Category: Newsletter

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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
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Trade Show Grants Available

different flags waving on poles at daytime

What trade shows are you planning for in 2022-2023?  ExportMontana’s programs may be able to help.

Trade Show Assistance Program

If you plan to exhibit at a wholesale trade show in the USA in 2022-2023, you may be eligible for the Trade Show Assistance Program (TSAP).  It must be your first time exhibiting at the trade show, in a different location than the last time you exhibited, or at least 3 years from the last time you exhibited at the show.  The reimbursement is 50% of costs up to $3,000, including up to $500 of travel expenses.

For more information or to apply, visit the TSAP website.  

STEP grant

International trade shows are eligible for ExportMontana’s STEP grant.  While any trade show outside the USA is considered international, there are some trade shows inside the USA that qualify, as long as 10%+ of attendees/buyers are international.  The reimbursement is 50% of costs up to $10,000, plus a $2,000 travel stipend.  

For more information or to apply, visit the STEP website.  

Grants for other international activities

The STEP grant can help with so much more than trade shows, providing a 50% reimbursement up to $10,000 for these international activities: 

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Reminder: No Meeting in July

red and white stop sign

I hope your post-Independence Day recovery is going well! I took my nephew to Webelos Camp out by Lewistown for the 2nd half of the week…not quite a relaxing vacation but fun, nonetheless!

There’s no meeting in July, in hopes that we can all relax after the momentous amount of work put into making Choteau’s Independence Day celebrations a huge success.

Secretary/Treasurer

A big thanks to Jen Asselstine for all her hard work! Her last day was yesterday, July 11th. While we figure out our next steps for the Secretary/Treasurer position, please reach out to me, Steve Dogiakos. You can continue to use our email address choteauchamber@gmail.com for Chamber inquiries, or you can reach me directly by phone call or text at 406-203-4679

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4th of July Volunteers Needed!

man love people woman

Plans for Choteau’s 4th of July are moving forward, but some of our Chamber-organized events are still in need of some helping hands to move forward. If you’re willing to lend a hand please contact Jen by email or giving her a call at 406-590-4280

Pitchfork Fondue Steak Fry (7/4 10a – 2p)

Andrea Greyn has graciously taken on the role of point person for the Steak Fry this year. She needs:

  • 1 more steak fryer
  • Servers – 3-4 people needed
  • Meat runners – 5-6 people needed

Class of ’02 Concert & Chamber Beer Garden (7/2 4:30p – 9p)

  • 3-4 Beer pourers
  • ID checker

Brewfest (7/3 – 3:30p – 8p)

  • 3-4 Beer pourers
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Eagle Scout Project: Friends of the Library Bookdrive

books

Wanted: Gently used or new books!

When I was ten years old, my family moved from the bustling suburbs of Denver to the quaint small city of Choteau. The move was rough on me. My friends were hundreds of miles away and I had trouble making new ones. I wasn’t bullied, just lonely.

One day, my parents went to town for shopping, and they told me to head to the library until they got back. I was amazed at what I saw! There were so many books. It wasn’t just the books though; it was the fact that the books were easy to find. For the first time, I knew exactly were to go to find different genres and authors. The bustling libraries in Denver were so big and confusing for my little ten-year-old brain. Our library was different. In the Choteau/Teton Public Library, I learned that I loved to read. I learned that librarians can be nice, and that literature is a vital part of society.

So, when Polly told my mom at a Friends of the Library meeting that she didn’t have any books to sell at the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale, I knew I had to get involved. I decided that I was going to host a community bookdrive, and that it could serve as my Eagle Scout Project. After some research and help from my parents, I decided that the best way to go about the bookdrivewas to have multiple drop off points in multiple places around town.

After getting my project approved by the Lewis & Clark District Eagle Board, I had volunteers contact businesses around town to ask for permission to place dropboxes (cardboard crates to place books in). The bookdrive will end on June 27th, and I will be checking the dropboxes on a regular basis until then.

Once collected, I will work with volunteers to sort and categorize the books and deliver them to the sale where the Friends of the Library will sell them at their sale over the 4th of July weekend.

Dropbox Locations

Thanks in advance for your help and donations to this worthy cause.

