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Who We Are

The Great Fall Development Alliance (GFDA) is a regional public/private Economic Development Organization (EDO) which focuses its efforts on the Great Falls Montana trade area. Our region includes the Great Falls Montana MSA (Cascade County) and a vast rural/tribal region that extends over 13 counties and 44,000 square miles.

We are a private sector driven organization supported by over 120 local businesses and community organizations. We are an entrepreneurial organization that generates over 86% of our revenue. We are formed as a Montana non-profit corporation with 501(c)3 status from the IRS. We are a 509(c)(2). Our Computation of Public Support Percentage for our most recent fiscal year was 99.6%

CORE OPERATIONS

As a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution), GFDA provides gap and bridge financing focused on the Great Falls trade area. In addition to lending, our core operations include business development (business retention/expansion and business attraction) and business advising and training. Our lending and development services are focused in the economically distressed areas and people of our region, leveraging our capital to generate the greatest possible economic and quality of life impact.

Access to Capital
Our gap and bridge financing provides access to capital that conventional lenders cannot or will not provide. We partner with banks and credit unions to finance entrepreneurial startups, business expansion, real estate and housing development, and nonprofit community services.

Business Development
Our business development work assists a wide variety of businesses, developers, non-profits, and public agencies with concierge services customized to help make things happen that otherwise would not. We also work on efforts to make our trade area more competitive in attracting investment, entrepreneurs, and workforce talent; and to improve quality of life.

Business Advising and Training
Our business advising and training services help entrepreneurs to start new ventures and help existing businesses to thrive and grow.


GFDA was the first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council. We have proudly displayed Guidestar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency since 2020.

We are a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides gap and bridge financing to businesses, start-up entrepreneurs, real estate developers, and non-profits.

We have an affiliate SBA-certified Community Development Corporation, High Plains Financial, that we created to offer SBA 504 loans statewide.

The GFDA APEX Accelerator provides government contracting training and technical assistance to businesses.

We host a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offering free one-on-one counseling and free and low-cost training for individuals to start or expand an existing business.

GFDA and HPF are proud to be equal opportunity employers, lenders, and providers.
In accordance with federal laws and U.S. Department of the Treasury policy, this organization is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20220; call (202) 622-1160; or send an e-mail to: crcomplaints@treasury.gov.