HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-03-24 DRAFT EV Board Agenda and Packet MaterialsA. Call to Order - 6:00 PM
B. Disclosures
C. Changes to the Agenda
D. Approval of Minutes
D.1 Approve the December 6, 2023 Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes (DiTommaso)
E. Public Comments
THE ECONOMIC VITALITY BOARD OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
EVB AGENDA
Wednesday, January 3, 2024
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
comments to three minutes.
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F. FYI/Discussion
F.1 Economic Vitality Board 2024 - 2025 2-year Work Plan Preliminary Discussion (Fontenot)
G. Adjournment
General public comments to the Board can be found in their Laserfiche repository folder.
This item is for discussion purposes only. No action is intended at this time.
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 December 6, 2023 Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes
MEETING DATE:January 3, 2024
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Minutes
RECOMMENDATION:Approve the December 6, 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:
120623 EVB Minutes.pdf
Report compiled on: December 11, 2023
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, December 6, 2023
Page 1 of 3
THE ECONOMIC VITALITY BOARD MEETING OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
MINUTES
December 6, 2023
Present: Katy Osterloth, Danielle Rogers, Will Shepard, Sara Savage, Malory Peterson
Absent: Craig Ogilvie, John Carey
A) 00:11:34 Call to Order - 6:00 PM
B) 00:12:25 Disclosures
• There were no disclosures.
C) 00:12:36 Changes to the Agenda
• There were no changes to the agenda.
• Staff Liaison Brit Fontenot provided an update on board applications.
D) 00:13:06 Approval of Minutes
D.1 00:13:14 Approve the October 4, 2023 and November 1, 2023 Economic Vitality
Board Meeting Minutes
100423 EVB minutes.pdf
110123 EVB Minutes.pdf
00:13:19 Motion to approve Approve the October 4, 2023 and November 1, 2023 Economic Vitality
Board Meeting Minutes.
Sara Savage: Motion
Will Shepherd: 2nd
00:13:25 Vote on the Motion to approve Approve the October 4, 2023 and November 1, 2023 Economic
Vitality Board Meeting Minutes. The Motion carried 5 - 0.
Approve:
Sara Savage
Danielle Rogers
Katharine Osterloth
Will Shepherd
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, December 6, 2023
Page 2 of 3
Malory Peterson
Disapprove:
None
E) 00:13:41 Public Comments
• There were no public comments.
F) 00:14:28 FYI/Discussion
F.1 00:14:30 2024 Citizen Advisory Board Ethics Trainings
• David Fine, Economic Development Program Manager and Staff Liaison Brit Fontenot provided
the ethics training.
G) 00:57:00 Action Items
G.1 00:57:28 Consideration for final recommendation to City Commission to adopt
Resolution 5556: Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan
Resolution 5556 Belonging in Bozeman Plan FINAL.pdf
Attachment A: Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan 2023 FINAL.pdf
• Community Engagement Coordinator Dani Hess and Associate Planner Nakesha Lyon presented
Resolution 5556, Adopting the Belonging in Bozeman Equity and Inclusion Plan.
01:33:22 Questions of Staff
01:47:15 Public Comment
• There were no public comments.
01:48:00 Motion to approve 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.
Will Shepherd: Motion
Sara Savage: 2nd
01:48:37 Discussion
01:48:55 Vote on the Motion to approve 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. The Motion carried 4 - 0.
Approve:
Sara Savage
Danielle Rogers
Katharine Osterloth
Will Shepherd
Malory Peterson
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Board Meeting Minutes, December 6, 2023
Page 3 of 3
Disapprove:
None
H) 01:49:39 Adjournment
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Economic Vitality Board
FROM:Brit Fontenot
SUBJECT:Economic Vitality Board 2024 - 2025 2-year Work Plan Preliminary
Discussion
MEETING DATE:January 3, 2024
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Policy Discussion
RECOMMENDATION:This item is for discussion purposes only. No action is intended at this time.
STRATEGIC PLAN:2.1 Business Growth: Support retention and growth of both the traded and
local business sectors while welcoming and encouraging new and existing
businesses, in coordination with the Economic Development Plan.
BACKGROUND:Established in August, 2021 by Resolution 5329, the Economic Vitality Board
is responsible for the following four areas of focus:
1. Community Housing. The Economic Vitality Board will provide advisory
recommendations to the Commission, and as requested by the City Manager
to the City Manager, on policies related to community housing needs.
2. Economic Development. The Economic Vitality Board will advise the City
Commission, and as requested by the City Manager to the City Manager, on
policies related to economic development issues.
3. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”). The Economic Vitality Board will
advise the City Commission, and as requested by the City Manager to the
City Manager,
on policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In doing so, the Board
must be cognizant the City values and encourages the inclusion of diverse
perspectives and
experiences, and makes proactive efforts to ensure Bozeman is safe,
welcoming, and inclusive.
4. Public Art. The Economic Vitality Board will advise the City Commission,
and as requested by the City Manager to the City Manager, on policies
related to the development and implementation of public art programs. In
doing so, the Board must be cognizant the City recognizes public art is an
indicator of Bozeman’s economic and community vitality. The Board will also
assist the City in conducting the City’s annual Beautification Awards.
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Additionally, the Economic Vitality Board encourages policies that:
1. Support and provide for community housing;
2. Enhance personal and professional economic growth in Bozeman, and
vitalize
Bozeman’s workforce development and job growth;
3. As requested by the City Manager or City Commission, assist the City
regarding implementation of economic development plans;
4. Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Bozeman;
5. Recognize the use of public art as an indicator of economic and
community vitality; and
6. Consider principles of sustainability and the Bozeman Climate Action
Plan in its policy recommendations.
Finally, Resolution 5323, adopted in August of 2021 establishes standards,
expectations, duties and norms of behavior for all appointed City boards.
Section 2 of the ordinance references the board annual work plans and
alignment with the City Commission’s adopted Strategic Plan.
Elements of the City’s adopted Strategic Plan Vision Statements include:
1. An Engaged Community. We foster a culture of engagement and civic
leadership based on innovation and best practices involving community
members of all backgrounds and perspectives.
2. An Innovative Economy. We grow a diversified and innovative economy
leveraging our natural amenities, skilled and creative people, and
educational resources to generate economic opportunities.
3. A Safe, Welcoming Community. We embrace a safe, healthy, welcoming
and inclusive community.
4. A Well-Planned City. We consistently improve our community’s quality
of life as it grows and changes, honoring our sense of place and the
‘Bozeman feel’ as we plan for a livable, affordable, more connected city.
5. A Creative, Learning Culture. We expand learning, education, arts,
expression and creativity for all ages.
6. A Sustainable Environment. We cultivate a strong environmental ethic,
protecting our clean air, water, open spaces and climate, and promote
environmentally sustainable businesses and lifestyles.
7. A High Performance Organization. We operate as an ethical, high
performance organization anticipating future needs, utilizing best practices,
and striving for continuous improvement.
The City Commission will likely discuss and adopt Commission priorities in
January 2024 and staff will return to the EV Board in February 2024 to align
the City Commission priorities with the EV Board 2024-2025 workplan. After
additional discussion in February, the EV Board should formally adopt the
two-year EV Board workplan. This meeting in January is meant to begin the
discussion on the EV Board's 2-year workplan but no action is required.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None at this time.
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ALTERNATIVES:As directed by the Economic Vitality Board.
FISCAL EFFECTS:None at this time.
Attachments:
2022-2023 EV Board Completed Workplan Color Coded.pdf
EV Board 2 year workplan 2024 - 2025 DRAFT 12.28.23.pdf
Attachment 2 Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy with Arts
04.25.23 FINAL Complete Document.pdf
2020 Amended Community Hou.pdf
Belonging_in_Bozeman_Equity_and_Inclusion_Plan_12122023_FINAL.pdf
Report compiled on: December 28, 2023
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ECONOMIC VITALITY BOARD 2 YEAR WORK PLAN 2024 & 2025
Focus Area 1: Economic Development
WP Item
Description:
Strategic
Priorities
Connection:
Board Time
Commitment:
Staff Time
Commitment: Schedule: Budget
Impact:
Continue the
implementation of
the 2023 Economic
Vitality Strategy
An Innovative
Economy ongoing 3 – 5 years ongoing Staff
time/unknown
Implement Bozeman
specific components
of the Gallatin
County Child Care
Strategy
An Innovative
Economy 12 months 12 months Jan 2024 –
Dec 2025
Staff
time/unknown
Focus Area 2: Community Housing
WP Item
Description:
Strategic
Priorities
Connection:
Board Time
Commitment:
Staff Time
Commitment: Schedule: Budget
Impact:
Consolidated Plan A Well-Planned
City 9 months 9 months Nov 2023 –
Sept 2024 $120,000
UDC Overhaul
(Community Housing
related sections
only)
City Commission
Priorities 2022 6 – 9 months 6 - 9 months
March/April
2024 – Dec
2024
$500,000
Increase community
outreach and
education efforts
A Well-Planned
City 24 Months 24 Months Jan 2024 –
Dec 2025 unknown
Strengthen
partnerships with
local housing
organizations (HRDC,
Headwaters
Community Housing
Trust
A Well-Planned
City 24 Months 24 Months Jan 2024 –
Dec 2025 unknown
Increase resources
for the for the
development and
preservation of
affordable and
A Well-Planned
City 24 Months 24 Months Jan 2024 –
Dec 2025 unknown
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workforce housing in
the community
Focus Area 3: Diversity Equity and Inclusion
WP Item
Description:
Strategic
Priorities
Connection:
Board Time
Commitment:
Staff Time
Commitment: Schedule: Budget
Impact:
Implement the
Belonging in
Bozeman Action
Plan
Safe Welcoming
Community 12-24 months 3-5 years Jan 2024 –
Dec 2025 unknown
Focus Area 4: Public Art
WP Item
Description:
Strategic
Priorities
Connection:
Board Time
Commitment:
Staff Time
Commitment: Schedule: Budget
Impact:
Help establish the
Public Art
Management Plan
A Creative
Learning Culture 3 – 6 Months 3 – 6 Months Jan 2024 –
June 2024
1% of a
facility
construction
budget
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CITY OF BOZEMAN
Economic Vitality Strategy (EVS)
April 2023
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PREPARED BY:
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1
Strategy Purpose .................................................................................................................... 1
What is Economic Vitality? ..................................................................................................... 1
The Gallatin Valley Story ............................................................................................................ 5
Regional Overview ................................................................................................................. 9
Industry Clusters ...................................................................................................................14
National Trends .........................................................................................................................15
Equity ....................................................................................................................................15
Housing Availability ...............................................................................................................19
Climate Change .....................................................................................................................20
Early Learning/Child Care......................................................................................................21
Youth Skills Development ......................................................................................................22
Integration of Creative Arts ....................................................................................................23
Small Business Development ................................................................................................25
The Economic Vitality Strategy .................................................................................................28
Vision ....................................................................................................................................28
Values ...................................................................................................................................28
Guiding Principles .................................................................................................................29
Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................................29
Action Matrix..........................................................................................................................33
Evaluation Framework ...........................................................................................................33
Attachment A: Economic Conditions Analysis
Attachment B: Action Matrix
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 1
INTRODUCTION
The City of Bozeman is an economic hub for the broader Gallatin Valley and State of Montana.
Recognizing that economies and the workforce are not limited by jurisdictional boundaries, the
Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy (EVS) is intended to serve the larger Gallatin Valley area.
It will be monitored by City of Bozeman staff to ensure implementation, but it requires
engagement from various stakeholders across the Valley.
STRATEGY PURPOSE
This document is aimed at regional, city and county economic development practitioners,
business leaders, elected officials and stakeholders implementing programs that support the
growth of businesses and enhance opportunities for individuals to access economic mobility in
the Gallatin Valley. This requires alignment and implementation of actions across government
agencies and organizations. The Strategy provides deliberate direction to guide actions that will
evolve over the next five years to meet dynamic economic and business conditions. The
Strategy is constant; the actions and organizations involved in implementation are dynamic.
Educate
The Bozeman EVS is founded on the vision that the future Gallatin Valley economy will
equitably serve residents that live and work in the region. The vision needs broad support and
this document should be used to engage elected officials, business leaders, and stakeholders to
help amplify the vision and providing support through their actions.
Invest
The EVS should also be used to leverage greater investment in the region by providing data
and rationale used to: 1) obtain grants to fund implementation; 2) encourage private investment;
and 3) align federal and state legislative agendas to collaboratively solicit funding to support
strategic projects.
Collaborate
Many organizations are actively trying to create equitable economic growth across the region. It
is important to collaborate to maximize collective efforts by:
• Coordinating with City of Bozeman staff to let them know about each organization’s work
so it can be leveraged across the region.
• Engaging other organizations or city departments within a jurisdiction to break down
silos and leverage resources to the greatest extent possible and elevate one another’s
work.
• Supporting programs led by other organizations that implement the Strategy through
funding and/or promotion.
WHAT IS ECONOMIC VITALITY?
Economic vitality is the maintenance of a strong diverse economy with enough growth to
provide opportunities for the increasing local population. Economic vitality also encompasses
the ability for residents to access jobs and opportunities that contribute to quality of life and
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 2
financial security. One of the foundational elements for economic vitality is an economic base of
traded and local sector businesses that provide various services to the community and job
opportunities to create wealth.
Traded and Local Sectors
Traded sector (also referred to as an export or basic sector) businesses include industries and
employers which produce goods and services that are exported outside the production region
and therefore bring in new income to the area (e.g., manufactured goods, software
development). Bringing new income to the region is critical because it creates a multiplier effect
that then supports other local sector jobs. Workers in the traded sector tend to earn higher
average wages than local sector workers which increases the overall economic impact for a
community. As the job base expands, a community is more attractive to employees because
there are more options for career growth. In turn, as traded sector employment grows, there is
more career mobility for people and competition among employers which can ultimately
increase livable wages for residents.
As the traded sectors grow, they create an environment that allows entrepreneurs to develop
skills and resources on the job that may encourage them to start a new business and increase
employment opportunities within the region. Furthermore, some traded sector companies
support a supply chain effect that creates the need for additional companies to supply
components of a product that is manufactured or to provide additional services. Cities and
regions have concentrations of different types of traded sector industries that differentiate them
from other places and can be leveraged for economic development (e.g., Boston has biotech,
Houston has energy engineering, and New York has finance).
Local sector business consists of industries and firms that are likely to be present in every
region. They produce goods and services that are consumed locally in the region where they
were made, and therefore largely recirculate existing income in the area (e.g., breweries,
physician offices, banks). These businesses are important as they make a community distinct,
depending how they are provided by local businesses, and provide amenities to attract young
professionals and families that drive the new economy. A sampling of traded and local sector
businesses in the Gallatin Valley is indicated in Figure 1 below.
In the Gallatin Valley, the difference between traded and local sectors is not as clear. Since
tourism is a large portion of the economy, local sectors – especially retail, food and beverage,
and hospitality – are bringing in outside income from visitors. However, these local sectors still
have lower wages and lower economic impacts than traded sectors. It is important for the
Gallatin Valley to work on diversifying the economy so it is not overly dependent on tourism.
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 3
Figure 1: Example of Gallatin Valley Traded and Local Sector Businesses
Source: Bridge Economic Development
Traded sector industries have the largest economic impact per job even though they represent
fewer jobs than local sectors. Traded sector jobs account for about 34 percent of the economy
with average wages of $68,200 per year, as shown in Table 1. Local sector jobs make up 66
percent of the economy with average wages of $42,800. In the U.S. as a whole, traded sectors
comprise 36 percent of all jobs which generate 50 percent of the income and 96.5 percent of all
patents.1 Traded sector jobs provide a larger proportion of the national income and are
responsible for almost all innovation as measured by the quantity of patents associated with the
industry.
1 https://clustermapping.us/cluster
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 4
Table 1: Comparison of Traded and Local Sector Wages, Gallatin County
There is an interdependence or multiplier impact between traded and local sector companies. In
general, adding one additional skilled job in the traded sector can generate roughly 1.5 to 2.5
jobs in local goods and services. A strong local sector therefore depends on a strong traded
sector. And a stronger traded sector-based economy is more resilient to economic shocks like
those created by the COVID-19 pandemic and other natural disasters.
Local sector businesses typically have a lower barrier to entry as they can require less capital
investment and may not require a four-year degree. The local sectors therefore have many
opportunities for under-represented and under-resourced individuals to gain access into the
market and build wealth. Therefore, local sector businesses are often considered an equity on-
ramp opportunity.
However, it is important to not entirely focus on local sector businesses as an opportunity for
equity. By only using a local cluster focus, a region can ultimately exacerbate income inequality
as underserved and under-represented communities are not connected to higher wage
employment opportunities among tradable industries. Therefore, it is important to provide
equitable opportunities within traded sector industries as well. This Strategy considers both
traded and local sectors as part of the overall economy and how they both provide distinct
contributions and opportunities for the region.
Gallatin County Ann.Jobs
Industry NAICS Avg. Wage 2020 2020
Economic Base/Traded Sectors
Finance/Insurance 52 $96,600 1,619
Prof. & Tech Services 54 $79,200 4,829
Mining 21 $92,400 188
Information 51 $139,800 698
Mgmt. of Companies 55 $79,700 234
Wholesale Trade 42 $70,100 1,819
Manufacturing 31-33 $55,400 3,599
Ag./Forest/Hunting 11 $40,000 701
Transport./Warehousing 48-49 $44,500 1,302
Admin/Waste Mgmt 56 $40,200 2,260
Subtotal / Average $68,200 17,249 34.1%
Local Sectors
Construction 23 $58,100 6,413
Retail Trade 44-45 $40,100 8,197
Real Estate 53 $50,400 1,197
Education 61 $34,500 834
Health Care 62 $53,200 5,994
Arts/Rec 71 $27,300 1,463
Hotel/Restaurant 72 $26,600 6,920
Other 81 $40,900 2,323
Subtotal / Average $42,800 33,341 65.9%
Total $50,600 50,590 100.0%
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW; Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[213051-City County 2dig NAICS Employment Data_10-01-21.xlsx]T-EVS_Table1
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 5
What is an Industry Cluster
A cluster is an organically occurring regional concentration of related industries in a particular
location. Clusters are a foundational element to regional economies, making them uniquely
competitive for jobs with a livable wage and private investment. They consist of companies,
suppliers, and service providers, as well as government agencies and other institutions that
provide specialized training and education, information, research, and technical support.
Various regions across the US have unique clusters making them distinct: Boston, MA has
bioscience whereas Houston, TX has oil and natural gas. Industry clusters function on a
regional metropolitan statistical area (MSA) level because assets such as workforce and
transportation infrastructure are not constrained by local municipal boundaries. Therefore, in
order to effectively grow an industry cluster, it is important to leverage existing assets and
collaborate on a regional and state level.
An industry cluster is comprised of the following elements, with some being more important than
others depending on the industry. A city plays the important of role of providing the necessary
infrastructure, zoned land, and investment in programs to allow various types of industry to
thrive.
THE GALLATIN VALLEY STORY
The Gallatin Valley is an area within Gallatin County where most of the County’s population and
jobs are located. There is no official or administrative definition of the Gallatin Valley, but it is
generally known as the flat, semi-arid, low elevation lands between Bozeman Pass (on the east)
and the City of Three Forks (on the west) along the I-90 corridor, illustrated in Figure 2. These
are historic Native American lands used in the summer months to hunt, fish, and prepare for the
long winter. Today, after settlers displaced the Native American population, it includes the
municipalities of Bozeman, Belgrade, Manhattan, and Three Forks plus the unincorporated
areas of Four Corners, Gallatin Gateway, and other smaller unincorporated communities. The
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 6
population of this region is approximately 110,000 including the City of Bozeman (51,000) and
Belgrade (10,800).
The City of Bozeman is the third-largest city in the State of Montana, the largest City in the
Gallatin Valley, and home of Montana State University (MSU). Surrounded by scenic mountains,
rugged trails, and fish-filled rivers, Bozeman is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Adventure
seekers have discovered that Bozeman also offers economic opportunity with a vibrant and
diverse industry base ranging from photonics to specialty manufacturing. With the proximity of
the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, the “Triangle” - comprised of Belgrade, Four
Corners, and Bozeman - serves as the economic hub for the Gallatin Valley and beyond.
A unifying factor across the Valley is a culture of grit, smarts, and strong work ethic that
encourages entrepreneurs to thrive and innovation to emerge. This forward-thinking population
prizes sustainable practices and solutions to shift climate change with an understanding that
precious natural resources (e.g., water) and the tourism trade depend on a healthy environment.
The residents of Gallatin Valley respect hard work and diverse individuals that reside year-round
in the community and are committed to sustainable long-term growth. Wealth is defined by a
personal lifestyle that affords the ability to live, educate, recreate and commune in Gallatin
Valley year-round.
While not within the Gallatin Valley proper, there are three important nearby assets and
communities: Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Big Sky and Big Sky Mountain Resort, and West
Yellowstone. Bridger Bowl is one of the oldest winter sports areas in the west and is known
among dedicated skiers for its challenging terrain and low-key local crowd. Big Sky has
emerged over the past decade or so as one of the top winter sports destinations in North
American. It is known for its massive 5,000+ acre size and some of the most difficult runs in
North America. It is also one of the most luxurious and exclusive mountain communities in North
America. Homeowners and visitors include the ultra-wealthy, CEOs, and venture capital
investors that largely reside in the Yellowstone Club and Spanish Peaks. The growth of Big Sky
has brought an influx of wealth and investment to the Gallatin Valley, which is funding startups
and bringing outpost office locations of larger firms to the region.
The Town of West Yellowstone is the western gateway to Yellowstone National Park.
Thousands of visitors stay in and pass-through Bozeman and West Yellowstone each year on
their way to and from Yellowstone National Park (YNP). West Yellowstone is a year-round
recreation destination in itself with guided snowmobiling and ski touring in the winter, hunting,
and fishing and hiking in the warmer months.
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Figure 2. Gallatin Valley Region
Source: EPS
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 8
In addition to a vibrant natural setting, Gallatin Valley benefits from a well-supported and thriving
arts and culture scene. Because it enhances the quality of life, this asset is an important
complement to community development, enriching local amenities and attracting young
professionals to the area. Furthermore, arts and culture create job opportunities and stimulate
local economies through consumer purchases and tourism, which contribute greatly to state
economic growth.
The Gallatin Valley also has economic linkages to other places in Montana. Along the I-90
corridor, there is bioscience collaboration (and competition) between MSU in Bozeman and the
University of Montana in Missoula. Billings Clinic is expanding its health care services in
Bozeman and staff and doctors share time between the two regions. Some workers are
commuting from other counties due to housing costs and preference. With the growth of remote
working, there is an opportunity to shift some of the jobs in Gallatin Valley to these rural
communities to their benefit.
