for
curriculum/materials
Not yet started
GOAL 4: Expand meaningful language access in clinical settings and in health promotion programs
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Provide on-demand interpretation in clinical and
public health settings, train providers and
professionals in its use, and translate signage and
documents
#1 Clinics + hospitals,
GCCHD, MT Language
Services
Funding for tools and technology
needed; training for staff
Number of organizations
publicizing language
accessibility and effectively
providing language access
In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Partner with organizations to reach underserved
communities through mobile/pop-up health clinics
and health education and promotion programs
#1 Proyecto Salud, Clinics + hospitals,
Bienvenidos a Gallatin Valley,
Bridgercare, GCCHD, Cover
Montana
Staff time to participate/support
Health Fairs, Community Health
Worker programs, “Pop-up” clinics
Number or organizations
attending and supporting Health
Fairs
In-progress;
Ongoing
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EDUCATION | Learning opportunities allow for full participation and foster growth and success.
GOAL 1: Expand opportunities for multilingual learners of all ages
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Increase resources for multilingual education #2 BSD7 Potential grant funding New staff positions In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Provide meaningful language access to school services,
online, and print materials to provide LEP families with
the info they need
#1 BSD7, Thrive, MT
Language Services
Potential grant funding Materials are translated,
professional interpretation
is available
In-progress;
Ongoing
3. Partner with local educators, organizations, and
employers to provide English learning opportunities
for Spanish-speaking residents
#1 World Language
Initiative, Bozeman Adult
Learning Center,
Bozeman Public Library,
Bienvenidos a Gallatin
Valley, English Para Todos
Classroom space, coordination
meetings, continued grant
funding
Classes are held In-Progress,
Ongoing
GOAL 2: Increase recruitment and resources to support higher education for underserved communities
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Continue to foster professional development #2 MSU Event space, coordination Professional development In-progress,
opportunities for educators that emphasize LGBTQ+ meetings courses are hosted, see Ongoing
allyship, cultural humility, supporting students with progress in MSU’s annual
disabilities, and inclusive learning environments Diversity Report
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2. Support growth in resources for recruitment,
retention, and graduation of American Indian & Alaska
Native students at MSU
#2 MSU’s American
Indian/Alaska Native
Student Success Services,
Gear Up, Tribal colleges
& universities
Staff support AI/AN identifying student
enrollment at MSU
In-progress,
Ongoing
GOAL 3: Prioritize the creation of “cradle-to-career” educational systems by investing in sector-based strategies and career pathways
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Prioritize funding mechanisms to support early literacy
interventions for 4-year olds., targeting families
earning low-incomes, experiencing housing instability,
or limited english proficiency
#2 BSD7/Bozeman Reads,
HRDC + Head Start,
Preschools
Additional funding to cover the
costs of certification/ standards
needed for the co-enrollment
process with Head Start
programs
Increased literacy heading
into Kindergarten
In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Continue to engage students in budget processes and
strategic planning
#2 BSD7, ASMSU Staff/Administration time,
Engage students in the
development of school budgets,
and strategic planning
Meeting is held or
information is presented
In-progress;
Ongoing
3. Establish avenues for mentorship and shadowing for
students at all levels who are exploring career paths in
fields in which they are underrepresented (eg: women
in the trades, BIPOC in executive leadership or local
government)
#1 City of Bozeman,
MSU/Gallatin College,
Chamber of Commerce
Coordination meetings Mentor connections are
established
Not yet started
4. Target professional development in alternative energy
technologies to existing contractors to grow their skills
and experience
#1 City of Bozeman,
MSU/Gallatin College,
SWMBIA, Chamber of
Commerce
Coordination meetings,
networking meetings
Enrollment from local
contractors increases
Not yet started
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5. Increase opportunities for underserved youth in Junior
Leadership Programs geared towards photonic,
aviation, and manufacturing sectors
#1 City of Bozeman,
MSU/Gallatin College, 4-H,
Chamber of Commerce
Staff time, Coordination meetings Increased number of youth
in leadership programs
geared towards photonic,
aviation, manufacturing
sectors
Not yet started
GOAL 4: Increase wrap-around support and resources available to students experiencing homelessness
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Partner with local schools and universities to assess
the needs of students experiencing homelessness and
assist with support delivery
#2 BSD7, MSU, HRDC +
Blueprint, local and state
McKinney Vento staff
Staff time Available data is compiled,
Report is shared
Not yet started
2. Distribute materials to educators around the
prevalence of homelessness, resources to support
students and families, and the intersectionality of this
issue
#2 HRDC + Blueprint; BSD7,
MSU
Staff time Resources are distributed In-progress,
Ongoing
3. Partner with educators and schools to build a
coordinated strategy to address homelessness
#1 City of Bozeman, BSD7,
HRDC, MSU
Staff time Meetings are held Not yet started
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CHILDCARE + YOUTH PROGRAMMING | Childcare and youth programs are high quality, affordable, and accessible.
