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Ty Rollins, owner of Great Falls newest downtown boutique hotel, The Gibson, and his sister Trina Opoku at The Gibson Hotel's grand opening celebration on Saturday, June 24. The hotel features 44 rooms with two suites and is filled with unique photos of Great Falls as well as some historical landscapes of Montana history.

1) Get ready for our first class of Touro medical students! We need your help to welcome them to our community. We are asking for business support – gift cards, discounts, food, beverages, and more. We want to show them how excited we are that they chose Great Falls. To be part of the team, call Jenn 406.781.9499.

2) Marias Healthcare celebrated the opening of their new facility in Shelby; see KRTV and Shelby Promoter. The fourth annual Great Falls Greats contest results are out; see The Electric. Fetch Pet Boutique is expanding with a big project now underway; see KRTV. The U.S. Space Force seal was unveiled at the Montana Veterans Memorial in Great Falls; see KRTV.

3) The Montana Chamber and the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center are holding a Manufacturer Meet-up at the El Conejo Cantina in The Wild Hare in downtown Great Falls Thursday, July 13 from 5:30-7:30 PM. RSVP here.

4) Congratulations to The Gibson Hotel, Downtown Great Falls' newest Hotel! They had their Grand Opening and open house last week allowing the public to check out the hotel and see their redevelopment. The Gibson is just one of many examples of how businesses can utilize the tools we provide, such as Bridge and Gap financing. If you have a project that needs a little more money to get going, that's considered a Gap. Call Christian at 406.836.0136 and let's discuss your project and how we may be able to help with the tools we provide. Check out the KRTV and their interview with Ty Rollins, the owner of The Gibson Hotel. 

5) We responded to another lead from our friends at the Montana Department of Commerce for a precision manufacturing company interested in relocating to Montana from another state in the Northwest. Great Falls is positioned well for this prospect, who is interested in a community where their employees can live work and play. If you know of a company that could thrive in our market that is looking for a new home or expansion, please reach out to Jake Clark Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org.  

6) Congratulations to the 40th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base on winning the Omaha Trophy! See KRTV and TheElectric.

7) Kudos to the Messy Apron in Cut Bank for their successful launch and for securing enough workforce to extend their operating hours!!! If your business is looking for assistance in expanding or is experiencing workforce issues we can help. Please reach out to Tony at Tony@GrowGreatFalls.org or 406-750-2099. 

8) We held a public meeting regarding the Baatz Building Cleanup and its redevelopment at 400 2nd St. S in Great Falls. The proposed redevelopment plan includes the creation of 24 permanent supportive housing units and one manager's unit, totaling 25 housing units. Additionally, a community services center will be located on the main floor of the building. The meeting focused on redevelopment of the Baatz Building, including discussions on the role of Brownfields, the scope of work and the ABCA document. The Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) document evaluates different cleanup options and provides an analysis of their effectiveness, costs, and potential impacts on the environment and public health. The ABCA plays a crucial role in decision-making regarding the most appropriate and feasible cleanup alternatives for the site. See TheElectric.

9) Congratulations to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls on its 25th anniversary!

10) Business owners and entrepreneurs from Browning, Cut Bank, East Glacier and Heart Butte attended our Website Bootcamp this week in Browning, a one-day training on business website creation. Thanks to our co-sponsors, NACDC Financial Services, and Blackfeet Manpower, hosting us. If your community could benefit from a business technical training event contact Rich Gannon at 406-836-2078 or RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org to discuss our business training offerings.

11) The Basketball League announced a new franchise in Great Falls, the Great Falls Electric! See Great Falls Tribune and KRTV.

12) We had a client express gratitude for our ability to streamline the SAM.gov validation process. Beware of predatory entities that attempt to charge you for assistance when our APEX Accelerator Team (formerly PTAC) is readily available to provide free support. If you need guidance navigating the validation process, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org

13) Have you tried our free, online tool that let’s you compare your business with others? This is a great benchmarking tool for sales, wages, and more! Click here to check it out.

14) The Downtown Development Partnership recommended approval for a TIF request to assist in the redevelopment of the original KellerGeist location on Central Avenue in Downtown Great Falls; see TheElectric. This request will then be presented the City Commission for final approval. Did you know, as a Downtown Building owner you have access to Grant funds from the City of Great Falls that can help with the redevelopment of your building? The City of Great Falls created the Downtown TIF Grant Program to help with Façade, Life Safety Code Compliance and Environmental Safety in 2021 and several Downtown Building Owners have successfully utilized this program. If you want to learn more about how you can put these funds to work, contact Christian at 406.836.0136. 

15) Furtnerity Pet Resort and Daycare is now open in Conrad. Opening her own pet-related business has been a dream of Mandy Wood's for years. Mandy worked with our Small Business Development Center to realize her dream. Learn more in our Announcement of the Week.

16) At the GFDA Annual Meeting, we debuted our newest talent attraction video, This is My Great Falls. The video features some of the many unique attractions and amenities our community offers. Please share the video with friends, family and your social network.