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) is the busiest airport in the state with 1.9
million passengers in 2021 compared to approximately 700,000 at Billings Logan International
Airport. BZN airport increases the reach of the Gallatin Valley with direct flights indicated in
Figure 3 to major cities throughout the U.S. The airport is a major economic engine that brings
in tourists, but also investment and innovation.
Figure 3. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport direct flights
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 9
REGIONAL OVERVIEW
Population
The population of Gallatin County is 119,000 and has grown by a third since 2010 at an annual
rate of 2.6 percent per year (Table 2). The City of Bozeman has over 50,000 people now which
places it in a new category of eligibility for federal transportation and community development
grant funding. Bozeman added over 14,000 people since 2010 at a rapid annual rate of 2.9
percent. The entire Valley is growing fast, as Belgrade grew by over 40 percent at 3.3 percent
per year. The unincorporated remainder of the County, including Big Sky, Four Corners, and
Gallatin Gateway added over 12,000 people.
Table 1. Population by Place, Gallatin County
Economy
In Gallatin County there were nearly 60,000 wage and salary jobs in 2020 plus another 25,000-
30,000 sole proprietor jobs (self-employed) for a total of about 90,000 jobs. Within the City of
Bozeman there were about 30,000 private wage and salary jobs plus 4,200 faculty and staff at
MSU. The largest industries in the City of Bozeman and Gallatin County are local and tourism
sectors including retail trade, hotels and restaurants, construction, and health care (Figure 4).
The traded sectors of professional and technical services and manufacturing are the next
largest groups of industries. These data show that the area is today heavily reliant on trade and
tourism.
Ann. Growth
2010 2021 Total Change % Change Rate
Bozeman 37,354 51,405 14,051 37.6%2.9%
Belgrade 7,535 10,796 3,261 43.3%3.3%
Manhattan 1,525 1,829 304 19.9%1.7%
Three Forks 1,871 2,375 504 26.9%2.2%
Unincorporated 43,099 55,290 12,191 28.3%2.3%
Gallatin County 89,513 119,320 29,807 33.3%2.6%
Source: ESRI, Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[Population, Gallatin County, MT.xlsx]Sheet2
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 10
Figure 4. Wage and salary jobs by industry, Bozeman and Gallatin County, 2020
The economy in Gallatin County and Gallatin Valley is changing rapidly, however. First, the
County added 7,000 jobs from 2015 through 2020, a growth rate of 2.6 percent per year and a
13.5 percent increase (Table 3). The industries with the most growth are highlighted below.
▪ Professional and technical services added 934 jobs with average wages near $80,000
per year. This sector had the most growth outside of construction. This is a significant
change and shows that companies in Greater Bozeman are expanding, and new firms
are being formed or attracted. The area is attracting knowledge-based companies and
workers.
▪ Countywide, construction was also one of the fastest growing industries with 1,700 jobs
added from 2015 through 2020. Growth in construction jobs is being fueled by major
resort projects are underway in Big Sky, plus the growth in the Gallatin County.
Anecdotally, many construction workers are moving to the area temporarily to fill jobs
and may move to other locations as major projects are completed or if the economy
slows.
▪ Manufacturing also had significant growth which is rare in small metro areas.
Manufacturing is a diverse and important sector in Greater Bozeman. This sector grew
by 562 jobs with average wages of about $55,000.
▪ Health care also grew significantly, which is consistent with national trends. People are
living longer, more people have health insurance, and the large baby boomer population
$40,100
$26,600
$58,100
$53,200
$79,200
$55,400
$40,900
$40,200
$70,100
$96,600
$27,300
$44,500
$50,400
$34,500
$40,000
$139,800
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000
Retail Trade
Hotel/Restaurant
Construction
Health Care
Prof. & Tech Services
Manufacturing
Other
Admin/Waste Mgmt
Wholesale Trade
Finance/Insurance
Arts/Rec
Transport./Warehousing
Real Estate
Education
Ag./Forest/Hunting
Information
Total Jobs
Bozeman Gallatin County
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; MT Dept. of Labor; Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[213051-City County 2dig NAICS
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 11
is aging and increasing health care demand. Health care added 881 jobs, a 17 percent
increase.
Table 2. Change in wage and salary jobs by industry 2015-2020 and 2020 average wages
Economy Comparisons
Comparing the Gallatin County and Bozeman economy to other areas provides additional
context for the importance of economic diversity. First, a metric called a location quotient (LQ) is
used to compare the mix of jobs in traded and local sectors in comparison counties. Next, the
economic productivity of each area is shown – areas that have higher concentrations of traded
sector jobs have more economic productivity.
Ann. Avg.
Industry 2015 2020 Change % Change Wage 2020
Economic Base/Traded Sectors
Finance/Insurance 1,447 1,619 172 11.9%$96,600
Prof. & Tech Services 3,895 4,829 934 24.0%$79,200
Mining 197 188 -9 -4.6%$92,400
Information 578 698 120 20.8%$139,800
Mgmt. of Companies 252 234 -18 -7.1%$79,700
Wholesale Trade 1,582 1,819 237 15.0%$70,100
Manufacturing 3,037 3,599 562 18.5%$55,400
Ag./Forest/Hunting 554 701 147 26.5%$40,000
Transport./Warehousing 1,284 1,302 18 1.4%$44,500
Admin/Waste Mgmt 1,730 2,260 530 30.6%$40,200
Subtotal / Average 14,556 17,249 2,693 18.5%$68,200
Local Sectors
Construction 4,754 6,413 1,659 34.9%$58,100
Retail Trade 7,584 8,197 613 8.1%$40,100
Real Estate 880 1,197 317 36.0%$50,400
Education 657 834 177 26.9%$34,500
Health Care 5,113 5,994 881 17.2%$53,200
Arts/Rec 1,419 1,463 44 3.1%$27,300
Hotel/Restaurant 7,065 6,920 -145 -2.1%$26,600
Other 1,994 2,323 329 16.5%$40,900
Subtotal / Average 29,466 33,341 3,875 13.2%$42,800
Total (disclosable)44,022 50,590 6,568 14.9%$51,500
Total Jobs (without disclosure)52,059 59,071 7,012 13.5%
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW; Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[213051-City County 2dig NAICS Employment Data_10-01-21.xlsx]T-EVS_Table2
Jobs
Note: Industry employment figures do not include all jobs due to privacy limitations. Summing employment by
industry components yields less jobs than the actual totals which are not limited by privacy disclosure issues.
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 12
A location quotient (LQ) measures the concentration of an industry in an area as a ratio of the
percentage of jobs in the analysis area divided by the percentage in the U.S. A LQ ratio is used
to compare the concentrations of industries across different regions and asses local industry
strengths or specializations. The LQ is important for determining an inherent economic strength
of a community. In developing an economic vitality strategy, it is best to invest time and money
where there is a competitive advantage already existing in the community rather than trying to
create an industry cluster without an intrinsic base.
The LQs for traded and local sectors in Gallatin County are compared to several comparison
Counties with their major city noted in Table 3.
▪ Bozeman has lower concentrations in most traded sectors than the comparison
communities and higher concentrations in local sectors.
▪ As larger cities/metros, Boulder and Boise have more diverse economies.
▪ Boulder and Boise/Ada County have higher concentrations of jobs in knowledge and
financial industries.
▪ Ogden, UT/Weber County has more than twice the manufacturing concentration than
Bozeman (aerospace, defense, outdoor products, advanced materials)
▪ Boulder and Fort Collins also have higher concentrations of manufacturing at 1.29 and
1.02.
The differences in the mix of jobs and industries in each area is due to numerous historical,
geographic, and economic factors. How an area was settled historically (e.g. agriculture,
railroad, mining, university) influences the early and legacy industries in that community. The
location and proximity to other cities and industries also affects the economic composition.
Larger cities and counties, and cities and counties within larger metro areas also tend to have
more diverse economies and more racial and ethnic diversity.
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Table 3. Location quotient comparisons
As shown below in Figure 5, the regions with higher concentrations of traded sector jobs are
the most productive; they generate the most economic output per job. Gross Regional Product
(GRP) is the local or regional equivalent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). GRP is the value of
all goods and services produced in an economy. GRP per job is a measure of the productivity of
the labor force and firms in the economy – the value of the output created from each worker.
▪ Boulder, CO has the most productive economy with nearly $150,000 in annual output
per worker, followed by Fort Collins, CO at $118,000.
▪ Bozeman and Gallatin County are at the lower end of the spectrum of the comparison
communities due to the higher concentration of tourism and local serving jobs.
These data reinforce the focus of this strategy on diversifying the economy with a focus on
traded sectors to provide the economic engine for the region, and local sectors providing the
support for quality of life and on-ramps to business ownership and wealth building.
Bozeman/Gallatin Highest
Industry Location Quotient Concentration
Traded Sectors
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1.33 Corvallis/Benton 3.21
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 0.82 Bozeman/Gallatin 0.82
Information 0.63 Boise/Ada 1.14
Management of companies and enterprises 0.24 Boise/Ada 1.05
Professional and technical services 1.20 Boulder/Boulder 2.47
Wholesale trade 0.76 Boise/Ada 1.22
Manufacturing 0.70 Ogden/Weber 1.61
Transportation and warehousing 0.55 Boise/Ada 0.70
Finance and insurance 0.63 Boise/Ada 1.14
Local Sectors
Utilities 0.50 Boise/Ada 1.03
Construction 2.09 Bozeman/Gallatin 2.09
Retail trade 1.31 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.31
Real estate and rental and leasing 1.30 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.30
Administrative and waste services 0.62 Boise/Ada 1.38
Educational services 0.72 Boulder/Boulder 0.79
Health care and social assistance 0.72 Missoula/Missoula 1.22
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 1.99 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.99
Accommodation and food services 1.47 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.47
Other services, except public administration 1.39 Missoula/Missoula 1.57
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016-QCEW.xlsx]T-LQ vs Peers
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 14
Figure 5. Gross regional product per job, Gallatin County and selected comparison areas
INDUSTRY CLUSTERS
Industry clusters are groups of similar and related traded sector businesses that share common
markets, technologies, and worker skill needs, that are often linked by buyer-seller relationships.
Industry clusters represent distinct qualities of a community and help define what makes one
community different from another. Industry clusters are a way of communicating, marketing, and
leveraging the presence of these concentrations of skills, resources, and relationships. The EVS
is organized around supporting seven traded sector clusters and three local sector clusters
summarized in Table 4 and Table 5. Appendix A provides a more detailed description of these
industry clusters.
Table 4. Traded sector industry clusters
Estimated Estimated Estimated
Industry Cluster Stage Jobs Firms Wages Description
Traded Sectors
Photonics Mature 800 35 $60,000-$100,000+Science and technology of generating, detecting, and
controlling light.
Quantum Computing Nascent Less than 100 Less than 20 $60,000-$100,000+Uses atomic motion to perform computing
operations.
Biotechnology Growing 100 to 400 Not available $40,000-$90,000+Medical and drug research and technology.
Software/Information Technology (IT)Mature 1,350 240 $60,000-$140,000+Programming and system design.
Outdoor Equipment Mature 500-1,000 Not available $40,000-$90,000+Outdoor equipment design, manufacturing, and
marketing. Capitalizes on Bozeman brand. Within
manufacturing industry of 3,600 jobs.
Speciality Manufacturing Mature 1,000+Not available $40,000-$60,000 Specialty products including metal products, musical
instruments, and food and beverage. Within
manufacturing industry of 3,600 jobs.
Climate Technology Nascent Not available Not available $40,000-$90,000+Emerging cluster of technologies that are explicitly
focused on addressing climate change. Wide range
of industries.
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016 Industry Cluster Definitions (CH).xlsx]T-FinalClusters_Traded
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 15
Table 5. Local sector industry clusters
NATIONAL TRENDS
There are fundamental national issues facing the community that need to be addressed in order
to foster economic vitality.
EQUITY
In the context of economic vitality, equity is defined as an economic system that ensures under-
represented and under-served people have the same level of access to the economy and
wealth creation as all other residents. Equity is not equality. Equality is sameness or 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 recognizes the differences and works to remove the barriers to access
opportunity.
Estimated Estimated Estimated
Industry Cluster Stage Jobs Firms Wages Description
Traded Sectors
Photonics Mature 800 35 $60,000-$100,000+Science and technology of generating,
detecting, and controlling light.
Quantum Computing Nascent Less than 100 Less than 20 $60,000-$100,000+Uses atomic motion to perform
computing operations.
Biotechnology Growing 100 to 400 Not available $40,000-$90,000+Medical and drug research and
technology.
Software/Information
Technology (IT)
Mature 1,350 240 $60,000-$140,000+Programming and system design.
Outdoor Equipment Mature 500-1,000 Not available $40,000-$90,000+Outdoor equipment design,
manufacturing, and marketing.
Capitalizes on Bozeman brand. Within
manufacturing industry of 3,600 jobs.
Specialty Manufacturing Mature 1,000+Not available $40,000-$60,000 Specialty products including metal
products, musical instruments, and food
and beverage. Within manufacturing
industry of 3,600 jobs.
Climate Technology Nascent Not available Not available $40,000-$90,000+Emerging cluster of technologies that
are explicitly focused on addressing
climate change. Wide range of
industries.
Creative Arts Growing 1,104 333 $41,000 Goods and services are based on
intellectual property and individual
creativity. Includes publishing, film, TV,
media, desing, performing arts, and
museums and galleries.
Source: Bridge Economic Development and Economic & Planning Systems
Estimated Estimated Estimated
Industry Cluster Stage Jobs Firms Wages Description
Local Sectors
Construction Mature 6,400 1,290 $50,000-$60,000
$100,000 in heavy
construction
Residential and commercial buildings, skilled trades,
and heavy/civil engineering construction.
Small Business Ownership Growing N/A N/A Varies Small businesses across all sectors. Self employed
is 25-30% of all jobs in Gallatin County.
Health Care Mature 6,000 500+$40,000-$90,000+Medical services provided through hospitals and
small practices. Includes doctors, nurses, and home
service providers.
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016 Industry Cluster Definitions (CH).xlsx]T-FinalClusters_Local
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 16
Photo caption: Equality is when everyone has access to a bicycle. Equity is when everyone is able to
benefit from having access to a bicycle because the design of each bicycle meets their unique needs.
Wealth Creation
Wealth creation is generally attained through career opportunities with living-wages, business
ownership and real estate ownership. Income is only one measurement of wealth. Net worth, or
wealth, includes income, homes, stock-market investments, businesses, and other owned
assets, minus debt.
Available data to compare wealth is generally available on a national level and is therefore
considered here in that context. Nationally, the net worth of a typical white household is nearly
ten times greater than that of a typical Black household, and eight times greater than a Hispanic
household. According to a survey by the Federal Reserve in 2017, the median net worth of
African-Americans ($17,600) was only a tenth that of non-Hispanic whites ($171,000).2
Furthermore, nearly 20 percent of Black households have zero or negative net worth compared
to 14 percent of households identifying as other or multiple race,3 13 percent of Hispanic
households, and only nine percent of white households.4
2 Recent Trends in Wealth-Holding by Race and Ethnicity: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances, Federal
Reserve, September 2017
3 Other families--a diverse group that includes those identifying as Asian, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native
Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, other race, and all respondents reporting more than one racial identification.
4 ibid
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 17
Figure 6: Family Median Net Worth, Thousands of 2016 Dollars
Source: Federal Reserve Board, Survey of Consumer Finances
As the following chart shows, higher income levels are correlated with educational attainment.
However, ensuring parity in college degree attainment alone will not solve the racial disparity in
the wealth gap.
Figure 7: Median Weekly Earnings and Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainment, 2017
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017
Real estate equity and the transfer of wealth are important determinants of household wealth
creation. However, generations of under-represented Americans have had limited access to real
estate assets due to discriminatory policies throughout the 20th century including the Jim Crow
era’s “Black Codes” strictly limiting opportunity in many southern states, prior to Federal
Housing Administration (FHA) lending restrictions,5 and redlining. In addition, research shows
5 Rothstein, Richard. Color of Law. 2017
17.6
20.7
64.8
171
Black or African-American
Hispanic or Latino
Other or Multiple Race
White non-Hispanic
$1,743
1,836
1,401
1,173
836
774
712
520
1.50%
1.5
2.2
2.5
3.4
4
4.6
6.5
Doctoral degree
Professional degree
Master's degree
Bachelor's degree
Associate degree
Some college, no degree
High school diploma, no college
Less than a high school diploma
Unemployment rate Median usual weekly earnings
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 18
that Black-owned real estate is systemically (and historically) devalued, leading to less wealth
creation than the same assets for White households.6
Business ownership is another significant (and perhaps the most important) source of wealth
creation. In the U.S., approximately 77 percent of wealth created in 2015 came from owning a
private company or professional firm.7 Research shows that business ownership is also
associated with higher levels of economic mobility.8 And yet, there are significant racial
disparities in business ownership rates and business performance (i.e., revenue and
profitability) that lead to even more disparities in wealth creation.
In the U.S.: “Nationally, people of color represent about 40 percent of the population, but only 20
percent of the nation’s 5.6 million business owners with employees. The U.S. could have
millions more businesses if women and minorities became entrepreneurs at the same rate as
white men.” 9 Businesses owned by people of color earn just 48 percent of the revenue of white-
owned firms.10
In Bozeman, the most recent Survey of Business Owners and Self-Employed Persons (SBO)
from the United States Census Bureau was conducted in 2012, at the time Bozeman was
estimated to have 7,473 total firms, 26.6 percent of that were owned by women and 0.03
percent that were minority owned.
One piece of the wealth gap is income. Data for our city and region has limited reliability
because of relatively low population and even lower numbers of people of color. With this in
mind, according to American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2015-2019), the City of
Bozeman has an average household median income was $55,569. While Asian households had
almost twice the average median income, $106,204, White households were slightly above the
average at $57,523 and all other households were below the average. Black or African
American households made slightly less at $54,375 and American Indian and Alaska Native
households made $50,536. Households that selected some other race or Hispanic or Latino
origin had the lowest median income, $43,023 for some other race and $33,833 for Hispanic or
Latino households.11
Diversity and Inclusion
In working toward equity, a community must recognize and respond to the importance of
diversity and inclusion. The City of Bozeman has adapted from the Government Alliance on
Race & Equity the following definitions of diversity and inclusion.
Diversity is the 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. Some examples are race, ethnicity, language-spoken, nationality, cultural
6 Perry, Andre. Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America's Black Cities. 2020
7 Benson, R. (2015). Wealth Creation through Business Ownership. American Business Advisors.
8 Perspectives on Inequality and Opportunity from the Survey of Consumer Finances, Janet Yellen, October 2014
9 Liu, S. & Parilla, J. “Businesses owned by women and minorities have grown. Will COVID-19 undo that?” Brookings.
April 14, 2020. https://www.brookings.edu/research/businesses-owned-by-women-and-minorities-have-grown-will-
covid-19-undo-that/
10 Zeuli, K., Nijhius, A., Eberhardt, P., O’Shea, K., & Verchot, M. (2018). Helping entrepreneurs of color grow their
business: Early insights from the Ascend 2020 initiative. Boston: MA, ICIC. 2015 U.S. Census Bureau Annual Survey
of Entrepreneurs data for privately held firms with paid employees.
11 Equity Indicators Project, Thomas P. Miller and Associates, July 2021
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 19
identity, spiritual practice, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ability,
and income or socioeconomic status.
When striving for diversity, residents honor the richness, value, and benefits of bringing people
with different perspectives, identities, and experiences together.
Inclusion is what is done with diversity. An individual, group, organization, or community is
inclusive when differences and variation are leveraged and celebrated. When residents strive
for inclusion, they are aware of how 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.
HOUSING AVAILABILITY
The median home price in Bozeman is $812,000 as of May 2022 and ended the year 2021 at
$700,000, which is the available data for comparison with other cities (Figure 8). Increasing
access to available housing is a major priority for residents and business owners across the
Valley. The limited availability of homes is driven by three main factors: 1) not enough overall
supply; 2) increases in in-migration related to the pandemic and remote working; and 3) the
increase in housing costs for new construction. All of these factors increase home prices making
them inaccessible for average wage-earners.
Figure 8. 2021 median home price, Bozeman and selected comparison cities
In all interviews with community and business stakeholders, housing costs in Bozeman were
identified as the number one concern. The City’s Community Housing Action Plan, adopted in
November, 2019 and amended in January, 2020, proactively addresses this significant issue.
Additionally, the city has aligned the housing program within the Economic Development
Department in response to the State Legislature’s removal of a city’s regulatory authority via
inclusionary zoning to increase the number of cost-efficient housing units in a community. The
city is currently pursuing an incentive-based approach to achieve additional community housing
units. Community housing is critical infrastructure necessary to serve employees, students and
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 20
residents and maintain a vital economic base. Recommendations in this Economic Vitality
Strategy are developed in collaboration with housing program staff and supplement existing
work.
In order to serve the community and economic base with employees ranging from teachers,
doctors and manufacturers, it is important to utilize the existing housing supply for permanent
year-round residents. Currently, Bozeman has competing interests for housing between
residents, MSU graduate and non-traditional students, and tourists staying in short term rentals.
While maximizing the availability of existing housing stock, it is also necessary to decrease the
cost of new housing. This can be accomplished by permitting the construction of smaller sizes
housing units on smaller property footprints. This approach to a simplified housing unit size
requires less construction material, less or more efficient utility infrastructure and encourages a
built environment that allows people to walk and bike instead of driving a vehicle when
appropriate. All of these outcomes not only reduce the cost of housing, but help mitigate climate
change.
CLIMATE CHANGE
A recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis12 shows that the most severe harms
from climate change fall disproportionately upon underserved communities who are least able to
prepare for, and recover from, heat waves, poor air quality, flooding, and other impacts. A
community can proactively address these impacts by: 1) mitigating climate change by reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; and 2) becoming resilient in order to quickly adapt to future
impacts.
Climate change also threatens the natural and recreational assets that are important to the
economy – not just the tourism economy but also the quality of life that is attracting traded
sector firms. Changing precipitation patterns (warmer, drier), earlier and faster snowpack melt
off, more frequent and larger wildfires are all expected to affect the natural environment and
quality of life in the Gallatin Valley. Specifically, a less reliable snowpack and a drier climate will
affect the winter sports industry and river recreation businesses. Warmer summers will increase
river water and air temperatures, the latter requiring additional air conditioning use which in turn
demands more energy use and production, creating additional impact if more energy is not
sourced from renewables.
