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It's so exciting to see the new Towne Place Suites by Marriott rising fast in the riverfront West Bank Landing redevelopment! When open by the end of this year, the new hotel will give us over 300 hotel rooms in three riverfront hotels just across the street from the Montana ExpoPark.

1) I am very pleased to announce that I have Jolene Schalper to Executive Vice President of the Great Falls Development Alliance. Jolene has served as Senior Vice President leading our business development squad for a number of years, helping make numerous business expansions, attractions, startups happen along with housing and commercial real estate deals. As we have grown in scale and complexity over the last four years, she has managed our overall pipeline of targets, leads, prospects and clients. Our substantial asset growth (up 189% in the last four fiscal years), increased complexity, and implementation of our expanded Economic Development Strategy requires some organization changes. In her new role, Jolene will be managing our business development, Small Business Development Center, APEX Accelerator, Food & Ag Development Center, and brownfields assessment operations. This will make it possible for me to focus on new initiatives in our strategy and continued growth of our capital base needed to get more deals in the ground. Our growing capacity enables us to help our clients generate more economic impact in Great Falls and the surrounding 13-county region. Please join me in congratulating Jolene on this well earned promotion!

2) We are preparing for a site visit from an international manufacturing company that is interested in our region. We're working with our partners at the Montana Department of Commerce on a Business Attraction project and are excited to host this company in our region. If you think the Great Falls, Montana region is perfect for your next location, expansion, or headquarters reach out to Christian Leinhauser at 1-406-836-0136 or CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org. 

3) We published our 2024Q2 Quarter Index.

4) The State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 (SSBCI 2.0) low interest rate program announced another round of funding. If you have a project that could move forward with the benefit of low interest rate funding, start talking to GFDA now as these funds are very limited. State priorities this round are Native American owned businesses, Veteran owned businesses, and businesses located in rural areas. If you have a business that can benefit from these funds contact Jill at JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1056.

5) We received a $530,000 grant from the Montana Department of Commerce to use for gap and bridge loans to businesses throughout the region.

6) We still have a few spots remaining for our upcoming workshops focused on assisting Native American entrepreneurs who are interested in applying for the Indian Equity Fund Grant from the State of Montana. To register for the July 30th workshop in Great Falls, click here. To register for the August 6th workshop in Browning, click here. Can’t make either workshop? Connect with our Small Business Development Center team for direct one-on-one assistance.

7) Shodair Children's Hospital is expanding children's psychiatry services in Great Falls in partnership with Benefis Health System; see KRTV.

8) Great Falls Regional APEX is assisting multiple businesses in preparing for the Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and 8(a) Program certification processes. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will temporarily pause certification applications from August 1st to early September for necessary system upgrades. This presents an excellent opportunity to verify your Eligibility for certifications such as WOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, and SDVOSB. To ensure you're prepared to apply for the certification that best suits your business when the portal reopens in September, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.

9) Great Falls Public Schools is holding a Job fair on Wednesday, August 21st, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Paris Gibson Education Center.

10) Jake is presenting the demand for housing in Great Falls to the Idaho/Montana Urban Land Institute network via webinar on August 6th. Jake will be presenting our recent Housing Market Demand Assessment and answering questions from housing developers, builders, and funders looking for opportunity in Montana. Jump in and join the conversation, register for the webinar here.  

11) The Montana Department of Commerce's Automation Loan Program is designed to extend financial assistance to Montana-based manufacturing enterprises seeking to upgrade, replace or expand their equipment. The program has extended the timeline for obligating funds through an executed commitment letter in this funding cycle to December 31, 2024. Applicants are encouraged to work closely with participating lenders and program staff to ensure this deadline is feasible with the proposed project. Businesses, or lenders on behalf of a business, can apply on Commerce's website. Questions? Contact Patsy Rasch at Commerce at patsy.rasch2@mt.gov or 1-406-841-2748.

12) Anna is currently working with six rural small businesses or agricultural producers on programs to help reduce their monthly energy bills. If you are a rural small business or an agricultural producer and are interested in installing solar panels or improving the energy efficiency of your commercial space, please reach out to Anna at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or at 1-406-590-1301. 

