Author: GFDA

Top Ten for 11-19-23

Posted on by GFDA

Congratulations to the Monarch-Neihart Historical Group for renovation of the historic Monarch Train Depot! See Great Falls Tribune. Photo by David Murray of Great Falls Tribune.
1) Per capita personal income in Cascade County grew almost three times greater than the national average in 2022 according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Per capita income locally grew by 4.5% in 2022 compared to 1.6% across the nation. Cascade County outperformed Lewis & Clark County which saw per capita personal income growth of 2.1%, Flathead County at 2.8%, Missoula County at 3.2%, and Silver Bow County and Yellowstone County at 3.4%; all the urban counties except for Gallatin at 6.5%. Per capita income in Cascade County reached 87% of the national average which puts us above cost of living which is at 85% of the national average. We still have work to do to reach the Montana average per capita income which is at 93.5% of the national average. The rural counties in our trade area did well in 2022, recovering from lower per capita incomes in 2021 due to drought affecting agriculture earnings.

2) Congratulations to Brooke Thompson on opening Novo Medical Spa in Lewistown; see Lewistown Argus News.

3) Christian Leinhauser participated in the Urban Land Institutes Emerging Trends in Montana Real Estate event in Bozeman where he connected with more than 50 developers and brokers who are operating in our region. This engagement provided him with valuable insights into the current preferences and requirements of developers in today’s market. Additionally, Christian successfully established significant connections with key developers, further enriching his network within the real estate community and garnering interest in downtown Great Falls. If you know of any developers that would be interested in the downtown Great Falls market, call Christian at 1-406-836-0136 or CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org.

4) Congratulations to Calumet’s Montana Renewables on winning a BNSF 2023 Sustainability Award!

5) Interviewed three finalists firms for the Downtown Great Falls Market Demand Assessment and Economic Transformation Strategy that we plan to start soon with the Downtown Development Partnership.

6) Linda Michaels Salon & Spa moved to downtown Great Falls two short years ago and are already expanding their downtown location to offer clients additional services and beauty treatment options. Learn more in our Announcement of the Week.

7) Lyndsay participated in the Young, Smart and Local Conference in New Orleans. Young, Smart, and Local is a three-day conference designed to inform and engage leaders from higher education, business, government, economic development, and community organizations on best practices around talent attraction, growth, and retention. If you need help with talent recruitment, contact Lyndsay at 1-406-590-1539 or Lyndsay@GrowGreatFalls.org to learn more about our tools and resources to help you with workforce development.

8) Jill and I were also in New Orleans meeting with SBA leaders at the annual SBA 504 trade association conference, NADCO. There are some great new opportunities for businesses to use SBA 504 loans for refinancing, energy efficiency and renewable energy, property and equipment acquisitions, and expansions. We also are bow able to use GFDA interim gap financing to help local lenders approve more deals. According to Kiplinger, just 20% of small-business loan applications are getting approved these days, roughly half the rate in 2019. We can work with you and your bank or credit union to fill gaps and oftentimes lock in lower interest rates. Contact Jill at 1-406-590-1056 or JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org.

9) Great Falls Public Schools is adding a new component to its career and technical education program in January. BuildMontana is a heavy equipment program created by the Montana Contractors Association and implemented in Billings. This pathway is currently led/taught by industry partners in the Billings area, according to GFPS officials; see TheElectric.

10) USDA announced that it is initiating a new effort to further support the U.S. specialty crops sector and increase the competitiveness of its products. If you are a specialty crop producer or processor and would like to know what resources there are to support your business, reach out to Anna at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301.

11) Mega site development, innovative negotiation strategies, team leadership, project management were some of the many in depth topics covered by site selectors, university professors, and economic development professionals at the Advanced Economic Development Leadership course this week. Jolene was able to attend and earned certification as a Master Economic Development Practitioner.

12) The City of Great Falls is committed to constantly improving its development processes and takes pride in providing an efficient and collaborative approach to development in our community. To maintain high standards of service, the Development Review Team, consisting of staff from Planning and Community Development, Public Works, and the Fire Department, is currently conducting a Development Review Audit survey. The purpose of the audit is to identify areas for improvement in City development processes, your input is welcome!

13) Small Business Saturday is on November 25. Supporting local businesses not only benefits the local economy, but it also benefits YOU! Check out the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce business directory and Destination Downtown Great Falls for a listing of retail locations and Small Business Saturday promotions.

