RC&D: A Catalyst for Community Enhancement

Beartooth RC&D

The Joliet Community Center is an example of the vital role RC&Ds play within their areas. The community center project, a six-year undertaking by the Joliet community, was initiated with little more than a dream in the minds of a few residents. With RC&D assistance, the community got behind the project. The 10,600 square-foot building includes a senior center, a community library, a Head Start program, a medical clinic and a large community hall. The center has become a focal point for the community, employing 11 people and providing needed services to the area’s residents.

Bitter Root RC&D

The Bitterroot RC&D along with the Bitterroot National Forest and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation have come together to create the “Fire Works Wagon.” The “Fire Works Wagon” is a mobile learning center equipped to provide information on how to make homes more defensible from wildfire, the value of prescribed fires, and the role fires have in forests. The wagon will be available to travel throughout Montana and has already been to Idaho and Washington.

Central Montana RC&D

The Central Montana RC&D has been heavily involved with developing a reliable source of high quality drinking water for the Musselshell Valley in central Montana. The water supply in many communities in this region has a high mineral content and is prone to shortages. The Musselshell Valley Regional Municipal Water Project could provide drinking water to people in Utica, Hobson, Moore, Harlowton, Shawmut, Ryegate, Lavina, Roundup, Musselshell, Melstone, and Broadview.

Eastern Plains RC&D

Roxanne and George Nickoloff’s hobby has become the first winery in eastern Montana. With the help of a $2,500 grant from the Eastern Plains RC&D, the Nicoloffs traveled the Northwest visiting the region’s wineries and gaining knowledge about wine making. After two years of planning, paperwork, and construction, the Rolling Hills Winery is open for business in Culbertson. They use native fruits from eastern Montana, including chokecherries, June berries, plums, etc. This grant is one of 33 projects in eastern Montana that received assistance through the “Community Startup Grant Program.”

Headwaters RC&D

In 2002, the Louisiana Pacific Corporation (LP), the largest private employer in Powell County, announced that its Montana operations, including the mill at Deer Lodge, were for sale. There was a good deal of apprehension concerning the fate of the mill and whether it might be closed. The Headwaters RC&D was able to assist the owner of Sun Mountain Logging, Inc. in purchasing the facility and retain the jobs by helping to develop a business plan. The RC&D also worked with the City of Deer Lodge and Powell County to secure funds to help the company with working capital and training needs.

North Central Montana RC&D

The North Central Montana RC&D has created a website to promote tourism in the area by providing a clearinghouse for information about events, activities, cultural and historical attractions, lodging, and other vacation options. The RC&D transferred the site to the “Hands of Harvest” group, which is expanding the site.

Northern Rocky Mountain RC&D

The Northern Rocky Mountain RC&D will help 20 families in Livingston construct and own their own homes through the Mutual Self Help Housing Project (Home Equity Partners). The project is unique in that participants have to provide 30 hours/week of sweat equity. The future homeowners work on all of the homes being built during a phase and no one moves into their home until they are all finished. The project is funded by loans through Rural Development and a technical assistance grant to the RC&D. It is projected that the housing project will bring $2.2 million into Livingston’s economy through construction supplies, contract labor, etc.

Northwest Regional RC&D

The Northwest Regional RC&D Council has been working with various partners to plan fuels reduction projects in northwest Montana to reduce the threat of catastrophic fire and increase forest health. A $2.2 million project requesting approximately $1.1 million to conduct fuels reduction projects in 20 high risk community subdivisions has been submitted. The project also requested funding to support community fire plan activities. The project was selected as a top priority proposal for Montana by the 2004 Western States Wildland Urban Interface. The project was also approved for approximately $1 million by the Western States Fire Managers.