Rendering of the Great Falls Clinic Hospital $58 million expansion. This week the Clinic announced a $5 million expansion of its Cancer Center to include a new TrueBeam linear accelerator (LINAC) to further enhance radiation oncology services.
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Here is our Top 27 for this week celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen the Great Falls regional economy -- Montana's Golden Triangle. And, sharing business resources and skill-building opportunities to empower your success.
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2) Thank you to the developers, employers and partners who helped us host the Great Falls Housing Production Summit. The Concord Group presented the highlights of the market assessment documenting demand for more than 4,500+ new housing units in Great Falls. Major employers presented increased need for housing to support over 1,000 new jobs. To meet this demand, we heard from developers with nearly 800 units in various stages of completion, just scratching the surface of our market demand. See TheElectric and the Great Falls Tribune. Missed the event? Watch the 2022 Housing Production Summit Here. Interested in exploring housing development opportunities? Contact Jake Clark at 1-406-403-4937 or [email protected].
3) The new Housing Production Task Force will kick-off on March 29 at 4:00 PM. If you would like to participate in the task force, email me at [email protected]. The task force is going to brainstorm creative ways we can make more housing development happen in our market, then work to implement the best ideas.
4) Networked with innovative companies at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference in Washington DC this week. Spoke with several businesses excited about Calumet’s Montana Renewable Diesel project. Growth in biofuels, biochemicals, bioplastics, and biopackaging industries offer opportunities to put Montana's agricultural products to higher value use right here in our region.
5) The Montana Department of Labor released labor market data that showed more people employed in the Great Falls MSA in January 2022 than pre-pandemic in January 2020. This reflects great progress in COVID recovery for Cascade County.
6) Networked with developers and businesses involved in entertainment, dining and retail at the Entertainment Evolution Experience conference in Los Angeles. We're looking to support more creative entrepreneurs to invest in downtown, riverfront, indoor and outdoor entertainment and recreation, and more. Contact Christian to learn how we can help make your concept happen; 1-406-836-0136 or [email protected].
8) Submitted a Big Sky Trust Fund Job Creation grant application for Touro College Montana. These awards are for primary sector businesses providing above average wages for Montanans. The next deadline should be in June. If you are a primary sector company (over 51% of revenue comes from outside of Montana) planning to create new jobs with above average wages, give Jake a call to discuss your opportunities, 1.406.403.4937.
10) Special thanks to Corinna Dahlin (Navy veteran; owner of Corinna Dahlin Real Estate Photography, LLC and Chronic, LLC) and Zach Huber (Air Force/Guard veteran; Action Plumbing Plus Inc) for guest speaking at our quarterly presentation of Boots to Business. Eleven service members participated in this introduction to entrepreneurship course delivered to active duty military, veterans, and military families in partnership with the SBA and the Veterans Business Outreach Center.
11) Nominations are open for the 2022 The Fire Within – a celebration of women entrepreneurs! We are seeking nominations of female entrepreneurs from throughout the Golden Triangle for Aspire Candidates, women who have been in business under five years, and Inspire Candidates, who have been in business over five years. The awards are achieved by showing strong business acumen and a track record of business success. The event will be on May 12 at 5:30 PM; details to come. Nominate your candidates here.
12) Lillian and Shannon presented the final two webinar trainings on the 4-Part Module Series “Creating A Responsive Proposal” and “Impact of Change: A SAM.gov Transition Overview”. If you are interested in viewing any of PTACs webinar trainings, they will be available next week on the GFDA website GrowGreatFallsMontana.org under Government Contracting. For additional information or assistance, contact Shannon at [email protected].
13) The Montana Department of Health and Human Services has put out a scam notice. Child care providers in Montana are being targeted by a scam/phishing email to click on a link to receive their ARPA funds. DPHHS will electronically deposit or mail your ARPA Child Care Stabilization Grant payments to you. You will not be asked to click on a link to receive your funds. For more information on phishing scams, visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams.
14) The US Small Business Administration has announced additional deferment of principal and interest payments for existing COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program borrowers for a total of 30 months. The extended deferment period is from your existing loan’s inception date on all approved COVID EIDL loans. The COVID EIDL program is not accepting new applications.