Mitigation
The Bozeman Climate Plan, 2020, identifies how the city can take actions to reduce per-capita
GHG emissions. The Plan states that 57 percent of Bozeman’s 2018 emissions came from
residential and commercial building energy use, which is the highest source of emissions.
Improving building efficiency and increasing renewable energy supply are paramount to
achieving the near-term emissions reduction goal.
Innovative companies understand the real implications of climate change and are increasingly
seeking ways to enhance sustainable practices. Utilizing non-carbon generating energy sources
is a strategic advantage for companies seeking to meet environmental, social and governance
(ESG) criteria used by socially conscious investors to screen potential investments.
Collaboration between Gallatin Valley stakeholders and the local utility provider, NorthWestern
12 Climate Change and Social Vulnerability in the United States, EPA, September 2021 f
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 21
Energy, to recognize this competitive advantage for ESG financing, or in Montana, Commercial
Property Assessed Capital Enhancements (C-PACE), could help shift power generation
investments.
Resilience
In addition to reducing GHG, communities need to prepare for climate change impacts.
Encouraging the creation of new companies that provide innovative solutions will help the region
adapt to future climate change impacts. The Bozeman Climate Plan (The Plan) calls out a need
for improved systems regarding water use and agriculture production to build infrastructure that
will make Gallatin Valley more resilient. Innovation within the food systems development
process presents many opportunities for emission reductions through improved agricultural
practices, lower-carbon food products, production and transportation efficiency, and waste
reduction. The Plan also encourages the development of a robust local food supply to reduce
food insecurity and improve food system resiliency.
EARLY LEARNING/CHILD CARE
Child care is critical infrastructure for working parents, but it also enables children to be in a
setting that promotes their healthy development and school readiness (while their parents work).
In this way, child care not only has a direct impact on the economy today, but also impacts the
economy of tomorrow. Rigorous evidence from studies of random assignment to high-quality
preschool suggests that early childhood policy interventions have wide-ranging long-term
impacts.13 Nobel Prize winning University of Chicago Economics Professor James Heckman’s
work outlines the great gains to be had by investing in the early and equal development of
human potential. He finds that investing in comprehensive birth-to-five early childhood education
is a powerful and cost-effective way to mitigate negative consequences on child development
and increase adult opportunity. “The gains are significant because quality programs pay for
themselves many times over. The cost of inaction is a tragic loss of human and economic
potential that we cannot afford.”14
Unfortunately, while wages are stagnating as indicated in Figure 9, the cost of organized child
care is increasing and presents a substantial financial hurdle for many working parents with
children, especially those working for low wages.
13 Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach Ryan Nunn Lauren Bauer Megan Mumford Audrey Breitwieser, Seven Facts on
Noncognitive Skills from Education to the Labor Market, October 2016
14 García, Jorge Luis, James J. Heckman, Duncan Ermini Leaf, and María José Prados. “The Life-cycle Benefits of
an Influential Early Childhood Program.” 2016
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 22
Figure 9: US Median Household Income 1967-2016
The cost of care in the Gallatin Valley remains a barrier for many parents seeking to enter or
stay in the labor force. The average annual cost of child care in Montana for an infant is $9,096
in a child care center and $7,440 in a family child care home.15 Subsidized child care can
encourage low-skilled parents parents working in lower-paid occupations to maintain their
connection to the labor force or to upgrade their skills through education, thereby contributing to
economic growth and productivity over the longer term.
Since 2010, the number of family child care homes in Montana has declined from 2,323 to 1,633
in 2016 – a decline of 29.7 percent. For working families, the decline in home-based care
reduces the availability of the least expensive care option for families.16
In addition to the growing demand for child care and an increasing scarcity of affordable
facilities, is a need for more workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are
approximately 330 child care workers in Southwest Montana, which includes Gallatin Valley.
With a ratio of 2.41 workers/1,000 people, the talent pool is similar to the national average (LQ:
1.0).17 Recruiting qualified workers for this sector is also more difficult due to low wages; the
average annual salary is $38,890 – the average national median wage is $49,150.18
Increasing the supply of child care is critical for the economy to maximize the full potential of the
available workforce. More importantly, providing early learning is an important investment in
communities that help ensure they can realize their human and economic potential.
HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Career technical education (CTE) and sScience, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
education isare essential for all students, regardless of their aspirations. These studies not only
impart important technical skills and knowledge to succeed in a technology-based economy,
15 Montana Fact Sheet 1312019.pdf (ced.org)
16 Ibid
17 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211021.htm
18 Ibid
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 23
they also enhance student agency, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork,
adaptability, and habits of mind and dispositions that make for future success. Most importantly,
CTE and STEM education greatly affect learners’ engagement, achievement, and persistence in
school.
STEM is an educational acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in education,
an approach to interdisciplinary learning developed in 2001, with emphasis on STEM-certified
schools, STEM labs, and entire categories of STEM-related educational products. The “Arts” are
a 2012 modification, STEAM, recognizing the ability of the arts to expand the limits of STEM
education and application. Adding the “Arts” component features innovation and fearless
creativity that a strong artistic foundation can provide. The president of Rhode Island School of
Design (RISD), a leading advocate for the integration of arts into STEM, says that opening the
door to the arts aids in the process of turning critical thinking into critical making.19
The Bozeman School District is actively supporting students through the Career and Technical
Education (CTE) Pathways program that gives BSD7 students opportunities to explore--and
even begin--careers while they are still students in the Bozeman School District. The existing
CTE Pathways website is intended to: 1) increase student, family, staff, and community
awareness of the CTE pathways that begin in the schools and can lead to a variety of post high
school degrees, certifications, and job opportunities in our community; and 2) showcase the
work-based learning options, certifications, and degrees that are in concert with the established
pathways. A CTE applied STEAM education greatly affects learners’ engagement, achievement,
and persistence in school.
INTEGRATION OF CREATIVE ARTS
The COVID-19 pandemic imposed significant health and economic impacts on the world.
However, as we emerge, we can begin to recognize that “crises are like adrenaline for
innovation, causing barriers that once took years to overcome to evaporate in a matter of days.
Entrenched orthodoxies on ‘the way things are done’ are replaced with ‘the new way we do
things’ almost overnight.”20 In a recent McKinsey & Company report, it is recognized that in past
crises, companies that invested in innovation delivered superior growth and performance
postcrisis. Organizations that maintained their innovation focus through the 2009 financial crisis,
for example, emerged stronger, outperforming the market average by more than 30 percent and
continuing to deliver accelerated growth over the subsequent three to five years.21
Elevating creativity across industries and a community can foster necessary innovation for
economic growth. The arts also serve an important role in channeling uncertainty and anxiety
that some people face in a period of significant change. For the health of Gallatin Valley
residents and businesses, integration of the creative arts is necessary.
Arts and Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental
and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, thus rooting health
firmly within society and culture. Art can help to emotionally navigate the journey of battling an
illness or injury, to process difficult emotions in times of emergency and challenging events. The
19 STEM Education Guide, STEM vs. STEAM: Making Room for the Arts, 2022
20 McKinsey & Company, Innovation in a crisis: Why it is more critical than ever, June 2020
21 ibid
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 24
creation, employment within, and enjoyment of the arts helps promote holistic wellness and can
be a motivating factor in recovery. They can be used to communicate valuable messages
across cultures and political divides.
There is growing literature on the preventive benefits of arts engagement in relation to mental
health. Activities such as making and listening to music, dancing, art and visiting cultural sites
are all associated with stress management and prevention, including lower levels of biological
stress in daily life and lower daily anxiety. Arts engagement can also help to reduce the risk of
developing mental illness such as depression in adolescence and in older age. Participating in
arts activities can build self-esteem, self-acceptance, confidence, and self-worth which all help
to protect against mental illness.22
For all age groups, Montana has ranked in the top five for suicide rates in the nation, for the
past thirty years. In a report for 2020 in the National Vital Statistics Report, Montana has the
third highest rate of suicide in the nation. Approximately 90% of those who die by suicide have a
diagnosable mental illness.23 Elevating the arts through schools, businesses and the community
as a supportive tool and outlet may help address this pressing issue facing Gallatin Valley.
Creative Arts Economy
It is important to provide a definition of the creative arts for common understanding and direction
amongst stakeholders. The creative arts economy includes sectors whose goods and services
are based on intellectual property. The creative economy occurs where individual creativity is
the main source of value and cause of a transaction.24
Though there are many definitions and interpretations for this industry, the proposed creative
arts industry cluster for Gallatin Valley includes the following sectors: publishing; advertising and
marketing; film, TV; and photography; design; museums, and performing arts. Increasing the
skilled technical workforce in areas such as sound and stage design that serve multiple sectors
is one example of an outcome that can occur by defining and promoting this industry cluster.
Creative Placemaking
Many communities focused on revitalization efforts align the arts with community development
as “creative placemaking”. According to the American Planning Association, creative
placemaking is a process where community members, artists, arts and culture organizations,
community developers, and other stakeholders use arts and cultural strategies to implement
community-led change. This approach aims to increase vibrancy, improve economic conditions,
and build capacity among residents to take ownership of their communities. Creative
placemaking is the use of arts and cultural activities to rejuvenate public places.25
Our Town is the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)’s creative placemaking grants program.
The program describes creative placemaking as arts, culture and design integrated with
community development. The program is often focused on revitalizing a neighborhood. 2021
NEA Our Town Grant awards provide a definition of creative placemaking implementation.
Some examples include: murals and streetscape improvements, community gardens honoring
22 World Health Organization, What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being?
23 https://dphhs.mt.gov/assets/suicideprevention/SuicideinMontana.pdf
24 John Howkins, The Creative Economy, 2001
25 https://www.planning.org/knowledgebase/creativeplacemaking/
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 25
indigenous perspectives, establishment of a public art program, and teaching artist workforce
development pilot program for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Creative Arts is a unique industry sector within the Economic Vitality Strategy as it has a
broader impact on the region than career pathways and innovation. It also visibly shapes
identity and provides community health benefits. Creative arts stakeholders understand and
respect this distinction and agree with the example that the opera and ballet are not comparable
to quantum computing in terms of economic development. However, it is understood that all
industries share an important role in developing a resilient economy that provides diverse
opportunities for Gallatin Valley residents.
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
In developing tactical actions to support small business growth, it is important to recognize that
small businesses are not uniform and those in different size categories face different challenges
in accessing financing and technical support. Not all small businesses are positioned to scale.
As identified by TEConomy Partners, LLC, while most entrepreneurs start by forming small
businesses, not all small businesses are entrepreneurial. Small business owners develop
companies to generate wealth and provide employment and income for themselves and others.
Entrepreneurs are interested in creating innovative products or services that lead to further
investment and growth. Understanding the different motivations and needed support services
for these two types of businesses is important in developing the strategy and actions.
In Montana, 21,334 firms within the state have less than five employees as shown in Figure 10.
This amount is 64 percent of the overall firms in the state, which is higher than the U.S. amount
of 62 percent shown in Table 7.
Figure 10: Firm Size Montana, 2019
Source: Bridge Economic Development, US Census SUSB Historical Data
21,334
5,282
3,130
2,329
539
942
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000
<5 employees
5-9 employees
10-19 employees
20-99 employees
100-499 employees
500+ employees
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 26
Table 7: Proportion of Firm Size Montana and U.S., 2019
Size of Firm Montana United States
<5 employees 64% 62%
5-9 employees 16% 17%
10-19 employees 9% 11%
20-99 employees 7% 9%
100-499 employees 2% 2%
500+ employees 3% 0.34%
Source: Bridge Economic Development, US Census SUSB Historical Data
The majority of entrepreneurs within the photonics industry emerged from MSU. The original
university research and development (R&D) was applied to commercial uses and small
businesses were formed. This R&D element that is dependent on graduate students and
professors from across the world is vital for growing the industries emerging within Gallatin
Valley. Many of the original small businesses have grown into large companies and some have
been acquired by global firms. This evolution of R&D to commercialization of new technologies
to manufacturing production is a complicated and lengthy process that requires a regional
ecosystem of support. Gallatin Valley is fortunate to host an asset such as MSU that is
supporting the development of various industry startups as identified below in Figure 11.
Figure 11: MSU Industry Startups through 2021
42
Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 27
Source: MSU Technology Transfer Office (TTO)
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 28
THE ECONOMIC VITALITY
STRATEGY
The City of Bozeman and regional stakeholders, including Economic Vitality Board members,
developed the following Strategy to respond to national trends and leverage unique local assets
to foster economic vitality across Gallatin Valley.
VISION
Outcome of implementing the Strategy:
Gallatin Valley is a hub of opportunity, job creation, and exports for Montana where people of all
backgrounds, incomes, and identities can live and work.
VALUES
Guide desired economic development outcomes. We as a city value:
Equitable Economic Growth that improves economic mobility, builds wealth and provides
equal opportunities for under-represented individuals
A Sustainable Economy with varied industries and business sizes including diverse ownership
Resilient Infrastructure to endure economic shocks and climate change, which includes areas
such as adequate workforce housing, water supply, renewable energy, and multi-modal
transportation
Engaged Higher Education that supports an entrepreneurial ecosystem and talent pipeline to
careers in the Gallatin Valley throughout students’ education
Innovation that captures opportunities in emerging technologies and industries including those
aligned with national interests (e.g., defense, energy, climate)
Fostering a Small Business Hub through a supportive network that generates opportunity for
wealth building of under-resourced individuals and retains businesses through succession
planning
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 29
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
General guidelines that shape the Strategy actions and implementation:
Gallatin Valley Residents that live and work in the community are the focus of the Strategy
Engagement with the State of Montana to help rural areas leverage economic growth in
Gallatin Valley
Regional Partners are Actively Engaged to effectively implement objectives
Clear and Transparent Roles and Lead Organizations are identified to efficiently implement
the Strategy
Grounded Aspiration to recognize and capture opportunities that are available and realistic for
the Gallatin Valley region
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Based on the key findings, values and guiding principles, the City of Bozeman and stakeholders
identified the following goals and objectives to guide economic vitality actions implemented by
regional stakeholders, which are outlined in a separate Action Matrix document, over the next
three to five years.
1) Provide Opportunity for Gallatin Valley Residents
Wealth creation provides the opportunity for all local residents to sustainably live in the
Gallatin Valley. It is important for four reasons: 1) wealth creation is a safety net that
keeps households from being derailed by temporary setbacks and the loss of income; 2)
it allows people to take career risks knowing that they have a buffer when success is not
guaranteed or immediately achieved; 3) family wealth affords residents to access
housing in neighborhoods with good schools, thereby enhancing the upward mobility of
their own children; 4) wealth creation affords people opportunities to be entrepreneurs
and inventors; and 5) creates inter-generational wealth. Finally, the income from wealth
is taxed at much lower rates than income from work, which means that wealth begets
more wealth.26
1) Enhance the small business development ecosystem
Small business development is an alternative opportunity for people in Gallatin Valley if
a traditional career path is not available. They are necessary to commercialize
innovation and potentially grow into larger traded sector firms. Focused programs to help
support under-represented residents build wealth are essential to foster equity. As a
small business hub, Gallatin Valley can provide training for individuals to start
businesses in outlying rural communities. Gallatin Valley can leverage the community
culture of grit and hard work to innovate new companies and opportunities.
26 Examining the Black-white wealth gap, Brookings, February 27, 2020
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 30
2) Provide comprehensive and coordinated skills development starting
with child care through middle school and higher-ed
Improving the skills of individuals not only improves the employment base, but also
develops future civic and business leaders needed to guide the region. Providing early
learning child care is an important community investment, helping to develop the
necessary skills that allow a community to realize its human and economic potential.27
This is especially true for underrepresented children. Engaging students in middle school
to prepare the future workforce is necessary. Higher-education leaders in can build off
this engagement and provide necessary skills development through trades training, one-
year certifications, and 2- and 4-year college programs.
3) Improve access to career opportunities for local and surrounding rural
residents
Gallatin Valley is fortunate to have several diverse traded sector industries that are
growing and provide career ladder opportunities with living-wage salaries. With remote
work infrastructure and training in rural communities, they can access “rural onshoring”
opportunities within Gallatin Valley. There is a demand for construction and specialty
manufacturing occupations that offer alternative job opportunities without a four-year
college degree. Building a clear path and educating youth about these opportunities is
important to keep them living and working in Gallatin Valley.
2) Support a Diverse Economy
Economic vitality for individuals requires a resilient economy that can withstand
economic shocks as witnessed during the pandemic. A resilient economy is diverse in
business size as well as industry types. Various businesses provide diverse services
and products and enable innovation of new products. Larger traded sector companies
offer individuals careers with stability and benefits and an employment base to support
local sector companies. Meanwhile, local sector companies can serve as a gateway for
underrepresented people to build a business and wealth.
1) Focus on traded sector industries that are emerging and can increase
exports
To maximize limited resources, stakeholders should focus efforts on emerging traded
industries to foster growth of a diverse industry base. MSU research and development
(R&D) is actively supported by the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) to develop
entrepreneurs offering innovative solutions. Many of the innovations emerging from MSU
specifically align with federal interests associated with energy, climate change and
defense, which are more likely to receive grants and funding.
2) Enhance development of the talent pipeline
The top priority of businesses within any industry cluster is access to good talent. The
education and development of students at MSU and Gallatin College are critical for the
economy. It is also important for the institutions to introduce students to local career
27 The anatomy of inequality: Florian Hoffman discusses how income disparities have grown in the US and Europe
over the last 40 years, American Economic Association, November 25, 2020
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 31
opportunities so that they are more inclined to stay and access economic opportunities
in Gallatin Valley and contribute to the growth of the local economy.
3) Elevate a growing creative arts industry cluster
Bozeman is recognized as one of the Top 40 Arts-Vibrant Communities of 202228 with
41 art galleries, an art museum, a symphony orchestra and choir, an opera company,
two chamber music organizations, a ballet company, a contemporary dance company,
four theater companies, two community arts festivals, and university degree programs in
the visual and performing arts. In addition, the region is benefiting from a growing Digital
Film industry that is supported by the MSU Film Program, which is a four-year Bachelor
of Arts degree within the College of Arts and Architecture. Elevating the creative arts as
potential career pathways broadens opportunities for local Gallatin Valley youth and
encourages creative skills development.
3) Build a More Resilient Region
Resilience and economic growth are both vital for healthy economies in uncertain times.
If a local economy is resilient, the recovery period will be much shorter than an economy
with little or no resilience. If a local economy is not resilient, it may never return to its
former economic growth path. Places that recovered from the 2008-2009 Great
Recession included regions with high educational attainment, a diverse and adaptable
workforce, attainable housing prices and rents, ongoing capital investment indicating the
availability of significant public resources, and those that are not dependent on the
cyclical nature of a single industry. The recent pandemic and climate change impacts
reveal that disasters disproportionately impact our most vulnerable populations. Regions
will need to address those left behind and hit the hardest before they can jump forward.
1) Increase amount and access to housing for all
The most significant concern for every business owner is the lack of housing supply and
affordability. The Gallatin Valley economy will become less resilient and struggle to grow
without a housing supply that serves all incomes.
2) Develop a sustainable city
Government does not create jobs; it creates a great environment to attract and retain
businesses that create jobs. Companies are seeking to invest in sustainable and resilient
communities that provide a good return on investment. The City of Bozeman should
continue to build innovative infrastructure to develop sustainably and provide certainty to
investors. The city can foster a culture of resilience and efficiency to help bounce back
from environmental impacts (e.g., wildfires, limited water supply).
3) Foster a culture focused on climate change resilience
Over the past seven years, total funding for climate technology (tech) companies, rate of
startup creation, and the average size of funding has continued to rise. Total venture
funding increased to US$87.5bn invested over second half of 2020 and first half of 2021,
28 https://culturaldata.org/arts-vibrancy-2022/the-top-40-list/
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 32
a more than 210 percent increase.29 Young talent is increasingly seeking jobs that focus
on addressing climate change. Gallatin Valley can position itself as an innovator in
climate tech in collaboration with high-tech and natural resource production (e.g.,
agriculture, ranching) to foster collaboration across the state.
29 State of Climate Tech 2021: Scaling breakthroughs for net zero, PWC
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Bozeman Economic Vitality Strategy | April 2023 33
ACTION MATRIX
The Action Matrix (Attachment B) delineates actions to implement the Strategy goals and
objectives. Multiple stakeholders and organizations contribute to the actions as one organization
alone cannot implement the strategy. Regional ownership is established by identifying Lead
Organizations that champion and guide implementation. The Matrix is a flexible tool that allows
for the introduction of new actions over the years if they align with the strategy objectives and
are represented by a Lead Organization.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Metrics serve three purposes: 1) measure progress towards outcomes, 2) determine if the
actions are meeting the plan’s defined objectives (impact), and 3) allow for transparent
communication on progress and impact to the broader community.
Outcomes: Within the Action Matrix, each objective has an associated outcome to determine
if the desired impact is achieved. The outcomes are measurable and where applicable, define
metrics for under-represented individuals to assess if equitable outcomes are achieved.
Benchmarks: At a broader community level, key benchmarks can be tracked and reported
annually to communicate both progress and impact. It will take several years to improve the
statistics but tracking progress will show that the region is maintaining a vital focus on the long-
term goals. Annual reporting of the benchmarks will help maintain stakeholder engagement
throughout the implementation process. Benchmarks should be compared annually with peer
regions to provide a stronger context for the region.
49
ATTACHMENT A
50
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
T h e E c o n o m i c s o f L a n d U s e
ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS
ASSESSMENT
City of Bozeman
Economic Development
Strategic Plan
March 2023Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
Prepared by:
51
Economic & Planning Systems | Bridge Economic Development Bozeman Economic Assessment |1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.Summary of Findings ……………………………………………………………………2
2.Community Profile ………………………………………………………………………. 8
3.Economy …………………………………………………………………………………………11
4.Industry Clusters ………………………………………………………………………… 20
5.Economic Equity …………………………………………………………………………22
Appendix …………………………………………………………………………………………… 29
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Economic & Planning Systems | Bridge Economic Development Bozeman Economic Assessment |2
1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Introduction and Purpose
This economic assessment describes the economy and
demographics of Bozeman and Gallatin County. The
information is intended to inform participants in the
Economic Development Strategic Plan process. The analysis
also compares Bozeman and Gallatin County to several
comparison communities that Bozeman sometimes
competes with for economic development.
