Author: Steve

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Montana Conference on Tourism Set for April 23 – 25

photo of man sitting in front

Governor’s Conference on Tourism April 23—25, 2023

Delta Hotels by Marriott Helena Colonial | Helena

The Governor’s Conference on Tourism is Montana’s annual gathering of private and public sector partners in the tourism and recreation industries.

Due to limited space, no guest registrations are offered for the conference, meals, or FAM tours. Those wishing to attend any or all of the conference activities, meals, etc. must register as a standard conference attendee and pay the full registration fee. This guarantees each attendee a seat and space at all sessions and all meals.

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It’s Small Business Season in Choteau!

Small Business Season™ Is Big in Choteau!
Small businesses deserve more than one day of support.

So, we’re issuing a challenge to shop small all season long.

Think about the difference it could make to our businesses and the local economy if everyone pledged to buy one thing a week from a small business, whether that’s a meal, a cup of coffee, a book, a present, a decoration, a service or even a ticket to a local event!

Will you join us in the pledge to:

  • Shop
  • Dine In
  • Take Out
  • Stop By
  • Support
  • Browse
  • Leave A Review For

A Local Business?

Small businesses are a big deal. Let’s show them what they mean to us.

If you’re a small business, visit the Small Business Season website for your free marketing collateral.
https://frankjkenny.com/small-business-season-resource-area/

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Chamber Spotlight: Choteau Senior Center

Before the October 20th Chamber After Hours event kicked off at the Choteau Senior Center, I took a few minutes to visit with Mona VanDeRiet, manager of the Center.

What’s new in your business?

Mona: What’s going on at the Senior Center is our transition from, you might say the forties, fifties, sixties, even seventies to now. There was a time when we had a lot of people here eating; maybe 20, 30 people a day and we’re now down to 10, 12 people. COVID had a lot to do with that. Because of COVID we are now allowing takeout meals. Before Covid, if you could walk through that front door, you had to sit down. The only ones that got takeout meals were the Meals on Wheels. And I think what the big news is here is our thrift store downstairs. Because COVID has affected the people coming in here, the elderly. We are relying on traffic through the thrift store and our thrift store is just thriving. Our manager is Pat Richardson and she, along with Gary Poor, have remodeled our thrift store. It is something that whether you buy anything or not, people should just come and look and see the difference.

Continue reading “Chamber Spotlight: Choteau Senior Center”
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Help Close the Digital Divide in Montana

photo of men talking through laptop

An internet connection is crucial for residents for school, work, and staying in touch with friends and family. As such, the Montana Department of Administration’s ConnectMT broadband effort is conducting research to increase broadband access and quality across the state. To meet the needs of as many Montana residents as possible, it is important that officials understand the experiences and opinions of both individuals and community groups.

They are asking residents of Montana, 18 years or older, to take the survey and tell them about your individual experiences and opinions on broadband access. The survey is being administered by Summit Consulting, LLC on behalf of ConnectMT.

In addition, the State of Montana has contracted with Summit Consulting to host a series of outreach sessions across Montana for community leaders. These outreach sessions are crucial to hearing firsthand how internet access (or a lack thereof) impacts your communities. The nearest one to Choteau is at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls on September 13 from 8a-9p, to RSVP for a session, please click here by Friday, September 2.

If you have any concerns or questions about the survey, or have trouble accessing the survey, please contact ConnectMT@mt.gov and one of the research team members will respond as soon as possible. 

Thank you in advance for your participation and helping to close the digital divide in Montana. 

Original email: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MTDOC/bulletins/32a3284

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Choteau Business Pitch-In

GFDA Business Pitch In Flyer

Do you have a business idea, but don’t know where to start? Are you looking to grow your existing business?

Great Falls Development Authority Small Business Development Center will be hosting a pitch event at Copper Creek Coffee this month and are looking for presenters to pitch their business idea or plan!  

What is a Business PITCH IN?