16) USDA Rural Housing Service opened the application process for 514 rural off-farm labor housing loans and 516 off-farm labor housing grants, due April 25. The Rural Housing Service has several programs designed to help build or improve community housing or essential community facilities. USDA also has the Value-Added Producer Grants round open, also due April 25. These grants help producers generate new products, create marketing opportunities, and increase incomes through value-added activities. If you are interested in additional information, reach out to Justin Loch at [email protected] or 1-406-590-1301 .
17) The Fire Within 2022 is back in person and is poised to be our best yet! We have a high value marketing/sponsorship package available that you won’t want to miss out on. If you are interested in becoming the sponsor of this event celebrating female entrepreneurs, reach out to Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or [email protected]
18) The Community Food & Agriculture Coalition is offering a Certified Farm Startup Program through Farm Link Montana. This is a certification program for aspiring farmers that will utilize performance based teaching methods to deliver the skills and tools needed to access farmland and start a farm business.
19) GFDA’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC)’s national association released its national impact report. To view the Montana SBDC’s impact report and statewide successes, click here. According to the report, for every $1 of federal investment, businesses served through the SBDC were able to attract $44.87 dollars in new capital to start and grow. To find out how GFDA’s SBDC can support your business, contact Jason at [email protected].
21) We hosted the monthly IEDC webinar Pitches & Proposals to Make Your 'Home Opener' Stand Out. Guest speaker Jay Garner, author of Economic Development is not for Armatures, was among the panel and spoke about how the site selectors' process has changed and how to identify the best industries to attract. Our Business Development team will take some of these best practices and put them to use. The next webinar in the series is on April 21st, Using Multimedia as a Showcasing Tool. If you would like to join us for the next webinar, we will be showing this in our conference room. Space is limited, contact Christian at 406.836.0136 if you would like to join.
22) Met with federal officials at the National Association of Development Organization's annual policy conference in DC. Focused on discussions with NTIA in regard to resources to enhance broadband and with USDA to increase utilization of programs to support food processing industries in our region. Supported efforts to reauthorize the Economic Development Administration which has been a strong partner in our regional economic development efforts.
23) This week GFDA earned GuideStar Candid's 2022 Platinum Seal of Transparency. It's the third consecutive year we have earned the highest level of nonprofit transparency. Less than 1% of Montana nonprofit organizations have earned Platinum and no other economic development organization in the state has even earned the lowest Bronze level.
24) Excited to announce that Heidi Gibson is joining the GFDA staff team as our new Resource Director. Heidi brings extensive experience in both public and private grant research and writing. She will lead our efforts to secure more resources to put to work to create economic opportunity and improve quality of life in Great Falls and the surrounding 12 county rural and tribal region. Heidi served as Executive Director for the Center for Mental Health Foundation in Great Falls and as State Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association. She has been working as an independent consultant since 2013. Heidi earned a BA at Gonzaga University. Please join us in welcoming Heidi!
25) We received and signed the financial award agreement from the Community Development Financial Institution Fund that we were awarded late last year. The grant (match 1:1 by our fantastic local investors) and loan (matched 1:1 with a loan from the Montana Board of Investments) will help us to continue to meet the gap and bridge financing needs of existing businesses, startups, non-profits and real estate developments in Great Falls and the surrounding north central Montana region. If you need help with financing, contact Jill at [email protected] or 1-406-590-1056.
26) Submitted a request to the Environmental Protection Agency for supplemental Brownfield Revolving Loan Funds that would enable us to make more redevelopment projects happen throughout Cascade County. We identified over a dozen potential projects that would rejuvenate contaminated underutilized property. Need help with property contamination assessment or cleanup (including lead paint and asbestos)? Contact Lillian at [email protected] or 1-406-750-1253.
27) Our investors are crucial to the growth of our area. Because of them our community is thriving growing! Recent investments include: Pacesetter Division—Opportunity Bank; Community Division—Sharon Virgin, REALTOR Dustin Young & Co. Just like our community is growing, so is our list of supporters and investors. If you would like to join the list that is helping to Grow Great Falls, contact Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or [email protected].
