Great Falls Economic Development Top 10 for 3-26-23 Date: Mar 26, 2023 9:27 AM

Here is our Top 24 for this week celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen the Great Falls regional economy -- Montana's Golden Triangle. And, sharing business resources and skill-building opportunities to empower your success.

1) Congratulations to Davidson Investment Advisors, part of DA Davidson headquartered in downtown Great Falls, on its acquisition of Caprin Asset Management. With the close of the acquisition, Davidson Investment Advisors' assets under administration exceeds $4.6 billion. See press release.

2) GFDA co-hosted Boots to Business, an SBA entrepreneurial education and training program for transitioning service members and their spouses. Over twenty airmen participated. The next Boots to Business at Malmstrom will be held June 22-23. For more information and to register click here.

3) The major Calumet Montana Renewables project in Great Falls continues to make great progress. The renewable hydrogen unit began startup on March 4. The feedstock pretreatment unit is scheduled to be operational in April. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production is also scheduled to start next month; see SAF Magazine.

4) We hosted our Quarterly Site Selector webinar in conjunction with the state and other Montana Economic Development Organizations. Based on feedback from site selectors, we focused this call on Montana Industries and Assets. Site Selectors are the professional consultants who advise companies where to locate.

5) The Great Falls City Commission approved annexation and zoning for Discovery Meadows, a 264-unit multifamily housing project near Siebel Soccer Complex. The commission also approved a minor subdivision allowing a lot in West Bank One, behind Kobe Steak House, to move forward with a new restaurant. That leaves just one lot left in West Bank One. We are excited to see these projects move forward! Advocacy for projects is one of the concierge services we provide to help clients more projects into reality. If you have a project and need support, please reach out to Jake Clark at [email protected].

6) We presented a training this week to a large business in the region on "Working with Sub-Contractors in the Federal Contracting Marketplace". Are you looking at exploring the opportunities for your business in government contracting but aren't sure where to get started? Contact Shannon Clancy at [email protected] to find out if government contracting is a fit for your business.

7) There were several great stories in local press this week about the tremendous success of the C.M. Russell Museum's Art and Soul of the West campaign; see KRTV, KFBB, and Great Falls Tribune.

8) We want to help entrepreneurs start businesses, help existing businesses grow, and attract more market opportunities for food, ag, bio-processing, and farm-derived renewable energy producers! If you're in the North Central Montana counties of Blaine, Cascade, Choteau, Fergus, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Meagher, Pondera, Teton, and Toole we need your input! Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey here so we can begin building our strategy. We'd like to have responses in by April 9, but late responses will be accepted!

9) Congratulations to Kim and Casey Kotthoff on the long and challenging finalization of the Lovers Lane Subdivision in Fort Benton. This subdivision not only added a new business to Fort Benton, it also enabled two local businesses to expand and build new facilities. If you would like assistance starting or expanding a small business in your region please reach out to Tony Peres at [email protected] or 406-750-2099. Source: The River Press

10) As one of the nine regional Food and Agriculture Development Centers in Montana, we were honored to celebrate Montana Agricultural Day at our State Capitol! Lunch was served in the Rotunda where various agricultural organizations and many of our state legislators came together to share a meal in honor of Montana's #1 industry.

11) Congratulations to Christopher Lightner on opening a new business in Choteau, Critters Heating and Cooling. Read the full story in the Choteau Acantha. The Shelby school system is growing! The enrollment in the Shelby school district topped 500 for the first time since 2010. Read the full story in the Shelby Promoter. Choteau is creating a dog park thanks to a T-Mobile grant; see KRTV.

12) Tony traveled west this week to Missoula meeting with numerous financial institutions discussing SBA 504 loans that we can deploy throughout the state to assist in moving deals forward. If you have a project that might require additional financing please reach out to Tony at [email protected] or 406-750-2099 to learn more about our lending resources.

13) Students at Great Falls High School are part of Skills USA in Montana, a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce; see KRTV. GFDA has tools to help with workforce development and talent attraction including our Trailing Partner Email Group. Submit your name and email on the Employer Resources page of LiveinGreatFalls.com to opt-in to this email group that allows you to share resumes of trailing partners of candidates you're hiring with other local employers, giving other employers an opportunity to add to their team.