Regional Economy
The economy of Bozeman, Gallatin County and the Gallatin
Valley (Greater Bozeman) are closely related. About half of the
jobs in the County are in Bozeman, and a large majority of the
jobs are in the Gallatin Valley comprised of Bozeman, Gallatin
Gateway, Four Corners, Belgrade, and Manhattan. While this
plan is being prepared by the City of Bozeman, it is
anticipated to result in regional partnerships to carry it
forward. The success of each community in the region
contributes to the overall economic vitality because of their
proximity, single labor force, and economic relationships.
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Economic & Planning Systems | Bridge Economic Development Bozeman Economic Assessment |3
1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Economy and Trends
▪Growth –Bozeman is growing rapidly with 3.8% annual population growth (+6,400
people 2015-2019) and 2.5% annual job growth (+6,900 jobs 2015-2019). The COVID-19
pandemic has increased the appeal of high-amenity places for remote and
knowledge workers and firms which is contributing to these trends.
▪Economic base –Bozeman’s economy is most heavily concentrated in tourism and
retail type jobs (tourism and local sectors) that have lower wages than traded sector
jobs.
▪Economic evolution –Bozeman and Gallatin County are experiencing strong
growth in knowledge-based industries (professional and technical services) and in
manufacturing. These trends can be leveraged to further diversify the economy and
raise average wages.
▪Wages –Tight labor supply conditions and a rising cost of living have resulted in
5.4% annual wage growth across all industries. Knowledge based industries had
wage growth in the 7 to 8% range annually which suggests that the area is
attracting high value talent and that the composition of firms is changing.
▪Labor force –The labor supply is extremely tight with 1.1% unemployment (4.0 to
5.0% is considered healthy). The labor shortage may moderate as people reenter the
labor force as the pandemic stabilizes. Access to housing (high costs, limited supply)
is also a contributing factor.
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Economic & Planning Systems | Bridge Economic Development Bozeman Economic Assessment |4
1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Industry Clusters
Industry clusters are groups of similar and
related businesses that share common
markets, technologies, worker skill needs,
and which are often linked by buyer-seller
relationships. Industry clusters represent
distinct qualities of a community and help
define what makes one community
different from another.
The Economic Development Strategy is
likely to recommend a focus on traded
sector industry clusters due to their higher
economic impact than local sectors.
The table shows the industry sectors
according to the National Industrial
Classification System (NAICS) that align
with the specific industry clusters.
Industry Sector (NAICS)Industry Cluster Private Wage and
Salary Jobs (Gallatin County)
Traded Sectors
Manufacturing •Photonics
•Outdoor equipment
•Biotechnology
•Niche manufacturing
3,600
Professional and technical services •Photonics
•Quantum computing
•Technology / IT
•Biotechnology
4,800
Total 8,400
Local Sectors
Health Care •Health care 6,000
Construction •Residential and nonresidential construction and trades
•Heavy civil construction
6,400
Arts, entertainment, and recreation •Outdoor industry (ski areas, guide/tour services 1,700
Retail, accommodations and food services •Retail, restaurants, hotels 17,000
Total 31,100
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1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Factor Implications
Strengths/Opportunities
Rapid population and job growth •Market supports investment.
•Need to keep up with housing demand.
Bozeman brand and quality of life •Attracts companies and workers that share that identity.
•May be exacerbating housing costs and inequalities.
Growth in more diverse sectors (professional services, manufacturing)•Bozeman becoming established as a location for knowledge based and high value manufacturing industries.
•Need to ensure current residents have pathways into these careers.
MSU is classified as an R1 Doctoral University (very high research activity), the top research activity classification •Technology transfer and entrepreneurship opportunities from MSU faculty, staff, and graduates.
Weaknesses/Threats
Large portion of jobs in tourism, retail, and food and beverage industries •Lower wages, less economic productivity, mismatch between wages and housing costs.
Rapid increase in housing and real estate costs •Will constrain labor force availability.
•May constrain business expansion or relocation (cost of space).
Education and opportunity gap between white and non-white
population
•Invest in career paths into higher paying jobs.
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1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Comparison Communities
The consultant team and City staff developed a list of
comparison areas to benchmark Bozeman and Gallatin
County against. First, the comparison communities have a
major university. Second, they are communities that
Bozeman competes with for new company site selection.
▪Missoula, MT –in Missoula County, Montana. Missoula has
a population of 76,713 and is the home of the University of
Montana, which has an enrollment of 10,015 students.
Missoula County’s largest employment industries include
Health Care, Retail Trade, and Accommodations and Food
Services.
▪Fort Collins, CO –Located in Larimer County, Colorado.
Fort Collins has a population of 173,035 and is the home of
Colorado State University, which has an enrollment of
32,646 students. Larimer County’s largest employment
industries include Retail Trade, Health Care, and
Accommodations and Food Services.
▪Boulder, CO –Located in Boulder County, Colorado.
Boulder has a population of 105,479 and is the home of the
University of Colorado Boulder, which has an enrollment of
34,975 students. Boulder County’s largest employment
industries include Professional and Technical Services,
Health Care, and Manufacturing.
▪Bend, OR –Located in Deschutes County, Oregon. Bend
has a population of 97,283 and is the home of Oregon State
University–Cascades, which has an enrollment of 1,374
students. Deschutes County’s largest employment
industries include Health Care, Retail Trade, and
Accommodations and Food Services.
▪Ogden, UT –Located in Weber County, Utah. Ogden has a
population of 89,694 and is the home of Weber State
University, which has an enrollment of 29,596 students.
Weber County’s largest employment industries include
Manufacturing, Health Care, and Retail Trade.
▪Boise, ID –Located in Ada County, Idaho. Boise has a
population of 240,333 and is the home of Boise State
University, which has an enrollment of 24,103 students. Ada
County’s largest employment industries include Health
Care, Retail Trade, and Administration and Waste Services.
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Economic & Planning Systems | Bridge Economic Development Bozeman Economic Assessment |7
1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
How do we compare?
Measure* Indicates City only metric; other metrics are County
Bozeman/ Gallatin County Missoula/ Missoula County
Fort Collins/ Larimer County Boulder/ Boulder County Bend/ Deschutes County
Ogden/ Weber County Boise/ Ada County
Population* (2021)51,405 76,713 173,035 105,479 97,283 89,694 240,333
Population Annual Growth Rate (5 years)* (2010-2021)
2.9%1.2%1.6%0.7%2.2%0.7%1.3%
Jobs 59,022 58,735 158,006 179,056 81,429 107,658 250,270
Annual Job Growth Rate (2015-2020)2.5%0.5%1.4%0.7%2.4%1.7%2.9%
Largest 3 industries (2020)Retail Trade
Accomm.Construction
Health Care
Retail Trade Accomm.
Retail Trade
Health CareAccomm.
Prof. & Tech. Svcs.
Health Care Manufacturing
Health Care
Retail Trade Accomm.
Manufacturing Health Care
Retail Trade
Health CareRetail Trade
Admin.& Waste Svcs.
Average Annual Wage (2020)$51,400 $47,469 $58,425 $78,383 $52,936 $46,698 $56,192
Gross Regional Product (Output) per Job (2020)$95,912 $84,341 $117,875 $148,666 $112,162 $98,984 $103,445
% Bachelor’s Degree or Higher* (2019)59%48%55%76%44%21%42%
Median Home Price* (Dec. 2021)$700,000 $517,497 $534,978 $940,000 $683,000 $360,000 $554,933
% White-Non Hispanic / All Other Races* (2019)92% / 8%91% / 9%88% / 12%87% / 13%93% / 7%84% / 16%89% / 11%
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Economic & Planning Systems | Bridge Economic Development Bozeman Economic Assessment |8
2. COMMUNITY PROFILE
Population and Growth Rates
Why we measure
Population growth comes from job growth, in-
migration, and natural increase (births and deaths).
It is a broad indicator of economic vitality, the
appeal of a place, and community change and
evolution. Population growth also drives demand
for housing.
Key Findings
▪Bozeman had the fastest population
growth rate among the comparison
communities, at 2.9% per year. The City
added 14,051 people from 2010-2021.
▪Bend, OR was the second fastest growing
at 2.2% per year.
▪Fort Collins, Boise, and Missoula are
growing at a more moderate pace of
1.2 to 1.6% per year.
▪Bozeman surpassed 50,000 population which is
a threshold that makes the City eligible for new
federal funding sources. The official population
estimates from the US Census Redistricting
process is 53,293.
Description 2010 2021 Total Ann. #Ann. %
Population
Bozeman 37,354 51,405 14,051 1,277 2.9%
Bend 76,652 97,283 20,631 1,876 2.2%
Fort Collins 144,693 173,035 28,342 2,577 1.6%
Boise 208,726 240,333 31,607 2,873 1.3%
Missoula 67,533 76,713 9,180 835 1.2%
Ogden 82,905 89,694 6,789 617 0.7%
Boulder 97,968 105,479 7,511 683 0.7%
Households
Bozeman 15,777 22,051 6,274 570 3.1%
Bend 31,795 40,021 8,226 748 2.1%
Fort Collins 58,113 69,655 11,542 1,049 1.7%
Boise 86,978 102,110 15,132 1,376 1.5%
Missoula 29,406 33,965 4,559 414 1.3%
Ogden 29,667 32,338 2,671 243 0.8%
Boulder 41,522 44,389 2,867 261 0.6%
Source: ESRI; Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016-Demographics.xlsx]T_Pop&HHs_New
2010-2021
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2. COMMUNITY PROFILE
Total Jobs and Growth Rates
Why we measure
Job growth is an indicator of the strength of an
economy. Jobs are created from the growth of
existing businesses, and new business
formation and entrepreneurship.
The best employment data is only available at
the county level. Most of the economic analysis
that follows is for the counties in which the
comparison communities are located.
Key Findings
▪Jobs in Gallatin County grew at a 2.5%
annual rate, the second-highest of the
comparison areas. The County added nearly
7,000 jobs between 2015 and 2020.
▪Population in Gallatin County is growing
faster than jobs. Possible explanations
include:
–In-migration is not tied to a local job (e.g.,
remote workers, retirees)
–Jobs of new residents are recorded
elsewhere
▪Ada County (Boise) had the fastest job
growth at 2.9% per year. Deschutes County
(Bend) was slightly behind Bozeman at 2.4%
per year.
Description County 2015 2020 Total Ann. #Ann. %
Total, All Industries
Boise Ada 216,678 250,270 33,592 6,718 2.9%
Bozeman Gallatin 52,059 59,022 6,963 1,393 2.5%
Bend Deschutes 72,423 81,429 9,006 1,801 2.4%
Ogden Weber 98,729 107,658 8,929 1,786 1.7%
Fort Collins Larimer 147,455 158,006 10,551 2,110 1.4%
Boulder Boulder 172,735 179,056 6,321 1,264 0.7%
Missoula Missoula 57,337 58,735 1,398 280 0.5%
Source: QCEW; Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016-QCEW.xlsx]T-All_TotalGrowth
2015-2020
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2. COMMUNITY PROFILE
Universities
Universities are centers of research and innovation. They spin
off entrepreneurs, technology, and ideas that support jobs
and innovation in the local economy. Universities are also
major employers on their own. The student population also
influences the housing and retail markets in their host
communities.
Research Classification
There are 146 institutions classified as “R1: Doctoral
Universities –Very High Research Activity” as of 2021. This
status indicates a high level of research activity per capita. Of
the peer communities, only Montana State University,
University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, and
the University of Montana share this status.
`
Description Boulder Ogden Bozeman Fort Collins Missoula Boise Bend
Major Colleges/Universities University of
Colorado
Weber State
University
Montana State
University
Colorado State
University
University of
Montana
Boise State
University
Oregon State
University
Research Classification
R1-Very High
Research
Activity
---R1-Very High
Research
Activity
R1-Very High
Research
Activity
R1-Very High
Research
Activity
R2-High
Research
Activity
---
Enrollment (Fall 2020)34,975 29,596 16,249 32,646 10,015 24,103 1,374
% of Total Population 33.2%33.0%31.6%18.9%13.1%10.0%1.4%
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016-Demographics.xlsx]T-University 61
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3. ECONOMY
Jobs by Industry, 2020
Why we measure
The types of jobs in an economy influence demographic
factors such as household income and education levels.
Available job types affect economic mobility and career
opportunities as well. The economic mix also affects the
built environment and real estate markets –the types of
buildings and housing that are in demand.
Key Findings
▪The largest industries in Bozeman and Gallatin
County are:
–Retail trade
–Hotels and restaurants
–Construction
–Health care
–Professional and technical services
–Manufacturing
▪Greater Bozeman is a gateway to Yellowstone
National Park and other outdoor recreation assets
that attract national and international visitors.
Tourism and retail sectors are therefore a large part
of the economy.
▪Note: these figures are private wage and salary jobs
and do not include state and federal government or
MSU jobs. State and local government employs
approximately 10,700 people in Gallatin County
including about 4,200 faculty and staff at MSU.
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3. ECONOMY
Definitions: Traded and Local
Sectors
Traded Sector
Traded sectors export goods and services and bring
new money into the economy. This injection of new
money helps support local traded sector businesses.
Traded sector jobs also tend to have higher wages and
larger multiplier effects (spinoff or indirect impacts)
than local sectors. Manufacturing and knowledge-
based industries are among the traded sectors in the
Gallatin Valley.
Local Sectors
Local sectors are generally goods and services needed
by local residents. Local sectors include retail stores,
restaurants, health care, personal care services, and
repair and maintenance services. There are
entrepreneurship and business ownership
opportunities in many local sectors with lower barriers
to entry compared to traded sectors, making them a
good “on ramp” for opportunity. Local sectors tend to
have lower wages in comparison to traded sectors.
Role of Tourism
Since tourism is an important part of the economy,
some local sectors are also exports because they serve
visitors and second homeowners. These include hotels,
restaurants and retail, property management,
construction, and outdoor recreation.
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3. ECONOMY
Change in Jobs 2015-2020
Why we measure
The change in jobs by industry is a forward-looking
indicator of where the economy is trending. These
data can inform strategies on which industries to
support for growth or to prevent or manage decline.
Key Findings
▪Construction is booming as Greater Bozeman
grows and major resort projects are underway in
Big Sky.
▪Professional and technical services had the most
growth outside of construction. This is a
significant change and shows that companies in
Greater Bozeman are expanding, and new firms
are being formed or attracted. The area is
attracting knowledge-based companies and
workers.
▪Manufacturing also had significant growth which
is rare in small metro areas. Manufacturing is a
diverse and important sector in Greater
Bozeman.
▪Health care also grew significantly, which is
consistent with national trends. People are living
longer, more people have health insurance, and
the large baby boomer population is aging and
increasing health care demand.
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3. ECONOMY
Location Quotients
Why we measure
A location quotient (LQ) measures the concentration of
an industry in an area compared to the U.S. It is a ratio
calculated as the percentage of jobs in the analysis area
divided by the percentage in the U.S. From this we can
compare the concentrations of industries across different
areas and asses local industry strengths or specializations.
How to interpret: “Construction jobs in Gallatin County
are 2.09 times more concentrated than the U.S. average.”
Key Findings
▪Bozeman has lower concentrations in most traded
sectors than the comparison communities and higher
concentrations in local sectors.
▪As larger cities/metros, Boulder and Boise have more
diverse economies.
▪Boulder and Boise/Ada County have higher
concentrations of jobs in knowledge and financial
industries.
▪Ogden, UT/Weber County has more than twice the
manufacturing concentration than Bozeman
(aerospace, defense, outdoor products, advanced
materials)
▪Boulder and Fort Collins also have higher
concentrations of manufacturing at 1.29 and 1.02.
Bozeman/Gallatin Highest
Industry Location Quotient Concentration
Traded Sectors
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1.33 Corvallis/Benton 3.21
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 0.82 Bozeman/Gallatin 0.82
Information 0.63 Boise/Ada 1.14
Management of companies and enterprises 0.24 Boise/Ada 1.05
Professional and technical services 1.20 Boulder/Boulder 2.47
Wholesale trade 0.76 Boise/Ada 1.22
Manufacturing 0.70 Ogden/Weber 1.61
Transportation and warehousing 0.55 Boise/Ada 0.70
Finance and insurance 0.63 Boise/Ada 1.14
Local Sectors
Utilities 0.50 Boise/Ada 1.03
Construction 2.09 Bozeman/Gallatin 2.09
Retail trade 1.31 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.31
Real estate and rental and leasing 1.30 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.30
Administrative and waste services 0.62 Boise/Ada 1.38
Educational services 0.72 Boulder/Boulder 0.79
Health care and social assistance 0.72 Missoula/Missoula 1.22
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 1.99 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.99
Accommodation and food services 1.47 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.47
Other services, except public administration 1.39 Missoula/Missoula 1.57
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016-QCEW.xlsx]T-LQ vs Peers 65
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3. ECONOMY
Wages by Industry
Why we measure
The wage earned by a worker translates directly
to their income, ability to support family
members, pay for housing, and invest in
education and/or retirement. Wages in an
industry are also an indicator of the value
creation and worker skills in that industry.
Higher paying jobs typically require more
education and training, which can be a barrier
to low-income populations and people of color.
Key Findings
▪There are more jobs with lower wages than
there are with higher wages, which is a
typical pattern.
▪Tourism and local sectors have lower wages
than traded or economic base sectors.
▪The average wage in retail is $40,100
($19.27/hr) and $26,600 ($12.78) in hotel and
restaurant jobs (not including tips).
▪In comparison, the average annual wage for
professional and technical services is $79,200
($38.08/hr).
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3. ECONOMY
Change in Wages by Industry
Why we measure
At the industry level wages change due to a
variety of factors such as competition for workers
and talent (labor supply) and changes in the mix
of companies and products within an industry.
Key Findings
▪Greater Bozeman has experienced strong
wage growth likely due to a tight labor supply
and rising cost of a living. Wages grew at an
average of 5.4% per year.
▪Some of the highest wage growth was in
information, finance/insurance, and
professional and technical services. This
suggests that:
–There is competition for talent
–Bozeman is attracting higher value service
firms and employees
–The economy is evolving and producing
higher value services and products
▪Local and tourism sectors also had strong
wage growth indicating a tight supply of labor
and more leverage for workers to command
higher wages.
Industry 2015 2020 % Change Growth Rate % of Jobs
Economic Base/Traded Sectors
Ag./Forest/Hunting $33,800 $46,300 37.0%6.5%1.5%
Mining $74,900 $86,500 15.5%2.9%0.3%
Utilities D D D D 0.0%
Manufacturing $41,500 $53,500 28.9%5.2%7.1%
Wholesale Trade $56,100 $68,100 21.4%4.0%3.4%
Transport./Warehousing $33,500 $45,200 34.9%6.2%2.5%
Information $56,500 $82,400 45.8%7.8%1.3%
Finance/Insurance $63,400 $89,800 41.6%7.2%3.1%
Prof. & Tech Services $66,700 $87,500 31.2%5.6%9.2%
Mgmt. of Companies $60,100 $74,700 24.3%4.4%0.4%
Admin/Waste Mgmt $32,400 $39,000 20.4%3.8%4.4%
Subtotal 33.3%
Local Sectors
Construction $46,900 $59,900 27.7%5.0%12.4%
Retail Trade $29,300 $38,000 29.7%5.3%16.2%
Real Estate $34,800 $50,900 46.3%7.9%2.4%
Education $25,900 $36,000 39.0%6.8%1.7%
Health Care $44,900 $56,100 24.9%4.6%11.8%
Arts/Rec $25,800 $28,700 11.2%2.2%3.0%
Hotel/Restaurant $18,300 $24,300 32.8%5.8%14.8%
Other $30,100 $39,400 30.9%5.5%4.5%
Subtotal 66.7%
Overall Averages $39,600 $51,400 29.8%5.4%100.0%
Note: "D" indicates not disclosed for privacy requirements.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW; Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[213051-City County 2dig NAICS Employment Data_10-01-21.xlsx]T-2015-2021Wages
Change in WagesWages
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3. ECONOMY
Unemployment Rate
Why we measure
The unemployment rate measures the supply and demand
relationship between employers and workers. When
unemployment is high, there are not enough jobs for people
in the labor force and visa versa. It is another good indicator
of the health of an economy. However low unemployment is
an indicator of labor shortages and can lead to inflation and
constrain business growth.
Key Findings
▪Unemployment rates are at historic lows nationally due to
a drop in labor force participation related to the
Pandemic.
▪Bozeman has the lowest unemployment rate of the
comparison communities at 1.1%, which is not sustainable.
Economists generally view a “healthy” unemployment
rate as 4.0 to 5.0%.
▪The unemployment rate is expected to rise if more people
reenter the labor force as the pandemic stabilizes, and if
wages increase to create enough incentive.
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3. ECONOMY
Gross Regional Product (GRP)
per Job
Why we measure
Gross Regional Product (GRP) is the local or regional
equivalent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). GRP is the
value of all goods and services produced in an economy. GRP
per job is a measure of the productivity of the labor force and
firms in the economy –the value of the output created from
each worker.
Key Findings
▪Boulder, CO has the most productive economy with
nearly $150,000 in annual output per worker, followed by
Fort Collins, CO at $118,000.
▪Bozeman and Gallatin County are at the lower end of the
spectrum of the comparison communities due to the
higher concentration of tourism and local serving jobs.
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3. ECONOMY
Technology Transfer Awards
Why we measure
The Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) and Small Business Technology
Transfer (STTR) programs are highly
competitive federal research funds designed
to stimulate R&D and technological
innovation for small businesses. STTR/SBIR
programs and funding are an indicator of
innovation among small businesses in
communities.
Key Findings
▪Boulder, CO was awarded the most SBIR
and STTR funding, with $242 million, or
$4,009 per employee since 2015.
▪Bozeman received the second-most
funding per employee of the peer
communities.
▪Bozeman has a large concentration of
R&D and tech-centric businesses that are
catalyzed by MSU’s Tech Transfer Office
and MilTech, which help commercialize
and provide a gateway for industry
partners to access MSU technology.
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4. INDUSTRY CLUSTERS
Definition
Industry clusters are groups of similar and
related businesses that share common
markets, technologies, worker skill needs,
and that are often linked by buyer-seller
relationships. Industry clusters represent
distinct qualities of a community and help
define what makes one community
different from another.
As they convey distinct qualities, it is
important to be specific in the definition of
a cluster. For example, rather than
promoting “high-tech,” a community
should focus on “software or photonics” to
convey the type of product being
manufactured and its unique workforce
and supply chain needs.
The Economic Development Strategy is
likely to recommend a focus on traded
sector industries in terms of the City’s role
and investment of resources. Traded
sectors industries have higher wages and
greater economic impact than local
sectors.
