The innovative Great Falls Downtown Development Partnership helped achieve some great numbers in 2021. Four new new downtown businesses creating 38 jobs, $9.6 million in building improvements, and over 32,000 volunteer hours. Congratulations to the downtown partners, businesses, entrepreneurs, property owners, and developers working to revitalize the heart of Great Falls!

1) Downtown Great Falls gained another fantastic restaurant, Paniolo Café/Creative Catering located at 600 Central Ave, Suite 109. They serve authentic Hawaiian and serve exclusively 100% Kona coffee. Stop by for a bite! If you’ve been interested in starting a business or expanding your business into Downtown Great Falls, contact Christian at 406.836.0136 or CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org

2) Co-hosted a Silicon Valley startup med tech business looking for a location to scale up! This has potential for an excellent partnership with the McLaughlin Research Institute for Biomedical Studies and the strong health care ecosystem here in Great Falls. We look forward to working with this innovative, impactful business. This business and others are looking for additional investors. We will be putting together an Angel Investor network event in the coming weeks. If you’re interested in being notified, email Jolene at JSchalper@GrowGreatFalls.org

3) USDA Rural Development has announced new meat and poultry processing expansion program. If you are interested in applying, reach out to Justin Loch, Justin@GrowGreatFalls.org. USDA is also having USDA two informational webinars. The first, Feb. 28 at 12 PM, will provide an overview of the program. Click here for registration information. The second, March 7 at 12 PM Mountain Time, will cover application requirements. Click here to register.

4) Montana Rapid Retraining funds are available to help more people enroll in workforce training programs and expand industry-driven accelerated workforce training courses. The Great Falls Job Service can assist with Rapid Retaining Efforts. Contact Beth Schmidt at 406-791-5869 or beschmidt@mt.gov. For business strategy/planning help to take advantage of this one-time opportunity, contact our Small Business Development Center (SBDC) regional director, Jason Nitschke at JNitschke@GrowGreatFalls.org

5) Pitched the competitive advantages of locating food/ag/bio-processing and industrial operations in the Great Falls Montana region on a SelectUSA Foreign Direct Investment global virtual talk along with the Los Angeles World Trade Center and the Fayetteville Cumberland County North Carolina economic development corporation. We've been chosen by SelectUSA to present on two more virtual events as a lead up to the in-person SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, DC in June.

6) Are you ready to sell to the government? We’re offering three more courses to help you win the bid. You must register separate for each module. Click on the links to register. Wednesday March 2nd is focused on preparation – getting ready to write a proposal. March 3rd is focused on execution – organize a responsive proposal. March 16th is focused on follow-up – start building relationships win or lose.

7) Congratulations to the United Way of Cascade County for achieving this year’s campaign goal of $1,228,000 (click here to read the press release). We live in a generous community with a heart to help others and support the many organizations doing great work in our community! Thanks to all of you who are Pacesetter Companies, or help through your own donations and support! If you are interested in becoming a Pacesetter Company and would like to learn more about what that entails, contact Shane Etzwiler at the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, SEtzwiler@greatfallschamber.org.

8) Are you exhibiting the upcoming Made in Montana Show? The show will be in Helena, Montana March 11-12. This show features products and goods solely manufactured and distributed in Montana. Many present and former GFDA clients will be at this show. If you are exhibiting and want GFDA’s help with promotion, business planning or simply want support please don’t hesitate to reach out to Justin Loch, Business Development Officer Food and Ag Development Center, Justin@GrowGreatFalls.org. The show will have a unique 2 day set-up, one day for wholesale buyer March 11, and one day open to the public for retail shopping March 12. Please make plans to attend and support Montana Made!

9) The Montana World Trade Center is offering Foreign Trade Zone training targeted for importers and exporters. Do you know we have two of Montana's Foreign Trade Zones right here in the Great Falls trade area? Tuesday, March 8th from 10-11 AM. Register here.

10) Are you a startup business or thinking of starting a business? Do you have a side hustle you want to expand? Accelerate your startup with a four part training based on the GrowthWheel. Sessions include: Business Concept, Organization, Customer Relations, and Operations. We have 11 spots left at $50 each. The course cumulates with a pitch event. Register or learn more by clicking here. 

11) Register today for the Great Falls Housing Production Summit we're organizing in partnership with NeighborWorks Great Falls, the Great Falls Association of Realtors, the Home Builders Association of Great Falls and others to be held on March 15, 9-11 AM at Great Falls College MSU in Room B101. You can register here. 

