Conservative Advocacy Group Fundraises for Christian Policy Center Near Capitol

The Montana Family Foundation, a Laurel based conservative Christian advocacy organization, announced on December 2 that it was fundraising to construct a three story, 10,000 square foot headquarters at the southwest corner of 11th Avenue and North Roberts Street in Helena. The site sits about four blocks from the state Capitol, and roughly two blocks north of the Montana Department of Justice offices and the Montana Heritage Center museum.

The foundation described the project as the Montana Center for Christian Policy, a multi million dollar facility designed to house small Christian nonprofits, conservative attorneys and policy advocates. Architectural renderings released with the fundraising materials showed a first story designated as a nonprofit incubator offering affordable workspace and shared resources, a second floor for pro bono attorneys, and a third floor for legislative advocacy that includes what the group described as a secure meeting room with a view of the state Capitol building. In a fundraising video Derek Oestreicher, the organization’s chief legal counsel, said, "For the first time in Montana history, Christians are building a home base to shape public policy."

The family foundation is 25 year old and has been a major player in numerous legislative fights at the state Capitol, including efforts to restrict abortion access, limit government acknowledgement of transgender Montanans, and restrict how educators discuss gender and sexuality in schools. The group identifies itself as a partner of national organizations such as Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom, and states its mission is "to defend faith, uphold the dignity of the home, and safeguard the liberties that allow Montana to flourish."

Fundraising materials state that donations to the building effort will be tax deductible, but do not disclose an overall cost estimate or how much has been raised so far. Gov. Greg Gianforte previously donated $1.7 million to the foundation between 2017 and 2022 through his family foundation. A spokesperson for the Gianforte Family Foundation said Tuesday that it had not at this point made a financial commitment to the building project.

Local officials, residents and lawmakers face a series of practical and policy questions as the proposal progresses. Concentrating legal counsel and advocacy groups near the Capitol could increase coordination of lobbying efforts and visibility for faith based policy campaigns. The lack of disclosed project costs and donor lists amplifies calls for clarity about tax deductible fundraising and the potential influence such a center could exert on Montana public policy.