Most of us are thinking about how to increase “social distance” (yuck) including the extent to which we can move to work from home. Here is a short vetted list from the Montana Nonprofit Association, intended to give you a manageable amount of information as you think about remote work.
Millennial Population Growth in the Heartland
“Heartland locations are doing better at retaining and attracting members of the Millennial generation in recent years…As Millennials aged, they approached the period in their life cycles when it was time to start families and move into larger residences. In addition to rising home prices and rents, many other costs of living surged.”
Read more at heartlandforward.org
Montana Manufacturing Extension Center COVID-19 discussion & resources
A conference call for Montana manufacturing companies was organized by the Greater Gallatin Valley Manufacturing Partnership (GGVMP) on March 13th to discuss manufacturers’ challenges and responses to the evolving COVID-19 and flu virus challenges. A summary of the discussion and resources identified by call participants is available on MMEC’s website.
Montana Department of Commerce: Coronavirus Taskforce Update
The state recognizes the substantial economic impact that some businesses have experienced due to novel coronavirus or COVID-19. The Department of Commerce in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration are working to hard to make emergency funding available for those businesses.
When disaster assistance will be available in Montana
- If a small business has suffered substantial economic injury as a result of COVID-19, it may be eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
- Small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives that have suffered substantial economic injury may be eligible for the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program.
- Substantial economic injury is the inability of a business to meet its obligations as they mature and to pay its ordinary and necessary operating expenses.
- An EIDL can help meet necessary financial obligations that a business could have met had the disaster not occurred.
- It provides relief from economic injury caused directly by the disaster and permits the business to maintain a reasonable working capital position during the period affected by the disaster.
- The SBA provides EIDL assistance only to those businesses that SBA determines are unable to obtain credit elsewhere.
- The loan amount will be based on the business’ actual economic injury and financial needs.
- The interest rate on EIDLs is currently at 3.75 percent per year.
- The term of the loans cannot exceed 30 years.
- Terms and conditions will be determined by the business’ ability to repay the loan
Listed below is a step by step process for businesses that have experienced substantial economic injury as a result of COVID-19
- Complete the Economic Injury Worksheets as soon as possible, click here to access the worksheet, and submit it to your county Disaster and Emergency Services, (DES) Office.
- If your county does not have a DES office or if you are unable to contact them, the worksheet can be sent to MTDES@mt.gov.
- Your county DES office will submit the worksheet to the state, and the state will submit it to the SBA along with a request for an SBA declaration.
- Once the SBA has issued an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration for your county, businesses will be eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
- Additional information on the loan program and how to apply can be found at the SBA website here.
For additional information, please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center. Call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Chamber Member Thornton Publishes New Book
New Choteau Chamber of Commerce member and the Choteau Acantha Publishing’s longtime reporter Nancy Thornton, recently published (under her assumed business name of Canal Heritage Enterprises) the third book in her “Tales” series, “Tales from Choteau Montana.” The subtitle of the series reads, “The remarkable people, weather, crimes and events that made the local weekly news.” Her earlier books include “Tales from Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front” and “Tales from Montana’s Teton County.”
The softbound books are collections of original short stories created from writings dating back to the 1880s in old newspapers including the Choteau Acantha. Over-the-counter sales at $15 per book, cash or check only, are available at the Acantha office, 216 First Ave. N.W., Choteau. The book is sold as a print-on-demand publication from lulu.com and will be available in the future at retail bookstores.
Contact the author at nancetho@montana.com regarding mail-order sales.
Port Authority Seeks to Form Explorer Post
This week, I will be visiting Choteau Highschool classes to talk about the Choteau Area Port Authority’s Exploring Program. Exploring is a great opportunity for Choteau’s business community to help train the next generation of business leaders.
Continue reading “Port Authority Seeks to Form Explorer Post”Teton County Connect Electronic Referral System
If you are a business or agency that provides services, this post is for you!
Teton County is now a part of the Connect Electronic Referral System. Check out the flyer below for more details.
Continue reading “Teton County Connect Electronic Referral System”How to Build a Perfect Team: Google’s Secret Internal Research
How do you build a great team? Google wanted to find the formula, so they started doing research under codename “Project Artistotle”, and here’s what they found:
Trust mattered most.
A few other key takeaways were:
- Listen more. Talk less.
- Praise generously
- Reframe negative feedback
- Pay attention
Read the full report on Project Aristotle.
Be Nice to Your Local Cowboy
Hey there Choteau and Teton County! I was asked to write a little blip about new things within Opportunity bank and while banking might be what my job is I have been night calving the last few weeks and I thought I should just share this public announcement for everyone safety…
Continue reading “Be Nice to Your Local Cowboy”Business Transitioning Presentation at March Chamber Meeting!
This is a Chamber meeting you won’t want to miss, so mark your calendar for Wednesday, March 11th!
At the March 11th General Membership Meeting, the Choteau Chamber of Commerce is excited to present Doug Roberts from the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center and his presentation about business transitioning!
Doug has a passion for manufacturing and small business and has expertise in strategic planning, succession planning, business systems and too many more to list them all.
Doug’s presentation will help owners identify action steps to begin “de-risking” their businesses, increase value and improve their transition outcomes.
Transition readiness is “just” good business, and owners who commit to becoming more transition ready will enjoy greater financial success, better legacy outcomes, and increased personal fulfillment. Business owners will learn what transition readiness is, why it matters, and how to improve their personal and business outcomes.