Apply for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program. Applications due February 28, 2020
Continue reading “Grant Opportunity: Montana Historic Preservation Program”Grant Opportunity: Montana Historic Preservation Program
Register Now: Economic Outlook Seminar 2020: Finding Good Workers
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.
Nominate a Choteau Tourism Business for Award
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 Census Website Launchedf
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.
Choteau Childcare Work Group Survey
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 Now: Enewsletters as a Marketing Power House
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?
- Why are you even sending an e-newsletter (or why AREN’T you sending an e-newsletter?)
- Know your audience
- Define – and achieve – objectives that will make it worth your while
- Content. Content. Content – Where to get it & how to make it interesting.
- Tracking results (how, where & when)
- Much, much more!
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A.
Choteau Area Port Authority Receives Marketing Grant!
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
ITRR: Tourism and Recreation Data Questionnaire
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:
- To better determine costs, collection needs, and feasibility of future research projects.
- To connect and better serve the tourism industry and stakeholders when data or research are available outside of ITRR.
- To possibly reduce data collection costs and efforts across the tourism industry and stakeholders.
- To better coordinate data and research for all users (when feasible).
- To catalog past research and data collection efforts.
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
Business Readiness Transition Workshop
Mark your calendars for February 13th! The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) will be hosting a half-day workshop designed to help business owners, especially those in manufacturing, achieve more successful transitions.
The Great Falls MMEC Business Adviser, Doug Roberts, assisted by Montana’s first and only certified exit planning advisor, Alistair Stewart, 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.
PARTICIPANTS will be guided through critical questions:
|
Legislative Interim Committees to Keep an Eye On
Montana Legislative Interim Committees are meeting this week. Here are a couple of Choteau-relevant topics to keep an eye on:
- Education Interim Committee Looking at Recruitment & Retention and Pre-K – January 16th
- Montana Economic Affairs Committee looks at broadband – January 15th