GOAL 1. Reduce barriers to out-of-school opportunities and programs for underserved children
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Evaluate and address barriers around participation in
out-of-school programs, including transportation and
cost
#2 City of Bozeman, Eagle Mount,
Bienvenidos a Gallatin Valley,
YMCA, local sports clubs and
camps
Staff time, funding Increased participation in
out-of-school programs
from those who face
barriers
Not yet started
2. Support participation in city programs and activities
for families with children with disabilities
#2 City of Bozeman, Eagle Mount,
Ability MT
Staff time Increased participation
by children w/ disabilities
In-progress;
Ongoing
3. Explore opportunities to integrate indigenous food
systems, languages, and culture into summer and
after school programs
#1 City of Bozeman, YMCA, Native
American Studies faculty, staff,
students
Staff time; coordination
meetings
Programs have
indigenous elements
embedded
Not yet started
GOAL 2: Increase capacity of after school and summer programs
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Perform an equity impact analysis of the city’s
enrollment processes, level of subsidy, and
scholarships for recreation programs and youth
camps
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time City has equity impact
analysis report
Not yet started
2. Establish and continue partnerships with
governmental and non-profit organizations for free
use of space access, subsidies, and other mechanisms
to support youth programming within Gallatin Valley
#1 Greater Gallatin United Way,
YMCA, City of Bozeman, BYEP
Staff time Space has little to no
charge for partners
Not yet started
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3. Develop a quick response plan for providing childcare
in the case of emergency school closure or other
community emergency
#1 City of Bozeman, YMCA,
Greater Gallatin United Way,
Gallatin County Emergency
Management
Staff time MOU/Plan is developed Not yet started
GOAL 3: Increase subsidy for childcare programs and providers
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Lobby for additional local, state, and federal #1 City of Bozeman, Child Care Lobbyist, staff time, elected Representatives attend Not yet started
funding/subsidy of quality childcare Connections, Early Childhood
Community Council, Greater
Gallatin United Way, state
legislators
official support and provide comment on
bill hearings, write letters
GOAL 4: Recruit, develop, and retain quality staff
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Support efforts to recruit multilingual and
multicultural staff for recreational programming.
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time Share job postings with
Bienvenidos/MCC
Not yet started
2. Implement a mentorship and training program for
youth who want to work as future recreation/camp
leaders
#1 City of Bozeman, BSD7, YMCA,
MSU
Staff time Meetings are held Not yet started
3. Spotlight the value and contributions of child care and
youth programming employees through a
communications campaign
#2 City of Bozeman, Child Care
Connections
Staff time Communications
campaign runs
Not yet started
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ECONOMIC SECURITY | A thriving economy offers readily available living-wage jobs and fair work environments.
GOAL 1: Serve as a model for fostering fair and inclusive work environments
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Introduce a Minority and Women-Owned Business #2 City of Bozeman Staff time; guidance from SBA RFP criteria developed and Not yet started
criteria into the city’s RFP scoring process on Disadvantaged Businesses
and Women Owned Business
programs
included in RFP scoring
template; guidance and info
provided on city website
2. Bolster guidance and accountability measures for city
vendors in adhering to:
● The city’s Non-Discrimination and Equal Pay
requirements
● Federal labor law as it relates to fair
treatment of workers
#1 City of Bozeman, CEDAW
Task Force
Staff time Update equal
pay/non-discrimination
affirmation that vendors
sign to include additional
resources and information
regarding equal pay best
practices and City of
Bozeman’s commitment to
CEDAW on city website
Not yet started
3. Continue to narrow the gender pay gap among city
employees
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time; policies outlined in
Res. 4601 and Res. 5169 (Sec.
