Belonging in Big Sky is a community-wide initiative supporting the diverse communities that live and work in Big Sky through funding, community education, and events.
FUNDING
Funding to enhance community services and programming
EDUCATION
Education regarding the ‘what, why & how’ of DEIB work
EVENTS
Events that reflect & celebrate the diversity of Big Sky
Our Mission
To create a sense of belonging so that, whether here for a day or a lifetime, everyone in our community feels welcomed, valued, respected, and safe.
Our Vision
Big Sky is a place of connection… with history, the landscape, and each other. Belonging in Big Sky aims to honor and enhance these connections.
Through a systems-based, genuine, forward-thinking approach, Belonging in Big Sky will help maintain a community environment that promotes respect and understanding for the many facets of diversity, accessibility, and individual identity.
This will help ensure the prosperity and sense of belonging for ALL members of this community now, and for generations to come.
Why?
Our community (and the world) is changing fast. The growth of our community is only sustainable if the support for our community members grows proportionally. We need to make sure that our community systems are set up in ways that support and promote prosperity for everyone.
After an initial needs assessment surveying individuals from diverse backgrounds who live and work in Big Sky, it became clear there were needs, gaps in support, and a lack of understanding & data that needed to be addressed.
The Belonging in Big Sky Initiative is a platform designed to help us do what’s right and fair for people and what’s good for the community at the same time. Communities with a focus on social responsibility have a proven advantage over those that don’t. More importantly, everyone who is part of this community deserves to genuinely feel a sense of belonging in Big Sky.
Current Efforts Include:
Data collection/sharing project with sciGaia – Wellbeing Analytics to inform future actions, efforts, and funding
Partnership with City of Bozeman & Belonging in Bozeman Equity & Inclusion Plan
Chamber created a new role and hired a workforce development manager
Community education workshop series around social responsibility
Resource guide and tool-kit for organizations to advance social responsibility goals
Partnership with Be Well Big Sky around accessible behavioral health & wellness resources and education
Increased funding support from local community foundations
Increased social responsibility efforts from local businesses
Development support for multiple bilingual community resource navigators
Increased sports & rec programming to help reduce barriers to entry
Increased cultural event programming to celebrate and reflect the diversity of Big Sky
Research & resources highlighting Indigenous history of greater Big Sky area
Development of welcome guide resource for new community members
Spring 2022
Big Sky Chamber of Commerce hosted a 3-part DEIB workshop with MTREP.
Summer 2022
DEIB committee & Hale Creative Consulting, monthly meetings, created framework.
Fall 2022
Needs assessment, partnership building, building out a strategic plan.
Winter 2023
Partnerships, program building, begin sciGaia data project, community engagement.
Spring 2023
Public launch, community engagement, implementation of programming
Summer 2023
Community education series, more cultural events, efforts underway by local businesses & organizations
Fall 2023
Community education series, more cultural events, efforts underway by local businesses & organizations
