View as Webpage

In an exciting move during International Economic Development Week, the Great Falls Development Alliance travelled to Lethbridge, Alberta to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Economic Development Lethbridge (EDL). With this agreement, we plan greater cross-border cooperation between our two economic development organizations that will raise awareness of our region, ease the experience of companies looking to start, expand or relocate on either side of the border, and to attract investment to our region- especially in the world of food, ag and bio processing. We are very grateful to our partners at EDL for orchestrating such a magnificent visit and look forward to hosting them this fall.

1) During our visit to Lethbridge we toured a meat processing plant, 11-hectare greenhouse operation, winery, biofuels plant, oil seed crush plant, the Lethbridge Agra-food Hub and Trade Centre, Lethbridge College agrafood research facilities, and processors located in Canada's Premier Food Corridor. The executive directors of the Montana Wheat and Barley Commission and the Montana Pulse Committee were able to join us on parts of the trip. See Lethbridge Herald story on tour and on MOU signing and MyLethbridgeNow.

2) Congratulations to Hybrid Steel Design for getting certified through the Small Business Administration (SBA) as a “certified HUBZone small business.” Did you know that the government uses special programs to help small businesses win at least 23% of all federal contracting dollars each year? Small businesses looking to position themselves ahead of the competition can explore set-aside programs that offer opportunities tailored to specific criteria, such as ownership categories like woman-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned. To see if your business qualifies for federal set-aside certifications, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.

3) The Great Falls City Commission unanimously approved tax increment funds to support the Downtown Development Partnership for FY2024 and FY2025, including the Montana Artsfest mural event, the downtown business development officer position, and training support for the downtown partners. Thank you!

4) Attention Great Falls employers and recruiters; GFDA is hosting a Talent Attraction & Livability Launch Reception on Wednesday, May 15th from 4:00-5:00 PM at the Arc Apartment Homes clubhouse. Register here. This event aims to introduce and discuss various tools that can support your workforce needs. Pick up your copies of the 2024 Livability magazine, learn about our many talent attraction resources available to employers, and visit with GFDA staff to answer questions. Recruiters, HR directors, and individuals responsible for hiring within organizations; this event can offer valuable insights and strategies to enhance your recruitment efforts. Contact Tracy Heggem at 1-406-788-1192 or Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org for more information. 

5) Congratulations to Historic Preservation award winners the City of Great Falls for renovation og the Civic Center facade and to O'Haire Motor Inn for its downtown retrovation; see TheElectric.

6) Jake was invited to a statewide housing coordinating team discussion on the use of tax increment financing in cooperation with other tools to fund infrastructure for workforce housing developments. Some communities in Montana have been proactive and innovative to stack multiple tools to increase their housing production. If you have a housing project in the works, reach out to Jake for more information and support: Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937.

7) Are you an accredited investor eager to put your money to work in the Great Falls Region? Or an entrepreneur or developer seeking cash investment? We have scheduled our first Angel Investor Networking Event for Wednesday, May 29, 2024 from 4:30-6:30pm. We're looking to connect accredited investors with entrepreneurs and developers who need cash investment. Register here! For more information, including how to prepare for the event, please contact Tyler Menzales at TMenzales@GrowGreatFalls.org or call 1-406-217-7862.

8) At the first Agritourism conference hosted by MSU in Bozeman, Anna networked with other food and ag leaders and learned about the principles behind agritourism. Agritourism, a fast growing segment of the tourism sector, is going to be an increasing focus of both Montana’s Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture to promote Montana’s historic agricultural heritage and diversify farm incomes. If you are interested in starting your own Agritourism business in North Central Montana, please reach out to Anna at 1-406-590-1301 or Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org.

9) Save the date for GFDA’s Annual Meeting: Tuesday, June 18th, 8:00-10:00 AM at the Newberry. Expect engaging presentations from our team, celebrate this year’s Ally Award winners, and network with fellow stakeholders and community leaders. Mark your calendars now.

