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1) Shirstie Gaylord, owner of Hometana, is opening a sister brand called Cowboy Slick in a renovated storefront in Downtown Great Falls! Saibeen's Kitchen is moving back downtown and the River Range Bistro is opening in the Columbus Center. Construction has started on Boot Barn coming to Great Falls. See TheElectric's Business Bites.
2) Our business development efforts at the recent Logistics Development Forum are already generating promising leads, with follow-up meetings held with two companies in the logistics and transportation industry. The conversations provided an opportunity to explore their growth plans, better understand their site and infrastructure needs, and share the advantages of locating or expanding in the Great Falls region. These connections demonstrate the value of targeted industry outreach as we continue building a stronger pipeline of prospective business investments. To learn more about our business attraction efforts or share a potential lead, contact Christian Leinhauser at CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org or +1-406-836-0136.
3) Allegiant Air is bringing back direct flights connecting Great Falls with Las Vegas beginning March 5, 2027. KRTV ran a great story about 406 Arena in Vaughn. Montana was ranked the 3rd Most Outdoorsy State in a study by REezy; see Travel & Leisure. The new VA Clinic opened in Lewistown, nearly doubling the space in the old facility; see KRTV.
4) Jake met with a local food processor to begin plans for their latest expansion! When it comes to expanding your operation, we have resources to help plan the development process, connect you with the right people and resources, and celebrate your wins along the way. Time to kick your business up a notch? Reach out to Jake at Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937.
5) Congratulations to Chris Bechtold on opening his new business, Pishkun Provisions a fully self-serve grocery store in Choteau featuring Montana products. The store is open 7 days a week, 6:30 AM to 9 PM, with no employees. See Choteau Acantha.
6) GFDA is actively working two business attraction leads in the light manufacturing sector, and both companies are seeking existing space for lease in the Great Falls region. Their requirements include approximately 10,000–15,000 square feet, light industrial zoning, and three-phase power. Identifying available properties that meet these needs could help advance both opportunities and support new investment and job creation in the region. If you own, manage, or know of a suitable property, please reach out to Christian Leinhauser at CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org or +1-406-836-0136.
7) Our next Data Center Task Force Meeting will be Wednesday, August 26th from 5:00-6:30 PM at the Great Falls Association of Realtors, featuring Bob Morris. Mr. Morris is the Lance Energy Chair at Montana Tech and serves on Governor Gianforte’s Energy Task Force. Mr. Morris has 40 years of experience in electric power systems around the world, including the high voltage power grid, large industrial power plants, and data centers. Please register here. For any questions, contact Kristen Blue at 1-406-788-4989 or Kristen@GrowGreatFalls.org.
8) Host Touro Students for Dinner! For the past three years, community members have welcomed Touro students by hosting small groups for dinner at local restaurants. We're excited to continue the tradition on Thursday, September 17th. We're looking for hosts to take 2 to 5 students to dinner at a restaurant of your choice. To sign up, contact Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.
9) GFDA and the US Department of Agriculture are teaming up to host the 2026 Montana Rural Impact Forum, September 9th and 10th in Great Falls. If you have a project, an idea, or are looking for resources to move your community forward, don't miss this opportunity to connect directly with federal and state agency leaders and learn about funding and tools available for projects. Sessions will cover Opportunity Zones 2.0, more than $1 billion in potential rural healthcare funding, meat processing, and other development opportunities, plus project tours and one on one time with agency representatives. There is no cost to attend, but space is limited. Register here today! Contact Jolene at 1-750-4481 or JSchalper@GrowGreatFalls.org for more information.
10) The U.S. Department of Energy and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality have awarded funding to 10 grid resilience projects across Montana to strengthen electric infrastructure and improve reliability for communities across the state. Congratulations to Montana Dakota Utilities, Ravalli Electric Cooperative, the City of Troy, Marias River Electric Cooperative, McCone Electric Cooperative, Northern Lights, Inc., and NorthWestern Energy on receiving funding for projects that will modernize aging infrastructure, reduce outage frequency, improve restoration times following extreme weather events, and strengthen grid reliability. These investments are an important step toward building a stronger, more resilient electric system for Montana communities. For information about these projects and upcoming funding opportunities, contact Jessi Finstad at jessi.finstad2@mt.gov.
