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Congratulations to Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Montana for celebrating its inaugural Montana class with a white coat ceremony at the Great Falls Civic Center and a ribbon cutting and open house at the Great Falls campus. See what Dr. Alan Kadish, the Touro College and University System president, had to say about what makes Great Falls an excellent location for the college's newest medical school. 

A packed two-week Top 22!

1) Week to week we talk about the exciting successes of entrepreneurs, businesses and developers in our region, but on a quarterly basis we get our report card on how we're doing in building a stronger overall economy. JobsEQ released data for 2023Q1 that documents the Great Falls MSA (Cascade County) increased employment by 3.1% over the four quarters ending 2023Q1, hitting the highest employment level on record. Local average annual wages increased by 8.1%, compared to 6.4% statewide and 2.8% across the nation. This enabled our average annual wage to reach 76% of the national average for the first time. Since GFDA was founded, our MSA's average annual wage has increased from 63% of the national average to 76% while our cost of living has fallen from 93% to 87% of the national average. Our long term goal is to get our average annual wage above our cost of living. We've closed the 30 point gap to 11 points.

2) Over the four quarters ending 2023Q1 total wages earned in the Great Falls MSA increased by 11.5% or $208 million. That adds significant spending power for local consumers. The number of business establishments (not including self-employed) increased by 9% with 250 new businesses, both according to JobsEQ data.

3) Jolene travelled to Colorado to network with site selectors focused on transportation and logistics. The Logistics Forum has very limited participation and gives us the chance to really connect with and learn from industry experts. We were invited to attend through Tim Feemster, one of our strategic plan consultants. Questions, reach out to Jolene 1-406-760-4481. 

4) Groundbreaking was held for a new youth wellness center that will be located across from the Rocky Boy Health Center; see KRTV. Nineteen year old Avery Allen has opened the Below Zero Dance Studio in Great Falls; see KRTV. Play It Again Sports is planning a new store in Great Falls. The Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Great Falls College MSU, ADF, Allied Steel, and Montana Vocational Rehab have partnered to launch the first 10-student cohort of an accelerated, six-week structural welding course.The comprehensive program is designed to equip individuals with essential skills and qualifications to build careers in the critical welding industry; see The Electric's Business Bites.

5) We spoke with several facilities in need of an FDA-compliant Food Safety Plan and a qualified individual on staff to create and implement it. Sound familiar? Learn to develop your plan and receive a certificate of completion directly from the Food Safety and Preventive Controls Alliance from Montana Manufacturing Extension Center Instructor, Claude Smith, this month for the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual for Human Food training, August 16-18 here in Great Falls. Click here for more information and to register, or contact Katesha at 1-406-788-0860 or Katesha@GrowGreatFalls.org.

6) Animal lovers rejoice - Fetch Pet Boutique is expanding in Great Falls to increase capacity for boarding and doggy daycare services. Learn more about this growing business in our Announcement of the Week.

7) Lillian and Lisa travelled to Detroit to participate in the National Brownfields Conference. Lillian gave a presentation on Brownfields Revolving Loan Funds.

8) Arts Fest 2023 is here. August 11-18, artists will enrich our downtown by creating ten new murals, attracting visitors and foot traffic, and boosting local businesses and tourism.

9) As part of putting our new Economic Development Strategy to work, GFDA's Board adopted a Board Dashboard for FY2024 that sets specific milestones to achieve this fiscal year for the Strategy's 46 actions. GFDA's Executive Committee adopted an Executive Committee FY2024 Dashboard that sets specific financial, governance, resources, and operations milestones for the fiscal year.

10) The Cut Bank Farmer’s Market will be hosting a farm to table community dinner featuring locally sourced food on Thursday, August 17th at the Cut Bank Creek Brewery. Tickets can be reserved by contacting the brewery at 1-406-229-0298.

11) We committed $60,000 of GFDA Investor funds to commission a feasibility study for a major new project by in Great Falls being considered by a prospect. The prospect is invested the other half of the funds.

12) Shannon networked at the GovMatch 2023 Navy Week Event, hosted by Montana APEX (formerly PTAC) in Billings. The event served as a dynamic platform for Montana businesses and entrepreneurs from across the state to network, showcase their capabilities, and meet directly with contracting professionals from 17 agencies including the U.S. Navy, State of Montana, Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to discuss contract opportunities. If you are interested in government contracting, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org.

13) Web Panel: Montana Cybersecurity Grants and Tools to Protect Your Business; 2:00-3:00 PM, August 23rd hosted by Montana High Tech Business Alliance with Montana Department of Commerce. Register Here. Through the Montana Department of Commerce's Cybersecurity Reimbursement Program, businesses can apply for up to $8,000 in reimbursement for newly implemented cybersecurity measures paid to an accredited Montana cybersecurity company. Visit the Montana Grants Application Portal at covidreliefmt.org/submit for details and to apply. Questions? Contact Vena Dagnall.

