The Great Falls Development Alliance (GFDA) is a regional public/private economic development organization that serves the 13-county urban/rural/tribal Great Falls Montana trade area. We are a certified Community Development Financial Institution, formed as a Montana nonprofit corporation with charitable 501 (c) 3 status. Our economic development efforts include business retention and expansion, business attraction, entrepreneurship, gap/bridge financing, brownfields redevelopment, talent attraction, and downtown/riverfront revitalization.
We have built an exceptional, full-time professional economic development team. We host a Montana Small Business Development Center, APEX Accelerator, and Food & Ag Development Center and provide office space to the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center. We helped create and are partners in the Montana Defense Alliance, Great Falls Downtown Development Partnership, and Great Falls Tourism Alliance. We have $35 million in loan capital, and through our nonprofit affiliate, High Plains Financial, offer SBA 504 loans statewide. GFDA is the developer of the Great Falls AgriTech Park, a 1,000+ acre BNSF Premier certified rail industrial park.
GFDA is a partnership comprised of a wide array of partners including Cascade County, the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, NeighborWorks Great Falls, Great Falls Tourism, Great Falls International Airport, Great Falls Public Schools, the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Great Falls College Montana State University, the University of Providence, Great Falls Business Improvement District, Central Montana Building Trades, Great Falls Homebuilders Association, and over 150 businesses in the region.
GFDA was the first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council. We continue to earn the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid/GuideStar. Our efforts have won awards from the National Association of Development Organizations, the International Economic Development Council, the National Brownfield Conference, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Montana Economic Developers Association.
We offer a positive teamwork environment, competitive salaries and benefits, professional development, flex and remote work, and advancement opportunities.
GFDA and HPF are proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers, Lenders and Providers.
For additional opportunities in the Great Falls, Montana market, please visit our relocation website, LiveInGreatFalls.com.
Career Opportunities:
Loan Officer
Posted 7/26/24
Location: Great Falls, Montana
Do you enjoy connecting businesses with resources to thrive? Do you like building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships? Do you like working with a team to solve challenging problems? We need someone who understands profit and loss, balance sheets, and tax returns to help underwrite tough loan decisions. Our new team member will build a strong referral network across our region and the state to help businesses attain funding needed to move projects across the finish line. This team member will coordinate complex deals and navigate relationships.
We have a solid team and this position will complement our VP of Lending bringing in deals, underwriting, analyzing, gaining approvals, working with borrowers for compliance, and every aspect of lending. We need someone who is gregarious; inquisitive; pursues knowledge of people and how things work; can conduct research into topics; is able to write professional credit write-ups; is able to listen, learn, and adapt; who likes having multiple projects and clients; is excellent at working independently; and implements systems for success. If you want to help businesses start, grow, and innovate in the Great Falls Montana Region you should apply.
We’re thinking between $73,000 and $83,000 for starting salary range, but depends on experience. We have excellent benefits. We invest in our team both through performance-based salary increases and professional development. While we do have a flexible work environment, candidates must live in the Great Falls region. EOE.
Cover letter telling us why you would be a great team member and resume are both required. Email to Tracy Heggem, Executive Assistant, Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org.
Open until we find an awesome new team member!
Government Contracting Advisor - APEX Accelerator
Posted 6/28/24
REVISED 7/19/24
Location: Great Falls, Montana
Are you a self-starter who takes initiative and is dedicated to continual learning? Do you possess a blend of right and left brained characteristics that enable you to analyze and solve problems, relate well to people and coach business owners? Perhaps you would like to apply your business skills in a new way? If so, this may be the position for you!
Great Falls Development Alliance is seeking a Government Contracting Advisor for its Montana APEX Accelerator, Great Falls location. Government contracting advisors have the unique opportunity to assist business owners with diversifying their customer base and expanding revenue by teaching them how to sell to the largest customer in the world, the government!
Your role is to provide consultation and training to businesses interested in pursuing the government marketplace and assists businesses with understanding and learning the requirements and processes necessary to expand into this specialized market. Provide technical assistance, training, and advice on procurement subjects to businesses in a multi-county region. If you have the right attitude, attention to detail, are a good communicator, and are excited to learn we can provide the training you need to be an incredible advisor.
Salary range starts between $50,000 to $55,000 with a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and retirement plans. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Join our team and make a significant impact in helping businesses thrive through government contracting opportunities. Grow with us at Montana APEX Accelerator—a place where dedication meets opportunity.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to Tracy Heggem at Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org.
Position open until we find a great candidate!
Regional Small Business Development Center Director
Posted 5/6/24
Location: Great Falls, Montana
Do you enjoy listening to business needs and helping them discover a path to reach their goals? Do you like to research solutions? Do you thrive working as a team to accomplish a goal? In this role you will work with dreamers. Entrepreneurs who have a dream and need your help to make it a reality. Sometimes this is a start-up business and sometimes it’s an existing business expanding. You’ll also work daily with a professional team that offers complete advising services.
We’re looking for someone who has business experience (owner/operator or key manager); is curious and constantly learning; understands business finance; enjoys learning about others and assisting in their success; and has excellent communication and interpersonal relationship skills. This is part of a larger national and statewide network and in this role, you will supervise other advisors on our team and be responsible for reports and data collection. There is some travel around our region and professional development will take you out of state on occasion.
Salary range starts between $65,000-75,000 with excellent benefits, professional development, growth opportunities, and flexible work environment. This position must live in the vicinity of Great Falls, Montana, a fantastic community with cost of living only 86% of the national average. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Please send a cover letter and resume to Tracy Heggem, Executive Assistant, Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org.
Position open until we find a great candidate!
Lending Solutions Specialist
Posted 4/22/24
Location: Great Falls, Montana
Do you enjoy reading company financials to figure out the story of a business? Do you like working with a team to solve challenging problems? We need someone who understands profit and loss, balance sheets, and tax returns to help underwrite tough loan decisions. Our new team member will listen to entrepreneurs’ needs; research and assess their capabilities; and analyze loan requests to help them reach their dreams. Our new team member must not only thrive working with our team but strive to make new contacts – growing our network of regional and statewide partners.
Our Lending Solutions Specialist is a new position. We need someone who is inquisitive; pursues knowledge of people and how things work; can conduct research into topics; is able to write professional credit write-ups; is able to listen, learn, and adapt; likes having multiple projects and clients; is excellent at working independently; and implements systems for success. If you want to help businesses start, grow, and innovate in the Great Falls, Montana region you should apply.
We’re thinking between $63,000 and $73,000 for starting salary range, but depends on experience and includes a built-in bump based on initial performance. We have excellent benefits. We invest in our team both through performance-based salary increases and professional development. While we do have a flexible work environment, candidates must live in the Great Falls region. EOE.
Cover letter telling us why you would be a great team member and resume are both required. Email to Tracy Heggem, Executive Assistant, Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org.
Open until we find an awesome new team member!
Great Falls Region
Live on the great falls of the Missouri River on the Rocky Mountain Front!
Great Falls offers an exceptional quality of life, excellent schools and health care, affordable housing, and unparallel outdoor recreation opportunities. Great Falls remains among the most affordable Montana cities to live, work, and play with cost of living overall at 86.8% of the national average and housing costs at 70% of the national average, according to C2ER.
Visit the following to learn more:
Relocating and Living in Great Falls, visit www.LiveInGreatFalls.com
Great Falls Montana Tourism, visit www.VisitGreatFallsMontana.org
Central Montana Tourism, visit https://centralmontana.com