14) GFDA participates in the Montana State Small Business Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) program that helped provide a lower interest rate on 50% of the funding. We’ve been partnering with local banks and credit unions to put together some creative financing packages for business startups and expansions, but this low-interest money is vrey limited and first come, first serve so contact us today if you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a SSBCI 2.0 loan participation. Contact Jill at JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1056 or Brett at BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-750-2119.

15) GFDA is currently soliciting response to three Requests for Proposals: a Transportation and Logistics Assessment Strategy, an Energy Production Opportunity Assessment and Economic Development Strategy, as well as for Brownfields Professional Services in conjunction with our FY2023 Assessment Grant. All active RFPs are available on our website, and any questions can be directed to the team members whose contact information is provided within each RFP. Deadlines are fast approaching!

16) The Great Falls Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is continuing its efforts to develop the 2023 Great Falls Area Long Range Transportation Plan. The plan will assist the planning partners and broader community in guiding transportation infrastructure investments based on system needs and anticipated developments over the 2045 planning horizon. The planning team has recently published the Goals and Objectives Memorandum outlining updated goals and meaningful action items to help guide improvements and implementation of the transportation plan. These goals and objectives were developed to ensure consistency with local, state, and federal planning efforts while reflecting evolving community values and priorities. The memo is now posted to the plan website (www.greatfallstransplan.com). The planning team will continue to collect and consider all public comments as the Plan progresses.

17) Regional economic development is a team effort. Our investors and public partners play a crucial role. Their annual financial contributions support our work, alongside the industry knowledge expertise needed to successfully grow the economy. Discover more about who they are here. They are the driving force behind our community’s remarkable progress. To learn about the priorities in our economic development strategy and ways to assist us in reaching our goals, contact Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. Together, we can build a sustainable and vibrant community.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Brett Doney, President & CEO

 

Top Ten 11/5/23

Posted on by GFDA

Great Falls Clinic’s executive team and Healthgrades representatives celebrate the grand opening of the Great Falls Hospital.
1) We hosted 2 site visits from companies interested in new projects in Great Falls. Site selection is a complex process for multimillion dollar projects. Selecting the perfect property is important, but key relationships are critical to project success. Thank you to our partners, investors, and community for providing timely information, staying late to accommodate travel delays, and for sharing your positive outlook on the Great Falls market. Great Falls is really sparkling lately, reach out to Jake for next steps on your exciting new project in Great Falls 1-406-403-4937 or Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org

2) We made a $200,000 bridge loan to Baatz Block Apartments LLLP for the construction of a 25-unit permanent supporting housing development. The project is located in Downtown Great Falls and will provide much needed low-income housing units that focus on addressing the needs of individuals facing homelessness. Special thanks to NeighborWorks Great Falls, Homeward, Inc. and the many other community leaders who helped with this project. Contact Jill Kohles to learn about the different options available to help your business or project move closer to the finish line, JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1056.

3) The cost of living in the Great Falls MSA dropped from 85.6% in 2023Q2 to 85.5% in 2023Q3 according to the highly respected C2ER Cost of Living Index. Housing in Great Falls came in at 65.2% of the national average. In comparison, Bozeman came in at 120.6% cost of living, with housing rating at 147.4% of the national average. The composite index is based on six categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services.

4) Networked with real estate developers and investors at the Urban Land Institute’s Fall Meeting in Los Angeles. Discussed housing, riverfront, downtown, commercial, and industrial development opportunities in Great Falls and the surrounding trade area. Worked with a logistics company that has decided to move forward with a project in Great Falls. Worked with an investment group considering acquisition and expansion of a Great Falls primary sector company.

5) Play It Again Sports opened in Great Falls; see KRTV. Old Chicago plans to open in Great Falls. THRIVEcycle is opening in downtown Great Falls this month and kosher kitchen opens at Touro College. See TheElectric’s Business Bites.

6) JobsEQ labor market data for 2023Q2 was released. The average annual wage for the Great Falls MSA (Cascade County) increased by 7.8% in the four quarters ending June 30th reaching $52,731, a one year increase of $3,807. The average annual wage in the Great Falls metro continued to grow faster than the state average of 6.4% and the national average of 4.4%. Total wages earned in Cascade County in 2023Q2 was $39 million higher than 2022Q2, an increase of 8.2%. For the four quarters ending June 30th, total earned wages in Cascade County grew by $188 million or 10.1% compared to the previous four quarters. The number of businesses in Cascade County with covered employees (payroll employees) grew 10.3% from 2022Q1 to 2023Q1 compared to national growth of 5.3%. We added 339 net businesses with employees in one year!