14) Anna, Katesha, and Tony toured INDHemp’s state of the art facilities to learn more about the production of hemp fiber and bedding materials as well as hemp seed oil and hemp hearts. While in Fort Benton they also visited HybridSteel in their new facility to learn about the amazing work they do for companies in the Great Falls regional food, ag and bio processing industries like INDHemp, Pasta Montana, and Agrolink. If your ag, food, or bio processing company is interested in moving to the next level, contact Anna Flies at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301. 

15) We have been working on three exciting business attraction prospects, each with the potential to bring high wage jobs and significant investment to our region. If Great Falls could be the next home for your business or expansion, please reach out to Jake Clark at Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937. 

16) The Montana Indian Equity Fund will begin accepting applications for their small business grant starting September 1st, the deadline for applications is October 31st. The grant can be utilized to assist start up or existing Native American owned businesses in Montana. If you need help with the process, contact small business advisor Rich Gannon at 1-406-836-2078 or via email at RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org.

17) Registration is open for the Montana Main Street Downtown Conference that will be held in Great Falls, October 18-20.

18) The State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 (SSBCI 2.0) low interest rate program is still awaiting their third tranche of funding. This third tranche is on a first come first served basis, so start talking with GFDA now, if you have a project that could move forward with the benefit of low interest rate funding. These funds are limited and will be put to work very quickly to help our economy recover and come back stronger than ever. If you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a loan participation, contact Jill at JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1056.

19) There’s still time to be part of the welcome team for the inaugural class of students at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine! On Thursday, August 24th, we're inviting community members to host a group of 3 to 5 students for dinner at a restaurant of your choice. Your kindness will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on these aspiring medical professionals as they begin their journey in our city. To get involved, reach out to Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org by August 17th. Let's come together to support these promising students as they embark on this exciting new chapter.

20) GFDA’s Food and Ag Development Team is working with the Montana Department of Agriculture to secure additional resources that will assist agriculture based businesses and producers with energy efficiency and renewable energy systems. If you are a rural small business or agricultural producer interested in learning more. Please contact Anna at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or at 1-406-590-1301

21) Do you know an outstanding business in the Great Falls Area that deserves recognition? Nominations for The Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's 135th Anniversary & Awards Gala 2023 are now being accepted. Nominate a business today.  

22) We want to express our deep appreciation to our dedicated GFDA investors & public partners. Learn more about there here. Their commitment and contributions serve as the foundation of our mission. With their support, we drive economic growth and nurture innovation in our region. Recent investments include: Leadership Division—James Talcott Construction, Inc.; Pacesetter Division—Haute Hive; Community Division—Hoven Equipment Co. and K&K Trucking, Inc. Their partnership is crucial as we work to make a lasting impact. To find out how you can impact the future of our region, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. Together, we can shape a brighter future for our community.

We're on a roll!

Brett

Brett Doney

President & CEO

BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org

1-406-750-2119

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!

"I think anything is possible if you have the mindset and the will and desire to do it and put the time in."

Roger Clemens

Edition 594

We have three great career opportunities to join the GFDA staff team. Download info on Small Business Advisor -- Director Regional Small Business Development Center, Business Development Officer, and Small Business Advisor and Project Manager. GFDA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer!

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

July SBA 504 Loan Rates

The 25-year loan effective rate (including all fees) is 6.579%; 20-year at 6.632%; 10-year equipment loan at 7.063%; and, 20-year refinance 6.650%; 25-year refinance 6.597%. 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.

Join GFDA and Instructor Claude Smith from the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center in August for the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual for Human Food training, August 16-18 here in Great Falls. Learn to develop and implement a FDA-compliant Food Safety Plan and receive a certificate of completion directly from the Food Safety and Preventive Controls Alliance. Click here for more information and to register, or contact Katesha at 1-406-788-0860 or Katesha@GrowGreatFalls.org. 

The Montana Child Care Business Connect Fall Summit will be held September 13-14 at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. The summit will be the first of its kind annual gathering of child care providers, entrepreneurs, community leaders and industry professionals in Montana, offering a unique opportunity to share best business practices, learn new skills and resources, and network with like-minded partners. Register today.

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.

The 12th Annual Montana Clean Energy Fair will be in Billings this year. The Fair will be held on the MSUB campus on August 12 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. The Fair is free and open to the public. No tickets or registration are required. There will be workshops, exhibits and clean energy experts. For more information call 1-406-214-9405 or see montanarenewables.org.

The Great Falls Housing Market Assessment shows a need for over 450 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.

