A catalyst for business growth, a convener of leaders and influencers, and a champion for a stronger community.
Via the MATR newsletter:
Early Stage MT is a nonprofit that has a simple goal: To accelerate the growth of emerging technology businesses in Montana. They do that by helping early stage tech companies avoid mistakes that slow growth, and connecting them to the training, mentors, contacts and financing to scale quickly.
They’re looking to take 15 businesses from multiple showcases happening across Montana and the first-place winner receives $50,000 in investment money.
Thanks to everyone who came out to the 2nd Annual Chamber Chili Feed and especially to all the chili competitors! We had 20 competitors enter their chilis, and had scores of folks enjoy the big game and get their chili feed on.
Continue reading “Chili Cook-off & Super Bowl Party: Huge Success!”
Apply for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program. Applications due February 28, 2020
Continue reading “Grant Opportunity: Montana Historic Preservation Program”
The Economic Outlook Seminar will be in Great Falls at the Hilton Garden Inn on January 29 from 8am – 1pm.
You might be interested in this seminar if you’re looking for good workers for your business. “The days of running a help wanted ad in the newspaper and receiving a stack of applications is a distant memory in Montana – and it’s not necessarily due to a strong economy and low unemployment. In today’s knowledge-based, social media connected and information-rich economy, the rules of engagement between candidates and companies have changed. The economic success of local communities and the entire state depends on making the best match between workers and workplaces. Montana has some advantages in attracting talent, but there are plenty of things we could do better. “
BBER economists will present national, state and local economic forecasts for each seminar city and industry experts will give their outlook for Montana’s important sectors, including tourism, health care, real estate and housing, agriculture, manufacturing, energy and forest products.
Via the Montana Department of Commerce:
We are now accepting nominations for the 2020 Tourism Awards. These awards recognize outstanding accomplishments of the people, businesses, organizations and communities that strengthen Montana’s tourism and recreation industries.
Nominations are open from January 16, 2020 – February 16, 2020.
There are quite a few Choteau Chamber members who are excellent tourism businesses! Nominate one today!
Montana’s Census Complete Count Committee has recently launched a new 2020 Census Website, CENSUS.MT.GOV.
The new website has been designed to offer a user-friendly experience with improved navigation and easy-to-find resources. The new site includes 2020 Census information and resources specific to Montana like maps, flyers, and social media graphics.
Responding to the Census is quick, easy and safe. For every Montana resident counted, a Census study estimates the state receives $20,000 over the decade for funding healthcare programs, public education programs, highways and housing. Census data shapes Montana’s voting districts and will also determine whether Montana will get a second representative in Congress.Â
If you are a parent of children who need childcare, please take the Port Authority’s survey so we as a community can better assess our childcare needs. Please share the survey with other parents you know in the Choteau Community!
On January 9th, the Choteau Area Port Authority held a work meeting to establish it’s Childcare Taskforce. We here at the Chamber know that finding childcare is not just a challenge for families and their home life, but for businesses and their employees, too.
Article after article notes that lack of sufficient childcare is not a problem unique to Choteau, or even Montana, but the solutions to our problems are going to have to come from within our community.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has great information about the types of partnerships that can help our community succeed:
It is clear that high-quality, affordable, and accessible childcare plays a significant role in ensuring our companies and our country remain competitive and contribute to our overall economic growth and development.
U.S. Chamber Foundation – Building Bridges: Creating Strong Partnerships for Early Childhood Education
If you have thoughts or are interested in Childcare in Choteau, please contact Blair Patton who is Chairing Port Authority’s Work Group.
Register for the Webinar
Is your eNewsletter a little on the – um – boring side? Are your open rates flat? Your click rates through the floor? Do you ever wonder why you are sending an e-newsletter at all? It’s time for a change.
What will I learn?
Good news! 2020 is your year to punch up that electronic newsletter and make it work for you instead of the other way around. In this webinar, we will challenge you to take a hard look at this trusty (if time-worn) place marketing tool and consider ways to turn it into the lead generation tool it really should be.
What will we be covering?
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A.
Congratulations to the Choteau Area Port Authority! They received the Department of Commerce Tourism Grant to create marketing and branding materials for the Choteau Area!
We in the Choteau Chamber are excited to be a part of this historic collaboration between Choteau’s 3 primary economic development and business organizations: the Choteau Chamber of Commerce, the Choteau Tourism Business Improvement District, and the Choteau Area Port Authority!
If you know a marketer or designer who would be interested in submitting an RFP, please have them contact Choteau Area Port Authority President Mary Sexton at msexton@3rivers.net
As you’re all aware, we’re living in an increasingly data-driven society. Everybody everywhere seems to be worried about data. How do we get more data? What do we do with the data? What does the data mean? Data, data, data! No surprise that many of you are actively collecting and interested in data!
With all the data out there, the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) would like to compile a list of data sources that are currently collected or purchased by the tourism industry and related businesses/organizations in Montana. The objectives of compiling this list are:
Please take the time (approximately 5 minutes) to complete the following survey and answer each of the questions to the best of your ability. If you are purchasing the data, please take a moment to review the proprietary nature of your data service before beginning the survey.
Feel free to contact Matthew Pettigrew at ITRR with any questions or concerns.
406-243-5635 OR matthew.pettigrew@umontana.edu
If you are a tourism-based business, follow this link to the Survey:
Take the Survey