10) Nicki was in Birmingham, Alabama, for the National Main Street Now conference, learning about developing a downtown inventory, data-led placemaking, facilitating a thriving nighttime economy and general best practices for downtown redevelopment. Nine people from Great Falls attended and came away with enthusiasm, knowledge and a deeper understanding of how to work together to make Downtown Great Falls thrive.

11) We are preparing to welcome the next class of Touro COM students into our community. Last year, businesses and community members supported the students by donating items for gift bags, hosting small groups for dinners, sponsoring their white coats, and more. To find out how you can support this new class, reach out to Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. 

12) We Are Growing Our Awesome Staff Team. Download a description of openings for Director Regional Small Business Development Center, Lending Solutions Specialist and Communications & Marketing Specialist. Contact Tracy for more info at Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org.

13) GFDA investors and public partners play a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscape, fostering innovation, and driving progress. Through collaboration and support, we can continue our work to raise the standard of living in our region. Learn more our supporters by viewing this short video. Recent investments include: Advance Division—Transystems, LLC; Community Division—Cogswell Insurance. If you’d like to learn about our economic development strategy and how you can support our work, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Happy Mother's Day!

Brett

Brett Doney

President & CEO

1-406-750-2119

BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org

Connect with me on  LinkedIn to network with the Great Falls Montana region.

Forward the GFDA Top 10 to friends and colleagues. You can join our distribution list HERE or text GFDA to 22828.

Subscribe to the Grow Great Falls Montana YouTube channel!

"Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success."

Pablo Picasso

Edition 632

If your company needs a rail-served, BNSF-Certified, shovel-ready site with all municipal services at your door, we have lots available for immediate construction in the Great Falls AgriTech Park. Contact Jolene Schalper at 1-406-750-4481 or JSchalper@GrowGreatFalls.org

The 25-year loan effective rate (including all fees) is 6.690%; 20-year at 6.760%; 10-year equipment loan at 6.587%; and, 20-year refinance 6.790%; 25-year refinance 6.719%. These rates are FIXED for the life of the loan and are inclusive of all fees. If you would like to find out how to get financing for commercial real estate and equipment at potentially lower rates than you're paying for your home mortgage, please contact Jill Kohles at 1-406-590-1056 or JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org.

The 2024 Great Falls Housing Market Assessment shows a need for 650 new housing units per year in the immediate Great Falls area. For assistance with housing development, contact Jake Clark at Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937.

Manufacturers, if you don't get the monthly newsletter from the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center you are missing out on great training and other resources.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is partnering with the USDA and the Agricultural Marketing Services to help strengthen the resiliency of Montana food systems. Is your food company focused on middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, or distribution of targeted agricultural products? If so, there is a new funding opportunity for your projects. Discuss this new opportunity and check your eligibility with Anna by reaching out at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301.

Are you planning any international marketing activities in 2024? The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) run by the Export Montana team at the Montana Department of Commerce has a host of export support services and federal grants available for businesses up to $12,000. They're awesome to work with! Our Small Business Advisor, Rich Gannon, can help too and he is also awesome! RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-836-2078.

Have you created or updated your Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) profile? A strong profile can significantly boost your contracting success by increasing your visibility to local, state, and federal agencies seeking goods and services. If you would like more information on how to create or update your DSBS profile, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.

USDA has launched a new online tool to assist small businesses in identifying procurement opportunities; see USDA's Procurement Forecast.

Zero to 5 has launched the Montana Child Care Business Connect website to help support the startup and expansion of early childcare businesses. The Great Falls Childcare Demand Assessment shows a need for additional childcare facilities to serve 580 children in Great Falls. For assistance with childcare facility business planning, contact Rich Gannon at RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-836-2078.