Matthew H.
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Choteau Chamber Member Spotlight: Teton Pro

When Teton Lumber sold earlier this year and changed its name to Teton Pro, it wasn’t just a name change, but a whole new model for business.  Their motto, “We Source, You Save” extends to everyone who walks in the door.  While partnerships with big name, national and international vendors are the foundation of the new business, General Manager Matt Schwedhelm says, “We are here to serve everyone who walks in the door- from the local shopper to corporate contractors doing million dollar projects.”  Partnering under the Do It Best brand, consumers can direct order items from their website directly to the store while their expanding fleet of delivery trucks brings full package items to locations across the state.  Matt explains, “Our goal is to reach the diverse customer base that are now Montanans.”  That means partnering with companies such as ReadySlate, providing high end slate roofing from Spain, and Angelus Block, supplying masonry block with a touch of sophistication.

“We are here to serve everyone who walks in the door- from the local shopper to corporate contractors doing million dollar projects.”

Teton Pro will be focused on providing top of the line service and products in a number of areas including equipment, certified tool repair (including Stihl and Milwaukee brands), paint (Sherman Williams Best Look residential paint and Rodda industrial/commercial paint) and sheds which can also be upgraded into a tiny home package.   Streamlining their products and services will allow the business to serve customers from start to finish, no matter the project.  The newly renovated upstairs space will soon serve as a design space for customers, contractors, and architects. 

The Teton Pro building will also continue its transformation over the coming months.  Indoor space is getting all new flooring, paint and design features including new windows and office space.  The main counter area is a feature in itself with an epoxy ‘river’ running through a beautiful hardwood surface.  The outdoor façade will be updated with windows and an entrance covering for a more welcoming, functional look.  Teton Pro is open Monday-Friday from 8am to 5pm.  To shop online, visit www.doitbest.com or check out the latest updates at https://www.facebook.com/tetonpro/. 

Teton Pro Customer Service
Teton Pro Epoxy River
The Chamber Spotlight is a twice monthly series highlighting member businesses of the Choteau Chamber of Commerce. Interested in having your business highlighted in a Chamber Spotlight? Chamber members can contact Jen: choteauchamber@gmail.com
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Choteau Chamber Member Spotlight: Flying Bison Mercantile

When Matthew and Piper Marquette opened the Flying Bison Mercantile in July 2021, their vision was two fold: sharing their handmade leather goods and supporting local, small town businesses.  “We want to provide quality products and services while spotlighting other small businesses in our community.”  The Mercantile showcases some of the Marquette’s beautiful bison and cowhide hand tooled products, along with local photography, state prison contract items, handmade soap, hand woven rugs and a variety of other products. 

“We want to provide quality products and services while spotlighting other small businesses in our community.”

The Flying Bison slogan, Find Joy in Your Journey, has been a focal point for Piper and Matthew.  When Matthew created replica leather patches from his grandfather’s WWII service in 2013, he discovered a creative outlet which allowed much versatility.  He quickly progressed to creating functional pieces, asking Piper for advice on construction.  One day, Piper realized they had all these tools and leather, but she did not even have a leather purse.  So, she decided to make one herself.  At that point, they both recognized how much they enjoyed creating with leather.  “Our leather, both bison and cow hide, are US sourced and tanned.  Everything else happens right here at the Mercantile.”   Popular items in the shop include handbags, purses, custom leather wallets (the only product made of Italian leather for the slim line), belts, suspenders, and briefcase bags.  The Mercantile has also been busy with custom orders.  Their laser cutter/engraver allows for economical products to be made for large orders.

  “Our leather, both bison and cow hide, are US sourced and tanned.  Everything else happens right here at the Mercantile.”

With cost going up across all markets in the United States, the Marquette’s are needing to focus on streamlining their offerings.  The Mercantile is currently getting a storefront redesign for the upcoming summer 2022 tourist season.  For more information, visit the Flying Bison Mercantile website at flyingbisonmt.com.  The Marquette’s will host a Choteau Chamber of Commerce After Hours event on Thursday, May 19 from 5-7pm.  Appetizers and beverages will be served. 

Colorful leather wallets available at the Flying Bison Mercantile
Purses and handbags are available in a variety of styles and colors. 
The Chamber Spotlight is a series highlighting member businesses of the Choteau Chamber of Commerce. 
Interested in having your business highlighted in a Chamber Spotlight? Chamber members can contact the Chamber at: choteauchamber@gmail.com