YWCA Tells Commission It Has the Match Money. Now It Needs the City's Yes.

YWCA Helena Executive Director Denise King came to the commission last week with a specific message: the organization has done its fundraising homework, and it's ready to move on a $1.3 million basement renovation project. King confirmed the YWCA has secured the required $362,000 match — including $187,500 in required match funds — with award letters in hand from the Murdoch Foundation for $200,000.

The project centers on a renovation of the YWCA's basement space, which King described in mission-critical terms. The YWCA serves women and families across the Helena area, and the building infrastructure directly supports those programs. The $1.3 million total project cost would be funded through a combination of the secured match and grant dollars the organization is pursuing, though the commission presentation was focused on establishing the YWCA's readiness to proceed.

King's appearance before the commission was part of the broader CDBG conversation happening at City Hall. The Helena Food Share CDBG grant from 2023 has been the city's most recent example of that funding category at work locally, and the YWCA project represents a potential next chapter — if the city moves forward with an application on the organization's behalf or in coordination with it.

With award letters secured and the match confirmed, the YWCA has positioned itself as a shovel-ready partner. What happens next depends on the city's willingness to engage the CDBG process and on the timeline of any future grant cycle the commission chooses to pursue.