give local
Give Local: Leave a Little for the Place You Love
Through PCCF’s We Will initiative, Park County residents have told us housing is one of Park County’s most pressing challenges. In response, A group of local businesses have volunteered to partner with the Park County Community Foundation (PCCF) and the Park County Housing Coalition (PCHC) to pilot “Give Local: Leave a little for the place you love,” a program that will leverage the tourism economy in support of housing solutions in Park County.
From July 1st to December 31st, participating businesses will add a voluntary 1% contribution to the Give Local pilot program to their customers’ bills or make a direct contribution to the fund. Customers may opt out at any time. All funds raised during the pilot will stay local and be dedicated to housing access, preservation, and development efforts in Park County. Participating businesses will send all Give Local contributions to PCCF, which allocates them exclusively to their Housing priority funding area.
The initial group of local businesses include:
The Park County Housing Coalition, a collaborative partnership of residents, employers, nonprofits, and community leaders convened and staffed by HRDC, worked with PCCF to inform the design of the pilot and share technical expertise on local housing needs and voluntary community giving models.
The AMB West Community Fund of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is providing support for the pilot.
Give Local Is Voluntary
Participating businesses add a voluntary 1% contribution to the Give Local initiative to their customers’ bills; customers may opt out at any time.
Give Local Supports Housing Grants
Participating businesses send all Give Local contributions to the Park County Community Foundation (PCCF), which allocates them exclusively to their Housing priority funding area.
PCCF will distribute Give Local funds through their annual We Will grant program to local nonprofits supporting housing for Park County residents at every stage of life.
Housing Is Central to Cost of Living
When housing costs are high, research shows “the rent eats first”—people will forgo critical spending on food, healthcare, childcare, and transportation to afford housing. Supporting housing access is an effective way to address cost-of-living concerns.
Give Local Is Community-Supported
Give Local is the culmination of six years of work by more than 50 community members working with the Park County Housing Coalition. It is modeled after Explore Whitefish’s Community Support Fund, which has sustained community initiatives for 20 years.
Give Local
Frequently Asked Questions
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This is a voluntary, six‑month pilot running from July–December 2026 in which participating businesses add an optional 1% community housing donation to customer bills or make a direct gift to the fund. The pilot will help Park County test the model before a possible wider launch in 2027.
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Housing is one of Park County’s most pressing challenges. The pilot creates a new, sustainable, tourism‑supported source of revenue to help address it—without placing additional burden on local residents.
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A pilot allows Park County to test the model, gather feedback, and make improvements before launching a long-term program.
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July 1 through December 31, 2026
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Continuation of the program and potential program expansion will depend on community participation and feedback from businesses and community organizations.
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No. Participation is voluntary for businesses, and customers can opt out.
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Participating businesses add a 1% line item to customer receipts. The contribution is completely voluntary—customers can decline it at any time by request.
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All funds generated through the pilot will go directly into PCCF’s Housing priority area—one of the community priorities identified annually through PCCF’s We Will grants program, which relies on resident input and hard data to guide investments.
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Dollars collected through the pilot will be granted out through PCCF’s We Will grant program, which awards funds to local nonprofits addressing community‑identified needs, including housing development, preservation, and access.
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No. This is not a tax. Participation is voluntary for businesses, and the contribution is optional for customers.
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Park County’s tourism economy is strong, and visitors benefit from the services and workforce that make the county thrive. As costs continue to rise faster than local incomes, this model gives visitors a simple way to give back to the community they love, supporting local workers and families.
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The pilot will assess:
Business participation and operational fit
Customer response
Administrative burden on PCCF AND local businesses
Total funds raised
Impact on housing access, availability, and preservation
Impact on philanthropic investment into PCCF’s Housing and Affordability fund
Ease of implementation
Community feedback
Monetary support of long‑term housing strategies
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Any Park County business is welcome to join the pilot—lodging, retail, guides/outfitters, food & beverage, and more. We are prioritizing businesses that predominantly serve Park County’s visitor economy. Contact PCCF to inquire about participation.
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At the end of the pilot, PCCF will publish a public report summarizing funds raised, grants awarded, business and customer feedback, and recommendations for next steps.
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All funds generated through the pilot will be granted out through PCCF’s We Will grant program, specifically within the Housing priority area. This priority is identified each year through community input and hard data to determine Park County’s most urgent needs. For more information: https://www.pccf-montana.org/need
Grants will be directed at supporting rentals, home ownership opportunities, and other types of community housing affordable to Park County locals. These efforts could include: emergency housing, transitional housing, homebuyer readiness and education, down payment assistance, land acquisition for attainable housing, creation and preservation of resident-owned communities and cooperatives, and home repair programs for low- and moderate-income homeowners.