Check out the progress being made on The Station District mixed-use riverfront development in downtown Great Falls!

1) Cost of Living in the Great Falls metro in 2022 was 87.4% of the national average, according to C2ER (Council for Community and Economic Research). Compare our local rate to San Francisco 178.6%, Los Angeles 150.6%, Seattle 149.9%, Portland, OR 124.3%, Bozeman 122.1%, Denver 110.5%, Salt Lake City 108.3%, Boise 107.7%, Spokane's 103.1%, or Bismarck 100.3%. Use our Cost of Living Calculator when recruiting new employees from out of town. We recently used this tool to help a business considering Great Falls see how much further their employees' salaries could go in our market versus another. If you could use this type of information to inform your next business decision, reach out to Jake Clark at [email protected].

2) We approved a free Brownfields Phase I Assessment for Robyn’s Nest Daycare. They are looking to expand their daycare facility to make more spaces available for families on the waiting list and hire additional employees. For more information on how we can help with moving your project forward, contact Lillian Sunwall at [email protected] or (406) 750-1253.

3) Montana Specialty Mills is expanding operations at their manufacturing facility in the Great Falls Agri-Tech Park. Montana Specialty Mills processes agricultural commodities including Non-GMO and Organic Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Linseed Oil, Meal, among others. Learn more in our Announcement of the Week. 

4) Published the GFDA Quarter Index 2022Q4.

5) Once again Montana was ranked the #1 state for starting a business. KRTV featured a successful Great Falls startup Life in Bloom this week. Are you ready to take your business idea to the next level with free help from a business advisor? Contact Rich Gannon at [email protected].

6) DOD and SBA have teamed up to strengthen and expand small business development across the country. Our Procurement Technical Assistance Center, which helps entrepreneurs and businesses across the region to become more competitive in winning government contracts, will be upgraded to an APEX Accelerator. APEX Accelerators will serve as the axis for existing and new business to strengthen the defense industrial base by accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity, and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains. We're proud that the Great Falls region is the national defense base of Montana and are excited and eager to roll out new services to help area businesses become more competitive and expand contracting with all federal agencies, as well as local and state agencies. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, contact Shannon Clancy for free assistance with government contracting, [email protected] or 1-406-590-1184.

7) Want a loan product that is under the prime interest rate? How about locking in that low rate? For business purchases, real estate, and some equipment needs the SBA 504 may be the best option. We partner with your banker to make the deal work for you. If you or your organization would like more information on our loan programs, please reach out to Tony Peres at 406-750-2099 or [email protected].

8) Four new businesses opened in Downtown Great Falls in 2022Q4. Volunteers donated 8,278 hours during the quarter to downtown organizations. Building permits for downtown permits totaled $393,761 during the quarter, bringing the 2022 total to a record $13,134,399.

9) Are you looking for another way to market your value-added product, created and produced in Montana? Then maybe you should consider the Made in Montana program which helps market products that are authentically Montana both in and out of Montana. Contact Justin at 406-590-1301 to learn more or see how he can help you. 

10) The historic Grand Union Hotel plans to renovate and expand in time for the summer season. The hotel has purchased the Banque Club building as part of its expansion; see KRTV.

11) Lillian presented to the Great Falls Association of Realtors to share the opportunities afforded by our Brownfield redevelopment tools. She highlighted how these tools work to address potentially contaminated sites and shared successes in Great Falls that have helped lead to redeveloping properties, as well as future redevelopments in the works.

12) The 2023 Montana Manufacturing & International Trade Day will be held March 16th in Helena. A Startup Bootcamp for Life Science Entrepreneurs will be offered on March 6th at MSU Bozeman.

13) 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 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 [email protected].

14) The Montana World Trade Center and Bureau of Business and Economic Research are collecting economic data relating to international trade and investment in Montana. If your firm has been involved in exporting, importing, or foreign direct investment, would you consider taking a few minutes to respond to the survey? Your experience and perspective are essential in helping to glean a more complete understanding of Montana’s international trade portfolio and the economic impact of firms like yours engaged in international trade. Click here to take the survey, due February 25th.

15) Jolene and I were speakers at the International Economic Development Council's (IEDC) annual Leadership Summit in Tucson. We learned from colleagues and speakers, and networked with some key site selection consultants. IEDC's Economic Development Research Partners (of which GFDA is a proud member) released a new report on "Growing Your Workforce: Strategies to Raise Local Labor Force Participation." This report follows the recent "Effective Economic Development Roles in Workforce Partnerships." As the only IEDC research partner in Montana, we advocated for these topics which we think are particularly important to the Great Falls region.