7) The Great Falls Public Safety Levy & Bond election is critically important to the future of our city. Watch this video to learn the facts about the public safety bond and levy, and why the passage of this levy and bond is critical to providing adequate public safety for the citizens of Great Falls. Vote YES on the Great Falls Public Safety Levy & Bond on your November ballot. The GFDA Board urges you to support the Great Falls Public Safety Levy and Bond. Public safety, emergency service response time, and better insurance rating that benefits both commercial and residential properties were all reasons the GFDA Board vote was unanimous. Visit SafetyintheFalls.com to learn more.

8) Last week, the Great Falls Hospital celebrated the open house & grand opening of their new three-story tower; see KRTV and The Electric. This completes the first two phases of their $58 million expansion. The new tower will house a cardiac diagnostic and intervention suite, a 10-bed Intensive Care Unit, procedural space, and 18 new inpatient medical and surgical unit beds. The new beds double inpatient capacity from 18 to 36. Great Falls Hospital is nationally recognized with five clinical achievements from Healthgrades including; America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Joint Replacement, Joint Replacement Excellence Award, Top 10% of the nation for Joint Replacement, and two five-star ratings for services such as Knee Replacement and Hip Replacement. These achievements position Great Falls Hospital among the nation’s top hospitals for specialty care.

9) Congratulations to owner, Tracy Balen, for the grand opening of QDOBA in Great Falls. This location is now open in West Bank Landing at 405 3rd Street NW and is a locally owned and operated fast-casual Mexican restaurant. For more information check out GFDA’s Announcement of the Week and see KRTV Restaurant Roundup.

10) CreativeLeigh Digital is spreading hometown pride with her GFMT merch line. Several Great Falls retailers, including Public Drug Co., Farmer’s Daughter Fibers and Life in Bloom carry Leigh’s products. Please support our local retailers and show off your Great Falls pride. If you are a business that is interested in selling Leigh’s GFMT merchandise, contact her at 1-406-403-4062.

11) Are you a rural small business or restaurant looking to increase the energy efficiency of your business by replacing your coolers, doors and windows, HVAC system, or more? There are many financing options to help you reduce your energy bill. Reach out to Anna to learn more at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301.

12) We’ve released an RFP/RFQ for Brownfields Professional Services in conjunction with our FY2023 Assessment Grant. If you wish to access the RFP/RFQ details, they are available on our website.

13) We love it when new businesses jump into our community! Touro had a hands on CPR demonstration for high school students at the World of Work. See our new Touro success story.

14) GFDA participates in the Montana State Small Business Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) program that helped provide a lower interest rate on 50% of the funding. We’ve been partnering with local banks and credit unions to put together some creative financing packages for business startups and expansions, but this low-interest money is vrey limited and first come, first serve so contact us today if you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a SSBCI 2.0 loan participation. Contact Jill at JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1056 or Brett at BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-750-2119.

15) Congratulations again to the Native American Community Development Corporation (NACDC) in Browning on winning a $100,000 award from the Native Community Development Finance Network. Read the full story in the Glacier Reporter.

16) Investing in economic development means creating opportunities, fostering innovation, and establishing a foundation for sustainable success. Nobody understands this more than our committed team of investors and public partners. Learn more about our supporters and what drives them here. Recent investments include: Advance Division—First Interstate Bank; Community Division—Enbar Craft Cocktail Lounge. Together, we’ve achieved some incredible milestones, but we’re just getting started. To find out how you can be a part of the team that is driving the growth of our community, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.

My road days continue. On my way to the Association of Defense Communities’ Installation Innovation annual meeting.

Have a great week!

Brett

 

Brett Doney

President & CEO

1-406-750-2119

BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org

Top Ten 10/29/23

Posted on by GFDA

Thank you again for everyone who worked hard to enable the groundbreaking of the Baatz Permanent Supportive Housing development. Great community and state partnering spurred by NeighborWorks Great Falls’ leadership!
1) On to our next critical affordable housing development! Congratulations to Community Preservation Partners for securing federal housing tax credits through the Montana Department of Commerce. The team, in partnership with Neighborworks Great Falls, is embarking on a substantial $4.9 million-dollar renovation of the 60-unit Elmore Roberts building in downtown Great Falls, encompassing energy-efficient and safety enhancements. Additionally, the building features commercial spaces on its ground floor. Read more about is at The Electric. Are you looking for your next downtown Great Falls redevelopment project? Call Christian at 1-406-836-0136 and let’s discuss the tools and resources available to help.

