Resource Database

In partnership with local governments and a host of stakeholders, the Montana Department of Commerce administers CDBG funds on behalf of the State of Montana. Under the State CDBG Program, states award grants to cities, towns, and counties to develop and preserve decent affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities, and to create and retain jobs.

This online guide authored by the USDA provides rural housing information on funding programs, technical assistance, housing data and informational resources from housing organizations.

HUD hosts the "Rural Housing and Economic Development Resources" page which provides funding summaries and case studies for users to learn more about rural housing funding opportunities and the experiences of other rural housing developers.

Small cities and towns outside of significant natural amenities such as national parks, public lands, ski areas, and scenic rivers throughout the western United States are becoming increasingly popular places to visit and live. As a result, many of these gateway and natural amenity region (GNAR) communities—such as Jackson, WY, and Moab, UT—are grappling with a variety of “big city” issues, including severe congestion, lack of affordable workforce housing, and concerns about sprawl. Other GNAR communities are just beginning to, or may soon, experience significant growth and tourism pressures. Effective and proactive planning is critical for helping GNAR communities preserve and enhance the qualities that make them such desirable places to live and visit.

Habitat for Humanity, The Heart of Wyoming, is a nonprofit housing organization that brings people together to build homes and communities. People partner with Habitat for Humanity to build a place they call their own. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.

The HOME Investment Partnerships Program, commonly referred to as HOME, is a Federal block grant designed to help create and sustain safe, decent, and affordable housing for low-income households. The annual allocation is based on population and documented housing needs. As the designated Administrator of the Idaho’s HOME Program, IHFA awards HOME funds as gap financing to qualified Idaho housing developers to acquire, construct, or rehabilitate affordable rental housing throughout the state of Idaho.

Qualified nonprofit housing developers are awarded HOME funds as a loan to construct or rehabilitate single-family homes to be sold or rented to qualified low-income households. All HOME-assisted housing has a Period of Affordability of 5 to 20 years depending on the amount of HOME funds received and the scope of the activity (e.g. single-family/multi-family rental, new construction, rehabilitation, acquisition).

The Housing Assistance Council assists in the development of both single- and multi-family homes and promotes homeownership for working low-income rural families. HAC offers services to public, nonprofit, and private organizations throughout the rural United States and maintains a special focus on high-need groups and regions, such as: Indian country, the Mississippi Delta, farmworkers, the Southwest border colonias, and Appalachia.

Idaho Housing’s Housing Information Referral Center (HIRC) exists to answer your housing questions. HIRC staff offer important information and referrals to housing consumers, providers, and advocates. Idaho Housing also works with statewide coalitions and local communities to better understand the role of affordable and workforce housing in sustainable community and economic development. Our goal is to empower individuals, organizations, and communities as they work toward housing that provides access, stability, and resilience at all levels.

The Montana Board of Housing's purpose is to create affordable housing opportunities for Montanans whose needs are not met by the market. Services provided by the board include: Section 8 programs, the issuing of tax-exempt Mortgage Revenue Bonds, and loan servicing.

Every day, staff at the Department of Commerce are aiming to make sure Montana is the best place to work, live, and play. We work alongside private industry and local organizations to create jobs, grow businesses, develop affordable housing, and improve community infrastructure.