1.E)
Annual pay equity report In-progress;
Ongoing
GOAL 2: Support and recognize inclusive businesses and employers
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Distribute guidance on being a fully accessible
workplace/employer for people with disabilities
#2 Ability MT, City of
Bozeman; Downtown
Bozeman Partnership;
Staff time; coordination
meetings
Guidance available online,
shared by lead orgs and City
of Bozeman
Not yet started
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One Valley Community
Foundation
2. Develop an Inclusive Businesses Toolkit (LGBTQ+,
Disability, BIPOC) and recognition program
#2 Downtown Bozeman
Partnership, Ability MT
Staff time; coordination
meetings
Guidance available online,
shared by lead orgs and City
of Bozeman
Not yet started
GOAL 3: Expand access to city contracts and funding for local firms, businesses, and vendors
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Evaluate TIF funding eligibility criteria to:
● Target TIF benefits to communities that have been
historically disadvantaged
● Prioritize the development or preservation of
workforce housing
● Consciously and proactively work to reverse
patterns of racial inequity in investment and
development
#3 City of Bozeman Staff time; Consultant support TIF criteria updated Not yet started
2. Provide training on how to apply for city contracts and
become a city vendor, connect experienced city
vendors with small business owners to subcontract
and gain experience
#3 City of Bozeman;
Prospera
Staff time; coordination
meetings; additional budget to
host trainings/hire trainers
Guidance posted on city
website; training hosted
Not yet started
GOAL 4: Support the growing Hispanic + Latino workforce to our economy and community
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Support the Montana Compact on Immigration #2 South North Nexus,
Bienvenidos a Gallatin Valley
Support from organizations across
Gallatin Valley, to learn more, visit
the website.
Number of organizations
supporting the compact
In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Partner with local financial institutions to provide access to
banking and lending opportunities for Hispanic + Latino
workers
#2 Bienvenidos a Gallatin
Valley; local banks and
lenders
Staff time; coordination meetings Resources developed for bank
staff and immigrant workers
Not yet started
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COMMUNITY RESILIENCY | Access to community spaces and resources fosters social connection, health, and resilience in a changing climate.
GOAL 1: Increase knowledge and use of resources for underserved communities
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Coordinate to develop shared platforms and spaces
for underserved communities to connect with
resources and service providers, and share
information about how to meet individual and
community needs
#1 Help Center, 2-1-1, City of
Bozeman, Bienvenidos,
Rainbow Collective,
MTREP, MSU DISC, Thrive,
Ability MT, CEDAW Task
Force
Staff time, coordination
meetings
A resource sharing platform is
developed, implemented, and
maintained between partner
organizations
In-progress,
Ongoing
GOAL 2: Recognize and celebrate diversity among city staff and community at large
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Actively support events like Juneteenth, ADA Month,
and Indigenous People’s Day and learning
opportunities for the broader community on equity
issues
#2 City of Bozeman, Gallatin
County, Belonging in Big
Sky, MSU DISC, Ability MT,
CEDAW Task Force
Staff time, coordination
meetings, funding for event
development and promotion
Number of events supported,
educational materials on City
and partner organization
websites
In-progress;
Ongoing
GOAL 3: Respond to the disproportionate impacts to vulnerable community members due to climate change and extreme weather
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Develop emergency preparedness programs that:
A. Ensure multilingual communication and outreach
during extreme weather events (cold, heat, flooding,
smoke/fire)
B. Develop policies for employers to mitigate impacts
of extreme heat and wildfire smoke/poor air quality
for people who work or live outside
#2 City of Bozeman, Gallatin
County Emergency
Management, Southwest
MT Community
Organizations Active in
Disaster (COAD), HRDC,
BSD7, GCCHD
Emergency and Risk
Management staff position
recommended in FY26
(Bozeman Fire), coordination
meetings, budget request
Developed emergency
preparedness/response
management plan
Not yet started
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C. Establish guidance for safe, accessible, ADA
compliant, and inclusive use of alternative facilities
D. Identify ways to provide food access during supply
chain disruptions
2. Work with partners to ensure investments in the urban
tree canopy are equitably distributed across
neighborhoods
#2 City of Bozeman, Branch
Out Bozeman initiative,
local landscaping