2) “Butcher’s Crossing” premiered at Glacier Cinemas in Cut Bank. The movie, based on the novel by John Williams, was filmed on the Blackfeet Reservation and involved many Blackfeet crew members. It features Nicholas Cage and Paul Raci. See Cut Bank Pioneer Press.

3) “Great Falls is our number one priority for our next project,” says a site selector planning site visits in Great Falls, one of two site visits we are hosting this week for projects in two different industry sectors. Want to know why Great Falls is might be the best place for your next project? Reach out to Jake Clark at Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937.

4) GFDA’s Loan Committee approved a $100,000 permanent working capital loan to assist expansion of a high mission primary sector manufacturing company. This funding will allow the business to expand their business to include another nationwide retail store contract. GFDA will submit this loan to participate with the Montana State Small Business Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) program. If you have a new or existing Montana business that wants to start, stabilized, pivot, expand or re-start, please reach out to Jill Kohles at 406-590-1056 or JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org to discuss your options.

5) Show your support for the Great Falls Public Safety Levy & Bond by attending a rally in Great Falls on November 1. There are two locations for the rally. We urge you to support the city’s public safety levy and bond. You can pick up signs at the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce or at GFDA. Follow the Electric City Citizens for Public Safety Facebook’s page for updates and don’t forget to vote!

6) It is widely agreed upon that we are facing a childcare is in crisis across the US and our communities across North Central Montana are no different. Jolene was a presenter on a national panel through the International Economic Development Council discussing economic development strategies to aid in this crisis. We are working as business advisors to help existing home care providers and centers to expand their business models. We are also working with partners to expand non-traditional options for care. On the panel it was clear that employers are also presenting unique solutions that include childcare in their benefits packages. We cannot grow the workforce without child care. To join the discussion call Jolene at 1-406-750-4481.

7) Congratulations to the Great Falls Public Schools Board of Trustees on winning the Golden Gavel Award at the Montana Conference of Education Leadership. This week the Trustees approved applying for creation of an exciting new public charter school; see TheElectric. We were excited to submit a letter of support for the District’s application to the Montana Board of Education.

8) Christian and Lillian met with a business looking to expand and purchase a former gas station building with potential contamination issues. We shared our site research findings that the petroleum-related concerns had been successfully addressed, while also discussing how we can assist with any potential building-related issues. Jill also addressed their inquiries regarding the SBA 504 program and discussed various tools and resources available to support their project. Are you considering a property for expansion or redevelopment but uncertain if it’s a possibility? Reach out to Christian Nichols at CNichols@GrowGreatFalls.org.

9) Great Falls Hospital has completed the first two phases of its $65 million expansion. The expansion includes completing the north hospital tower featuring a 10-bed ICU unit, an 18-bed inpatient medical and surgical suite, and more. Great Falls Hospital is hosting an open house on October 30. Learn more about Great Falls Hospital in our Announcement of the Week.

10) The Growth Through Agriculture grant pre-application window closed on Monday. Congratulations to all the food & ag businesses who worked with Anna to submit those pre-applications. If you would like to be kept abreast of food, ag and bio processing industry news, events, or resources, or for technical assistance for the USDA Rural Energy for America (REAP) applications or other grant and loan opportunities, connect with Anna at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301.

11) Full Circle Health opened in Great Falls; see KRTV. The Rib and Chop House opened and it’s delicious! See KRTV. Signage is up at the second Crooked Tree Coffee location at 4117 2nd Ave. N. The east-end location will feature drive-thru service and inside seating. We can’t wait for a second location to enjoy Crooked Tree pastries and coffees.

12) Our Great Falls Regional APEX Accelerator helped a local small business register in the Montana State Vendor marketplace and they won a contract! These contracts can be a great avenue for business growth, and they provide a steady source of revenue for many companies. If you would like more information on how you can find opportunities to showcase your products and services to all state agencies, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org.

