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The Great Falls Airport Authority and joint venture partner Dick Anderson Construction have newly constructed light industrial space at the Great Falls Airport Business Park. The first phase offers spaces from 1,200 to 7,200 square feet for immediate occupancy. These new industrial condos offer three-phase 480v power, 22 feet clear ceiling heights, 18-foot wide roll-up doors, and built-in oil-water separators. The 150+ acres in the Park can accommodate any build-to-suit needs from light industrial to retail to lodging. Contact John or Lara at 1-406-727-3404.

1) On the heels of the first two phases of their $58 million expansion, the Great Falls Clinic announced its expansion into the former Centene Corporation campus, renaming the building the Great Falls Clinic Health Center. See KRTV and the Electric. Although Centene has closed its physical center in Great Falls, it continues to employee hundreds of loacl residents.

2) The Great Falls MSA (Cascade County) labor market continues to grow. November's data showed an increase of 619 people employed since November of 2022 and an increase in the labor force of 821 people, according to the Montana Department of Labor & Industry.

3) Great Falls College MSU has done an outstanding job creating four new rapid training programs with support from Accelerate Montana! The Structural Welding 7-week night course is industry-designed hand-on training to help meet local workforce demands. The 9-week Rural Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course equips students with the vital medical knowledge and practical skills to prepare participants to be competent entry-level EMTs. The 16-week Dental Assistant Training Program starts January 8th and helps participants gain the knowledge and skills they need to support dentists and dental hygienists. The Future Builds Essentials 7-week course starts January 16th. Graduates receive the Job Site Ready Micro-credential, OSHA 10 Certification, CPR training, NCCER Core Curriculum and real-world application.

4) The Ignite 2024 lineup is already impressive! Registration is live, and space is limited for the event which will be held at the Meadow Lark County Club in Great Falls on January 12 from 8-10 AM. This in-person and online event format is simple and quick - three-minute presentations on business startups, business expansions, real estate developments and capital projects that will either start or open in 2024. If you have a project starting or a business opening in 2024 that you would like to announce at Ignite please contact Jake Clark at 1-406-403-4937 or at [email protected]. 

5) Montana Credit Union is opening a fourth branch at 2828 10th Avenue South in Great Falls. The branch will open in mid-2024; see TheElectric.

6) The latest boutique clothing store has made its debut in downtown Great Falls with Grae + Co opening its doors at 427 Central Ave. The owner, Erica Ferrin, announced her new venture at the Invest Downtown Great Falls event in October. Congratulations to Erica! Further details about the opening can be found on KRTV. Downtown Great Falls is full of opportunities from retail, restaurant and upper level housing development. If you’ve been interested in expanding downtown or opening a new space, we have tools that can help start your business or renovate your new space. Call Christian at 1-406-836-0136 or [email protected] and let’s start putting those tools to work. 

7) Zachary Kitchin and Cayle Halberg own the Practice of Law, PLLC, in Great Falls. They moved the law practice to downtown Great Falls to be part of the area's growth and to accommodate their growing business. Learn more in our Announcement of the Week.

8) Our regional Great Falls APEX is working with five woman owned businesses in the region to obtain their Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) Certification. The federal government’s goal is to award at least 5% of all contracting dollars to women-owned small business each year. In FY22 the federal government spent $28.1 billion on prime contracts to women-owned small business; meeting only 4.57% of their overall 5% goal. To learn more about how you can get in on the action and take your business to the next level with the Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) Certification, contact Shannon Clancy at [email protected]

9) The Great Falls International Airport announced that Alaska Airlines is adding a second daily Seattle flight starting May 16, 2024. The 7 AM flight from GTF to SEA will fly throughout the summer.

10) Increasing the available housing supply in Great Falls is the number one way we can contribute to a lower cost of living in the region. The pipeline of housing projects is beginning to once again swell as high wage job opportunities drive demand in the Great Falls region. If you are ready to get your project rolling please reach out to Jake Clark 1-406-403-4937 or [email protected].  

11) Congratulations to Pat and Windie Goldhahn on opening their new golf simulator business in Fairfield, Fairfield Fairway Frenzy. Read about the new business in the Choteau Acantha.

12) Our Small Business Development Center business advisors helped more entrepreneurs get closer to their dreams. The number of clients served is increasing every week. The advising services ranged from helping clients with how to start their business, business plan, financial projections, purchasing a business, marketing, eCommerce, AI, funding & funding resources, and QuickBooks. The SBDC/GFDA center offers no-cost virtual consulting sessions in addition to the in-person one-on-one counseling in the Great Falls office, click here to sign up.

