Congratulations to Alluvion Health as it takes its new mobile health clinic on the road! See KRTV and Great Falls Tribune.

1) Congratulations to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center on its 25th anniversary! See KRTV. Congratulations to Patty Jo Lane on opening Follain Physical Therapy in Great Falls! See KRTV. And, congratulations to Ashton Hofstadt and Stephanie Nelson on opening Olivia Lain Medspa in Conrad! See KRTV.

2) We closed a $1.4 million loan to help finance the completion of the 216-unit Arc Apartment Homes in Great Falls. Thank you to the amazing bank partner, Jon Boutilier, at Stockman Bank for his continuous effort to help push high impact projects to completion. If you have a project that may need some additional resources to get to the finish line, please reach out to Jill Kohles at [email protected].

3) Thank you to the voters an everyone who helped pass the Great Falls Public Library mill levy! See KRTV, TheElectric, and Tribune.

4) Eden Feeds processes non-GMO animal feed in North Central Montana. The owner of Eden Feeds, Tom Kropf, was inspired to start the business after recognizing a need for an animal feed company that offered animals better nutrition by sourcing local non-GMO ingredients. Learn more in our Announcement of the Week.

5) The City of Great Falls is holding a town hall to discuss the proposed public safety levy this Wednesday, June 14th, 6:00 PM in the Mansfield Theatre in the Civic Center; see KRTV.

6) The Electric is celebrating what makes Great Falls great and unique with its local businesses and places. It’s the fourth annual contest. VOTE HERE for 2023 Great Falls Greats. Great Falls Farmers' Market kicked off the 2023 season; see KRTV.

7) Jake travelled to Boise to meet with housing developers that have reached out after he presented on the Great Falls housing market demand last month on a webinar hosted by the Urban Land Institute. Many Boise-based firms are already active in other Montana markets and we are hopeful that Great Falls can be their next successful location. Know developers that have had success in Montana? Make sure they are on Jake's target list [email protected]. 

8) Two new resources. 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.

9) Business is all about relationships and sometimes there is no substitute for burning some good old fashioned shoe leather, or tire tread! The bulk of Team GFDA took to the road to meet with clients, partners, and new friends in Glacier County. We were invited to speak and introduce team members to the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council, met with potential loan clients and referral sources, captured some success stories from businesses that have benefited from our economic development tools and services, and spend time together as a team. If you have a business idea, expansion plan, or would like to connect with our resources, please reach out to Tony Peres [email protected].  

10) The State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 (SSBCI 2.0) low interest rate program is accepting new applications. These funds are limited and will be put to work very quickly to help our economy recover and come back stronger than ever. If you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a loan participation, contact Jill at [email protected] or 1-406-590-1056.

11) The Great Falls City Commission approved a zoning amendment that allows multi-family housing to be built in C-2 Commercial Districts throughout the city; see TheElectric.

12) Are you a Developer looking for your next project? Downtown Great Falls has multiple opportunities for upper level residential development from large to small. And GFDA has the tools to help you get that project completed! Call Christian at 406.836.0136 and let’s talk about how we can help you complete your next project.

13) If you're a farm, ranch, or migrant agricultural worker - or related to one - please join us on June 20 for a webinar on The National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), which is an opportunity through Rural Employment Opportunities(REO) that provides job training to increase income and economic self-sufficiency. Please click here to register or contact Katesha at (406) 788-0860 or [email protected]. 

14) High Plains Financial, our statewide SBA 5094 loan arm, elected three new Board members at its annual meeting. A big thank you to Karen Hugg of Stockman Bank, Ron Nelsen of Front Range Law, and Nathan Reiff of First Interstate Bank for volunteering to serve. Also, with much gratitude, we would like to acknowledge the exiting Board members, Joe Von Stein of 1st Bank of Montana, Jon Von Eschen of Stockman Bank, and Greg Thayer of Montana Milling. 

15) Driving economic growth requires a collaborative endeavor. Our accomplishments are reliant on the collective support we receive from our INVESTORS and public partners. Learn more about these valuable contributors HERE. We take great pleasure in highlighting recent investments from prominent organizations and individuals, including: Pioneer Division-- US Bank; Pacesetter Division—Horizon Credit Union; Supporter Division—BSPARK Architecture. Their dedication fuels our mission and propels us towards further achievements. If you are interested in joining our team of investors and participating in the success of our economy, reach out to our Investment Director, Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or [email protected]. Let’s discuss how your support can make a meaningful difference.

I'm back in DC this week working on policies to help revitalize more commercial properties, then on to Salt lake to meet with a prospect. Can't wait to get back to Great Falls!

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!

"When you look at a city, it's like reading the hopes, aspirations and pride of everyone who built it."