13) Fairfield welcomes a brand new childcare center. Congratulations to Theresa Burgmaier on the opening of this new daycare. The Eagles Nest Daycare fills a large childcare void in this community. Childcare is a much needed resource across our region. If you have a childcare idea for your community and need assistance in starting that business please reach out to Tony at Tony@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-750-2099.

14) Downtown leaders reviewed the eight proposals we received for the Downtown Great Falls Market Assessment and Transformation Strategy. We plan to select finalists and schedule video interviews. We anticipate the project will provide us with valuable data to attract more private sector investment downtown and a blueprint for our downtown economic development work.

15) GFDA participates in the Montana State Small Business Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) program that helped provide a lower interest rate on 50% of the funding. We’ve been partnering with local banks and credit unions to put together some creative financing packages for business startups and expansions, but this low-interest money is vrey limited and first come, first serve so contact us today if you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a SSBCI 2.0 loan participation. Contact Jill at JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1056 or Brett at BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-750-2119.

16) Jolene spoke with the Leadership Great Falls class about our new Great Falls Economic Strategy. We completed the strategy early this year and want to chat about it with as many community groups as possible.. Call, text, or email Jolene to schedule with your group, 1-406-750-4481 or JSchalper@GrowGreatFalls.org.

17) Tyler Menzales started work back on Team GFDA as our new Vice President Strategic Initiatives. Tyler is leading our efforts on seven of the actions in our Economic Development Strategy. Welcome Tyler! You can reach him at 1-406-217-7862 or TMenzales@GrowGreatFalls.org.

18) We were recognized with three Impact Awards from the Montana Economic Developers Association for the cumulative impact of our Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), now rebranded by DOD as an APEX Accelerator, that has helped hundreds of local companies compete for and win government contracts, our Brownfields Program that has helped assess and redevelop dozens of commercial properties, and The Fire Within celebrations and encouragement of outstanding female entrepreneurs.

19) GFDA actively pursues our mission to promote economic growth in North Central Montana through fostering connectivity, community development, business attraction, retention, and outreach efforts. The accountability and support from our investors and public partners are the cornerstones of our work. You can discover who these key stakeholders are and understand the motivations driving their support here. Recent investments include: Advance Division—North 40 Outfitters, Supporter Division—NewFields. These investments contribute to the strengthening of our local economy. To explore our initiatives and support the economic development of our region, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.

I’m back on the road this morning flying to Los Angeles to network with housing and commercial developers at the Urban Land Institute fall summit. We’re hungry for more high quality real estate investment in Great Falls and the entire trade area.

Have a prosperous week!

Brett Doney
CEO
Great Falls Development Alliance

Top Ten 10/22/23

Posted on by GFDA

 

We had 12 industry experts talk about various tools, resources, and opportunities at this year’s Invest Downtown event hosted by The Newberry and sponsored by TDS and NorthWestern Energy.
1) GFDA closed a gap loan in the amount of $6,000,000 to Colter Falls, LLC to develop a 109-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott hotel in West Bank Landing on the Great Falls urban riverfront. GFDA participated with the Montana State Small Business Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) program that helped provide a lower interest rate on 50% of the funding. Because of this limited time funding, this project was able to move forward, which is creating 39 jobs through the construction phase, 15 permanent full time equivalent jobs post construction, as well as leveraging an additional $16,420,000 in private investment. The new hotel will boost our tourism industry and provide more rooms across the street from the Montana ExpoPark. If you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a SSBCI 2.0 loan participation, contact Jill at JKohles@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1056. Funds are very limited and will be on a first come first served basis.

2) NeighborWorks Great Falls hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the Baatz Block Apartments in downtown Great Falls, a project creating 25 permanent supportive affordable housing apartments and wrap-around services for those transitioning out of homelessness. See KRTV and KFBB. Renovation work on the block is set to commence this month with completion scheduled for the end of 2024, and the apartments becoming operational in early 2025. This project was made possible through low-income housing tax credits from the Montana Board of Housing, in addition to funding from the City of Great Falls and Cascade County, which includes historic tax credits, HOME funds, ARPA funds, HTF funds, HOME ARP funds, and GFDA funds. GFDA also provided assistance through our Brownfields program for site assessment and cleanup. For more details on Brownfields and redevelopment resources, contact Lillian Sunwall at 1-406-750-1253 or LSunwall@GrowGreatFalls.org.