It’s a few hours to give BUSINESS-MINDED dreamers, thinkers, makers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and community members the space to share ideas, pitch crazy stuff, and meet like-minded peeps.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made requested at least two weeks in advance by contacting Tony:

For more information contact:
Tony Peres
Small Business Navigator
Great Falls Development Authority
Tony@GrowGreatFalls.org
1-406-750-2099

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

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Tourism Grant Application Cycle Opens With $1 Million Available

people taking pictures during daytime

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, August 10, 2022

CONTACT: Anastasia Burton | Anastasia.Burton@mt.gov | 406.841.2557

The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that the 2023 Tourism Grant program application cycle is now open. The Tourism Grant program funds projects that strengthen Montana’s economy through the development and enhancement of the state’s tourism and recreation industry. A total of $1 million is available for projects that develop and enhance tourism and recreation products which have the potential to increase out-of-area visitation.

“Tourism is one of Montana’s leading industries. Out-of-area visitors add money to the state’s economy, supporting jobs and reducing state and local taxes for Montana residents,” said Montana Department of Commerce Director Scott Osterman. “Recently, Montana’s tourism economy took a significant hit, largely due to flooding. These grants will help support the development of tourism and recreation projects, increase visitation, and stabilize our tourism-dependent communities while reinforcing Montana’s draw as a destination for travelers from all over the world.”

Applications for the grant funding will be open to Montana-based non-profit 501(c) organizations, Tribal governments, city governments, and county governments. Funds are generally awarded to tourism and recreation projects within these categories:

  • Digital product development for online assets that create or contain a destination brand for the tourism and/or recreation industry.
  • Heritage preservation projects which preserve, protect, or restore Montana’s arts, culture and/or heritage treasures.
  • Infrastructure upgrades or enhancement projects of tourism facilities to enrich visitor experience and increase revenue.
  • Niche product development projects within the three brand pillars of interest to out-of-area visitors as identified in the Montana Destination Brand Research Study.
  • Wayfinding for a community or outdoor recreation opportunity through signage, mapping, or destination development.

The 2023 annual application cycle closes at midnight MST on September 15. To learn more and apply, visit BRAND.MT.COM or contact Michele Cushman at the Montana Department of Commerce at TourismGrants@mt.gov or 406.841.2796. Interested applicants can watch a tourism grant application workshop here.

The Tourism Grant Program is funded by the 4% Lodging Facility Use Tax, commonly known as the “Bed Tax.” Enacted by the 1987 Legislature, the Bed Tax is collected from guests of hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, guest ranches, resorts, short-term vacation rentals, and campgrounds in Montana.

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Free Business Finance Class on August 15

bored woman looking at a laptop

Read the following phrases: financial forecasting, budgeting, balance sheet, financial statement, cash flows, and sources and uses statement.
Did your eyes just glaze over?
Preparing these statements can seem daunting, but learning the terminology is your pathway to securing financing and unlocking long-term success for your business.
Join Sweetgrass Development online at www.sweetgrassdevelopment.org for a workshop on how to prepare (or update) financial statements!

This is a Zoom webinar which will air on Monday, August 15 from 1-3 pm MST.

Admission is free of charge and a recording will be made available to those who register.

Our Business Development/Loan Specialist, Carrie Taylor, will be covering the following subjects:

  • The basic principles of financial statements.
  • Preparing projections, cash flows, personal and business financial statements and sources and use statements
  • Using LivePlan (we have access to free software that makes formatting your plan a breeze!)

This particular webinar was designed with the Montana Department of Commerce’s Indian Equity Grant Fund (IEF) Small Business Grant program as a framework, but is applicable to all small business entities.

For those who are applying for the IEF program, please note that applications are due August 31, 2022.

Carrie Taylor specializes in small business consulting. Her passion for assisting small business owners achieve their goals led her to a 20+ year career in banking. As a former bank branch president, she focused on ag, commercial and consumer lending. She grew up on her family’s ranch in Jackson, Montana, graduated from Montana State University-Bozeman and is a 2016 graduate of the rigorous three-year Pacific Coast Banking School.

Please visit www.sweetgrassdevelopment.org to learn more about upcoming events, including public “pop-in meetings” for the 2022-2027 CEDS!

The North-Central Montana Economic Development District, dba Sweetgrass Development, is a private, non-profit corporation created in 2004 to support economic development in the Blackfeet Nation, the Montana Chippewa Little Shell Tribe, and the counties of Glacier, Cascade, Pondera, Teton and Toole, as well as the Blackfeet Nation. We are a diverse area that includes a large metropolitan area, many small towns, rural farming areas, several Hutterite Colonies, and the Blackfeet Reservation. An eighteen-member Board of Directors governs Sweetgrass Development. The Board is comprised of Community leaders who are elected or appointed officials as well as business owners and representatives of the communities.