Hugh Newell Jacobson

Edition 586

Download our GFDA Services and Staff Team handout or our GFDA 2023Q1 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 Business Development Officer and Small Business Advisor -- Director Regional Small Business Development Center. GFDA is proud to be an 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]

June SBA 504 Loan Rates

The 25-year loan effective rate (including all fees) is 6.329%; 20-year at 6.381%; 10-year equipment loan at 6.036%; and, 20-year refinance 6.400%; 25-year refinance 6.347%. 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].

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 Christian at 406.836.0136 or email [email protected] and 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 Lyndsay Bruno at [email protected] or at (406) 590 – 1539 to be connected with a JobsEQ-trained Business Advisor today. To learn more about our talent attraction tools visit our website. 

Central Montana Works announced the Worlds of Work (WOW) career expo will be held on Tuesday, September 26th at Great Falls College MSU and University of Providence. To register your company for the event go to: Worlds of Work (WOW) 2023. If you need to edit your existing participant profile, need assistance with registration, or additional sponsorship information, please reach out to Alyssa at [email protected] or call 761-4434.

We launched the new Livability Great Falls Magazine. Find and share Livability Great Falls online or contact Lyndsay Bruno at [email protected] or (406) 590 – 1539 for hard copies of the magazine. 

Recruiters are you hiring for a job position that is a:  

• High level position 
• High salary position 
• Out-of-the-box/unique/creative position? 

Help us attract workforce to move to Great Falls - send us a one sentence description of the job, 3-5 of your company's top employee benefits, salary (if listed), and link to apply for your job to [email protected] to be included in the Hot Jobs in Great Falls blog post.  

The 2023 Montana Food and Beverage Show, hosted by the Montana Department of Agriculture, is scheduled for October 16 in Missoula. The show allows Montana businesses ro showcase their food and beverage products to professional buyers from restaurants, hotels, bars, retailers, and more.

The Montana Department of Commerce has two new programs that we encourage businesses to take advantage of. The Montana Cybersecurity Program will provide up to $8,000 reimbursement for your cybersecurity expenses; applications due May 30. The Automation Loan Program offers 0% loans for up to 50% of the cost of automation equipment up to $500,000; deadline December 31. These are one-time programs funded through ARPA so don't miss out. And don't forget about funds available for your workforce through the Incumbent Worker Training Program and the Primary Workforce Training Grant. We can help you access these programs if you run into snags.

Navy Week - Doing Business with the Department of Navy & GovMatch Event (Billings Depot on Montana Avenue) - Join the Montana APEX Accelerator (formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center - PTAC) August 9th from 9 AM – 5 PM as they welcome Mr. David E. Walz to Billings. Mr. Walz is the Deputy Small Business Program, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport. He serves as the principal advisor and advocate to the commander, senior management, contracts, and the technical department on all matters pertaining to small business program. During this event, businesses will receive information on the following topics: 1. Department of the Navy (DON) Office of Small Business Programs' Achievements and Goals 2. The DON OSBP Mentor-Protégé Program 3. Preparing for the DON procurement process 4. Resources and assistance to help businesses 5. GovMatch event in the afternoon. You will be able to meet with various other federal agencies in the afternoon. To register, click here. If you have any questions, contact Shannon Clancy [email protected].

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 to lower operating costs or to install renewable energy systems. Quarterly competitions will be held through September 30th. See MATR.net for more info. USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grants program is also open. This program helps independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer businesses to start or expand processing operations or marketing of processed ag products. Applications are due May 11. Contact Katesha Campbell if you would like help with applying; [email protected] or 1-406-788-0860. 

The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center has launched an apprenticeship program. The Certified Manufacturing Associate Apprenticeship is a one-year program that combines on-the-job training with online technical classes on safety, math and measurements, manufacturing processes, and quality control.

The Montana Department of Commerce has an open Recovery Destination Event grant round. Eligible Montana events that attract tourists could win grants up to $25,000.

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 Growth Through Agriculture (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].

The 341st Contracting Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), is contemplating a solicitation for a multiple award contract (MAC) and is looking for responses to this Sources Sought Notification. Awarded MAC indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts would be for the construction of structures and facilities, repair, maintenance, and alteration of real property assets within the confines of Malmstrom AFB, Weapons Storage Area (WSA), and Missile Alert Facility (MAF) and Launch Facility (LF) sites located within the Missile Complex throughout Montana. This is a great opportunity to Introduce your company to the Contracting Wing at Malmstrom AFB. Do you have a Capability Statement prepared that you can provide with your Sources Sought reply? If not, contact us at [email protected]. For more information on the Notice, click here.

Are you working on a project that will not only bring new agricultural opportunities to Montana's rural communities but also provide education to youth and adults alike? Then the Montana Farmers Union Grant might be for you! Competitive grants are open to anyone in Montana. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2023; click here for more information or to apply. Additional questions, call 406.788.0860 or email [email protected].



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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our Mission

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 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.