12) What if you could step back for a couple hours a month, discuss issues with similar size companies and work on your business growth? We invite CEOs to join PeerSpectives, a CEO roundtable system with structured, facilitate protocols. When companies reach the second stage (typically 10+ employees, $1m + in revenue) they have unique challenges and this model is designed to maximize your opportunities. Call Jason Nitschke to discuss, 750.0314. Participation is limited by size and industry. This once a month event over six months is $500 for GFDA Investors and $600 for non-investors. Learn more about this proven system here.

13) Encourage everyone you know to invest in the Low-Cost Air Initiative to grow flights available through Great Falls International Airport! These investments are imperative to meet the match to secure a grant to expand our air service in Great Falls. The Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce is leading this important effort. The deadline for this year is just days away so contact Shane Etzwiler right away, SEtzwiler@greatfallschamber.org

14) Construction of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) project in the Great Falls region is a few years away, but it's time for local businesses to start exploring opportunities. Our friends in Wyoming are holding a virtual STAR roundtable on March 17th at 8:00 AM MST. The STAR is a resource for small businesses to learn how to team up and bid on government contracts available on or near the missile win Air Force bases. Future roundtable dates will be June 16, September 15, and December 15. Register here. For help getting ready, connect with our government contract specialists Lillian Sunwall LSunwall@GrowGreatFalls.org and Shannon Clancy SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org who run our regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). A big shout out to our partners at Big Sky EDA in Billings who for years have managed the statewide PTAC network!

15) Save the date for four new trainings we’ve added to our business education calendar. Rich will deliver Website Bootcamps in Browning on April 8th and in Great Falls on May 11th. We’re also partnering with Snowy Mountain Development and the Lewistown Chamber to deliver two QuickBooks Desktop classes May 19th and May 20th. Follow the hyperlinks for more detail or contact Jason at JNitschke@GrowGreatFalls.org.

16) Hear acclaimed speaker and best-selling author Alonzo Kelly. He will be presenting a workshop that is open to the public on Monday, March 14, at 6:30-8:00 PM in Heritage Hall at Great Falls College MSU. The presentation will discuss strategies for creating a culture of belonging, specifically in regard to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn more about Alonzo Kelly here.

17) Buying and selling a business appears to be a trending topic that kept some of our staff busy last week. If you’re a seller, sophisticated buyers will have a set of documents and questions they’ll request. If you’re a buyer, we can assist in which documents to request and the types of analysis that should be conducted. We’ve compiled a series of best practices in a Business Technical Brief available for download here. For coaching on this topic, contact Jason at JNitschke@GrowGreatFalls.org. 

18) If you have a business startup or expansion that just won't pencil out without access to low interest rate capital, please let me know. We are working on a special new loan product that will be offered in partnership with banks and credit unions. Email me at BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org.

19) GFDA has maintained strong support from our investors over the years. Our investors are driven by their passion of supporting this community and watching it flourish. Some recent investments include: Leadership Division—LPW Architecture. It is because of their dedication and commitment to this community that we can keep helping the local business community thrive and succeed.  If you are interested in joining the team, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. 

I'm off to beautiful western North Dakota! Have a great week!

Brett Doney

President & CEO

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!

"Real, sustainable community change requires the initiative and engagement of community members."

Helene Gayle

Here is an updated Growth Highlights for the Great Falls Montana Trade Area. Our Menu of Services and Staff Team handout. Here is our our Quarterly Investor Letter and our GFDA 2021Q4 Quarter Index. In case you missed it at Ignite, we unveiled our new Great Falls Promo Video! We are Great Falls Montana! Click here to check it out and please SHARE! 

We have three exciting career opportunities for Competitive Improvements Director and Resource Director (grant writing). Download job postings and please help spread the word. GFDA has a year-round College Intern Program with five paid internship opportunities. Download application. Help us spread the word!

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) came in at 3.594%; 20-year at 3.449%; 10-year equipment loan at 3.070%; and, 20-year refinance 3.463%; 25-year refinance 3.608%. 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 406-590-1056 or JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Contact Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. Here is a current list of our great investors.

The White House published a guide to the infrastructure bill to help communities, counties and tribes figure out how to access and compete for funds. 495 ages of exciting reading, if you're into infrastructure!