I'm excited to be in San Francisco for a week of networking with innovative animal, ag, and food companies at the global Future Food-Tech events.
Have a great week. Let's move more deals into action!
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.
"Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected."
Steve Jobs
Edition 527
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GFDA Career Opportunities
We have a new Business Development Officer position to boost our efforts to grow the food, ag and bio-processing industries in the Great Falls region. We are still looking for a Competitive Improvements Director to lead efforts to address key challenges in Great Falls including housing production, industrial space, logistics costs, and talent attraction. Here is a PDF of our GFDA Career Opportunities. GFDA has a year-round College Intern Program with five paid internship opportunities. Download application. Help us spread the word!
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. Contact Jolene Schalper at 1.406.750.4481 or [email protected]
March SBA 504 Loan Rates
The 25-year loan effective rate (including all fees) came in at 3.925%; 20-year at 3.761%; 10-year equipment loan at 3.807%; and, 20-year refinance 3.775%; 25-year refinance 3.939%. 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].
Invest in Great Falls Regional Economic Development
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Events, Business Training, and Opportunities
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Structuring Effective and Efficient Meetings is the next topic for our monthly Small Business Webinar Series presentation, produced in collaboration with the University of Montana and MSU-Extension. Marguerite Thordarson, a Women’s Business Center business advisor embedded with our team will deliver the presentation April 7 from 11:00-11:30 AM. For more information or to register, click here.
We have firmed up the dates for our first cohort of Accelerate: Your Startup. This four module intensive business course designed for pre-venture and early stage startups will run from May 6 through June 3, with a graduation pitch event tentatively scheduled for June 8. If you are (or know of) an entrepreneur in the beginning stages of launching or planning to launch and are asking foundational questions about business, this course is for you. For more information or to register, click here or contact Jason at [email protected].
USDA is offering a virtual USDA Small Business 201 Workshop on April 13 and April 14 from 2:00 – 5:00 PM EST both days. This workshop is the second in the series of USDA’s efforts to support and showcase procurement opportunities to rural, minority, women, veteran, and other small businesses. The workshop will serve as an opportunity to network with USDA programs and contract officers, other small businesses, partners, stakeholders, and other organizations focused on supporting and growing businesses across the country. Part I on April 13 will focus on the contracting and procurement tools and resources, as well as mission area overviews. Part II on April 14 will focus on USDA programs, contracts, and procurement opportunities. Register by April 8 or until they reach capacity .
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 Montana Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) is open for applications. This $5.5 million grant fund is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Montana. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, peas and lentils, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). Deadline for this grant March 28. Contact Justin Loch, [email protected], to discuss your project. You can also visit the website here.
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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]
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. Learn more about this proven system here.
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 [email protected].
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. Get the latest updates on this transition in SAM.gov by contacting your Great Falls PTAC and connecting with Shannon Clancy at [email protected]
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 [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 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 [email protected].
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 [email protected] or call (406) 750-0314.
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].
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 [email protected] 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.
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Our Mission
Grow diverse economic opportunities that enhance quality of life.
Great Falls Region Community Vision
The Great Falls Region will be a proud, positive, and vibrant community, which welcomes new people, new investments, and innovative opportunities while celebrating its authentic and diverse Montana culture. Our community will be a safe and inclusive place to raise families and will offer opportunities for individual growth and quality of life, which retains and grows our population.
GFDA Organizational Vision
Great Falls Development Authority will be a change agent, catalyst, and facilitator in the Great Falls region, fostering collaboration and partnerships to support diverse economic opportunities, innovation, and growth. Our economic development organization will be a high performing leader in attracting new investment and talent. Our work providing access to capital, consulting, training and resources for entrepreneurs, businesses, developers, and nonprofits will transform Great Falls and the surrounding 13-county trade area into a thriving regional economy that enhances the standard of living for our people.
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 and Lenders.
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 and an SBA Women's Business Center in partnership with the University of Montana and the Montana Native Growth Fund.
GFDA was the first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council.
For more info, click to our website.
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