17) At our Annual Meeting last week, we gathered to recognize and honor remarkable individuals who have made an immense impact on our mission. Their invaluable contributions have been integral to our collective achievements, empowering us to overcome challenges and seize opportunities. We proudly presented them with the esteemed GFDA Ally Award. Congratulations to the winners, and heartfelt thanks for your dedication, partnership, and support: Brad Talcott of James Talcott Construction; Craig Raymond, formerly of the City of Great Falls Planning & Community Development; Erin Townsend of Bravera Bank; Frederick Van Den Abbeel of the MT Department of Commerce; Jon Boutillier of Stockman Bank; Kari Lewis of MSU Cut Bank; Kassy Buss of Bjornson Jones and Magnus; Katie Willcockson of the MT Department of Commerce; Mako Sakaguchi of the MT Department of Commerce Japan; Matt Harrington of the Native American Community Development; Nathan Reiff of 1st Interstate Bank; Rebecca Engum of Great Falls MT Tourism; Robin Rude of MT Department of Revenue; Steve Dogiakos of Choteau Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations & thank you! Together, we will continue to shape a vibrant and prosperous future for Great Falls.

18) We are thrilled to announce the addition of exceptional individuals to the GFDA Board of Directors. Their expertise, passion, and commitment to our mission will bring fresh perspectives and drive our organization forward. Join us in welcoming these outstanding professionals who will play instrumental roles in shaping the future of our community's economic development: Ashely Clark of Hybrid Steel Design, LLC; Rob Haney of Rocky Mountain Carriers; Jody Johnson of Scheels; Johnna Lightbourne of Cogswell Insurance; Raymond Porter of TDS Telecom; Brittany Riley of Horizon Credit Union; Nate Weisenburger of AE2S. Congratulations and welcome to our newest board members. We look forward to working alongside them in achieving our shared goals to grow the region.

19) We would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to the exceptional individuals who have served on GFDA’s Board of Directors. They have demonstrated exemplary leadership, providing the vision and direction necessary to navigate through challenges and seize opportunities. Their guidance has been instrumental in establishing and implementing strategies that have fostered economic growth, supported local businesses, and enhanced the quality of life in our community. Please join us in recognizing: Outgoing GFDA Board chair: Mark Macek of Macek Companies; Outgoing GFDA Board member: Dwight Holman of Holman Aviation. Outgoing GFDA Board member: Ron Nelson of Front Range Law, PLLC. Their loyalty, hours of service, and belief in the mission of GFDA has left an indelible mark on our organization and the community as a whole. The positive impact they have made will be felt for years to come.

20) Lyndsay presented in the webinar Live, Work and Play:' Attracting and Retaining Tomorrow’s Talent," hosted by the International Economic Development Council(IEDC). The webinar is based on a report commissioned by IDEC and conducted by the Economic Developers Research Partners(EDRP). View the talent attraction report here; watch the webinar here.

21) We are dedicated to bringing abundant opportunities to our region. Our progress and success are not solitary achievements but are the outcomes of collective efforts. We extend our gratitude to our valued INVESTORS and public partners, whose support has been instrumental in our journey. Learn more about them HERE. Recent investments include: Advance Division—Culligan Water Conditioning; Pacesetter Division—Macek Companies.  Together, we have achieved significant milestones, and recent investments serve as testimony to our shared commitment to growth and prosperity. If you’d like to join the team that is growing the region, contact Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.

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!

"For I am not so enamored of my own opinions that I disregard what others may think of them."

Nicolaus Copernicus

Edition 589

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!

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

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 JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Mark your calendars! As part of our effort to increase housing production in Great Falls, GFDA is partnering with the Montana Facility Finance Authority to offer a free interactive presentation on the C-PACE program and how this and other tools can be leveraged to get housing projects off the ground. The event will be held on Thursday, July 20, at 10:30 AM at Great Falls College MSU in room B101. Registration will be live soon! Contact Jake with questions, Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Central Montana Works!’s second annual Worlds of Work™ (WOW™) will be held in Great Falls on September 26th. WOW™ is not your typical job fair, but a hands-on career exploration event which opens new avenues of opportunity for middle school and high school students they never knew were possible. The goal for this second year is to have approximately 100 businesses spread across sixteen “worlds,” each of which represents one of the sixteen nationally recognized career clusters. If you are a business interested in being an exhibitor at Worlds of Work™, please click here. If you need to edit your existing participant profile, need assistance with registration, or are interested in sponsorship information, please reach out to Alyssa Larkey at alarkey@greatfallschamber.org or call 761-4434. 

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 Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937.

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. 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 RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-836-2078.

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 CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org 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 Lyndsay@GrowGreatFalls.org 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. 

We launched the new Livability Great Falls Magazine. Find and share Livability Great Falls online or contact Lyndsay Bruno at Lyndsay@GrowGreatFalls.org 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 Lyndsay@GrowGreatFalls.org 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 to showcase their food and beverage products to professional buyers from restaurants, hotels, bars, retailers, and more.

The Montana Department of Commerce has extended the application deadline to December 31st for the Montana Cybersecurity Program will provide up to $8,000 reimbursement for your cybersecurity expenses. 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 SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org.

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. Contact Katesha Campbell if you would like help with applying; Katesha@GrowGreatFalls.org 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.

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 Katesha@GrowGreatFalls.org.

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 LSunwall@GrowGreatFalls.org. For more information on the Notice, 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 kellie@downtowngreatfalls.net 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 Tony@GrowGreatFalls.org. We also have some small business or nonprofit startup or expansion loan funds available for Glacier and Blaine counties.

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 SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org 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. All of our recorded monthly business strategy webinars are available online for viewing anytime, check them out here. Please direct feedback to Rich at RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org.

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.

Join our Trailing Partner Email Group specifically for local 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.

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.

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.

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.

Great Falls Development Alliance | GrowGreatFallsMontana.org