11) SBA 504 Rates Remain Competitive: August SBA 504 effective rates are 6.272% for 25-year loans, 6.275% for 25-year refinances, 6.274% for 20-year loans, 6.277% for 20-year refinances, and 6.192% for 10-year loans. SBA 504 loans offer long-term financing with rates fixed for the life of the loan and as little as 10% down, helping businesses preserve working capital while financing real estate, equipment, expansion, or other eligible fixed assets. To learn more about SBA 504 financing, contact Shandi Gebhardt Jones at 1-406-590-1056 or Shandi@GrowGreatFalls.org.
12) We are about a month out from our Developer Red Carpet Tour on September 10-11. We are looking for exciting project sites to showcase Great Falls development opportunities as well as developers who need an orientation to the Great Falls market. Registration is live for developers, please reach out to Jake with questions or to get your project/site on the tour. Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937
13) Our relationship with Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard is about more than their economic impact. The people who serve here are part of our businesses, neighborhoods, schools, and community. The Central Montana Defense Coalition brings local leaders together to support them and advocate for the missions they carry out. Thank you to the investors who make that work possible. If you want to help support our defense community, contact Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.
14) The Montana Indian Equity Fund (IEF) Small Business Grant is now accepting applications through September 30. Administered by the Montana Department of Commerce, the program provides grant funding to support Native American-owned businesses in Montana. Learn more and apply here. Our SBDC team, along with NACDC Financial Services, will host a free grant training in Browning on August 25 for those interested in applying. Register for the Indian Equity Fund Grant training here.
15) The Montana Governor's Tourism Conference is coming to Great Falls on September 16-18. The event brings together more than 350 tourism and business professionals to educate, network and inspire one another. Instead of standard breakout sessions, rural immersive experiences will be offered and are designed to show attendees what Montana's landscapes need to thrive.
16) The Montana Department of Commerce is presenting the revised Montana Automation Financing Program consisting of two parts: a collateral support program and a direct loan program. These programs support Montana-based manufacturing businesses seeking to upgrade, replace or expand their equipment through automation and modernization investments. The direct loan is serviced through Commerce; the application window is open Sept. 1 through Oct. 23. Loans of up to $100,000 will be available for eligible projects. The collateral support application window will open later this year. For details, contact Josh Bennett at josh.bennett@mt.gov or 1-406-841-2748.
17) Save the date for the 2027 Made in Montana Trade Show for Food and Gifts, April 15-17, 2027. Discover authentic Montana products at the 2027 trade show, located at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena. This event is a unique selling opportunity for member businesses, and incorporates a wholesale day as well as a public retail day. The 2027 trade show exhibitor application will be available online Oct. 1-31, 2026. Learn how your business can benefit from the Made in Montana program of the Montana Department of Commerce.
18) Central Montana Works and its community partners are hosting the fifth annual Worlds of Work (WOW) career exploration event on September 15th at Great Falls College MSU and the University of Providence from 8:00AM - 4:00 PM.WOW is a career expo – NOT a typical job fair, and this event opens new avenues of opportunity for stud ents they never knew were possible. Over 2000 8th & 10th grade students will navigate through 4 zones with 16 worlds (industry career clusters) amounting to 60-100 exhibitors. Exhibitors provide an experiential introduction to a specific business or industry cluster. All of these are hands-on opportunities to showcase well-paying, in-demand careers in our own community. Learn more and register your business.
19) Jolene presented on an Economic Development Australia webinar sharing examples from the Great Falls Region how entrepreneurship and community activation can work together to strengthen quality of place and practical insights into building an entrepreneurial ecosystem through strong partnerships. 180 participants across Australia registered.
20) I very much enjoyed participating as a speaker in the inspirational Celebrate Montana event hosted by the A.T. Worship Temple as part of the statewide convocation of the Church of God in Christ. I also enjoyed the opportunity to speak at the local Pachyderm Club. If your organization would like to learn more about our economic development efforts, contact me at BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org.
21) GFDA has some great Career Opportunities!
22) GFDA works every day to help businesses and projects get from “we have an idea” to “let’s make it happen.” That means providing financing, advising, training, connections, and hands on support when and where it is needed. Our investors and partners give us the resources to do that work. Learn more about the team behind GFDA in this short video. Recent investments include: Pacesetter Division--M&D Construction. Want to help us do more? Contact Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.
It's been a great week with clients moving forward on projects and new prospects visiting!
Brett
Brett Doney
Great Falls Development Alliance
BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org
1-406-750-2119
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Grow Great Falls Montana YouTube channel!
"If you persevere long enough, if you do the right things long enough, the right things will happen."
Ian Millar
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