3) Worked on a new major project lead. When we respond to these leads, it is helpful to know all the available properties in our region so that we can get the project here to look at multiple properties. Many of our leads want to be near electrical substations. If you have property that you’d like to see developed, reach out to Jolene at 406.750.4481.

4) Congratulations to Adam and Robyn Lardy on their acquisition, remodel, and grand opening of Coyote Lanes and the Roadrunner Café in Shelby! This project brings bowling back to Shelby with recreational and league bowling available! It’s great to see projects like this across our region. The Choteau Youth Alliance is planning to open a daycare center later this year; see Choteau Acantha. If you have a project that could use help, call Tony Peres at 1-406-750-2099.

5) Invest Downtown 2023 was a resounding success, drawing an impressive turnout of approximately 130 participants, both in person and online; see KRTV. Throughout the event, 12 esteemed industry experts shared invaluable insights on the tools, resources, and opportunities pivotal for downtown development. For those who couldn’t join us, rest assured that we’ll be making the recording available shortly. A huge shoutout goes to our gracious host, The Newberry, and our invaluable sponsors, TDS and NorthWestern Energy. Without your unwavering support, this event would not have been possible. If you are interested in discussing these tools and resources, please call Christian at 1-406-836-0136 or email CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org.

6) Downtown Great Falls is home to a new steakhouse. The Rib & Chop House, located at 21 3rd Street North, will host its grand opening on October 23. The Great Falls restaurant is the Finally Restaurant Group’s fifth Montana location. Learn more in our Announcement of the Week.

7) The Montana Department of Commerce has reopened applications for the Montana Manufacturing Automation Loan Program offering 0.0% interest loans for up to 50% of the purchase price of automation equipment. If you are short of cash, we may be able to finance the other half as well as installation expenses. These are one-time funds so apply today. Let me know if you need help.

8) Chipotle Mexican Grill is now open at 1900 10th Ave. South in Great Falls; see KRTV. As announced at Invest Downtown, GRAE + CO will be a new large boutique located at 427 Central Avenue in Great Falls at the Pennington building. Play it Again Sports has opened to buy used gear at 1115 10th Ave. South. Artic Spas has opened at 1908 10th Ave South in Great Falls. See The Electric’s Business Bites. Les Schwab opened their second location in Great Falls.

9) Kids Education Yes has partnered with Great Falls Public Schools to develop a survey  of community perceptions of Great Falls public schools. Great Falls Montana Tourism is developing a strategic tourism master plan and conducting research to improve the visitor experience in Great Falls. Please take their survey here; see TheElectric.

10) Great Falls Public Schools has proposed a cool idea creating a public charter magnet school that would train much needed new Montana teachers in partnership with the University of Montana Western; see KRTV.

11) Over 80 dedicated professionals and champions from various corners of the state gathered for this year’s Montana Downtown and Mainstreet Conference, held right here in the vibrant downtown Great Falls. They participated in targeted breakout sessions, absorbing invaluable best practices to bring back to their own communities, explored downtown through insightful walking tours and were inspired by the keynote speaker, Jeff Speck of Revitalize or Die.

12) Anna traveled to Helena for the Montana Cut Flower Association convention and then to Missoula for the Montana Food and Beverage Show. If you are in starting your own food business, Anna can help. Contact her at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301.

13) Our team toured the Arc Apartment Homes in Great Falls, owned by Farran Realty Partners. GFDA financed a portion of the project. Arc Apartment Homes adds hundreds of much-needed one and two-bedroom units to the Great Falls housing market. Thank you to Jim McLeod, Managing Partner of Farran Realty Partners, and Gina Revelle for giving us a tour of the property. If you want to start a housing project in Great Falls we can help get you started. Contact Jake at 1-406-403-4937 or at Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org.

14) The Great Falls City Commission approved rezoning for construction of a 12-unit apartment building that we supported; see TheElectric. An anonymous donor has given $300,000 to the Great Falls Public Library Foundation so the Great Falls Public Library can immediately gear up for expanded services and improvements that will be supported long term by the recently passed library levy; see KRTV. What a great community!

15) Our small business advisor, Rich Gannon, along with Chad Moore, the state director of the Montana Small Business Development Center, co-presented at this year’s Montana Main Street and Downtown conference. The pair highlighted the essential role the Small Business Development Center can play for businesses at all stages, from startups to expansion. Click here to learn more about the Montana Small Business Development Center. If you’re starting a business or need help with your exiting business, reach out to Rich at 1-406-836-2078 or RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org.