Did you know that the D-U-N-S number is going away in SAM.gov permanently on April 4th? How does this effect your existing SAM profile or registering in SAM for the first time? A new Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) generated by the System for Award Management (SAM) will replace the proprietary D-U-N-S® (DUNS) number as the official identifier for entities doing business with the federal government. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has directed agencies to complete their transition to using the SAM-generated UEI by April 4, 2022. Until then the DUNS number will continue to be the UEI for assignment, monitoring, and validation of businesses involved with the federal government during this transition period. Get the latest updates on this transition in SAM.gov by contacting your Great Falls PTAC and connecting with Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org

We’re launching a new initiative to inspire and enable more business startup activity in the region. Accelerate: Your Startup will be a four-module, in-depth, and action-oriented course designed for pre-venture and early stage startups. To learn more or apply to participate in our first 10-business cohort for young companies, send Jason an email with the subject line “Tell me about Accelerate: Your Startup” at JNitschke@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Attention Veteran-Owned Businesses! In less than a year the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) will transfer to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). As of January 1, 2023, all functions of VA’s CVE will be handled by the SBA. To help make this a seamless transition, we encourage all self-certified SDVOSBs to complete the verification process through the VA now before the transfer becomes effective. Please start the verification process at https://vetbiz.va.gov/vip/. For more information on starting the verification process, contact Lillian Sunwall at LSunwall@GrowGreatFalls.org. 

The government buys everything. Are you ready to bid for government contracts? Are you registered in SAM the federal database to win government contracts? What are procurement specialist looking for? With the MAFB expansion there will be more opportunities to contract your goods and services. We can help you prepare and successfully bid on government contracts. Reach out to Shannon Clancy to learn more, SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 406.590.1184.

A number of state special business programs using American Rescue Plan funds are rolling out. The Workforce Training Grant Program has been launched by the Montana Department of Commerce and has up to $3,000 per eligible employee available for training expenses by businesses. The Apprenticeship Training Grant Program will be able to reimburse construction-related apprenticeship expenses up to a limit of $3,000. Track all state ARPA economic programs on the state's ARPA website.

Attention Small Business doing Government Contracting:  There has been an update to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). The plans for the next iteration of CMMC which is being call CMMC 2.0 has been released. Like the initial CMMC (which was pilot tested but never implemented) this version has to go through the public comment and rulemaking process and nobody knows what changes will occur to the proposed CMMC 2.0 during those processes. A few proposed changes included in CMMC 2.0 include decreasing certification levels from 5 to 3 and increasing opportunities for (no-cost) self-assessments. While the rulemaking efforts are ongoing, the Department intends to suspend the current CMMC Piloting efforts and will not approve inclusion of a CMMC requirement in any DoD solicitation. The Department encourages contractors to continue to enhance their cybersecurity position during the interim period while the rulemaking is underway.  Please visit the CMMC website and projectspectrum.io to learn more. 

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.

The Montana Department of Commerce launched an investment matchmaking website for Montana business projects. The Opportunity Exchange’s - Montana Investment Portal is a website where investors can easily view and connect to projects in the state. Click here to view listed projects. Click here to get your investment project listed on the portal. For help posting your project or property on the Montana Investment Portal, contact Kristian Richardson at 406-841-2032 or Kristian.Richardson@mt.gov.

We've released the Great Falls Childcare Demand Assessment that shows a need for additional childcare facilities to serve 580 children in Great Falls. For assistance with childcare facility business planning, contact Jason Nitschke at JNitschke@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Join the Trailing Partner Email Group specifically for 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.

Looking to take control of your business’s financials, increase profit, and improve your bottom line? We have had interest from businesses in scheduling a Profit Mastery course. These courses are scheduled by demand. If you are interested in taking this two-day workshop, contact Jason Nitschke at JNitschke@GrowGreatFalls.org or call (406) 750-0314.

Pro-tip: Post positivity! When you’re using Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and share something positive about Great Falls, tag @LiveinGreatFalls or @GrowGreatFallsMontana. We will like and share your posts. Follow our talent attraction effort, Live in Great Falls, on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and follow the Great Falls Development Authority to help us attract entrepreneurs and business investment on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

You are facing tough decisions right now. We’ve developed toolkits to help you decide what is best for your business. Toolkits include: Crisis Toolkit, Hibernation Toolkit, Business Resiliency Guide, Re-Opening Toolkit, and a Child Care Whitepaper. All of these can be found on our website.

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.

We have Brownfield Clean-Up money that we want to put to work! Our low interest Brownfield Loans can be used to clean up hazardous materials including but not limited to lead paint, asbestos, etc. Are you working on a project that could use some clean up? Call Lillian today to discuss eligibility 406.750.1253 or LSunwall@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Manufacturers, if you're not engaged with the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center hosted by MSU, you're missing out on powerful resources, services, and networking. MMEC clients report cost savings of $160.3 million, new investment of $328.4 million, $1.3 billion in new and retained sales, and 6,186 new and retained jobs since 2000. We're proud to host an MMEC business adviser who covers the Golden Triangle region. Contact Doug Roberts at richard.roberts4@montana.edu or (937) 489-3985.

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.

All of our recorded monthly business strategy webinars are available online for viewing anytime, click them out here.

Grow diverse economic opportunities that enhance quality of life.

For more info, click to our website.