Turning Tax Credits into Community Action
- Ryan Tungseth
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
Activating Civic Participation for Fergus Falls Area Habitat for Humanity
In 2024, Fergus Falls Area Habitat for Humanity approached Growth Forge Studio with a clear goal: increase participation in the Minnesota State Housing Tax Credit (SHTC) program for the upcoming tax year.
The opportunity was significant. The SHTC program allows taxpayers to redirect state tax liability directly into affordable housing development in their own community.
But participation wasn’t structured. There was no coordinated campaign. Awareness relied largely on informal conversations and passive communication.
Habitat didn’t need more promotion.
It needed activation.
Designing Participation, Not Just Messaging
From the beginning, this project was framed as a civic engagement initiative — not a marketing campaign.
SHTC participation requires informed financial action. That means clarity, trust, and repeated exposure are critical.
Growth Forge Studio was initially contracted to design the strategic framework for the 2025 initiative. Following implementation, Habitat reported a substantial increase in participation compared to prior years, nearly doubling previous totals. Based on that growth, Habitat retained Growth Forge Studio to expand the campaign for the 2026 cycle.
The focus wasn’t on impressions or reach.
It was on measurable behavior.
Building a Community Champion Model
In rural communities, participation often spreads through trusted relationships rather than advertising.
So instead of relying solely on digital promotion, we built a structured champion network.
The framework included:
Recruitment and training of four community champions
Approximately 30 presentations delivered to churches, civic groups, and local organizations
Champion-led one-on-one meetings with potential contributors
Co-presentations between champions and Habitat staff
Outreach activities occurred primarily between June and November, allowing for sustained exposure rather than a single concentrated push.
This distributed model extended Habitat’s reach beyond staff capacity and strengthened peer-to-peer communication.
Multi-Layered Communication Infrastructure
Relational outreach was reinforced with structured messaging and digital support.
Growth Forge Studio created:
A dedicated SHTC webpage explaining the program and its local impact
Monthly newsletter articles clarifying participation steps
Social media messaging scheduled throughout the campaign period
Video content used during presentations to standardize explanation
Instead of one announcement, the campaign created repeated, consistent touchpoints.
The goal was simple: reduce informational friction and increase confidence.
Measuring What Matters
The primary measurable outcome was total SHTC contributions secured for the 2025 initiative.
Habitat reported a substantial increase in participation following implementation of the structured outreach strategy, nearly doubling prior-year totals. Final individual contributor counts are pending state release, but total contribution amount serves as a clear behavioral indicator.
Because SHTC participation requires active financial commitment, contribution totals reflect civic action — not passive awareness.
Context Matters
The SHTC program operates within a capped statewide funding pool. Demand has increased dramatically in recent years:
2024: Funds remained available for approximately 10 months
2025: Funds were exhausted within approximately 3 months
2026: Funds were exhausted in less than one day
The Fergus Falls campaign occurred within this broader surge in participation. While statewide demand increased, the documented expansion of local outreach intensity and structured engagement provides a plausible and responsible connection between strategy implementation and increased local participation.
Responsible interpretation matters.
The Structural Insight
The most important shift wasn’t the webpage or the presentations.
It was intentional network activation.
By formalizing trusted intermediaries, reinforcing messaging across channels, and sustaining outreach over time, the campaign converted awareness into action.
Civic participation rarely happens because someone sees a single message.
It happens when information is clear, trusted, and repeated.
The SHTC campaign demonstrates how structured outreach design can translate opportunity into measurable community investment.
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