Whether you're just getting started, looking for new customers, wanting to grow sales through e-commerce, or focusing on workforce.
We're here to help.

Check out the upcoming trainings below!
Business Pitch In
Great Falls Development Authority Small Business Development Center will be hosting a pitch event June 28th from 11am to 1pm downtown at The Wild Hare to celebrate the completion of our Accelerate: Your Startup class. Graduates of this class will each have four minutes to pitch their startup idea or current business model. The audience will then have 4 minutes for Q&A, advice, or insights. Hors d’oeuvres will be available. The Wild Hare offers a full lunch menu as well as a complete host of nonalcoholic cocktails and drinks at their cash bar. Please join us for an exciting time welcoming these noble new ideas to Grow Great Falls! Register here.
The Small Business Webinar Series: Small Business Retirement Plans - A Tool to Retain Employees - July 7
Small business owners are constantly looking for the best way to attract and retain good workers. Retirement plans are a great tool to help keep employees and make it easier to ensure financially stable retirement years for you and your employees. This session will cover the basics of what small business owners need to consider before starting a retirement plan. Register here.
Profit Mastery
In our hands-on Profit Mastery workshops you'll learn to understand your financials, learn how to manage your business to increase profitability, and strengthen your relationship with your lender. Discover how to actively manage YOUR business and accomplish YOUR goals. Register here.
Becoming a Franchisee: An Alternate Path to Business Ownership
Are you an entrepreneur at heart, but have yet to come up with that million dollar idea and are looking for another way to get into business ownership? Of the three ways to get into owning a business, franchising might be the most well known but least utilized. Join us July 29 at the GFDA Small Business Development Center for the workshop Becoming a Franchisee. Register here.
PeerSpectives Roundtable is a facilitated cohort of business leaders like you who want to learn through experiences, reduce stress, improve decision making, and enhance accountability. Visit the PeerSpectives section on our website and contact Jason Nitschke at 406-750-0314 to discuss if this is the right group for you.
Micro Online Business Courses
Nine new online courses have been launched by our partners at the new Women’s Business Center (WBC) at the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Leadership Lab (W.E.L.L.) in Missoula.

Check out the nine new offerings here or contact WBC Business Advisor Marguerite Thordarson at marguerite.thordarson@mso.umt.edu. 
How do I get the capital to grow?
How do I increase sales?
How do I solve workforce issues?

Connect with our business advisors to help you answer the BIG questions.

Jolene Schalper
Senior Vice President
(406) 750-4481
We help entrepreneurs realize their fullest potential.

Check out our Menu of Services
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.