14) We presented our application for research and marketing to the Montana Pulse Crop Committee, a group funded by Pulse producers who have voluntarily agreed to a self-tax for the funding of industry growth. There were many more applications than funds available in this go round which is great for Montana as the top producer of peas and lentils in the US! There is more opportunity than ever to grow Specialty Crop production and processing in our region of North Central Montana! We submitted a Specialty Crop Block Grant to support that growth by bringing more players on the field, more training opportunities, and more marketing. Are you making food or ingredients? Need help? Call Katesha and tell her about your business or business idea, 406.788.0860 or [email protected]!

15) Great Falls resident Tammie Ogg has turned her passion and experience in the pet industry into a full-time pet boarding and daycare business. Tammie renovated the former Montana Shed Center building to accommodate her business Mother Puppers, located near the Walmart on 10th Avenue South. Learn more about the business in our Announcement of the Week.

16) USDA's Value-Added Producer Grants program is open! This program helps independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer businesses to start or expand processing operations or marketing of processed ag products. Applications are due May 11. Contact Katesha Campbell on our team if you would like help with applying; [email protected] or 1-406-788-0860.

17) Area Development published its annual corporate executive survey and site selection consultant survey. 86% of corporate executives said the availability of skilled workforce is an important or very important factor in their site selection for new facilities. No surprise that housing production and talent attraction are two of GFDA's top priorities! 82% said that the availability of energy is an important or very important factor which is why GFDA has a new priority to increase regional electric and natural gas transmission capacity. 78% said available land is an important or very important factor and 56% said shovel ready sites were important. This drove our decision to purchase 250 acres for the Great Falls AgriTech Park last fall. Quality of life is important or very important to 87% of corporate executives which is why we invest so much effort in downtown and riverfront revitalization, support Kids Education Yes, supported the Cascade County public safety levy, support the Great Falls Public Library levy, and other community amenities like the C.M. Russell Museum. 61% said raw materials availability is an important or very important factor. These companies include the food, ag and bio processors we target to add more value to Montana's agriculture production, create higher wage manufacturing jobs and huge off-site economic impact, build tax base, and create more market options for farmers and ranchers.

18) Where's the BEEF? The Montana Beef Council isn't the only one in the meat business. We've got funding and we're looking to help get more processors in the region! Are you a meat processing business looking to expand or a startup processor? Reach out to Katesha at 406.788.0860 or [email protected].

19) Main Street America and American Express announced that applications for the 2023 Backing Small Businesses Grant are now open now through Friday, April 7. The grant program will award $2.3 million in small business grants to 350 eligible businesses. Read more about the program, qualification requirements and application here. One of the key requirements is the business must be in a brick-and-mortar location and operate in an older or historic main street, downtown, or commercial district in the United States. For more information, contact Christian at 406-836-0136.

20) GFDA supports the Great Falls Library Mill Levy going for a vote in the special election on June 6. The library is an important component of the health and vitality of the Great Falls community. We encourage you to spread the word and vote in favor of the levy on June 6. For more information and to join the effort, visit VoteYesGreatFallsLibrary.org.

21) We have three great career opportunities to join the GFDA team as an Executive Assistant, Business Development Officer or Small Business Adviser. Download all three of our current career opportunities.

22) GFDA's Board completed a self-assessment through Boardsource. We will use the findings to strengthen our board engagement and teamwork.

23) GFDA's Executive Committee extended my contract for another three years until September 2026. I'm very excited to continue growing the great team momentum we have going and accelerate our efforts as we roll out our new strategic plan.

24) We are constantly working to maintain & build a healthy, economically viable community. Our actions are deliberate with the goal of bringing an overall better quality of life to our residents. We can't achieve this alone. We rely on the support from our INVESTORS and public partners. Learn more about them HERE. Recent investments include: Leadership Division-Douglas Wilson & Company, PC. By supporting us they are driving the growth of our region. If you want to support economic development in our community, contact Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 406-781-9499 or [email protected].

I'm lucky to be part of the 7-person Downtown Great Falls team that travelled to Boston this weekend to learn at the National MainStreet annual conference.

Brett

Brett Doney

President & CEO

Connect with me on LinkedIn to network with the Great Falls Montana region. Forward the GFDA Top 10 to friends and colleagues. You can join our distribution list HERE or text GFDA to 22828.

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