16) Early Stage MT is hosting a Scaling MT Summit on November 1-2. “This event is set to unlock opportunities, education, and connections for founders and enthusiasts interested in building next-gen businesses across Montana.” Read More and Register.

17) The Great Falls Public Safety Levy & Bond election is critically important to the future of our city. Watch this video to learn the facts about the public safety bond and levy, and why the passage of this levy and bond is critical to providing adequate public safety for the citizens of Great Falls. Vote YES on the Great Falls Public Safety Levy & Bond on your November ballot. The GFDA Board urges you to support the Great Falls Public Safety Levy and Bond. Public safety, emergency service response time, and better insurance rating that benefits both commercial and residential properties were all reasons the GFDA Board vote was unanimous. Visit SafetyintheFalls.com to learn more.

18) Excited to announce that we have hired a new Small Business Development Center Regional Director who has nearly 20 years of SBDC experience as well as being a successful start-up entrepreneur. Al Gohary will be joining the GFDA team later this fall. Welcome Al!

19) I travelled to DC to participate in the Opportunity Finance Network’s (OFN) annual conference, meeting with potential loan capital sources and sharing ideas with over 2,000 Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) leaders from across the country. Congratulations to our partners in Browning, the Native American Community Development Corporation Financial Services, on winning the top OFN Native CDFI Catalyst Award which comes with a $100,000 grant!

20) Congratulations to our Downtown Business Development Officer, Christian Leinhauser, on being promoted to Master Sergeant in the Montana Air National Guard!

21) Our team of investors and public partners are dedicated to the success and growth of our region. They understand the importance of our mission and the work we do. Learn more about them here. Recent investments include: Leadership Division—Montana Credit Union; Pacesetter Division—Eagle Beverage; Community Division—ERA Advantage Realty. By contributing to GFDA, they are supporting entrepreneurs and businesses and allowing us to help them succeed and grow! If you’d like to learn more about our work and initiatives or join our team of investors, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.

Another great week of progress! Lots more in the works!

Brett Doney

President & CEO

Top Ten 10-15-23

Posted on by GFDA

Entertainer Reggie Watts has published his first book, Great Falls, MT: Fast Times, Post-Punk Wierdos and a Tale of Coming Home Again. Reggie describes the book as his love letter to his hometown. See KRTV and Montana Free Press. Reggie will be performing live at The Newberry in Downtown Great Falls on October 27th. You can find all upcoming Great Falls events at VisitGreatFallsMontana.org. Sign up for Great Falls Tourism’s Monday Eventory email at Events@VisitGreatFalls.org.
1) Prairie Meats in Lothair has expanded to better serve the regional Montana ag community; see KRTV. Play it Again Sports is opening a store at 1115 10th Ave South in Great Falls. Gina Lopes has launched the Unhitched Mobile Boutique, and Mac Attack is serving up mac and cheese at Firehouse Steamers; see TheElectric. Vision Net has partnered with the new Aurora Apartments in Great Falls to be their exclusive provider of high-speed internet and advanced Wi-Fi services; see press release.

2) Invest Downtown 2023 and the Montana Main Street Conference are both coming up in Downtown Great Falls THIS WEEK! Invest Downtown will be this Wednesday, October 18th at 9-11 AM and the Montana Main Street Conference will follow afterwards through the 20th; see TheElectric. There is also a special ticket price if you are interested in appetizers and the Keynote Speaker – Jeff Siegler who created Revitalize or Die.Tickets are available here. If you have any questions about either of these events, please contact Christian at 1-406-836-0136 or CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org.

3) Our Loan Committee approved a $200,000 bridge loan to support another local affordable housing development. We are working with clients who need low interest capital for the upcoming Montana third tranche of the State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 (SSBCI 2.0). If you have a project that could move forward with the benefit of low interest rate funding, start talking to us now. These funds are limited and will be put to work very quickly to help our economy recover and come back stronger than ever. If you have a business startup or expansion planned that could benefit from a loan participation, contact me, Brett at BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-750-2119.

4) Jake was in Los Angeles for the Modular for Affordable Housing conference exploring how modular manufacturing of housing and components might help us move projects forward and increase production in the Great Falls region and networking with housing developers to get them interested in the Great Falls market. If you are interested in modular solutions for your next project please reach out to Jake for more information, Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937.