16) GFDA is governed by a large and diverse Board of Directors. The board is made up of Investor Members and representatives of public and private partners. We are pleased to welcome our newest board member, Toby Malsam, Owner/President of Culligan Water Conditioning. Toby has been a key member of our community for years and we are looking forward to having his expertise & insights on our board. Welcome to the team Toby!

17) Investing in economic development is crucial for positive growth & sustainability of our local economy. Because of the support from our INVESTORS and public partners, we can keep working toward our mission of bringing more high wage opportunities to our region. Recent investments include: Executive Division—KYSO Corporation; Community Division: Liberty Electric; First Liberty Federal Credit Union. With help from them and our other supporters, we are achieving wonderful things in the community. Learn more about our team of investors HERE, and contact Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or [email protected] to join the team that is growing Great Falls!

Make it a prosperous week!

Brett

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!

"My attitude is to never be satisfied, never enough, never."

Duke Ellington

Edition 569

Download our GFDA Services and Staff Team handout or our GFDA 2022Q4 Quarter Index. View the We Are Great Falls video!

GFDA Staff Openings

We have two great career opportunities to join the GFDA staff team. Download info on Small Business Advisor -- Director Regional Small Business Development Center and Loan Originations & Closing Associate. GFDA is proud to be on Equal Opportunity Employer!

Cost-Effective Rail-Served Industrial Sites Available

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; download AgriTech Park Flyer. Contact Jolene Schalper at 1.406.750.4481 or [email protected]

January SBA 504 Loan Rates

The 25-year loan effective rate (including all fees) came in at 6.310%; 20-year at 6.282%; 10-year equipment loan at 6.433%; and, 20-year refinance 6.300%; 25-year refinance 6.327%. 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 [email protected].

Interested in meeting state and federal contractors? We're excited to host the quarterly STAR Roundtable with Northrop Grumman Corporation, MAFB Procurement Director, and others on February 9 from 8-10 AM. During the meeting you will learn about both large and small contracts. Click here to register. The meeting is both online and in person. 

If you are a vendor preparing for a successful 2023 Farmers Market season, plan to attend the FARMERS MARKET SUCCESS VENDOR WORKSHOP on Monday, February 13 from 9:30 – 1:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to enhance your market presence and also network with other vendors across the state. Register here or contact Katesha at 406.788.0860 or [email protected]. 

43% of cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses and attacks are becoming more frequent. The Montana Department of Commerce has launched an ARPA Cybersecurity Program. Businesses can apply for up to $8,000 in reimbursement for newly implemented cybersecurity measures paid to an accredited Montana cybersecurity company. For guidelines and the application, 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 [email protected] or 1-406-727-5430. See TheElectric for more details.

The Montana Department of Agriculture released information for a new round of Specialty Crop Block Grants. Applications are due March 17th. Grants are available to enhance the marketability and competitiveness of Montana specialty crops. State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community based organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts. We're here to help. Give Justin Loch a call 406-590-1301. Informational sessions for applicants will be held on February 22 at 1 PM, click here to join, or March 8 at 10 AM, click here to join. 

Our next government contracting webinar will be on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 11:00 am. The topic is “Does the Government Buy My Products/Services?”. If you would like to register, CLICK HERE. If you have any questions, contact Lillian Sunwall at [email protected] or (406)750-1253.

Registration opened for the Montana Housing Partnership Conference that will be held in Helena May 15-17.

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 or expansion loan funds available for Glacier and Blaine counties.

MSU Extension's Community Development team is offering a monthly Reimagining Rural Inspiration Hour webinar the third Wednesday of each month from 11:30 AM to 12:45 PM. See all the topics and register for free here.

The Veteran Small Business Certification Program Has Moved to SBA. Firms verified by the VA Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) as of January 1st are automatically granted certification by SBA for the remainder of the firm’s eligibility period. SBA intends to grant a one-time, one-year extension of certification to current VOSBs and SDVOSBs verified by the VA as of the transfer date on January 1, 2023. This additional year will be added to the existing eligibility period of a current participant. New applicants certified by SBA after January 1st will receive the standard three-year certification period. SBA is now accepting applications for certification. For more information, contact Lillian Sunwall at [email protected] or (406) 750-1253.

Employers, are you aware of the Incumbent Worker Training program, Trades education & Training Tax Credit, and other resources available at the Montana Department of Labor & Industry? Check out their latest resource newsletter.