13) The 2024 summer Urban Art Project is underway. The project aims to enhance the downtown environment and honor the creative spirit of our city. The Great Falls Urban Art Project annually presents three exhibitions of site specific art installation pieces which fill the eleven windows of the Great Falls Parking Garage, located at 315 First Avenue South.  

14) Have you registered for the Northrop Grumman virtual session 'What’s the Flow & Where Does it Go?' taking place on Wednesday, July 24th, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM. Join our Great Falls Regional APEX and Tracy Jerman from Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector Strategic Deterrent Systems to learn what happens after Northrop Grumman receives your capability statement. Other topics will include Northrop Grumman Portal and Doing Business with Large Federal Contractors. To Register CLICK HERE! For assistance with creating an impactful capability statement or updating an existing one, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or at 1-406-590-1184.

15) Registration opened for the first annual Montana Food & Beverage Manufacturing Summit being held in Missoula on October 15th. The summit is a one-day educational forum focused on essential topics to grow or improve your business, hosted by Montana Manufacturing Extension Center and the Montana Department of Agriculture. It will take place in conjunction with the Montana Food and Beverage Show on October 14. You will learn directly from industry experts and government officials about key steps in developing a successful food business. The program of workshops and speakers will cover the most frequently asked questions on packaging, labeling, fill control, process control, food safety, distribution, manufacturing efficiency, and more. Learn more and sign up on the Summit webpage.

16) Touro University of Osteopathic Medicine is planning a Vendor Fair for students on Tuesday, July 30 from 3:30-6:00 PM on the Great Falls campus. The idea of the event is to have tables with businesses/organizations in the local area that may be of interest to the students. For example: gyms, voter registration, Medicaid/SNAP Benefits, cell phone companies, insurance companies, salons, spas, mental health resources, internet companies, shopping, the list goes on! Reach out to Alaina Ingram, Assistant Registrar/Student Account Representative at 1-406-401-8103 or aingram3@touro.edu if your business would like to join the fair.  

17) We are preparing to welcome the next class of Touro COM students into our community and we need your help! Last year, businesses and community members supported the students by hosting small groups for dinners, sponsoring white coats and more. See KRTV. If you’d like to join us in welcoming this new class, reach out to Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. Click here to sponsor a white coat for an incoming student.

18) We Are Growing Our Awesome Staff Team. Download a description of openings for Director Regional Small Business Development Center, Lending Solutions Specialist, and Business Advisor -- APEX Accelerator. Contact Tracy for more info at Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Pleased to report that great progress is being made on several key deals in the region. Thank you to our clients, partners, and GFDA Investors for helping to make things happen! Stay tuned!

Brett

Brett Doney

Great Falls Development Alliance

BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org

1-406-750-2119

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

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"A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well."

Jeff Bezos



Edition 642

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 6.201%; 20-year at 6.270%; 10-year equipment loan at 6.476%; and, 20-year refinance 6.300%; 25-year refinance 6.230%. 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 Montana Indian Equity Fund is now open for applications. The Indian Equity Fund (IEF) is a competitive business grant available to enrolled members of Montana-based tribes. Our Small Business Development Center will be hosting two workshops to assist applicants with the grant application process. The first workshop will be held on July 30th in Great Falls, and the second will be on August 6th in Browning. To register for the Great Falls workshop, click here. To sign up for the Browning workshop, click here.   If you have any questions about the IEF, please contact Rich Gannon, our small business advisor, at 1-406-836-2087 or RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org.

The second annual Montana Child Care Business Connect Summit will be held August 7-8 in Helena.

Is your SAM.gov registration due to renew in the next few months? 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 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has recently announced that it will temporarily pause accepting applications for federal small business certifications beginning August 1st through September as it performs system upgrades to its certifications portal. If you’ve been working on your certification application, we recommend completing your submission before August 1st. If you aren’t in a rush to certify (or re-certify) your business, the SBA plans to re-open its certification portal and continue accepting applications in early September. Contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.

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.

Great Falls Recruiters and HR professionals! Here is a link to our Talent Attraction Toolkit and the 2024 Great Falls Livability Magazine, part of our effort to help local businesses attract the talent they need for key positions. 

We released a Population Economic Impact Report that documents an $88 million positive impact on the local economy from population growth in the last five years, and estimates economic impact of population growth over the next 10 years.

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 Nicki at 1-406-750-2099 or Nicki@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.

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