The Helena City Commission created the Downtown Urban Renewal District in 2018 and expanded that District to include a portion of the Rodney Street area. At the time, the City also adopted a resolution establishing the Downtown Urban Renewal District Tax Increment Financing Advisory Board (to be known as the Downtown URD TIF Advisory Board). One of the responsibilities of the Board is to adopt an Annual Work Plan that recommends the priorities for the use of TIF funds. A subcommittee of Advisory Board members met to discuss potential projects that could be considered and to identify the project areas that would best address the needs that have arisen out of the Covid-19 emergency. On May 19, 2020, the Board met to consider a draft Annual Work Plan that recommends program prioritizations for FY 2020 and the first half of FY 2021. These program priorities include: the development of branding and marketing plans focused on the Downtown URD businesses; a Health and Safety Improvement Program; and a Public Spaces Utilization Program. All of these priorities have been focused to address the concerns that have arisen from the directives of the Governor, the Lewis and Clark County Public Health Department, and the City of Helena State of Local Disaster Emergency Declaration related to the Covid-19 emergency.

Although additional projects are eligible as urban renewal projects, such additional projects expressly are not recommended at this time for funding amounts and prioritization. However, the additional projects and programs may be eligible for funding in the event additional tax increment funds become available. They will be included on the prioritization list once the Work Plan is formally amended and solicitations are made for projects of that type and recommended for funding.