The table shows the industry sectors
according to the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS) that align
with the specific industry clusters.
Industry Sector (NAICS)Industry Cluster Private Wage and
Salary Jobs (Gallatin County)
Traded Sectors
Manufacturing •Photonics
•Outdoor equipment and
clothing
•Biotechnology
•Niche manufacturing
3,600
Professional and technical services •Photonics
•Quantum computing
•Technology / IT
•Biotechnology
4,800
Total 8,400
Local Sectors
Health Care •Health care 6,000
Construction •Residential and nonresidential construction and trades
•Heavy civil construction
6,400
Arts, entertainment, and recreation •Outdoor industry (ski areas, guide/tour services 1,700
Retail, accommodations and food services •Retail, restaurants, hotels 17,000
Total 31,100
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4. INDUSTRY CLUSTERS
Traded Sector Industry Clusters
▪Photonics –The science and technology of generating, detecting, and
controlling light. It has numerous everyday consumer and industrial
applications. Photonics companies were created from MSU grads and
related R&D programs. There are at least 35 companies and 800 jobs in
Photonics.
▪Biotechnology –Biotechnology includes medical and drug research
and manufacturing. The cluster is oriented around MSU R&D and
numerous startup companies in the Gallatin Valley. The area’s strength
is in the R&D, trial, and identifying commercial use stages of biotech.
▪Quantum computing –Quantum computing uses atomic motion to
perform computing operations. It is a major national security and
technology priority. MSU has received $20M in federal grants to expand
quantum research. There are relationships with the local photonics
cluster in quantum research as well.
▪Technology / IT –The Gallatin Valley has a thriving and growing
segment of technology (programming and information technology)
companies stemming from spinoffs from RightNow Technologies,
Oracle, and Bozeman’s quality of life that attracts startup entrepreneurs
and venture capital.
▪Outdoor equipment –Bozeman is known throughout the U.S. as an
outdoor recreation destination. It also attracts Outdoor companies that
capitalize on the Bozeman brand and identity. Companies such as
Simms Fishing, Oboz Shoes, Mystery Ranch (formerly Dana Design),
Spark R&D and numerous smaller companies are in the Gallatin Valley.
▪Manufacturing and niche products –Manufacturing is a diverse sector
in the Gallatin Valley. Products made here include electronic
components, metal products, musical instruments, food and
beverages, and wood products and building materials.
▪Creative Arts –Sectors whose goods and services are based on
intellectual property. Individual creativity is the main source of value
and cause of a transaction. The creative arts industry cluster for Gallatin
Valley includes the following sectors: publishing; advertising and
marketing; film, TV; and photography; design; and performing arts.72
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5. ECONOMIC EQUITY
Self Sufficiency Wage
Why we measure
The federal poverty definition only accounts for a basic food
budget and does not include other costs such as childcare
and housing. The MIT Living Wage calculator estimates the
wage needed for a household to afford food, childcare,
health insurance, housing, transportation, and basic
necessities (clothing, hygiene items). As stated in its
definitions, the “living wage is the minimum income
standard that, if met, draws a very fine line between the
financial independence of the working poor and the need to
seek out public assistance or suffer consistent and severe
housing and food insecurity.”
The MIT Living Wage calculator estimates the living
wage in Gallatin County at $21.68 for a family of four
with two working adults and two children. The chart
shows the percentage of jobs in each county that
are above the self sufficiency wage.
Key Findings
Due to the high cost of housing and large concentration of
tourism and local sector jobs, Bozeman and Gallatin County
are at the bottom of the comparison communities with the
lowest percentage of jobs above the self sufficiency
threshold.
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5. ECONOMIC EQUITY
Race and Ethnicity
Why we measure
Looking at the racial composition of a place helps us
evaluated the presence of disparities in economic
opportunity by race. There are persistent gaps between
income, wealth, and education between non-Hispanic
whites and people of color and white Hispanic and
Latinx people.
Key Findings
The white non-Hispanic population comprises 92% of the
population of Bozeman, which is similar to most of the
comparison communities. Larger cities within larger metro
areas such as Ogden and Boulder have slightly more
diverse populations.
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5. ECONOMIC EQUITY
Business Owner Demographics
Why we measure
Looking at the racial composition of business owners helps
to further evaluate the presence of disparities in economic
opportunity and wealth building by race.
Key Findings
From the data, there do not appear to be significant
differences between the racial and ethnic composition of
business owners and the overall population in Bozeman or
in the comparison communities.
A caveat is that there is a margin of error in these data, and
people of color may be underrepresented in Census data.
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5. ECONOMIC EQUITY
Educational Attainment
Why we measure
Comparing the level of education achieved to the overall
population is another indicator of disparities in economic
opportunity and wealth building.
Key Findings
Boulder is the most highly educated community. Bozeman
and Fort Collins have similar levels of education with about
60% of the population having a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
Ogden, Utah has the lowest levels of education.
There are differences in educational attainment by race and
ethnicity in each community. Boulder, Bozeman, and Fort
Collins have the highest educational disparities. In Boulder,
white non-Hispanics are about 1.44 times more likely to have
a college degree or higher and 1.36 times more likely in
Bozeman.
The disparity in educational attainment is partly explained by
the presence of large universities, particularly in Boulder,
Bozeman, and Fort Collins. The predominately white faculty
in each case increases the number of white advanced
degree holders in the community.
DI: Disparity Index
(%White Non-Hispanic/% All Other)
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5. ECONOMIC EQUITY
Housing Costs and Access
Why we measure
Housing costs are a large factor in quality of
life, access to home ownership, wealth
building, and labor force attraction and
retention. High housing costs and low supply
can constrain economic growth when the
labor force cannot find adequate housing. A
person or household is “cost burdened” when
they are paying more than 30% of their
income towards rent or mortgage payments.
Key Findings
In Bozeman, 54% or renters are cost
burdened making it the third most
unaffordable city for renters of the
comparison communities. Boulder and Fort
Collins are even less affordable for renters
while Boise and Ogden are more affordable
with a lower percentage of cost burdened
renters and owners.
Bozeman has the second highest median
home price at about $700,000, second only to
Boulder at $940,000. Home prices in
Bozeman have increased at alarming rates
due to strong job and in-migration of wealth,
and a housing supply that has not kept up.
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5. ECONOMIC EQUITY
Relating Wages to Home Prices
Why we measure
Wages are the primary source of household income for
working people. In a balanced housing market, home prices
are related to wages and local household incomes. Bozeman
however has a complex housing market influenced by the
influx of remote workers, second homeowners, early retirees,
and a smaller pool of builders than larger metro area
markets. The supply has not been able to keep up with
demand as exhibited by the rapidly rising home prices.
These influences have detached home prices from local
wages.
Key Findings
Towards the end of 2021, the median home price in the city
was about $700,000, which required an annual income of
approximately $162,000 to afford and is 220% of area median
income (AMI). The table on the next page shows average
wages for each major industry. For a household with one
earner, the average wage is equivalent to the household
income. The table also shows the household income if there
are 1.5 (one full one half time) or 2.0 workers in the household
earning the same wage.
The green shaded cells show the incomes and industries
that pay enough to afford the median home price. Only in
the highest paying industries with two earners is the median
home price affordable.
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5. ECONOMIC EQUITY
Relating Wages to Home Prices
Income needed to afford $700,000: $162,000 (220% of AMI
Description Ann. Income % AMI Ann. Income % AMI Ann. Income % AMI
Area Median Income $62,250 $88,900 $88,900
1-person household 4-person household 4-person household
Traded Sectors
Ag./Forest/Hunting $46,300 74.4%$69,450 78.1%$92,600 104.2%
Mining $86,500 139.0%$129,750 146.0%$173,000 194.6%
Utilities D N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Manufacturing $53,500 85.9%$80,250 90.3%$107,000 120.4%
Wholesale Trade $68,100 109.4%$102,150 114.9%$136,200 153.2%
Transport./Warehousing $45,200 72.6%$67,800 76.3%$90,400 101.7%
Information $82,400 132.4%$123,600 139.0%$164,800 185.4%
Finance/Insurance $89,800 144.3%$134,700 151.5%$179,600 202.0%
Prof. & Tech Services $87,500 140.6%$131,250 147.6%$175,000 196.9%
Mgmt. of Companies $74,700 120.0%$112,050 126.0%$149,400 168.1%
Admin/Waste Mgmt $39,000 62.7%$58,500 65.8%$78,000 87.7%
Local Sectors
Construction $59,900 96.2%$89,850 101.1%$119,800 134.8%
Retail Trade $38,000 61.0%$57,000 64.1%$76,000 85.5%
Real Estate $50,900 81.8%$76,350 85.9%$101,800 114.5%
Education $36,000 57.8%$54,000 60.7%$72,000 81.0%
Health Care $56,100 90.1%$84,150 94.7%$112,200 126.2%
Arts/Rec $28,700 46.1%$43,050 48.4%$57,400 64.6%
Hotel/Restaurant $24,300 39.0%$36,450 41.0%$48,600 54.7%
Other $39,400 63.3%$59,100 66.5%$78,800 88.6%
Public Admin D N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Unclassified D N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
Z:\Shared\Projects\DEN\223016-Bozeman MT Economic Development Strategy\Data\[223016-Self Sufficiency Wages.xlsx]T-AMISector
1-Earner
1-Person Household
1.5-Earner
4-Person Household
2-Earner
4-Person Household
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APPENDIX
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APPENDIX: BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
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APPENDIX: PHOTONICS COMPANIES
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APPENDIX: SOFTWARE COMPANIES
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APPENDIX: DETAILED LOCATION QUOTIENTS
Bozeman Boulder Boise Corvallis Bend Fort Collins Missoula Ogden Highest Location
Industry Gallatin Boulder Ada Benton Deschutes Larimer Missoula Weber Concentration Quotient
Traded Sectors
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1.33 0.38 0.33 3.21 1.12 0.67 1.00 0.43 Corvallis/Benton 3.21
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 0.82 0.25 0.17 0.14 0.21 0.79 0.15 0.10 Bozeman/Gallatin 0.82
Information 0.63 0.53 1.14 0.44 0.59 0.49 0.80 1.09 Boise/Ada 1.14
Management of companies and enterprises 0.24 0.54 1.05 0.00 0.73 0.39 0.26 0.24 Boise/Ada 1.05
Professional and technical services 1.20 2.47 1.01 0.92 0.83 1.04 0.91 0.67 Boulder/Boulder 2.47
Wholesale trade 0.76 0.90 1.22 0.00 0.66 0.81 0.85 0.90 Boise/Ada 1.22
Manufacturing 0.70 1.29 0.78 0.91 0.75 1.02 0.47 1.61 Ogden/Weber 1.61
Transportation and warehousing 0.55 0.23 0.70 0.31 0.56 0.57 0.00 0.55 Boise/Ada 0.70
Finance and insurance 0.63 0.53 1.14 0.44 0.59 0.49 0.80 1.09 Boise/Ada 1.14
Local Sectors
Utilities 0.50 0.33 1.03 0.00 1.02 0.45 0.00 0.49 Boise/Ada 1.03
Construction 2.09 0.58 1.39 0.66 1.66 1.35 1.19 1.34 Bozeman/Gallatin 2.09
Retail trade 1.31 0.87 1.05 0.93 1.31 1.10 1.28 1.08 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.31
Real estate and rental and leasing 1.30 0.94 0.95 0.76 1.04 1.24 1.00 0.57 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.30
Administrative and waste services 0.62 0.56 1.38 0.00 0.90 0.81 0.78 1.18 Boise/Ada 1.38
Educational services 0.72 0.79 0.53 0.61 0.62 0.53 0.47 0.66 Boulder/Boulder 0.79
Health care and social assistance 0.72 0.86 1.05 1.21 1.18 0.73 1.22 0.88 Missoula/Missoula 1.22
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 1.99 1.16 1.46 0.78 1.80 1.13 1.66 1.08 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.99
Accommodation and food services 1.47 0.94 1.02 1.05 1.42 1.21 1.28 0.85 Bozeman/Gallatin 1.47
Other services, except public administration 1.39 0.95 0.96 1.32 1.27 1.04 1.57 0.79 Missoula/Missoula 1.57
Source: Economic & Planning Systems
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APPENDIX: INDUSTRY DETAIL
MANUFACTURING
3 Digit NAICS Industry Name Sector Total
(Disclosable)
% Total LQ vs. U.S.Avg. Ann.
Wage
Includes
Photonics?
Description
Total Private Wage & Salary Jobs 50,672
Total Manufacturing Sector 3,598 7.1%0.70
339 Miscellaneous Manufacturing 532 1.0%2.16 $55,574 Medical equip, sporting goods, musical instr.
334 Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing 402 0.8%0.90 $88,788 Y Computer, electronic, instrumentation, measuring/controlling, photonics
332 Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 391 0.8%0.67 $48,961 Forging, stamping, bending, forming, and machining
312 Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing 367 0.7%3.16 $30,203 Breweries, distilleries, etc.
327 Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 290 0.6%1.72 $63,779 Stone, tile, cement products
326 Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing 257 0.5%0.87 $43,929 Plastic containers, hardware, plumbing
311 Food Manufacturing 248 0.5%0.37 $36,480 Bakeries, coffee, tea, dairy products
336 Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 150 0.3%0.22 $58,928 Boats, trailers, vehicle parts
337 Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing 144 0.3%0.94 $44,262 Furniture, cabinetry
335 Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component
Manufacturing
114 0.2%0.71 $59,485 Y Lighting, electrical, communications, appliances
323 Printing and Related Support Activities 99 0.2%0.62 $38,849 Y Printing, data imaging
314 Textile Product Mills 93 0.2%2.18 $32,668 Textile manufacturing
333 Machinery Manufacturing 88 0.2%0.20 $73,874 Y Optical instruments and lenses, photographic equipment, commercial
laundry and dry-cleaning machinery, office machinery, automotive
maintenance equipment (except mechanics' hand tools), and
commercial-type cooking equipment
321 Wood Product Manufacturing 81 0.2%0.48 $49,465 Wood bldg. materials, manufactured structures
315 Apparel Manufacturing 5 0.0%0.13 $32,572 Apparel
316 Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing 4 0.0%0.39 $18,653 Leather products
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Economic & Planning Systems
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APPENDIX: INDUSTRY DETAIL
PROFESSIONAL & TECHNICAL SERVICES
4 Digit NAICS Industry Name Sector Total
(Disclosable)
% Total LQ vs. U.S.Avg. Ann.
Wage
Includes
Photonics?
Description
Total Private Wage & Salary Jobs 50,672
Total Prof. & Tech. Svcs. Sector 4,828 9.5%1.20
5415 Computer Systems Design and
Related Services
1,346 2.7%1.44 $141,037 Programming, IT
5413 Architectural, Engineering, and
Related Services
1,094 2.2%1.72 $71,547
5416 Management, Scientific, and
Technical Consulting Services
618 1.2%0.95 $71,652 Environmental, management, administrative,
other scientific consulting
5412 Accounting, Tax Preparation,
Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services
449 0.9%1.04 $53,752
5419 Other Professional, Scientific, and
Technical Services
424 0.8%1.35 $40,502 Marketing, photography, veterinary, other
5417 Scientific Research and
Development Services
337 0.7%1.04 $94,689 Y R&D in life and social sciences.
5411 Legal Services 327 0.6%0.68 $68,183
5418 Advertising, Public Relations, and
Related Services
133 0.3%0.71 $60,349
5414 Specialized Design Services 100 0.2%1.78 $60,754 Y Specialized design except architectural,
engineering, and computer systems design
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Economic & Planning Systems
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APPENDIX: INDUSTRY DETAIL
CONSTRUCTION
3 Digit NAICS Industry Name Sector Total
(Disclosable)
% Total LQ vs. U.S.Avg. Ann.
Wage
Description
Total Private Wage & Salary Jobs 50,672
Total Construction Sector 6,401 12.6%2.09
237 Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 659 1.3%1.50 $101,284 Roads, infrastructure
236 Construction of Buildings 1,837 3.6%2.72 $59,216 Residential and nonresidential buildings
238 Specialty Trade Contractors 3,906 7.7%2.01 $53,269 Concrete, site preparation, plumbing,
painting, and electrical
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Economic & Planning Systems
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APPENDIX: INDUSTRY DETAIL
TOURISM, RETAIL, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION
3 Digit NAICS Industry Name Sector Total
(Disclosable)
% Total LQ vs. U.S.Avg. Annual
Wage
Description
Total Private Wage & Salary Jobs 50,672
Retail 3,598 7.1%1.31 Retail stores
Recreation 1,819 3.6%1.99 Recreation businesses including ski areas
Accommodations & Food Services 8,190 16.2%1.47 Hotels and restaurants
Cluster Total 13,607 26.9%
Retail
445 Food and beverage stores 1,541 3.0%1.18 $31,786
444 Building material and garden supply stores 1,193 2.4%2.08 $45,429
452 General merchandise stores 1,107 2.2%0.89 $32,580
441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers 1,036 2.0%1.29 $60,870
453 Miscellaneous store retailers 784 1.5%2.52 $31,388
451 Sports, hobby, music instrument, book stores 674 1.3%3.37 $23,189
447 Gasoline stations 541 1.1%1.39 $25,669
442 Furniture and home furnishings stores 392 0.8%2.26 $49,206
448 Clothing and clothing accessories stores 341 0.7%0.83 $25,758
446 Health and personal care stores 250 0.5%0.61 $34,298
454 Nonstore retailers 221 0.4%0.89 $60,018
443 Electronics and appliance stores 110 0.2%0.59 $43,276
Recreation, Hotels, Restaurants
722 Food services and drinking places 5,054 10.0%1.23 $20,992
721 Accommodation 1,857 3.7%3.13 $33,408
713 Amusements, gambling, and recreation 1,216 2.4%2.27 $26,058 Includes ski areas
711 Performing arts and spectator sports 124 0.2%0.88 $36,767
712 Museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks 116 0.2%---$45,924
712 Museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks 116 0.2%---$45,924
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Economic & Planning Systems
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APPENDIX: INDUSTRY DETAIL
CREATIVE ARTS
Industry 3 Digit
NAICS
NAICS Description Private
Total
Establish-
ments
% of
Disclosable
Total
LQ vs. U.S.Avg. Ann.
Wage
Hourly on
2080 Hours
Total Private Wage & Salary Jobs 50,672 100.00%
Publishing 323 Printing and related support activities 99 9 0.20%0.62 $38,849 $18.68
Film/TV/Media 512 Motion picture and sound recording industries 73 70 0.14%0.58 $43,148 $20.74
5418 Advertising, pr, and related services 133 40 0.26%0.71 $60,349 $29.01
54192 Photographic services 24 32 0.05%1.60 $37,168 $17.87
Design 5419 Other professional and technical services 424 83 0.84%1.35 $40,502 $19.47
5414 Specialized design services 100 43 0.20%1.78 $60,754 $29.21
Performing Arts 711 Performing arts and spectator sports 124 46 0.24%0.88 $36,767 $17.68
7111 Performing arts companies 35 8 0.07%1.06 $18,147 $8.72
All other Performing arts and spectator sports 89 38 0.18%---------
Museums and Galleries 1 712 Museums, non-retail galleries, historical sites, and similar institutions 127 10 0.25%1.96 $49,504 $23.80
Total Creative Cluster 1,104 333 2.18%$41,241 $19.83
1 Museums and Galleries includes publicly owned facilities such as Museum of the Rockies housed at MSU which skews wages upward.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Economic & Planning Systems
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ATTACHMENT B
90
1 - 2 yr 3 - 4 yr 5 yr Priority Outcome Metric (how to measure)Lead Org Partners
x More small business
owners access programs
Number of new businesses
accessing services
City of
Bozeman
Prospera,
NRMEDD,
Chamber, DBP
x Small businesses are more
likely to succeed and grow
Resource guide is created
and maintained annually.
City of
Bozeman
Prospera,
NRMEDD,
Chamber, DBP
x More small businesses are
started or grown
Capital and technical
services are provided to
under-represented
businesses at no or low cost
City of
Bozeman
Prospera,
NRMEDD, MOFI
x Remove barriers to starting
a new business
Roundtable is created and
provides recommendations
City of
Bozeman Small businesses
1 - 2 yr 3 - 4 yr 5 yr Priority Outcome Metric (how to measure)Lead Org*Partners**
x More affordable child care
opportunities are available Statute(s) amended City of
Bozeman MLCT/MACO
x More affordable child care
opportunities are available
An increase in day care
providers
City of
Bozeman MLCT/MACO
x
Build awareness of future
career opportunities to
access living wage jobs
High-school graduation and
dropout rate, including under-
represented students
Belgrade and
Bozeman
School District
Gallatin College
and MSU
EVS ACTION MATRIX
Staff time
Progress Check-in
Notes and/or Potential
Resources
A. Convene providers to map the various programs
available for different business sizes and types to 1) better
communicate available resources and 2) determine gaps
in service provision.
C. Convene service providers to determine if there is an
opportunity to start a microenterprise service for under-
represented businesses. Build off culture and concept of
Women Business Center that provides a welcoming safe
space for a specific group.
Objective 1.2: Provide comprehensive and coordinated skills development starting with child care through middle school and higher-ed
Action
A. Explore opportunities to amend Montana statute(s) to
allow HOAs to permit in-home child care.
Notes and/or Potential
Resources
Tie to proposed business,
retention and expansion (BRE)
program identified in Action 2.1.G
Seed funding can come from
Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG). MESO of Oregon
should be considered as a best
case example.
https://www.mesopdx.org/
Action
GOAL 1: PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR GALLATIN VALLEY RESIDENTS
Objective 1.1: Enhance the small business development ecosystem
Staff time
C. Engage middle school students (6-8 grades),
teachers and administrators in STEAM career opportunity
conversations.
Specifically consider rural
communities.
D. Develop a business services roundtable comprised
of underrepresented business owners and employees, to
advise the City of Bozeman on its business friendliness
for small businesses especially owned by under-
represented individuals.
Staff time
B. Create a resource guide outlining available programs
and contact information.
B. Elevate the issue of child care as critical
infrastructure to support workforce development and
promote equitable early education opportunities for under-
represented communities.