companies and nurseries
Staff time, coordination
meetings, budget for tree
plantings
Increased funding for tree
plantings in low tree canopy
areas
In-progress;
Ongoing
GOAL 4: Alleviate utility cost burden for low-income residents
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Support home energy efficient and weatherization for
low-income residents through:
● Assistance programs, rebates and incentives for
upgrades and improvements
● Installation of heat pump water heaters
● Solar for All programs
● Outreach about how to improve indoor air
quality during wildfire smoke events
#1 City of Bozeman, HRDC,
Gallatin College, MT DEQ,
local and regional solar
energy companies
Staff time, coordination
meetings, funding; HRDC’s
weatherization program;
Solar for All EPA grants
Quantity of energy efficient
upgrades and weatherization
improvements, incentives
created, training and outreach
conducted, and educational
materials available on City’s
website and physical locations
In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Incorporate water equity considerations into the city’s
Water/Wastewater Rate Study and its implementation
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time, funding for
consultation regarding water
equity considerations
Water equity considerations
incorporated and implemented in
Water/Wastewater Rate Study
Not yet started
GOAL 5: Prioritize food access for low-income communities
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Work with partners to improve access to healthy local food
and nutrition programs through the sharing and
celebration of cultural and indigenous foods.
#2 City of Bozeman, HRDC,
BSD7, MSU, local food
producers and non-profits
Staff time, coordination
meetings, Library and HRDC’s
MarketPlace Teaching Kitchen
Events held and participation;
resource information on City’s
website and physical locations
In-progress;
Ongoing
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COMMUNITY SAFETY + CIVIC HEALTH | Local government and major institutions prioritize safety, inclusion, and representation.
GOAL 1: Create organizational structure to sustain and grow Belonging in Bozeman efforts
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Create a new staff position, dedicated budget, and an outline
of how this position will fit and grow within the organization
to advance the work of Belonging in Bozeman
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time, FY25 budget
recommendation
Staff position hired Not yet started
2. Retain interdepartmental Belonging in Bozeman committee
with representation from City of Bozeman departments and
update the committee charter
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time Charter is updated Not yet started
3. Continue to convene external partners to implement
Belonging in Bozeman Plan
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time, coordination
meetings
Annual progress on
recommendations reported
Not yet started
4. Create a full time position to serve as ADA Coordinator #1 City of Bozeman Staff time, FY25 budget
recommendation
Staff position hired Not yet started
GOAL 2: Deepen engagement with underserved communities
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Identify funding, resources, and partners to develop a Civic
Academy program to create a pipeline of talented, connected,
and diverse staff, advisory board members, elected officials
and non-profit leaders
#2 City of Bozeman,
Forward Montana,
MSU Extension’s
Local Government
Center
Staff time; coordination
meetings; potential grant
funding
Grant/funding options
identified, and program
proposal developed
Not yet started
2. Evaluate and formalize the Community Liaison roles, for
example:
● Hire a part-time Disability Community Liaison
● Hire a full-time Bozeman PD Community Liaison
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time, recommendation
in FY25-FY26 budget
Community Liaison report,
staff positions hired
Not yet started
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3. Establish a Community Engagement Compensation Policy that
outlines ways in which community members who face
barriers to participation may receive compensation for
providing input on city initiatives
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time, dedicated budget Compensation policy
adopted
Not yet started
4. Foster relationships with student organizations at MSU to
reduce barriers to accessing community spaces and events
#3 City of Bozeman;
MSU DISC, Disabled
Student’s Association
Staff time; coordination
meetings
Community Engagement
staff meets regularly with
student leaders, DISC staff
Not yet started
GOAL 3: Address language barriers to local government services and public engagement processes
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Implement on-demand interpretation services and train
frontline city staff in utilizing it
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time; Training;
