As the local American Legion Post works to raise funds for a new facility, it may need the City of Powell’s help.

At last week’s city council meeting, American Legion Hughes-Pittinger Post 26 representatives said they’ll likely have a better shot at landing bigger grants for their planned Patriot Community Center if the city government acts as a sponsor.

The Legion says it has outgrown its current 5,000 square foot hall on South Clark Street and wants to build a new 26,500 square foot center that would include a large space for community events, two commercial kitchens, room for multiple veteran service organizations and significantly more space for food distribution. While the post hasn’t purchased any land, members are eyeing a parcel on Gateway Circle on Powell’s west end.

It’s going to take a substantial fundraising effort to make the center a reality, with the cost estimated at $17.2 million. At the city council’s Feb. 17 meeting, post member Jayson Nicholson said they’re exploring potential grants.

The state’s Grants Management Office “made it very clear that there are large sums of money available,” Nicholson said. “However, as a 501(c)(19) or 501(c)(3) [private nonprofit organization], we cannot apply for them.”

Instead, he said the Legion post will need a governmental sponsor like the city “to act on our behalf to receive those funds and then distribute those funds as appropriate.”

It’s too early to say how the city might get involved, but it wouldn’t be the first time the council has agreed to help a local nonprofit seek funding. In 2024, the council boosted the plans for a new, expanded Powell Senior Center by agreeing to take ownership of the land and eventual building (the nonprofit Powell Senior Citizens A Go-Go would then lease and operate the facility). That move was similarly intended to lift the project’s fundraising prospects. More recently, the council endorsed the idea of asking Park County voters to approve a temporary 1% sales tax hike to pay for the roughly $7.3 million senior center.

The plans for the Patriot Community Center are further out, with no specific grants identified as of last week. However, Nicholson said, “as those opportunities come up and become apparent, we would like the support of the city council to act as that municipal fiscal sponsor on our behalf.”

The council didn’t make any commitments — City Administrator Zack Thorington noted they’d need to “read the fine print” before considering any potential grant — but signaled openness to the concept.

Council members also voted unanimously to issue a formal letter of support for the Patriot Community Center. The council joins the Wyoming Veterans Commission, the Powell Economic Partnership, Northwest College, the Park County Commission and the Sheridan VA in officially backing the effort.

Councilman Steve Lensegrav described it as “an awesome project” and Council President Tim Sapp told the post representatives that the councilors “do appreciate what you’re doing in our communities.” 

The Legion post hopes to break ground on the Patriot Community Center in the summer of 2028 and complete it in 2030.