Staff time
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 1 of 8 91
x
Enhance early skills
development to prepare for
higher-education
opportunities
New programs identified and
implemented Gallatin College
MSU, Belgrade and
Bozeman School
District
Superintendents
x
Increase job opportunities,
particularly for under-
represented individuals,
within these industries
Report number of jobs within
the industries and percentage
of under-represented hires
Gallatin College
and MSU
Belgrade and
Bozeman School
District CTE
Program Director
x Increase youth mental
health and career skills
Number of programs and
students attending
Arts Industry
Council (AIC)
Belgrade and
Bozeman School
Districts, City of
Bozeman
1 - 2 yr 3 - 4 yr 5 yr Priority Outcome Metric (how to measure)Lead Org*Partners**
x Increase participation of
rural residents
Number of completed
certifications
City of
Bozeman
MSU Extension
Center
x
Increase job opportunities
and improve energy
efficiency of building stock.
Number of skilled HVAC
construction workers in
Gallatin Valley
Gallatin College City of Bozeman
x
Increase opportunities to
start small businesses and
build wealth
Number of people attending
classes
City of
Bozeman
Local EDOs and
language training
providers
Specifically focus on programs for
jobs in high demand with good
wages and fewer years of
education requirements.
Notes and/or Potential
Resources
D. Evaluate gaps and needs with partnerships between
Gallatin Valley’s high schools and higher education
leaders and industry to identify and develop opportunities
for intentional engagement of students.
E. Communicate to 9-12 students opportunities with
existing Gallatin College programs pertaining to
manufacturing, health care, and cyber-security
Organizations are already
meeting and anticipate draft
direction in October
Staff time
F. Support youth art programs that promote mental
health and encourage creative thinking
Staff time and grants (potentially
Montana Arts or NEA) to fund
program
Objective 1.3: Improve access to career opportunities for local and surrounding rural residents
A. Promote Montana State University's new Extension
Center Master Remote Work Professional Certification
that provides training for rural residents.
Action
B. Create and support specific workforce development
programs in building sciences (construction trades)
specializing in green technology. Specifically, consider
programs in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
(HVAC) systems, to provide the workers needed to
improve the efficiency of existing and future building
stock.
Increasing the amount of this
skilled workforce directly supports
necessary actions to address
climate change.
C. Develop virtual small business development
programs for rural residents and those that speak English
as a second language
These programs are currently
available through MESO and
could be developed locally with
new microenterprise program.
World Language Initiative may
provide services as well.
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 2 of 8 92
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x Continued university R&D
in quantum computing Enhanced research funding MSU and MSU
IC
City of Bozeman
and local EDOs
x
Supply chain study to
define the types of
companies needed to
support this new industry
within Gallatin Valley
Study is complete and shared
with economic development
community.
MSU VP of
Research and
Graduate
City of Bozeman
and local EDOs
x
Private business can share
equipment for testing and
collaborate to foster
innovation.
Incubator is established.City of
Bozeman
NRMEDD, MSU IC,
MSU TTO
x
New biotechnology
companies are started or
attracted
Biotech lab space is created.City of
Bozeman
Biotech
Association, MSUs
TTO, and Local
EDOs
x
Understand barriers and
opportunities specific to
manufacturing to help them
stay and grow.
Program is defined with
identified number of
businesses that will be
visited.
City of
Bozeman
NRMEDD,
Prospera
x
Articulate competative
advantage for Montana to
support the semiconductor
industry
Grant application submitted MSU
City of Bozeman,
NRMEDD,
Prospera
E. Develop a formal business, retention and expansion
(BRE) program in collaboration with partners focused on
industries associated with manufacturing: Photonics,
Outdoor Equipment, Specialty Manufacturing, and
potentially Climate Tech
Staff time. BRE of existing
companies (instead of recruiting
new companies) is the most
effective way to grow
employment opportunities
sustainably.
National Science Foundation
(NSF) grant
D. Explore the development of biotechnology lab space
to support emerging businesses
Explore collaborating with new
Industry project at MSU IC.
Economic Development
Administration (EDA) could
provide grant for lab space tenant
improvements.
F. Work with MSU and other stakeholders to pursue the
CHIPS Act investment grant. Staff time
B. Support the analysis and development of the
quantum computing supply chain and the unique
strengths in Gallatin Valley
This would be part of the Type 1
application, but fund through
Economic Development
Administration (EDA) or Inflation
Reduction Act (IRA) if not
awarded.
EDA and NSF grant
C. Create an incubator with specialized equipment for
new private small research companies within the quantum
and photonics industries
GOAL 2: SUPPORT A DIVERSE ECONOMY
Objective 2.1: Focus on traded sector industries that are emerging and can increase exports
Action Notes and/or Potential
Resources
A. Support quantum computing university research and
development through continued investments in MonArk
labs, Spectrum Labs, and the upcoming NSF Type I
application for a Regional Innovation Engine.
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 3 of 8 93
1 - 2 yr 3 - 4 yr 5 yr Priority Outcome Metric (how to measure)Lead Org*Partners**
x Training facility provides
the necessary workforce Training facility is built Gallatin College City of Bozeman
and Local EDOs
x x x Educate community on
photonics industry
Number of students that
attend event.Gallatin College
Private photonics
firms, City of
Bozeman, MSU
x
School districts can
provide current information
on career opportunities
and help develop
necessary skills needed by
businesses
Changes in information
provided to students
influenced by private
business engagement
Private industry
associations
City of Bozeman,
Local EDOs,
Education partners
x
Higher-ed students
discover local job
opportunities while in
school and are more likely
to stay in Gallatin Valley
Number of new internships
and programs created at
private businesses.
Private industry
associations
City of Bozeman,
Local EDOs,
Education partners
D. Facilitate the creation of opportunities for students to
engage with local businesses, such as internships,
apprenticeships, work-based learning and job shadowing
Explore this type of engagement
through BRE outreach
C. Aid and support local school districts by offering
suggestions for developing a working
relationship among businesses, labor organizations, and
educators
B. Host a photonics/optics event at the County
Fairgrounds during the Fall to expose community to
career opportunities.
Objective 2.2: Enhance development of the talent pipeline
A. Support development of a purpose built campus for
the technical and trades facility at Gallatin College
Consider private company
sponsorships
Notes and/or Potential
Resources
Staff time. State budget allocation
Explore this type of engagement
through BRE outreach
Action
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 4 of 8 94
1 - 2 yr 3 - 4 yr 5 yr Priority Outcome Metric (how to measure)Lead Org*Partners**
x Access opportunities with
the Digital Film industry
Students enrolling in
programs.
MSU Film
Department
Local EDOs, City of
Bozeman, Montana
Film Office, local
members of the
film industry,
supportive state
legislators
x
Foster an aligned vision
and direction for arts
organizations
Actions that are implemented City of
Bozeman
All arts
organizations
including but not
limited to the
Symphony,
Emerson, Sweet
Pea Festival,
Ballet, Opera, and
Art Museum
x
Provide training for a
sustainable business life in
the arts
Number of artists that receive
training AIC
Montana Arts
Council, City of
Bozeman
x
Enhance integration of arts
with community
development
Number of projects executed AIC City of Bozeman Staff time
Objective 2.3: Elevate a growing creative arts industry cluster
Action Notes and/or Potential
Resources
Staff time to schedule and host
meetings. The AIC is responsible
for agenda and implementation.
D. Explore creative placemaking opportunities within the
city
A. Support the expansion of film degree programs at MSU
to leverage emerging Digital Film industry Existing MSU program
C. Promote and encourage enrollment in the Montana
Artrepreneur Program (MAP) https://art.mt.gov/map Staff time
B. Convene an Arts Industry Council (AIC) to leverage all
arts organizations to implement the goals and objectives
of the EVS, DEI initiatives, and 1% arts program
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 5 of 8 95
1 - 2 yr 3 - 4 yr 5 yr Priority Outcome Metric (how to measure)Lead Org*Partners**
X
City recovers
administrative and
enforcement costs.
Neighborhood impacts are
managed.
Number of STRs licensed
STRs. Resident satisfaction
with STR programs.
City of
Bozeman
Housing, Code
Enforcement, and
Legal Departments
X
Study/documentation of
characteristics of STR
inventory.
Quantification of number of
STRs potentially available as
full-time residences.
City of
Bozeman
Realtors, property
managers, lodging
groups
x Housing supply is
increased or maintained.
Number of STRs, rental
rates, rental vacancy rates.City of
Bozeman
Housing, Code
Enforcement, and
Legal Departments
x Increase supply of housing
for GV workers
Housing units developed by
private sector businesses
City of
Bozeman
Private sector
partners
x Increase supply of housing
for GV workers
Housing units developed by
private sector businesses
City of
Bozeman &
various private
sector partners
Private sector
partners
x Increase opportunities to
access home ownership
Number of residents that
have received assistance
City of
Bozeman HRDC and MOFI
x Increase access to
available housing Evaluation of zoning code City of
Bozeman
MSU Office of
Student
Engagement
x
Increase supply of housing
for MSU non-traditional
and graduate students
Number of housing units City of
Bozeman
MSU Office of
Student
Engagement,
private developers
GOAL 3: BUILD A MORE RESILIENT REGION
Objective 3.1: Increase amount and access to housing for all
Notes and/or Potential
Resources
Staff time
Action
A. Ensure that short term rentals (STRs) are licensed
and complying with City regulations.
Staff time and consultant
engagement
Staff time, private equity
C. Explore the feasibility of additional regulatory tools to
mitigate the impact of STRs and part-time homes on the
housing supply. Specifically examining regulatory fees on
STRs and a housing vacancy tax.
H. Explore creation of a public-private partnership and
sub-area plan for redevelopment of the West Side Houses
for non-traditional students.
B. Evaluate the potential impacts of STRs on housing
availability for the full time resident workforce.
Staff time and consultant
engagement
G. Explore the city zoning restriction on maximimum
occupancy within a residence.
F. Promote housing down payment assistance program MOFI
Staff time
E. Explore building more housing through a co-
operative agreement amongst private businesses.
First Security Bank Housing
Fund, potential Prospera Impact
Fund
D. Explore a land acquisition policy recognizing funding
is barrier.
First Security Bank Housing
Fund, potential Prospera Impact
Fund
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 6 of 8 96
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x
Reduce water consumption
to extend the use of a
limited supply of water
Increased use of the city's
water conservation programs
City of
Bozeman
City residents and
businesses
x Improves building energy
efficiency
Number of loans and projects
implemented
City of
Bozeman
City residents and
businesses
x
Recognizes good practices
to encourage investment
by others
Number and type of projects
submitted for awards
City of
Bozeman
City residents and
businesses
x
Provide more housing at a
lower price with reduced
costs for infrastructure
expansion
Number of housing units City of
Bozeman
Bozeman City
Commission
x
Provide residents diverse
travel options alternative to
a car when appropriate
Number of projects
constructed
City of
Bozeman
Streamline, MDT,
DBA, TCC
x
Reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions by
reducing use of fossil fuel
Northwestern Energy fuel
source
City of
Bozeman and
Northwestern
Energy
Local EDOs Staff time and IRA
Objective 3.2: Develop a sustainable city to support climate change mitigation
Staff time
Staff time
Notes and/or Potential
ResourcesAction
D. Support proposed changes to Bozeman Zoning code
to allow for smaller housing units on smaller lots
F. Work with Northwestern Energy to foster
development of non-fossil fuel energy production
B. Actively promote the existing commercial property-
assessed clean energy (CPACE) financing structure that
allows building owners to borrow money for energy
efficiency projects.
Staff time
C. Explore the development of an award that recognizes
investments in buildings and sites to encourage
sustainable development practices.
Staff time
A. Increase support and awareness for the existing City
of Bozeman water efficiency program
E. Support City of Bozeman's investment in multi-modal
transportation options, including strategies to support
electric vehicle (EV) charging strategies. charge for
parking in appropriate locations in the City.
Staff time
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 7 of 8 97
1 - 2 yr 3 - 4 yr 5 yr Priority Outcome Metric (how to measure)Lead Org*Partners**
x
Develop awareness of
climate tech companies
and begin to support their
growth
List of companies and
defined needs is created.
Businesses meet to share
interests and collaboration.
City of
Bozeman
Local EDOs, MSU
TTO, Energy
Research Institute
(ERI), Snow Lab,
Optics/Sensing,
Precision
Agriculture
x
Develop new agriculture
practices that reduce water
consumption and conserve
soil integrity
Application for an Innovation
Hub is submitted
MSU
Department of
Agriculture
City of Bozeman
and Local EDOs
x
Actively support local
emerging companies and
convey to community that
climate change is being
addressed
Number of new climate tech
companies promoted
City of
Bozeman
MSU TTO, MSU IC
and Local EDOs
x
Develop new technologies
to help community adapt to
impacts of climate change
Number of new climate tech
companies created
City of
Bozeman
MSU TTO, MSU IC
and Local EDOs
x
Facilitate private
investment into domestic
low carbon, climate
resilient (LCR)
infrastructure and other
green sectors
Establish the Bank City of
Bozeman Local EDOs
A. Develop a Climate Technology industry group to
identify existing companies, barriers to growth, and
workforce needs. This information will define the Climate
Technology industry unique to Gallatin Valley.
Climate Technology is a broad
field that includes data analytics,
construction materials, carbon
sequestering, agriculture
production methods, etc. One
"lane" should be defined for GV
to make progress.
C. Explore the development of a program that supports
and promotes new startup companies (e.g. awards and
small grant award) in the defined Climate Technology
cluster.
CDBG, Venture Capital,
Foundations
B. Advocate for an MSU Agriculture Department
initiative to create innovation hub for Western US that
aligns research with agriculture producers and advances
precision agriculture
Action
Objective 3.3: Foster a culture focused on climate change resilience
E. Explore the creation of a regional non-profit Green
Bank for funding new climate resilient infrastructure.
https://greenbanknetwork.org/what-is-a-green-bank-2/
IRA may capitalize a national
Green Bank that could fund the
regional bank through grants or
loans.
EDA, Department of Agriculture,
IRA
D. Explore the development of private incubator that
supports the defined Climate Technology cluster.
Notes and/or Potential
Resources
Staff time
Green text indicates actions developed in collaboration with education partners. 8 of 8 98
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Working together to strengthen community by
increasing the inventory of quality homes
across the spectrum of needs.
April 9, 2020 Amendment
Prepared by:
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.......................................................................................................................................................................................1
BOZEMAN COMMUNITY HOUSING ACTION PLAN..............................................................................................................................................3
1. OBJECTIVES ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................5
2. HOUSING ACTION STRATEGIES..................................................................................................................................................................................6
Timeline for Implementation .............................................................................................................................................................................7
Roles and Responsibilities ..................................................................................................................................................................................9
Action Strategy Descriptions............................................................................................................................................................................10
3. CORE COMPONENTS .............................................................................................................................................................................................24
APPENDIX A – ACTION PLAN PROCESS, DEFINITIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ A-1
COMMUNITY HOUSING ACTION PLAN PROCESS ..................................................................................................................................................................1
DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................................................................................4
FRONT COVER PHOTO BY ANDY AUSTIN, VIEW OF SPANISH PEAK FROM BOZEMAN
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Executive Summary
The Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan outlines a partnership framework to address community housing in Bozeman over at
least the next five years. Community Housing is defined as:
Homes that those who live and/or work in Bozeman can afford to purchase or rent. This includes
apartments, townhomes, condominiums, emergency shelters, accessory dwelling units, mobile homes
and single-family homes – all dwelling types – serving the entire spectrum of housing needs.
The Plan presents a set of actions that address a range of community housing needs. The 2019 City of Bozeman Community Housing
Needs Assessment study showed that between 5,400 to 6,340 housing units are needed over the next five years to address the
current housing shortfall for residents and the workforce and to keep up with job growth. About 60% of these units need to be
priced below-market to meet the full range of community housing needs. This includes a mix of housing unit types to diversify
options for residents, with prices ranging primarily between $160,000 and $400,000 for ownership and $500 to $1,200 per month
for rent. This plan was developed to begin addressing identified community housing needs and to create a lasting framework for
implementation that will evolve as the community and its housing needs continue to evolve.
The partnership framework for accelerating community housing in Bozeman is based on the recognition that no one entity can solve
the local housing challenges – it takes a community to build a community.
Utilizing the 2019 City of Bozeman Community Housing Needs Assessment as a base to understand the housing needs of residents
and employees in Bozeman, a local Housing Working Group, comprised of Bozeman community stakeholders, with input from the
public and technical assistance from consultants, created this Plan. Strategies to meet housing needs have been identified and
prioritized; roles and responsibilities have been assigned. A timeline for achieving priority strategies has also been established,
recognizing that this Plan will have life beyond this timeline and will continue to evolve and meet changing community housing
needs over the long term. By including various community members in its implementation (employers, institutions, community
organizations, and stakeholders), the Plan acknowledges that community involvement is necessary for the Plan’s success.
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Objectives established in the Plan that will continue to be tracked to ensure progress is made, include:
• Ensuring community housing serves the full range of incomes without losing sight of safety net programs for extremely low
income and homeless families. This includes safety net rentals below 30% AMI (about $20,000 per year), additional resident
and employee rentals up to 80% AMI (about $55,000 per year), and ownership housing up to 150% AMI (about $104,000 per
year).
• Producing community housing at a rate that exceeds, or at least matches, job growth so that new employees can find homes.
• Striving to produce community housing at a rate that matches the spectrum of community housing needs, while also
preserving what we have through a target of no net loss of existing community housing stock below 80% AMI.
The following graphic summarizes the strategies Bozeman will pursue over the next five years. The primary affordability level that
each strategy will address is illustrated below and represents the provision of a diversity of housing for community members across
multiple income levels and in various life stages.
Bozeman City Commission Amendments
The Bozeman City Commission voted on January 13, 2000 to incorporate amendments into the October 16, 2019 Bozeman
Community Housing Action Plan. Those amendments are incorporated into this April 9, 2020 version and are shown in “pink” text
throughout the document. The amendments were not reviewed by either the Housing Working Group or Consultant Team, but are
incorporated at the request of the City of Bozeman.
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan Bridge
5800 UNITS
NEEDED BY 2025
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan
This section presents the Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan. This Plan will focus the community housing partnership
framework and increase the ability to meet community housing needs in Bozeman.
The primary components of the Plan include:
1. Objectives. Plan objectives are established to help monitor progress. Objectives should be revisited as community housing
needs evolve.
2. Action Strategies. The action strategies represent the prioritized strategies that have been developed to meet housing
objectives. The action strategies include defined roles and responsibilities and a timeline for achievement. This is the Action
part of the Plan.
Because not every strategy can be implemented at once, the sequence of strategies were prioritized by evaluating current
partner capacities and resources, understanding that some strategies may need to be implemented before others can be
successful, and recognizing that others may have current political or legal limitations that will take more time. This
prioritization is defined in more detail in the Action Strategy section.
3. Core Components. The core components represent the core operational needs to implement strategies, administer an
inventory of community housing, and track the progress of the Action Plan. This structure is needed for successful
implementation and to ensure continuation of the partnership framework to increase the availability of community housing
in Bozeman.
The Appendix contains a summary of the Action Plan process, defined terms used in this Plan, and acknowledgements of Plan
participants.
This Plan is also accompanied by Technical Documentation, which contains important information for Plan implementation. The
Technical Documentation contains detail on each housing action strategy. The Technical Documentation should be referenced by
implementing parties to understand the detailed background behind the formation of each strategy, best practices for each strategy,
other communities implementing the strategy, and implementation steps and roles specific to Bozeman.
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1. Objectives
The Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan presents a set of actions that address a range of community housing needs. The 2019
City of Bozeman Community Housing Needs Assessment study showed that between 5,400 to 6,340 housing units are needed over
the next five years to address the current housing shortfall for residents and the workforce and to keep up with job growth. About
60% of these units need to be priced below-market to meet the full range of community housing needs. This includes a mix of
housing unit types to diversify options for residents, with prices ranging primarily between $160,000 and $400,000 for ownership
and $500 to $1,200 per month for rent. As community housing needs change, the Housing Action Plan will evolve accordingly.
The actions identified in this Plan are designed to help Bozeman improve the availability of community housing, defined as:
Homes that those who live and/or work in Bozeman can afford to purchase or rent. This includes
apartments, townhomes, condominiums, emergency shelters, accessory dwelling units, mobile homes
and single-family homes – all dwelling types – serving the entire spectrum of housing needs.
The following objectives for meeting community housing needs will be tracked to monitor progress and revisited as community
housing needs evolve:
• Income Levels. Community housing should serve the full range of incomes without losing sight of safety net programs. The
primary focus should be on:
o Ownership housing from 80% to 120% AMI, while also incentivizing the production of missing middle housing up to
150% AMI;
o Additional resident and employee rentals up to 80% AMI; and
o Safety net rentals below 30% AMI.
• Jobs-Housing Relationship. Produce community housing at a rate that exceeds, or at least matches, job growth at income
levels and ratios being earned by Bozeman employees.
• Community Housing Built and Preserved. Strive to produce community housing at a rate that matches the spectrum of
community housing needs, while also preserving what we have through a target of no net loss of existing community housing
stock.
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2. Housing Action Strategies
Recognizing that there is no silver bullet – that no one housing strategy can do it all – the Housing Working Group evaluated about
40 different methods that could be used to address community housing needs in Bozeman. The reviewed options were based on
strategies that have been used in high-amenity communities throughout the nation to address a variety of community housing
needs. This process is described in more detail in the Appendix.
Of the different options reviewed, the Working Group, with input from the public, housing needs assessment and technical
assistance from the consultants, prioritized 17 of the options to implement within the next five years. Prioritization was required
because neither the City nor the implementing partners have the capacity or resources to implement every strategy at once, nor
would every strategy necessarily be effective in Bozeman. The other options are not lost, however. As the City and partners expand
their capacity and successes, more strategies can be brought into the housing program to increase the impact of the actions taken.
The 17 strategies identified for implementation over the next five years cover a range of options and target a variety of incomes and
housing types, ensuring that community housing needs are being addressed from multiple angles. This includes:
Funding: How do we pay for it? Incentives: How do we make it easier?
Programs: How do we get people into homes? Partnerships: How do we work together?
Regulations: How do we make it happen? Preservation: How do we keep what we create?
The graphic on page two of this Plan (Executive Summary – Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan Bridge) summarizes the
housing strategies that Bozeman will implement over the next five years and the primary affordability level that each strategy will
address.
This section provides more detail on the developed strategies, to-date, as follows:
• Timeline for implementation: Shows the anticipated schedule for implementation for each community housing strategy over
the next five years.
• Roles and responsibilities: Identifies the Bozeman entities, organizations or stakeholders that will be responsible for
implementing each strategy. Lead and supporting roles are identified.
• Action strategy descriptions: Provides more detail on each of the 17 housing strategies, presented in the order shown on the
timeline. A definition is provided for each strategy, along with a summary of the proposed action steps. A summary of non-
prioritized strategies is also provided, many of which will be revisited for potential addition to the Action Plan as the housing
program matures, capacity is added, and community needs change.