5) Montana is the third top state in the nation attracting more residents per capita, according to a StorageCafe data report. We’re just behind Idaho and Vermont. See Business Insider article.

6) Chipotle is hiring for all positions at their Great Falls store expected to open next week at 1900 10th Ave South. Congratulations to Heather Harpring and Theo Hanson on the successful opening and continuation of the former Seeking Recovery. Illumination Recovery opened its doors in the same location to continue serving the Great Falls community and it’s counseling needs. Do you have a small business and have questions that need answers? Reach out to Tony Peres at Tony@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-750-2099.

7) We published the GFDA Quarter Index for 2023Q3. Our Executive Committee approved selling two parcels in the Great Falls AgriTech Park to help two local businesses expand. We adopted two new policies as we gear up for the new Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) recertification process, a Board Accountability Policy and a Target Market Verification Policy. These policies put in writing practices we have been following for years.

8) Are you planning any international marketing activities in 2024? The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) run by the Export Montana team at the Montana Department of Commerce has a host of export support services and federal grants available for businesses up to $12,000. They are hosting a webinar this Wednesday, October 18, at 9:00 AM. Register here for the live event or to receive the webinar recording. They’re awesome to work with! Our Small Business Advisor, Rich Gannon, can help too and he is also awesome! RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-836-2078.

9) We participated in the Kids Education Yes community connections lunch with Great Falls area education, business and community leaders and state legislators. GFDA is proud to support KEY’s efforts to strengthen our public schools and future workforce pipeline; see KRTV. KEY has partnered with Great Falls Public Schools to develop a survey of community perceptions of our public schools. Please take a minute to fill out the survey and distribute it to your colleagues and employees.

10) Five local companies attended the PCQI training class hosted by Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) and GFDA this past August. Anna sat down with Claude Smith of the MMEC to learn about the proper food safety certifications such as PCQI, HACCP, and GFSI and plan future training collaborations. If you are interested in a class on how to write a HACCP plan, reach out to Anna at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301.

11) Leigh Larson has expanded her digital design agency creativeLeigh Digital to include the design and production of Great Falls merchandise. Learn more about Leigh’s inspiration behind the expansion and why she chose to make Great Falls the location for her new business in our Announcement of the Week.

12) Congratulations to Action Plumbing & Construction for getting certified through Small Business Administration (SBA) as a Service-disabled Veteran-owned Small Business (SDVOSB). Small businesses seeking federal contracts can explore set-aside programs that offer opportunities based on specific criteria, including ownership types like minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned. To see if your business qualifies for Federal Set-Aside certifications, contact Lillian Sunwall at LSunwall@GrowGreatFalls.org or 406-750-1253 for more information.

13) Early Stage MT is hosting a Scaling MT Summit on November 1-2. “This event is set to unlock opportunities, education, and connections for founders and enthusiasts interested in building next-gen businesses across Montana.” Read More and Register.

14) The Great Falls Public Safety Levy & Bond election is critically important to the future of our city. Watch this video to learn the facts about the public safety bond and levy, and why the passage of this levy and bond is critical to providing adequate public safety for the citizens of Great Falls. Vote YES on the Great Falls Public Safety Levy & Bond on your November ballot. The GFDA Board urges you to support the Great Falls Public Safety Levy and Bond. Public safety, emergency service response time, and better insurance rating that benefits both commercial and residential properties were all reasons the GFDA Board vote was unanimous. Visit SafetyintheFalls.com to learn more.

15) Shannon Clancy, one of our government contracting business advisors of our Great Falls Region APEX Accelerator, has earned the Contracting Procurement Professional (CPP) certification from the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers. Congratulations Shannon! Increase your revenue, contact Shannon at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.

16) GFDA offers a multitude of tools and resources to empower entrepreneurs and businesses, fostering opportunities for growth in our region. Our commitment is to ensure everyone’s success. Our investors and public partners share this common vision. Learn more about them and what drives their involvement here. Through their collective efforts, our community is witnessing remarkable developments throughout our region. If you wish to contribute to the growth & support of local businesses and entrepreneurs, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.

I flew toward DC this morning for the annual meeting of our CDFI trade group, the Opportunity Finance Network. Hoping to learn new ways to help local entrepreneurs, businesses, nonprofits and developers secure the capital they need and hoping to connect with new sources of loan capital that we need for our clients. Have a great week.

Brett

 

Brett Doney

President & CEO

1-406-750-2119

BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org