13) Our SBDC business advisors are also planning the 2024 training calendar to present various training subjects.The first in-person training in January 2024 will be “Starting Your Business, Simplified” on January Wednesday 17th, at 4:00 PM. This training will explain to participants how to plan & start their own business. Click here to sign up.

14) GFDA staff attended seven food & ag related trade shows this fall to keep up to date on industry trends and network with businesses. If you are a Food, Ag or Bio Processing business interested in learning more about Ag trade shows in Montana or abroad or potential funding for attending trade shows, GFDA can connect you to relevant resources. Contact Anna at [email protected] or at 1-406-590-1301. 

15) GFDA participates in the Montana State Small Business Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) program that helped provide a lower interest rate on 50% of the funding. We've been partnering with local banks and credit unions to put together some creative financing packages for business startups and expansions, but this low-interest money is vrey limited and first come, first serve so contact us today if you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a SSBCI 2.0 loan participation. Contact Jill at [email protected] or 1-406-590-1056 or Brett at [email protected] or 1-406-750-2119.

16) Do you know that you can direct your state taxes directly to Great Falls Public Schools rather than to the state? We're trying to put together the maximum $1 million allowed by the Innovative Education Tax Credit created by the Montana Legislature. Download info here or visit GFPS Website.

17) Today, many students face pressure to pursue traditional degrees rather than trade school despite the many opportunities in the trades. Students interested in hands-on service careers, such as welding, electrical, woodworking, plumbing, and more, should be encouraged. The Eric Burtchett Memorial Scholarship aims to support high school seniors and current trade school students who are interested in pursuing careers in the trades. The application deadline is March 1st.

18) Congratulations to GFDA team member Christian Nichols who has earned certification from the Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants! Christian is one of our very talented Small Business Advisors. Connect with him at 1-406-788-9835 or [email protected]

19) As we reflect on 2023, we are excited by the progress made and the prospects that lie ahead in 2024. Our progress is owed to the support and collaboration from our investors and public partners. See who these champions of our community are by viewing this short video. Recent investments include: Community Division—Belt Valley Bank; Harp Financial Group, Travis Harp; Macek Companies. The impact their investment has on our community is immeasurable. Thank you! To learn about the priorities in our economic development strategy and how you can help us achieve our goals, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or [email protected]. Let’s make 2024 our most successful year yet!

Happy holidays!!

Brett

Brett Doney

President & CEO

1-406-750-2119

[email protected]

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!

"The undertaking of a new action beings new strength."

Richard L. Evans

Edition 612

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 [email protected]

December SBA 504 Loan Rates

The 25-year loan effective rate (including all fees) is 6.59%; 20-year at 6.61%; 10-year equipment loan at 7.207%; and, 20-year refinance 6.64%; 25-year refinance 6.619%. 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 [email protected].

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 [email protected] or 1-406-590-1301.

The Montana Department of Commerce has reopened applications for the Montana Manufacturing Automation Loan Program offering 0.0% interest loans for up to 50% of the purchase price of automation equipment. If you are short of cash, we may be able to finance the other half as well as installation expenses. These are one-time funds so apply today. Let me know if you need help.



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! [email protected] 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 [email protected] or 1-406-590-1184.

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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected] or 1-406-590 – 1539 to be connected with a JobsEQ-trained Business Advisor today. To learn more about GFDA's other 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 for hard copies of the magazine: [email protected] or 1-406-590-1539. 

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 [email protected] 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.

The Montana Department of Commerce has extended the application deadline to December 31st for the Montana Cybersecurity Program, which 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.

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 December 31st. See MATR.net for more info. Or for help applying, contact Anna Flies: [email protected] 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.

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), 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 to provide with your Sources Sought reply? If not, contact Lillian Sunwall at 1-406-750-1253 or [email protected]. For more information on the Notice, click here.



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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected] 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 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 called Business Basics for Startups. If you’d like to check out the content and provide feedback, we’d appreciate it. We also provide monthly Business Strategy Webinars, which are recorded and available for viewing online at any time. Looking to start, innovate or grow your business? We offer a variety of training options to ensure your success. Click here to check out all of GFDA's training resources. For more information or to give feedback about these programs, please contact Rich at 1-406-836-2078 or [email protected].

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.

Of our online business planning tool, LivePlan, one said: "LivePlan is Awesome!" The LivePlan tool is helping 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.

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