One of the many tools we have for renovating your building in Downtown Great Falls is the City's Downtown Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Grant. This 50% match grant can help with Façade, Building Code Compliance, and Safety & Security. One of the biggest uses of this grant is Fire Suppression and updating the face of your building. To find out more about this grant, call Christian at 1-406-836-0136 or email CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org. Let's discuss how TIF and other tools can help you change the face of Downtown Great Falls. 

Employers, are you looking for timely data on our local workforce? JobsEQ for Workforce is a software tool that provides timely data on our local workforce and employers—including demographics, occupations, wages, certifications, and more. Contact Jake Clark at Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937 to be connected with a JobsEQ-trained Business Advisor today. To learn more about GFDA's other talent attraction tools, visit our website. 

Recruiters, are you hiring for a job position that is:  

• High level 
• High salary 
• Out-of-the-box/unique/creative? 

Help us attract workforce to move to Great Falls - send a one-sentence description of the job, 3-5 of your company's top employee benefits, salary (if listed), and a link to apply for your job to TMenzales@GrowGreatFalls.org to be included in the Hot Jobs in Great Falls blog post.  

Cybersecurity challenges for businesses continue to grow. The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) is offering an array of useful resources to help Montana businesses to protect themselves.

USDA opened a new round of Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants and loans. Rural small businesses and agricultural producers can use the funds to make energy-efficiency improvements, lower operating costs, or install renewable energy systems. Quarterly competitions will be held through June 30th. For for help applying, contact Anna Flies: Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301. 

The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center has launched the Certified Manufacturing Associate Apprenticeship program. This one-year program combines on-the-job training with online technical classes on safety, math and measurements, manufacturing processes, and quality control.



If you are trying to redevelop a property that involves an environmental cleanup (including lead paint and asbestos) and you have a gap in your financing, your project may qualify for our low-interest brownfield redevelopment loan funds. We can make loans anywhere in Cascade County or within 100 miles from the borders of Cascade County, which covers much of the region. We're eager to help make your project move forward. Contact Christian Nichols at 1-406-788-9385 or CNichols@GrowGreatFalls.org. We also have some small business or nonprofit startup/expansion loan funds available for Glacier and Blaine counties.

Do you have open government contracts? Is your SAM.gov registration due to renew in the next few months? SAM.gov continues to have issues with the transition of the new validation process. It is recommended that businesses start early to renew their registration to keep from going inactive. If you are having trouble getting through the process, contact Shannon Clancy at 1-406-590-1184 or SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org for assistance. 

The Montana Innovation Partnership is offering a number of trainings and an accelerator program for companies interested in pursuing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants.

The best resource we scan daily to stay abreast of business and community innovation is MATR.net (Montana Associated Technology Roundtables), which we are proud to help sponsor. Sign up for their free newsletter.

Join our Trailing Partner Email Group specifically for local employers to share resumes of trailing spouses/partners across the Great Falls region with other employers looking to hire. “Your (Live in Great Falls) website is very impressive and helpful! Great Falls looks amazing, and we love what we've seen real estate-wise, and business-wise.” This quote was from an email sent to us from a couple considering relocation to Great Falls. We will be sharing their resumes (with their permission) on the Trailing Partner Email Group.

Visit our relocation website LiveInGreatFalls.com. This website was the #1 request we got from local recruiters and HR professionals for aiding in attracting talented workers to Great Falls.

Our Mission is to Grow diverse economic opportunities that enhance quality of life.

GFDA is a certified Community Development Financial Institution and a 501(c)3 charitable organization. High Plains Financial is a certified Community Development Corporation that offers SBA 504 loans statewide. GFDA and High Plains Financial are Equal Opportunity Employers, Lenders and Providers.

GFDA is proud to host a Montana Small Business Development Center, a Montana APEX Accelerator, and a Montana Food & Ag Development Center. GFDA is a certified Montana MicroBusiness Development Corporation.

GFDA was the first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council.

Great Falls Development Alliance | GrowGreatFallsMontana.org