Join us in person at GFDA on February 9th from 8:00-10:00 AM for the first in a quarterly series of STAR events designed to assist businesses with navigating and benefiting from doing business with government agencies and large federal contractors (often referred to as Primes). The Northrop Grumman team will present via Zoom and we will have Q&A after the meeting. Connect with panelists from a variety of large and small businesses currently successfully performing as prime and subcontractors. Learn helpful tips to assist your company in achieving its government contracting goals. Learn about new opportunities nationally and on or near missile wing Air Force Bases (Cheyenne, FE Warren, Malmstrom and Minot) Gain insight and information about the importance of registering with the large contractors, SAM.gov, and others to make your company more visible and propel your contracting opportunities. Find out about free resources to help you on your journey. Register here.

The Montana Governor's Conference on Tourism will be held April 23-25 in Helena.

The White House released a Guidebook to the Inflation Reduction Act. There are many tax incentives that will be available for businesses, non-profits, and public agencies to reduce their energy costs and build new power generating facilities. We'll be organizing briefings and trainings to help you learn and take advantage of these as more guidance is released. For now, download the Guidebook here. The National Association of Counties has prepared a summary of the IRA; view it here.

Have You Reviewed the New FCC Map? The FCC recently released a new map showing broadband availability across the country. Why is this important? There is more than $42 billion in federal grant funding available for broadband infrastructure development projects, and it will be allocated based on the number of unserved and underserved locations identified in the FCC map. The FCC Broadband Map is available online, and you can enter a specific address to see the data on broadband speed and availability for a specific location. If you have questions or concerns about the information, the deadline for submitting challenges to the map is January 13. Online resources can guide you through the challenge process.

The Montana Work-Based Learning Collaborative, a network of public and private partners working to expand and improve on-the-job learning for Montana students, has released its first Work-Based Learning Toolkit for Employers. The toolkit provides outlines, forms, and frameworks for employers in four key areas for work-based learning success: meaningful projects, welcoming community, mentorship, and expectations/feedback. Download toolkit.

Export Montana, part of the Montana Department of Commerce (MDOC), is organizing a trade mission to the Czech Republic and Hungary in June. They have grant funds to pay for 75% of the costs plus $2,000 toward travel costs. Grant funds are available for any of your export business development efforts. Contact Angelyn Deyoung, MDOC International Trade Officer, at [email protected] or 1-406-431-5075. We're thinking about going back to exhibit and network at the Global Energy Show in Calgary in June, participating again in the USA Pavilion. If you may be interested in joining us to connect with Canadian energy, industrial, construction, logistics and related companies, contact Jolene at [email protected] or 1-406-750-4481.

The Montana Bioscience Cluster Initiative is offering funding through its 4th "F" Fund (4FF) to provide direct assistance to Montana bioscience entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses in need of money for travel to key conferences, small equipment purchases, or temporary staff assistance in relation to proposal development, etc. This fund is designed for maximum flexibility in support of new and established businesses and entrepreneurs in the bioscience industry. The fund will provide grants of $250 to $5,000. In exceptional circumstances the fund may consider larger applications. Grants may be awarded in phases (e.g. $1,000 initially with additional $1,000 on achieving specific milestone). More info and application here.

We released the Bioscience Economic Development Strategy for the Great Falls Montana region. The report, prepared by Tripp Umbach with the input and assistance of key local industry partners, details four key findings and four strategic actions to grow and diversify bioscience-related industries in Great Falls. This report, along with other key findings from our strategic planning process will help guide the efforts of GFDA moving forward. Contact Jake Clark with questions regarding the report, [email protected]. 

Many businesses that obtained SBA COVID EIDL loans will have their 30-month payment deferral expire soon. Are you one of those businesses? If so, the SBA Montana District office is holding a webinar on how to start making your loan payments. There are five webinar sessions scheduled. For more info visit SBA Montana.



The Made in Montana Food & Gift Tradeshow will be held in Helena on March 10-11, 2023. Exhibitor applications open October 19th and spaces sell-out fast.

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 [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.

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.

What’s it like to live in Great Falls Montana? Get a glimpse through the Great Falls 2022 Livability Magazine! Livability Great Falls is a tool for recruiting people from outside our community and is one of the tools for our Talent Attraction campaign. We also have a Email List to share resumes of trailing partners and others and we promote Hot Jobs – jobs that would entice people to move here. If you are recruiting people from outside Great Falls, click here to join our recruiter email list and learn more.

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 is now live and ready for beta testing. 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. Please direct feedback to Rich at [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.

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.

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.

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.

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 [email protected].

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.