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 406.836.0136 or email CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org and 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 Lyndsay Bruno at Lyndsay@GrowGreatFalls.org or at 1-406-590 – 1539 to be connected with a JobsEQ-trained Business Advisor today. To learn more about our talent attraction tools visit our website. 

We launched the new Livability Great Falls Magazine. Find and share Livability Great Falls online or contact Lyndsay Bruno at Lyndsay@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1539 for hard copies of the magazine. 

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

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

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

The 2023 Montana Food and Beverage Show, hosted by the Montana Department of Agriculture, is scheduled for October 16 in Missoula. The show allows Montana businesses to showcase their food and beverage products to professional buyers from restaurants, hotels, bars, retailers, and more.

The Montana Department of Commerce has extended the application deadline to December 31st for the Montana Cybersecurity Program will provide up to $8,000 reimbursement for your cybersecurity expenses. And don't forget about funds available for your workforce through the Incumbent Worker Training Program and the Primary Workforce Training Grant. We can help you access these programs if you run into snags.

Navy Week - Doing Business with the Department of Navy & GovMatch Event (Billings Depot on Montana Avenue) - Join the Montana APEX Accelerator (formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center - PTAC) August 9th from 9 AM – 5 PM as they welcome Mr. David E. Walz to Billings. Mr. Walz is the Deputy Small Business Program, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport. He serves as the principal advisor and advocate to the commander, senior management, contracts, and the technical department on all matters pertaining to small business program. During this event, businesses will receive information on the following topics: 1. Department of the Navy (DON) Office of Small Business Programs' Achievements and Goals 2. The DON OSBP Mentor-Protégé Program 3. Preparing for the DON procurement process 4. Resources and assistance to help businesses 5. GovMatch event in the afternoon. You will be able to meet with various other federal agencies in the afternoon. To register, click here. If you have any questions, contact Shannon Clancy at 1-406-590-1184 or SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org.

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 to lower operating costs or to install renewable energy systems. Quarterly competitions will be held through September 30th. See MATR.net for more info. Contact Katesha Campbell if you would like help with applying; Katesha@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-788-0860. 

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

Are you in the planning and development phase of expanding your agricultural product or adding value to Montana agriculture by expanding your product into new markets? Montana’s Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) Business Acceleration Program (BAP) and Market Development Program (MDP) grants could help! Funds are available; click here for more information or contact Katesha at 1-406-788-0860 or Katesha@GrowGreatFalls.org.

The 341st Contracting Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), is contemplating a solicitation for a multiple award contract (MAC) and is looking for responses to this Sources Sought Notification. Awarded MAC indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts would be for the construction of structures and facilities, repair, maintenance, and alteration of real property assets within the confines of Malmstrom AFB, Weapons Storage Area (WSA), and Missile Alert Facility (MAF) and Launch Facility (LF) sites located within the Missile Complex throughout Montana. This is a great opportunity to Introduce your company to the Contracting Wing at Malmstrom AFB. Do you have a Capability Statement prepared that you can provide with your Sources Sought reply? If not, contact us at 1-406-750-1253 or LSunwall@GrowGreatFalls.org. For more information on the Notice, click here.



ArtsFest Montana will return to downtown Great Falls August 11-18. The Business Improvement District is looking for property owners who would like to have a professionally painted mural installed on their building. Contact Kellie at kellie@downtowngreatfalls.net or 1-406-727-5430. See TheElectric for more details.

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 Tony Peres at 1-406-750-2099 or Tony@GrowGreatFalls.org. We also have some small business or nonprofit startup or expansion loan funds available for Glacier and Blaine counties.

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.

Do you have open government contracts? Is your SAM.gov registered 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.

Montana STEP grants can pay for 75% of your international export marketing efforts up to $10,000. The Montana TechLink Center at MSU is offering a new round of workshops on how to win Small Business Innovation Research funding.

We have migrated our pre-business workshop for early stage and pre-venture startups to a self-paced, video-facilitated, online format, Business Basics for Startups. If you’d like to check out the content and provide feedback, we’d appreciate it. Click here to check out the new modules and resources. All of our recorded monthly business strategy webinars are available online for viewing anytime, check them out here. Please direct feedback to Rich at 1-406-836-2078 or RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org.

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. The Great Falls At-A-Glance two-pager is a great complementary resource that highlights Great Falls for people unfamiliar with our community.

Of our online business planning tool, LivePlan, one said: "LivePlan is Awesome!" The LivePlan tool is helping her streamline her strategy in preparation for presenting to bank partners. We offer LivePlan licenses for free to active clients. Learn more about LivePlan on our website.

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 Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and a Montana Food & Ag Development Center. We are also proud to provide office space for MSU's Montana Manufacturing Extension Center and an SBA Women's Business Center in partnership with the University of Montana and the Montana Native Growth Fund.

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