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Timeline for Implementation
The 17 housing strategies identified for implementation within the next five years are shown on the timeline below. Strategies will
be monitored and modified as needed to ensure effectiveness. The bottom of the timeline shows existing housing strategies that will
continue and that will also be monitored as part of this Plan.
Strategies on the five-year timeline were identified as being “easy,” “medium,” and “hard” to implement, meaning:
• “Easy” strategies utilize existing capacity, organizations and momentum in Bozeman. This includes tweaking what already
exists to focus more specifically on housing and borrowing on current programs that are already under development. These
strategies are also perceived as having good political and community support.
• “Medium” strategies may require additional steps to complete, including more capacity or consultants; additional public
outreach and input; new partnerships and/or more funding to ensure success.
• “Hard” strategies will require a combination of additional capacity, expertise and possibly local financing; may have complex
implementation or approval systems; and may have varied political or public support requiring additional research and
education. State statutory limitations may be in place for some, requiring creative approaches or possibly legislative changes
to implement.
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I
I
I
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Timeline of Priority Action Strategies
Strategies Type
General Funds Funding
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Funding
Community Land Trust Preservation
Deed Restricted Housing (permanent) Preservation
Inclusionary Zoning Regulation
Public/Private/Institutional Partnerships Partnership/Land
Home Buyer Assistance Program
Program
Removal of Regulatory Barriers Incentive/Regulation
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) Incentive
Fee Waiver/Deferral Incentive
Co-op Housing (mobile home parks) Preservation Key:
Employer Assisted Housing Program Action Phase
Land Banking Partnership/Land On-going Phase
Taxes Dedicated to Housing Funding
Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) Funding
Flexible Development Standards Incentive City changes in effect; evaluation
Short-Term Rental Regulations Regulation City adopted 2017; monitor
Housing Rehabilitation and Weatherization Preservation Habitat for Humanity; HRDC
Self Help Build Program Habitat for Humanity
Senior Housing Program Various
Funding HRDC, City
Easy- exists; Medium-redirect for housing
1 to 2 years
Short
Easy-current; modify
Mid Long
3 to 5 years 5+ years
Medium
Medium
Hard
Medium
Hard
Hard
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Transitional
Federal and State Grants/Loans – CDBG. HOME,
USDA/Rural Development, Section 8
Easy-in process
Medium
Medium-modifications
Medium
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
On-going programs - to continue
Abbreviations: HRDC = Human Resources Development Council
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Roles and Responsibilities
The Housing Working Group recognized that utilizing partners that are already working on or that have expertise with various
identified strategies have a role either leading or supporting identified actions. This includes the City, HRDC, Habitat for Humanity,
primary employers and others working with or alongside each other to further housing goals in the community. Joint
implementation provides the ability to share resources and capacity and leverage successes for a more robust and effective housing
program. More specific involvement for each strategy is summarized in the Technical Documentation for this Plan.
Matrix of Responsibilities: Action Strategies
STRATEGIES Type Lead Support
General Funds Funding City TBD
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Funding City TIF Districts
Community Land Trust Preservation HRDC/Habitat HRDC/Habitat
Deed Restricted Housing (permanent) Preservation City HRDC/Habitat
Inclusionary Zoning Regulation City 3rd party expert
Public/Private/Institutional Partnerships Partnership/Land School district City support/convene potential
partners; County; Habitat
Home Buyer Assistance Program City/HRDC Prospera/Chamber
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Transitional Program HRDC FUSE Team, hospital
Fee Waiver/Deferral Incentive City TBD
Co-op Housing (mobile home parks) Preservation HRDC Bozeman Cohousing
Land Banking Partnership/Land City/Community Foundation TBD
Employer Assisted Housing Program Prospera City, Habitat
Removal of Regulatory Barriers Incentive/Regulation City 3rd party expert
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) Incentive City MSU
Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) Funding HRDC City
Taxes Dedicated to Housing Funding City Community/philanthropy (non profit)
Commercial Linkage Regulation City TBD
On-going programs - to continue
Flexible Development Standards Incentive City changes in effect; evaluation
Short-Term Rental Regulations Regulation City adopted 2017; monitor
Housing Rehabilitation and Weatherization Preservation Habitat; HRDC
Self Help Build Program Habitat for Humanity
Senior Housing Program Various
Federal and State Grants/Loans – CDBG. HOME,
USDA/Rural Development, Section 8 Funding HRDC, City
Strategies are sorted in the same order of the timeline presented above.
Abbreviations: City = elected officials, advisory boards, and staff; HRDC = Human Resources Development Council; FUSE = Frequent Users Systems
Engagement; Habitat = Habitat for Humanity; Chamber = Bozeman Chamber of Commerce; Prospera = Prospera Business Network; MSU = Montana State
University; TBD = To Be Determined; Community Foundation = Bozeman Area Community Foundation
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Funding: Blue
Partnerships: Purple
Programs: Red
Regulations: Orange
Incentives: Yellow
Preservation: Green
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Action Strategy Descriptions
This section provides a short summary of the Action Strategies, with more detailed information provided in the Technical
Documentation for this Plan. Strategies are color-coded based on the primary category type shown in the timeline:
Strategies are summarized as follows:
• Priority Action Strategies: Each priority action strategy is summarized and presented in order of implementation. A definition
is provided for each strategy, along with a summary of the proposed actions.
• On-Going Strategies: Each strategy that is on-going, meaning they are functioning and not currently a priority for additional
changes or action at this time, are summarized. This includes the definition of the strategy, its current status and comments
received.
• Potential Strategies for Future Consideration: Strategies that were evaluated, but not yet prioritized for implementation, are
summarized. This includes the definition of the strategy, along with comments from the public and Housing Working Group.
Note that the strategies with a (*) indicate that the program is already in the place.
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Bozeman Action Plan Strategies
General Funds* An annual or occasional budget • Maintain in the short-term until broad-based, reliable funding source is
allocation primarily to support secured.
staffing, pre-development and • Establish allocation criteria to inform use of the City’s Affordable Housing
gap financing for community Fund.
housing.
Tax Increment
Financing (TIF)*
Allows a local government or
redevelopment authority to
generate revenues for properties
targeted for improvement. As
improvements are made within
the district, and as property
values increase, the incremental
increases in property tax
revenue are earmarked for a
fund. Expenditures of TIF-
generated revenues are subject
to certain restrictions and must
be spent within the district.
• Use of TIF to support community housing needs to be explored at the local
and state levels.
• Downtown is considering the use of TIF to incentivize Studios and 1-
bedroom units and/or units that have long-term affordability assurances.
• Considerations:
o More TIF for housing means less money is available for other
community priorities.
o Potential challenges with state regulations and use for housing.
o May be vulnerable at the state – care in crafting.
o The establishment of any new TIF districts should balance competing
community funding priorities.
• Use TIF to incentivize long-term affordable housing within the districts
including incentivizing ADUs and 1-bedroom units in the Downtown BID
and incentivizing tax-credit qualifying projects. This amendment serves to
clarify and combine the first two actions listed in this strategy.
Community Land
Trust*
Community nonprofit owns land,
develops housing and provides
long-term stewardship for
permanent affordability through
long-term ground leases.
Typically, single family or
townhomes for moderate and
middle-income households.
• Consider establishing a Community Land Trust (CLT) organization that has
the capability to take on management responsibilities of permanent
restrictions.
• Coordinate with existing housing providers with CLT homes to increase
efficacy and avoid redundancy.
• Facilitate a community land trust presentation to the City Commission.
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions (Continued)
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Deed Restricted
Housing
(Permanent)
Dwelling units permanently
restricted by occupancy (local
employee/resident), income
level, and with rent/resale
restrictions to retain affordability
in rising and high cost housing
markets.
• Transition to a permanent restriction when publicly subsidized community
housing units are created.
• Align with other policies: fee waivers and incentives.
• Create a permanent deed restriction that balances long-term affordability
with wealth creation.
• Structure the eligibility and occupancy criteria to ensure “fairness.”
• Increase management capacity -begin by evaluating existing capacity,
considering adjustments, and/or establishing a new entity, such as a
Housing Authority or Community Land Trust.
• Emphasize customer service, such as one point of contact.
• Facilitate a deed restricted housing presentation to the City Commission.
Inclusionary
Zoning*
Requires that new residential
subdivisions and PUD’s
include/build homes that are
deed restricted for community
housing.
• Revisit Affordable Housing Ordinance: evaluate what has worked and not.
• Apply to multi-family development, as well as single-family: ownership and
rental.
• Incorporate incentives along with housing development requirement.
• Consider addressing up to 120% AMI for ownership. Work with CAHAB to
develop a recommendation for adjusting the single-household and
townhome ownership requirements in the inclusionary zoning ordinance to
include up to 120%.
• Require deed restrictions to be permanent.
• Ensure consistency with other development codes.
• Work with CAHAB to develop a recommendation on incorporating
Condominiums into the inclusionary zoning ordinance, possibly targeting
100% AMI.
• Research the feasibility of including multi-family rental units in the
inclusionary zoning ordinance, possibly targeting 80% AMI.
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions (Continued)
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Public/Private/
Institutional
Partnerships
Public/institutional
organizations partnering with
the private sector for
development expertise to build
community housing on publicly
owned site. May be vacant or
under-utilized land. May also
include institutional properties.
• Establish criteria to prioritize site(s).
• Understand partner and site constraints.
• Facilitate partnerships.
• Issue Request for Proposals with desired community housing outcomes.
• Keep prioritized list for future housing opportunities.
* Strategies "Public/Private/Institutional Partnerships" and "Employer
Assisted Housing" were seen as aligned by the Bozeman City Commission, and
they amended the document to combine them into one strategy.
Homebuyer Down payment assistance of
Assistance* grants or second mortgages for
qualified buyers. Can be used
for restricted or market units.
• Build upon existing program through the City, HRDC, Habitat for
Humanity.
• Seek local funding to serve households up to 120% AMI.
• Community education program – financial literacy and assistance options.
• Work with employers to assist employees. Technical assistance,
loan/grant options, administration, etc.
• Work with community partners to evaluate the establishment of home
buyer assistance funds from non-city sources for home purchase made
outside the inclusionary zoning ordinance.
Permanent
Supportive
Housing (PSH)
and
Transitional*
PSH pairs housing with supportive
services to transition chronically
homeless into home security.
Transitional housing provides
temporary assistance to bridge the
gap from homelessness to
permanent housing.
• Inform developers of PSH incentives/opportunities.
• Identify needs (HRDC).
• Form housing group to advocate for more state funds.
• Implement FUSE model to more efficiently and effectively provide
services (HRDC).
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions (Continued)
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Water/sewer, building permit or
other fees waived in part or whole
or deferred until occupancy/sale
to reduce upfront cost to build.
General funds or other source
need to cover cost if fees waived
or reduced and/or for the deferral
period.
• Update Affordable Housing Ordinance to reflect how fee waiver is
implemented.
• Structure fees to incentivize desired development (e.g. lower fees for
smaller ownership and for-rent units, etc.).
• Explore options to cover the cost of reduced fees – general fund, tax
increment financing (TIF), etc.
• Create an upfront schedule of all fees for developments – predictability.
• Ensure homes benefit the community (deed restricted) if get reduced
fees.
Co-op Housing Common ownership and
management of purpose-built
communities. As related to
preserving mobile home parks,
residents form a corporate entity
that purchases the park, placing
the responsibility of park
maintenance in the hands of the
residents. Residents can self-
organize to purchase or seek
assistance. NeighborWorks
Montana can provide assistance in
Montana.
• Explore as a means to preserve mobile home parks.
• Reach out to NeighborWorks Montana through HRDC
o Explore how the program works.
o Verify that it can work in Bozeman/with Bozeman area mobile
home parks, including evaluating parks and residents for interest
and feasibility.
Land Banking Acquiring land for eventual • Establish criteria to prioritize sites(s).
community housing development. • Inventory potential opportunities.
Acquisition may occur through • Understand constraints. purchase, trades, life estates, • Include vacant, underutilized, redevelopment. donation (non-profits), in-lieu
requirements.
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions (Continued)
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Employer
Assisted Housing
Employers providing housing support
to employees. May be direct
employee support (help with housing
search, down payment,
rent/mortgage, relocation) or master
lease/buy/construct units.
• Need education of and outreach to employers – present options and
educate on tools available.
• Hold symposium/education session. May be led by Chamber, Prospera,
employers that currently have assisted housing programs in place, or
another.
• Next step:
o Gauge interest in options from employers. Use information from the
employer survey from the Needs Assessment as a starting point.
o Find leaders to carry forward
* Strategies "Public/Private/Institutional Partnerships" and "Employer Assisted
Housing" were seen as aligned by the Bozeman City Commission, and they
amended the document to combine them into one strategy.
Updating/modifying code provisions
and procedures that impair
community housing development.
For example, ensuring codes are
consistent, simplifying applications.
Complete code review and rewrite
might be required.
• Implement a biannual code revision process to make it easier for boards,
committees, development professionals and the general public to suggest
revisions to address current and future community housing needs.
• Ensure process is predictable, transparent, useful and that codes produce
what we want.
• Engage third party to edit, reorganize and reformat the UDC to be more
streamlined, functional and user friendly. Remove duplicative language
and inconsistencies.
• Engage third party to review all city codes, regulations and policies to
identify disconnects and recommend methods to resolve.
• Explore revisiting Engineering Design Standards and Specifications Policy
to allow more compact development standards.
• Explore adding code section for Moveable Tiny Homes. Coordinate at the
state level.
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions (Continued)
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An ADU is a second smaller home
sharing a lot with a single-family or
townhome residence. Some examples
include an apartment over a garage, a
tiny house in the backyard, or a
basement apartment. Accessory
dwellings that may be restricted for
use by residents and employees
require compliance monitoring.
• Explore removing special use permit requirement for a detached ADU in
• R-1 zone to allow by-right.
• The city has taken steps to decrease the cost of ADUs, educate the
community about these cost reductions and explore opportunities for
additional reductions (i.e. permitting, impact fees, parking regulations).
• Make pre-engineered ADU designs available for free – only a building permit
needed to construct.
• Deed-restrict units that receive an incentive/public break to build to ensure
community benefit – e.g., require long term rental, resident/employee
occupancy.
Low Income A federal program that creates an • Work with the “Complete Count Committee” to assist with the 2020 census
Housing Tax incentive to finance rental housing count. An “Entitlement Community”, or city with a population of 50,000,
Credits (LIHTC)* for households below 60% AMI. receives increased and direct tax credit allocations.
• Get Bozeman representation on the Montana Board of Housing.
• Align regulations and zoning with Qualified Census Tracts to encourage
LIHTC development.
Taxes Dedicated Sales, property, lodging, short-term • Pursue either a mill levy or bond issue.
to Housing rental fee, real estate transfer, • Coordinate with a comprehensive education campaign.
excise tax, vacancy tax, unit • Consider citywide Special District.
demolition or conversion fees. Voter • Evaluate what entity should hold funds collected (City, new Housing Trust approval required in most states. fund, etc.). Revenue stream can be used for • Evaluate who should administer allocation of funds, taking into most housing-related activities. consideration accountability requirements with the use public funds. Approval requires extensive public • Establish allocation criteria that considers: scoring system, leverages funds, education. aligns with income targets, requires permanent affordability.
• Conduct a legal review of Montana Code to determine the most appropriate
sustainable funding sources for Commission review.
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions (Continued)
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Commercial Requires new commercial
Linkage development to provide housing or
pay fees for a portion of employees
needed to fill the new jobs
generated by the development.
Nexus study is required to
determine the mitigation
requirement. Fluctuates with
building activity.
• Conduct Nexus Study to evaluate the potential impact of linkage on
community housing and businesses.
• Consider the impact on business growth and the impact on the community
of doing nothing (status quo).
• Identify peer communities and evaluate what has worked and not worked:
learn from others.
• Make it easy for employers to build housing today if they want to: e.g.
continue to encourage residential above commercial or on same lot.
• Conduct a legal review of Montana Code to determine the most
appropriate sustainable funding sources for Commission review.
Review of
Planned Unit
Developments
(PUD)
Planned Unit Developments (PUD)
are a mechanism to gain relaxations
from City Code by providing public
benefit above and beyond what
would otherwise be required. The
PUD process can be lengthy and cost
prohibitive in some cases due to the
information needed prior to
approval. This strategy would seek
to further define elements of the
code that could be standardized for
approval when Community Housing
needs are the focus of Code
relaxations.
• Evaluate past PUD relaxation approvals.
• Explore changes in the UDC and other City standards to minimize the need
for PUD relaxations.
• Develop a pattern book and template for review of PUD criteria when a
PUD includes construction of affordable homes
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Action Strategy Definition Proposed Actions (Continued)
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Up-Zoning With the goal of allowing increased
density where appropriate this
strategy would seek to identify areas
where density could contribute to
increased housing supply. The
strategy is meant to create
uniformity in decision making and
lend some level of certainty to
property owners looking to aid
Community Housing efforts by
adding to the housing supply beyond
what current zoning would
allow. Tools in this strategic area
may include changes to policy as
well as text within the City Code.
• Align growth policy recommendations with the density goals supporting up-
zoning.
• Develop expanded criteria to be used for evaluation of up-zoning
applications.
• Develop appropriate transition standards when up-zoning existing parcels.
• Identify areas ripe for up-zoning.
NOTE: The CAHAB Commission Liaison, in coordination with the City Manager, shall work with the Community Development Department to
advance the action plan items that require coordination with community partners, providing regular updates to the Commission.
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On-Golna StratesY Definition Status and Comments
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
On-Going Strategies
Modified land use regulations in exchange for community
housing. May include reductions in parking, setbacks, open
space, height limits, road widths, etc. Quality, compatibility,
safety and neighborhood impacts are concerns.
• City changes are in effect – monitor.
• Comments for future consideration:
o Create predictable list of incentives that are by-right
(approved by staff) in exchange for providing
community housing benefit.
o Amend utility and engineering standards to enable
the creation of tiny home villages.
o Evaluate reasons why mobile home parks are not
being built or updated, consider adjustments to the
building codes, engineering standards and UDC to
encourage.
Short Term Rental
(STR) Regulations*
Prohibiting or limited the use of homes for STR in specified
neighborhoods or zones; placing resident-occupancy
requirements on units that are rented short-term (e.g. rent
bedroom only; ADU and primary home cannot both be STR;
etc); require registration and charge fees; or other options.
• City adopted restrictions in 2017; monitor.
Housing Rehabilitation
and Weatherization*
Repairing, updating, enlarging, improving energy efficiency, and
providing handicapped accessibility, typically with Federal or
State grants with strict limitation on who can be served.
Staff/time intensive. Does not increase inventory of Community
Housing; rather improves the quality of the existing housing
inventory.
• Implementing partners: Habitat for Humanity; HRDC
• Comments/benefits:
o Enables people to stay in their homes.
o Weatherization serves households earning <60%
AMI.
o Provides low interest loans to rehab homes.
o Differentiate rehab (e.g. The Boulevards) from
weatherization.
o Keep – it’s a good thing.
Self Help Build* Homebuyers receive low interest loans and technical assistance
for their construction of homes. Requires large time
commitment
• Implementing partner: Habitat for Humanity
• Comments:
o Active in the area; keep doing it.
o Scalability is a problem – modest production.
o Land costs are a challenge in Bozeman.
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On-Golna StratesY Definition Status and Comments
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Senior Housing* High density, smaller, low maintenance units designed for
retiring residents.
• 260 affordable rentals for seniors and/or persons
with disabilities exist in the City; multiple
managers/providers are involved.
• Comment for future:
o Research full range of senior housing & service
needs
o Understand what is working well and not.
o Expand reach of needs to more than low-
income renters.
• Identify partners – a leader for this program.
Federal and State
Grants/Loans – CDBG,
HOME, USDA/Rural
Development, Section 8*
Federal and State grants/loans for affordable housing, generally
for construction of units. These include CDBG, HOME, and
USDA/Rural Development. Major federal funding cuts proposed.
Can only serve low income households (<50%, 60% or 80% AMI).
Competitive and complicated grant application and
administration process.
• Primary implementing partners: City, HRDC
• Comments:
o Utilized to the max right now.
o Allocation process skewed toward smaller
communities. Takes longer to pull required
information together in larger population
communities such as Bozeman.
o Highly competitive.
o A population >50,000 would push Bozeman to
an “Entitlement Community” status, which
would increase availability and provide direct
access to funding sources.
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Potentlal Future StratasY Definition Comments
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Other Strategies Reviewed – For Future Consideration
HOUSING PROGRAMS
• Construction Education Work with local education system (high school technical
Extension extension, community colleges, post-secondary education)
to provide training in the construction trades industry.
Initiating, designing, financing and constructing dwelling • Public Sector Development units by municipalities, counties and/or housing
authorities. Similar to developing other public
infrastructure.
• Shortage of construction labor – program can
help build local labor/expertise.
• High school and MSU as potential partners.
• Requires public sector capacity and specific
expertise.
• Has financial risk.
FUNDING
• Construction & Debt Financing Low interest loans, tax exempt bonds, certificates of
with Favorable Terms participation and other forms of development financing
available to housing authorities, cities, counties and some
non profits to develop housing.
• Private Donations/Grants Tax deductible contributions to a non-profit organization,
which purchases or develops housing. Competes with
other charitable causes.
• Special Improvement District Special Improvement Districts (SIDs) are typically formed
to fund public improvements, typically infrastructure
(roads, sewer, etc.) or maintenance of City facilities or
services. Costs are distributed across the properties within
the SID that benefit from the improvements. Use
specifically for housing is not common.
• Opportunity Zones The Opportunity Zones investment incentive was
established in 2017 to encourage long-term private
investments in low-income communities. Opportunity
Zones are eligible to receive private investments through
opportunity funds in the Bozeman area. The program does
not explicitly address below-market community housing
but may be designed to do so.
• Favorable terms include 90% LTV (loan to
value) and 30-40 year amortization.
• Create a pot of money to use and leverage.
• Interest rates are currently low; more effective
in high-interest rate environment.
• Donations to non-profit builders.
• Philanthropic grants.
• Consider a city-wide special improvement
district.
• Requires approval by 60% of the property
owners in the proposed district.
• System in place.
• State regulations may be a challenge.
• Not recommended for immediate use – new,
untested, and complex.
• Need education.
• Economic Development tool, does not have
any affordability incentives or controls.
