Downtown Missoula is a special place. As America’s Great Neighborhood, the Heart of Missoula is the place to connect with your family and friends, neighbors and strangers. It’s where Missoulians come to recreate, to enjoy live theater and concerts, to support local businesses, and to eat, drink and be merry.

Downtown Missoula is the envy of all communities in Montana and most in the region. It is a vibrant and healthy city center with hundreds of locally-owned businesses, several museums and art galleries, and non-profit organizations that care about our quality of life in western Montana.

As Missoulians consider the programs and organizations to honor with a year-end gift, the Missoula Downtown Foundation (MDF) is one non-profit you can feel good about supporting. The MDF was created as a 501(c)(3) entity in 2010 to help generate funds for downtown improvements and implementation of the Downtown Master Plan. The MDF’s mission is to support and promote Missoula through the enhancement of downtown, now and for future generations.

In just seven years, the Missoula Downtown Foundation has raised and reinvested almost $1 million back into downtown Missoula. That includes $665,000 into Caras Park Improvements, $200,000 into Light Our Bridges, $50,000 into the Wayfinding Pedestrian Directional Signs, and nearly $70,000 into the infrastructure upgrades for the downtown holiday décor. These projects improve the environment and the quality of life for both residents and visitors.

With your help, the MDF will continue to raise and reinvest your contributions into the Heart of Missoula. Funds are needed to build and install nine Wayfinding Kiosks and to replace the canopy on the pavilion in Caras Park. A campaign has been launched to raise $400,000 to update the Downtown Master Plan in 2018. Gifts to the Foundation are also utilized for the beloved Play it Missoula pianos and to implement and maintain recycling in Caras Park.

Your gift to the Missoula Downtown Foundation is tax deductible and can be directed to a project of your choice or into an unrestricted fund. Short-term giving and planned giving are both available, and your gift to the MDF will have a direct and positive impact on the Missoula community.

Downtown Missoula is a place that is worthy of your investment. If you care about the heart of our community, please consider a year-end gift to the Missoula Downtown Foundation

For more information on the Missoula Downtown Foundation or any other project or program in Downtown Missoula, visit www.missouladowntown.com or connect directly with Director of Giving Karen Snow via phone (406-543-4238) or email (karen@missouladowntown.com).

Linda McCarthy is the executive director of the Missoula Downtown Association.

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