Interdepartmental
coordination
Number of customer-facing
department staff trained
and utilizing on-demand
interpretation tools
In-progress,
Ongoing
2. Develop and implement a comprehensive Language Access
Plan
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time; budget in FY25 Language Access Plan
implemented
Not yet started
3. Consider multilingual learning opportunities (language
classes/training) and benefits for multilingual staff (add-pay
for multilingual staff in qualifying languages)
#3 City of Bozeman Staff time; Identify qualifying
languages and potential
cost
Training implemented and
policy proposed and
implemented
Not yet started
GOAL 4: Ensure city staff and law enforcement reflect the diversity within our community
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Evaluate advertising and recruitment strategies to reach more
diverse applicant pools
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time Report details the efficacy of
strategies used
Not yet started
2. Update City of Bozeman Hiring Practices Policy #2 City of Bozeman Staff time Updated Hiring Practices
Policy established
In-progress;
Ongoing
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3. Continue to review minimum qualifications in Class
Specifications
#3 City of Bozeman Staff time Education and experience
requirements reviewed
In-progress;
Ongoing
4. Track the factors that contribute to employee turnover,
candidate withdrawals, rejection of offers
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time Data is collected Not yet started
5. Create a Second Chance Background Screening Process #3 City of Bozeman Staff time Screening tool and protocol
is developed and
implemented
Not yet started
GOAL 5: Elevate equity in city decision making processes and policy development
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Develop an Equity Impacts decision making tool and train #1 City of Bozeman, Staff time; Coordination Tool developed, training Not yet started
elected officials, advisory board members, and staff in its use Government Alliance
on Race & Equity
(GARE), CEDAW Task
Force
meetings with GARE staff;
Training and resources
shared with community
partners
conducted, Tool is piloted
for key projects
(Transportation Master
Plan, Recreation program
enrollment/subsidy)
2. Establish a Disability/Accessibility Advisory Board that meets
quarterly and as needed to provide guidance on accessibility
and inclusive design of city facilities, policy, and programs
#3 City of Bozeman,
Ability MT
Staff time (ADA Coordinator
position to act as staff
Liaison)
Board established Not yet started
3. Build staff capacity and resources needed to broaden
communications and engagement in the city budget
development process
#3 City of Bozeman Staff time Community Engagement
staff training, Community
Engagement Plan
developed in coordination
with Finance + City Manager
Not yet started
4. Neutralize gendered language in city policies and municipal
code
#3 City of Bozeman Staff time Ordinance passed In-progress
GOAL 6: Provide high quality, ongoing, and relevant training to all city staff and decision makers
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RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Establish a budget and menu of annual Governing for Racial
Equity training for city staff:
● Elected officials and advisory board members
● Department Directors and Managers/Supervisors
● All city staff
#1 City of Bozeman Training budget request;
staff time
Number of people trained In-progress
2. Promote the exchange of knowledge between City of
Bozeman staff, Bozeman PD, and local community leaders
and advocacy groups with community members on topics
like:
● De-escalation, implicit bias, and bystander intervention
● Mental Health First Aid
● LGBTQ+ Everyday Allies
● Know Your Rights
● Disability awareness and etiquette training for first
responders
#1 City of Bozeman;
Bridgercare;
Community
Connections; MT
Legal Services; Ability
MT
Staff time; Coordination with
PD for training schedule and
budget
Number of trainings held
for community members;
Number of trainings held
for staff
Not yet started
GOAL 7: Promote transparency, open communication, and responsiveness between the City, Police Department, and the community
RECOMMENDATIONS Priority Lead Org + Partners Resources needed + notes Metric Progress
1. Develop standard procedures to ensure timely
communications and response to address incidents of hate in
the community
#1 City of Bozeman Staff time; Coordination
between Communications &
Engagement Manager, PD,
City Manager, City
Commission
Standard Operating
Procedures developed
In-progress;
On-going
2. Provide city staff and leadership with media training and
training on the city’s community engagement framework,
share learning opportunities with community partners
#2 City of Bozeman Staff time Staff trained Not yet started
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