• City’s AHO could require some community
housing in opportunity zones
• Tax credit projects get an equity boost in
Opportunity Zones.
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Potentlal Future StratasY Definition Comments
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Other Strategies Reviewed – For Future Consideration (Continued)
PRESERVATION
• No Net Loss Requires replacement of below-market dwellings occupied by • A demolition fee was discussed in the ”Funding”
residents when redevelopment occurs. Similarly-priced units strategy session.
should be replaced on site or another site, or a fee-in-lieu of • Homes transition from serving lower incomes to
replacement could be allowed. Demolition tax can be used to higher incomes – red to green on the bridge.
fund replacement. • Some demolition and redevelopment is good.
• Provide plan for displaced individuals.
• Disincentivizes rehabilitation and redevelopment.
• Must define substandard/unsafe housing that is
best removed/redeveloped.
• A conversion fee was discussed in the “Funding” • Condominium Limiting or prohibiting conversion of apartments to strategy session. Conversion Policy condominiums to retain rental housing. May require some • Converted apartments to condominiums can create portion of converted units to be restricted community housing an entry level homeownership opportunity. or provide first right of refusal of sales to apartment occupants, • Conversions from apartments to condominiums are among other conditions. Some impose a conversion fee that overseen by the state – would need to establish a goes into a housing fund. city tracking system.
• Big Sky requires 1590 hours of employment in A deed restriction can be structured to give occupancy priority • Deed Restriction – community. to certain households, as long as the priority does not Local Preference • Be careful to not discriminate against “new locals.” discriminate against protected classes (race, color, religion, sex,
handicap, familial status, national origin and, generally, source
of income) in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Common
preferences include employees that are working a certain
number of hours in the community, employees that have
worked a certain number of years in the community, and critical
employees such as emergency service providers.
• Acquisition of Usually involves investing public funds to lower the sales price in • More bang for your buck with other options.
exchange for restricted community housing. Inability to obtain Market Units condo mortgages can result in units being rented. Public sector
purchases can drive up prices for low-end market units.
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Potential Future Definition Comments
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Other Strategies Reviewed – For Future Consideration (Continued)
REGULATIONS
• Annexation
Policies
• Residential
Linkage
Negotiating restricted community housing as part of annexation
agreements. Policy based. Entities have discretion in
negotiations. This is a widespread practice among communities
with community housing programs.
Requires new residential development to provide housing or
pay fees for a portion of employees needed to fill the new jobs
generated by the development. Nexus Study required.
Mitigation rate often increases with house size. Fluctuates with
building activity.
• Could apply to County “donuts” within the City.
• Consider if commercial linkage is applied. Ensure all type
of development contributes to community housing
impacts, not just one group.
Providing additional density in exchange for community
housing. Must be large enough to entice development yet small
enough for livability and compatibility. Not effective if existing
zoned densities are high (e.g. when zoned at a level where
developers have trouble building to existing densities).
Gives priority to developments that include community housing.
May include expedited approval; help navigating entitlements
(ombudsman approach).
• Parking will be of concern if more density allowed in
some areas.
• May need to modify existing densities for bonuses to be
effective. City currently has density minimums in all
residential districts in place.
• Need more staff capacity in order to fast track
applications.
• Potential for discontent among market rate developers if
other projects move ahead.
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~
7
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
3. Core Components
The Bozeman region has several programs, organizations and structures in place that are addressing community housing needs. This
Action Plan presents the ability to evolve the housing program to better meet the needs of residents and employees by creating,
strengthening and defining a partnership framework to address housing needs. This will allow Bozeman to leverage resources and
capacity throughout the community and region. We recognize that programmatically and administratively, this requires additional
capacity to manage an inventory of permanently restricted housing.
Core components are the tasks and structures needed to ensure that the partners and Plan continue to move forward. To ensure
support and continuation of this partnership, a sound administrative structure needs to be established, along with housing program
support to manage community housing that is produced through this Plan. Most of this structure needs to be in place within the first
two-years of Action Plan implementation, as shown below.
Core Components Timeline
CORECOMPONENTS LONGERTERM
Quarter 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 2022+
1. Action Plan Administration
2. Action Plan Coordinator/Facilitator -Action Plan to WorkPlan
3. HousingProgram Management
Housing guidelines
Deed restrictions (permanent)
Unit management/housekeeping
Inventory tracking
2019 2020 2021
*Darker blue = the action phase for each element; lighter blue = on-going phase.
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Each item is generally defined below, followed by the recommended implementation for each core component. For more detail,
please reference the Technical Documentation for this Action Plan:
1. Action Plan Administration – includes procuring and managing the budget and staff to implement the Plan.
The first steps of administration will be to:
o Submit the Action Plan for acceptance by the City Commission;
o Present the Plan to Gallatin County for recognition;
o Budget for 3 years of implementation (staff, contractors, etc.); and
o Evaluate existing community housing program management (housing guidelines, deed restrictions-permanent, unit
management, inventory tracking, etc.) and consider adjustment to meet community housing objectives.
2. Identify Action Plan Partner Coordinator—identifying a staff person/contractor who will serve as the convener of the Action
Plan to assist with a regular meeting schedule (quarterly to begin) to track progress, learn of partner successes and
challenges, and gather information for potential Plan modifications.
• Staff for this position could either be: 1) City of Bozeman Affordable Housing Manager, 2) Contractor with City, or 3)
Contractor with another entity, such as the Bozeman Community Foundation.
• Role of coordinator:
o Facilitation of partner meetings (at least quarterly to begin);
o Summarize and advertise the “collective impact” of Action Plan partners (update quarterly and track and advertise
through a published “Placemat” document or website);
o Public outreach/communications tasks;
o Partnership Development to build capacity of existing partners and recommend and bring in new partners;
o Project management: work with partners on teams to implement strategies (research, facilitate teams, data
analysis, outreach, etc.); and
o Work Plan development: Concurrently, the coordinator would work with each Action Plan partner to take steps
to develop a work plan for community housing from identified roles and tasks in the Action Plan.
At the city, this would include, for example, incorporating the Plan into any Memorandums of Understanding
(MOU) or contracts for implementation with supporting partners, as well as prioritizing strategies for which the
City has a role and identifying capacity and next steps for implementation.
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'
r 1 1 1 r 1 r 1
66666666
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Action Plan to Work Plan Graphic
CITY
AH PROGRAM MANAGER
CITY CONTRACT
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
ACTION PLAN
WORK PLAN
Bozeman Community
Housing Action Plan
School Habitat for Building Chamber of Community City County District HRDC Humanity Industry Commerce
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
3. Community Housing Program Management – ensuring clear tracking, monitoring and management of units to retain
community housing goals:
a. Housing guidelines – providing information on community housing development specifications, affordability levels,
ownership and rental qualification procedures, sale/resale and rental standards, compliance and grievance processes,
unit management, etc. The City and HRDC has guidelines in place; ensuring compatibility with new permanent
affordability deed restrictions will be needed.
b. Deed restriction (permanent) – ensuring consistency, clarity, and that community housing goals are met, which means
preserving affordability in perpetuity for community housing produced.
c. Unit management/housekeeping – having a central structure in place to monitor and manage the sales/rental
occupancy, qualifications, maintenance, compliance monitoring, waitlists, etc. of community housing units. This
oversight will require additional capacity as the inventory of homes expands.
d. Inventory tracking – maintaining a database of deed-restricted rental and ownership units to track their effectiveness,
continued affordability, turnover, and occupancy to ensure the housing program and units are meeting goals. HRDC
has acquired HomeKeeper, a deed restricted housing tracking program, that can be very effective for this purpose.
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Session 1:
Kick-Off
Goals+
Objectives
Session 2:
Tool ID
Prioritization
Session 3 + 4
Tool Prioritization
+ Strategy
Development
Session 5 + 6
Strategy
Refinement,
Funding,
Timeline, Roles
Draft Plan+
Review
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
APPENDIX A – Action Plan Process, Definitions and Acknowledgements
Community Housing Action Plan Process
The Action Plan process began with an update to the “2012 Affordable Housing Needs Assessment for the City of Bozeman,
Montana,” to:
• Identify how much, what type, at which price points, and for whom community housing is needed both currently and
projected over the next five years;
• Inventory existing resources and capacity; and
• Understand current housing achievements.
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Using the 2019 City of Bozeman Community Housing Needs Assessment report and employer survey as the foundation, the Bozeman
Community Housing Action Plan process kicked off in May 2019. The process included six work sessions with the Housing Working
Group over a six-month period, two public open houses and online participation opportunities for public input. The consultant team
provided technical assistance and expertise on housing solutions in the intermountain west and, guided by a professional facilitator,
worked with the over twenty (20) community members comprising the Housing Working Group to decide upon and craft strategies
to make the Plan “Bozeman.” Input from the public helped ground the approach through open house and online opportunities for
participation. Throughout this process, the community drove the Plan’s priorities and development, resulting in the Bozeman
Community Housing Action Plan.
More specifically, the process:
• Began with an overview of key findings from the 2019 City of Bozeman Community Housing Needs Assessment and employer
survey to shape initial goals and priorities for the community housing Action Plan. The public weighed in at the first open
house and online regarding community housing objectives; Housing Working Group members were additionally presented
with information on the necessary components of successful housing programs; core needs for housing plan implementation;
and how other communities have been addressing similar housing challenges.
• At the second session, the Housing Working Group was presented with near 40 tools that other communities have used to
address community housing needs. Through input from the consultants and discussion among the Group, the Housing
Working Group prioritized tools they felt would be most effective for Bozeman.
• The Housing Working Group then spent two technical work sessions on the prioritized tools to develop action strategies.
Through this process, the Housing Working Group learned about best practices in comparable communities, developed
strategies, and discussed roles and responsibilities for implementation. The outcome of these sessions was presented to the
public in a second open house to evaluate priorities and get input on drafted actions.
• The final session modified the actions and priorities pursuant to public input received. Objectives were revaluated; a timeline
for prioritized action strategies was developed; and roles and responsibilities were identified among the various partners to
implement the Plan.
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Definitions
The following definitions are provided and coincide with those used in the City of Bozeman Community Housing Needs Assessment
(February 2019).
Affordable housing – As used in this report, housing is affordable if the monthly rent or mortgage payment is equal to or
less than 30% of gross household income (before taxes).
Area Median Income (AMI) – A term that generally refers to the median incomes published annually for counties by the
US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). AMI varies by household size. AMI is used to set income and
rent limits for housing programs statutorily linked to HUD income limits (e.g. low-income housing tax credit rentals).
Community Housing – Homes that those who live and work in Bozeman can afford to purchase or rent. This includes
apartments, townhomes, condominiums, emergency shelters, accessory dwelling units, mobile homes and single-family
homes – all dwelling types – serving the entire spectrum of housing needs. The report City of Bozeman Community
Housing Needs Assessment (February 2019) identifies community housing needs in Bozeman in 2019 through 2025.
Community Housing Action Plan – A partnership framework with actionable strategies to increase the inventory of
community housing – dwellings that Bozemanites can afford to purchase or rent.
Missing Middle – Generally refers to ownership housing needed for residents and employees earning over 80% AMI, yet
that cannot afford market-rate housing. In Bozeman, this generally refers to households earning between about 80% AMI
up to 150% AMI (an average-sized 2.0-person household earning between $55,700 to $104,400 per year).
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Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan – April 9, 2020 Amended Version
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank everyone who gave their time and assistance to create the Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan. Input
from local employers, Realtors, developers, end-users, lenders, and property managers (through targeted interviews and focus
group meetings) and 491 businesses or about 10% of all businesses in the City of Bozeman (through an employer survey), were
central to identifying the community housing needs and several strategies that are the focus of this Plan. Development of the Plan
relied on funding from the City of Bozeman and philanthropy along with extensive participation from the City of Bozeman staff and
community stakeholders, leaders, and residents that formed the Housing Working Group:
Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan Working Group
NAME AFFILIATION
Bill Fiedler & Penny Zacharisen (Alt) Chamber of Commerce
Brian Popiel SWMBIA
Bridget Wilkinson Bozeman Area Community Foundation
Connie Campbell-Pearson Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association
David Magistrelli Habitat for Humanity
Desiree Smith Bank of Bozeman/Residential Lending
Ellen Beck Gallatin Association of Realtors
Erik Nelson ThinkTank/Development
Jason Smith Bozeman Health
Karin Jennings West Paw/Manufacturing
Kathi Thorson Legacy Properties/Property Management
Kevin Thane CAHAB
Lila Fleishman & Brian Guyer (Alt) Missing Middle
Loren Olsen & Marty Madsen City Staff
Mathieu Menard Gallatin County Planner
Pat Strauss Bozeman School District
Paul Reichert Prospera
Rob Pertzborn Intrinsik/Achitect
Scott MacFarlane Gallatin County Commission
Susan Riggs & Chris Naumann (Alt) Downtown Partnership
Terry Cunningham City Commission
Tracy Ellig & Michael Becker (Alt) Montana State University
Tracy Menuez HRDC
*Many working group members are affiliated with multiple organizations in Bozeman. Only the primary affiliation of each member is listed above.
We cannot thank the community enough for the wealth of insight and experience they brought to this process. The Bozeman
Community Housing Action Plan would not exist without this broad and extensive participation.
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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
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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.
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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, third woman from the right (photographer unknown; photo source here).
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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.
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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, Commissioner
Christopher Coburn, and 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, Historic Preservation Officer + Associate Planner; 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;
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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.
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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
Everyone gets the same -
regardless of if it’s needed or
right for them.
EQUITY
Everyone gets what they need -
understanding the barriers,
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,
accessible, and safe.
Childcare and youth programs are high
quality, affordable, and accessible.
A variety of transportation options exist to
meet mobility needs.
A thriving economy offers readily available
living-wage jobs and fair work environments.
Healthcare services and health programs that
address physical, mental, and sexual &
reproductive well-being are available,
accessible, and inclusive.
Access to community spaces and resources
fosters social connection, health, and resilience
in a changing climate.
Local government and major institutions
prioritize safety, inclusion, and
representation.
Learning opportunities allow for full
participation and foster growth and success.
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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.
1. Identify and prioritize Housing First approaches to address housing instability and
homelessness.
2. Support partner organizations by funding transitional and emergency housing initiatives
and programs.
3. 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. (Federal funding, LIHTC, TIF, Community Land Trusts,
Community Housing Fund, land banking, city-owned land etc.)
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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.
1. Evaluate city employee housing cost burden and consider options for employee housing
assistance.
2. Convene local partners to explore the potential for co-operative housing models.
3. 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.
1. Conduct an educational workshop for design, construction, and real estate professionals
on universal design practices and adaptable dwellings within residential developments.
2. 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.
1. 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.
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/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.
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)
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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.
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).
2. Ensure that city funds contribute to comparable service of paratransit to fixed-route transit
operations.
3. Develop standards and formalize processes for ensuring bus stops are comfortable, safe,
shaded from sun, and accessible to riders in the winter.
4. Pilot a “Snow Angels” program to connect volunteers and people with disabilities, older
adults who are unable to remove snow from their sidewalks
5. Prioritize snow and ice removal at transit stops
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TRANSPORTATION
Goal 2. Center the most vulnerable road users in transportation
infrastructure design.
1. Develop and implement an Equity Impacts Tool to utilize in Transportation Planning and
train staff, directors, and decision makers in this approach.
2. 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).
3. Retrofit bicycle lanes to separate vehicles and bicyclists.
4. Strengthen partnership with Gallatin County and Montana Department of Transportation
for safety improvements on streets not within the City’s jurisdiction.
5. 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.
1. Develop a public outreach and education campaign about the proper use of accessible
parking spaces and access aisles.
2. Improve enforcement and responsiveness of PD/Parking Enforcement Officers when
vehicles are parked unlawfully in accessible spaces, as per city ordinance.
3. Ensure accessible parking spaces are provided in areas where the city does not require the
provision of on-site parking.
4. 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 Community Health Needs Assessment report. 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.
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. 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.
1. Coordinate across organizations to enable data sharing to better characterize health
disparities and social needs in underserved communities.
2. Improve referral and case management processes across health care and social service
providers to connect patients/clients with community resources.
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HEALTH + WELLBEING
Goal 3. Support and implement proven health education and
healthcare access efforts.
1. Expand the use of harm reduction approaches to treat substance use disorder.
2. Increase telehealth offerings and publicly available telehealth spaces for clients (e.g. private
telehealth rooms in libraries and other community spaces).
3. Support access to reproductive healthcare and comprehensive sexual education.
Goal 4. Expand meaningful language access in clinical settings and
in health promotion programs.
1. Provide on-demand interpretation in clinical and public health settings, train providers and
professionals in its use, and translate signage and documents.
2. 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.
1. Increase resources for multilingual education.
2. Provide meaningful language access to school services, online, and print materials to
provide LEP families with the information they need.
3. 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.
1. Continue to foster professional development opportunities for educators that emphasize
LGBTQ+ allyship, cultural humility, supporting students with disabilities, and inclusive
learning environments.
2. 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.
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. Continue to engage students in budget processes and strategic planning.
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).
4. Target professional development in alternative energy technologies to existing contractors
to grow their skills and experience.
5. 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.
1. Partner with local schools and universities to assess the needs of affected students and
assist with support delivery.
2. Distribute materials to educators around the prevalence of homelessness, resources to
support students and families, and the intersectionality of this issue.
3. 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?” In addition to affordability, availability is limited. The current
number of licensed childcare providers and the number of available preschool and infant spots
only meet about half of the demand for childcare in Gallatin County (Child Care Connections).
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.
1. Evaluate and address barriers around participation in out-of-school programs, including
transportation and cost.
2. Support participation in city programs and activities for families of children with disabilities.
3. 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.
1. Perform an equity impact analysis of the city’s enrollment processes, level of subsidy, and
scholarships for recreation programs and youth camps.
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.
3. 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.
1. Lobby for additional local, state, and federal funding/subsidy of quality childcare.
Goal 4. Recruit, develop, and retain quality staff.
1. Support efforts to recruit multilingual and multicultural staff for recreational programming.
2. Implement a mentorship and training program for youth who want to work as future
recreation/camp leaders.
3. 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.
1. Introduce a Minority and Women-Owned Business criteria into the city’s RFP scoring
process.
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.
3. Continue to narrow the gender pay gap among city employees.
Goal 2. Support and recognize inclusive businesses and employers.
1. Distribute guidance on being a fully accessible workplace/employer for people with
disabilities.
2. 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
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
2. 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.
Goal 4. Support the growing Hispanic + Latino workforce to our
economy and community.
1. Support the Montana Compact on Immigration.
2. 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.
1. 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.
1. Actively support events like Juneteenth, ADA Month, and Indigenous People’s Day and
learning opportunities for the broader community on equity issues
2. Evaluate city employee engagement through an intersectional lens.
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COMMUNITY RESILIENCY
Goal 3. Respond to the disproportionate impacts to vulnerable
community members due to climate change and extreme weather.
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
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.
Goal 4. Alleviate utility cost burden for low-income residents.
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
2. Incorporate water equity considerations into the city’s Water/Wastewater Rate Study and
its implementation.
Goal 5. Prioritize food access for low-income communities.
1. 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.
1. 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.
2. Retain interdepartmental Belonging in Bozeman committee with representation from City
of Bozeman departments and update the committee charter.
3. Continue to convene external partners to implement the Belonging in Bozeman Plan.
4. 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.
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. Evaluate and formalize the Community Liaison roles, for example: Hire a part-time
Disability Community Liaison and a full-time Bozeman PD Community Liaison.
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.
4. 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.
1. Implement on-demand interpretation services and train frontline city staff in utilizing them.
2. Develop and implement a comprehensive Language Access Plan.
3. Consider multilingual learning opportunities (language classes/training) and benefits for
multilingual staff (add-pay for multilingual staff in qualifying languages).
Goal 4. Ensure city staff and law enforcement demographics reflect
at minimum the demographics of the community.
1. Evaluate advertising and recruitment strategies to reach more diverse applicant pools.
2. Update City of Bozeman Hiring Practices Policy.
3. Continue to review minimum qualifications in Class Specifications.
4. Track the factors that contribute to employee turnover, candidate withdrawals, and
rejections of offers.
5. 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.
1. Develop an Equity Impacts decision-making tool and train elected officials, advisory board
members, and staff in its use.
2. 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.
3. Build staff capacity and resources needed to broaden communications and engagement in
the city budget development process.
4. 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.
1. 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).
2. 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.
1. Develop standard procedures to ensure timely communications and response to address
incidents of hate in the community.
2. 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 -175
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.
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1 engage.bozeman.net/belonging
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 #3 City of Bozeman, Gallatin Centralized directory of Directory of In-process,
training for health professionals and first responders Behavioral Health
Coalition (GBHC), local law
enforcement, Clinic +
hospital partners
trainers/training is being developed
by GBHC training budget; staff time,
Employee Assistance Programs
specific to mental health
trainers/trainings created
and shared across orgs,
number of trainings hosted
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. Coordinate across organizations to centralize and #2 GBHC, Bienvenidos a Staff time; data sharing Number of organizations In-progress;
share data to better characterize health disparities Gallatin Valley - MCC, agreements; coordination participating in data Ongoing
and social needs in underserved communities Proyecto Salud, GCCHD,
GBHC, HRDC, Clinics +
hospitals
meetings with GBHC, Help
Center, Bienvenidos/MCC
coordination efforts
2. Improve referral and case management processes #2 GCCHD, GBHC, Proyecto Coordination across Increased utilization of In-progress;
across health care and social service providers to Salud, Bienvenidos a Gallatin organizations to utilize referral referral and case Ongoing
connect patients/clients with community resources Valley, Clinics + hospitals,
social service providers
tools management tools
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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 CHP, Clinics + hospitals,
GCCHD, Help Center,
GBHC
Continuation of Medication-
Assisted Treatment options,
Naloxone distribution,
Coordination with local law
enforcement; alignment with
GBHC’s Strategic Plan; State
Opioid Response Program
Info about harm reduction
approaches posted on
websites, 2-1-1 directory
In-progress;
Ongoing
2. Increase telehealth offerings and publicly available
telehealth 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
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 information 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 City of Bozeman,
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
2. Evaluate city employee engagement through an
intersectional lens
#3 City of Bozeman HR staff have begun
development of survey
Survey complete and results
are reported
In-progress
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)
#2 City of Bozeman, Gallatin
County Emergency
Management, Southwest
MT Community
Organizations Active in
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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B. Develop policies for employers to mitigate impacts
of extreme heat and wildfire smoke/poor air quality
for people who work or live outside
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
Disaster (COAD), HRDC,
BSD7, GCCHD
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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