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Business Facilities 18th Annual Rankings

golden statuette and stars on yellow background

In the 2022 State Rankings portion of Business Facilities’ 18th Annual Rankings Report, they looked at traditional factors like Customized Workforce Training stars, while honing in with Tech Talent Pipeline leaders. Even as the pandemic begins to recede, its impact on available workforce, supply chain, and related aspects are strong. Business leaders planning their next relocation or expansion consider traditional factors in site selection, with increased weight to resources like tech infrastructure, training programs, partnerships, renewable energy, and natural disasters.

Montana’s Rankings:

  • #5 Best Business Tax Climate
  • #3 Fastest Growing States (Population)
  • #6 Recovery Leaders
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Temporary Child Care Assistance for Certain Health Care Workers

person making clay figures

Good news! The one-time only child care assistance for certain health care has expanded the list of eligible positions. Applications are now open.Funding is limited and applications are processed on a first come first serve basis.

Am I an eligible healthcare worker?

  • At least one parent in the household must provide direct care services to
  • patients or clients in one of the following health care sector categories:
  • Health care,
  • Behavioral health,
  • Disability services, or
  • Long-term care settings to include home and community-based services,
  • assisted living, skilled nursing, or home health (see attached list).

What are other requirements for this program?

  • Family must live in Montana.
  • Family income at or below 250% Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
  • Children must be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien.
  • Children must be under 12 years old to be eligible for paid child care.
  • Parents with children under 18 must comply with child support if there is
  • an absent parent
  • Child care must be provided by a child care provider licensed/registered by the
  • State of Montana.

What are the benefits of this program?

  • A family will only have up to a $100 monthly copayment.
  • A family is eligible for 12 months.
  • A child care provider will be paid the full authorized amount, regardless of attendance. This ensures a child will have a child care slot with the provider.

Visit childcare.mt.gov or contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency to apply

Need More Information?

ARPA Contact Center: 844-406-ARPA (2772)
Email the ARPA Contact Center at arpa.mt.gov

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm

Eligible Job Categories

  • Acupuncturists and Healthcare Diagnosing
    or Treating Practitioners, All Other
  • Anesthesiologists
  • Assisted Living Center Workers
  • Athletic Trainers
  • Audiologists
  • Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
  • Certified Nursing Assistants
  • Chiropractors
  • Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
  • Dental Assistants
  • Dental Hygienists
  • Dentists, All Other Specialists
  • Dentists, General
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
  • Dietetic Technicians
  • Dietitians and Nutritionists
  • Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics
  • Exercise Physiologists
  • Family Medicine Physicians
  • General Internal Medicine Physicians
  • Genetic Counselors
  • Health Info Technologists, Medical Registrars, Surgical
    Assistants, & Practitioners
  • Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
  • Hearing Aid Specialists
  • Home Health and Personal Care Aides
  • Licensed Addiction Counselor
  • Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
  • Licensed Clinical Social Workers
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
  • Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists
  • Massage Therapists
  • Medical Assistants
  • Medical Dosimetrists, Records Specialists, and Health
    Technologists and Technicians
  • Medical Equipment Preparers
  • Medical Transcriptionists
  • Naturopathic physicians, assistants, and all other related
  • Nuclear Medicine Technologists
  • Nurse Anesthetists
  • Nurse Midwives
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Nursing Assistants
  • Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Aides
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
  • Opticians, Dispensing
  • Optometrists
  • Orderlies
  • Orthodontists
  • Orthotists and Prosthetists
  • Paramedics
  • Pediatricians, General
  • Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy Aides
  • Pharmacy Technicians
  • Phlebotomists
  • Physical Therapist Aides
  • Physical Therapist Assistants
  • Physical Therapists
  • Physician Assistants
  • Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except
    Pediatric
  • Podiatrists
  • Psychiatric Aides
  • Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
  • Psychiatric Technicians
  • Psychiatrists
  • Radiation Therapists
  • Radiologic Technologists
  • Recreational Therapists
  • Registered Nurses
  • Respiratory Therapists
  • Speech-Language Pathologists
  • Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists
  • Surgical Technologists
  • Therapists, All Other