Grow Great Falls Montana

Entrepreneur Celebration
2025-11-19 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Denver)
Have you started a business in the Great Falls region? We want to celebrate YOU!
Starting a business is not easy! Join us for the second annual Entrepreneur Celebration at The Newberry on November 19th from 5-6 PM and get recognized for your awesome achievement.
This celebration is for anyone who has ever started a business in the entire 13-county Great Falls region:
Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Fergus, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Lewis & Clark, Liberty, Meagher, Pondera, Teton or Toole County.
Register in advance here so we have a head count!
Contact Jake Clark for more information:
Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org
1-406-403-4937

Downtown Great Falls: Ladies’ Night Out
2025-11-20 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Denver)
Downtown Great Falls will celebrate Ladies’ Night Out on Thursday, November 20, from 5:00–8:00 PM, with participating restaurants extending the fun through dinner and cocktails until 10:00 PM.
This signature downtown event invites residents and visitors to enjoy an evening of shopping, dining, and community spirit—no tickets required. Retailers and restaurants will offer extended hours, exclusive promotions, and festive experiences that highlight the vibrant downtown scene and kick off the holiday season in style.
Full event details and business participation information are available here.

OFFICE CLOSED: Staff Holiday
2025-11-27, 2025-11-28, 2025-12-24, 2025-12-25

GFDA Board & Council Meeting
2025-12-04 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Denver)
GFDA Board & Council Agenda 12-4-25
Click HERE for Minutes

Great Falls College: Heritage Hall
2100 16th Ave South; Great Falls, MT 59405
OR
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/94014829623?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 940 1482 9623
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
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Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adzGlXYsfN

Small Business Webinar: Entrepreneur Spotlight – From Side Hustle to National Sales
2025-12-04 11:00 - 11:30 (America/Denver)
Join us for a special 30-minute webinar interview with entrepreneur Amber Hofstad, co-founder of Windrift Hill, a Montana-based goat’s milk soap company. Amber will share how she turned a small-batch side hustle into a full-time business with a production team and nationwide shipping—all while keeping her products handmade and locally made in Montana.
Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about growth, grit, and building a brand from the ground up.
CLICK HERE for more information or to register!

GFDA Brownfields Advisory Committee
2025-12-08 13:30 - 14:30 (America/Denver)
In-Person Committee Meeting with Zoom Option

Committee Roles & Expectations
Project Review/Update
Catalyst Redevelopment Project

Location:
Great Falls Development Alliance, Conference Room
405 3rd Street NW, Suite 203
Great Falls, MT 59404

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/93582590568?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 935 8259 0568
Passcode: [REDACTED]
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Join instructions
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Understanding Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) in Federal Contracting
2025-12-10 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-08 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-28 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Denver)
Join Montana APEX Accelerator for a high-level overview of Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI). Gain a clear understanding of how it can impact your ability to compete for and maintain federal contracts.
This session will demystify the concept, explain compliance requirements, and outline practical steps to identify and mitigate potential FOCI risks. Whether your business is currently contracting with the government or exploring new contract opportunities, this overview will help you strengthen your readiness and protect your eligibility in the federal marketplace.
REGISTER HERE!

DECEMBER-What Happens After SAM!
2025-12-17 11:30 - 13:00 UTC
Unlock New Business Opportunities!
Please join the Montana APEX Accelerator for a strategic VIRTUAL training on how YOU can sell your company’s products and services to federal and state agencies.

Who Should Attend?
Any business in any industry that is interested in developing a focused market strategy for the government segment. It is not a requirement to already be registered in SAM or eMACS to attend the training. However, we will not be going over the registration process in this training. Register here: https://mtapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/41645

Wednesday, December 17, 2025
11:30 AM (MDT)
Virtual
Free

GFDA Executive Committee Meeting
2025-12-19 08:00 - 09:30, 2026-01-21 08:00 - 09:30, 2026-02-18 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Denver)
Click HERE for Minutes

AE2S CONFERENCE ROOM
West Bank Landing, Portage Bldg (behind The Peak)
405 3rd St NW, Suite 205; Great Falls, MT 59404
OR
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/97551413941?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 975 5141 3941
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,97551413941#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (San Jose)
+12532158782,,97551413941#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Tacoma)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
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+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acHlCWKIWF

OFFICE CLOSED: New Year's Day
2026-01-01

GFDA Board & Council Meeting
2026-01-08 08:00 - 09:30, 2026-02-05 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Denver)
Click HERE for Minutes

Great Falls College: Heritage Hall
2100 16th Ave South; Great Falls, MT 59405
OR
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/94014829623?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 940 1482 9623
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
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+13462487799,,94014829623#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adzGlXYsfN

Ignite
2026-01-09 07:30 - 11:00 (America/Denver)
Friday, January 9th
The Newberry
Downtown Great Falls, Montana

Attend The Event:
High energy, short presentations showcasing capital investments in our region that start or finish in 2026.
This is your chance to connect with industry leaders, explore new opportunities, and support the growth of our region.
Tentative Schedule:
Networking: 7:30-8:00AM
Presentations: 8:00-10:30AM
Networking: 10:30-11:00AM
We recommend parking in the North Parking Garage at 17 4th Street N!
REGISTER HERE!

Showcase or Announce your Capital Project:
We’re looking for presenters to join Ignite 2026 in downtown Great Falls! This annual event celebrates the exciting projects, expansions, and initiatives launching across Great Falls and North Central Montana in the coming year. Whether you’re a business, nonprofit, or public agency with something new on the horizon, we want to feature your story!
Presentations are open to all business, government agency, or non-profit projects launching, expanding, or finishing up construction in 2026 across the Great Falls Region of North Central Montana:
Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Fergus, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Lewis & Clark, Liberty, Meagher, Pondera, Teton or Toole Counties

For more information or to be part of the lineup, contact:
Christian Leinhauser
CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org
1-406-836-0136

View Past Event Information and Photos Here: Ignite

Boost Your Business: Google Business Pages & SEO
2026-01-15 08:30 - 09:30 (America/Denver)
Level up your business skills and stay ahead of the curve with Boost Your Business, a FREE in-person training series designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals across all industries. Each month, we dive into a new topic—marketing, leadership, finance, operations, technology, and more—to give you practical tools you can use right away.

January 15th: Google Business Pages & SEO
This is a hands-on opportunity to work on your Google page and website throughout the session. Business Advisors will be present and ready to assist you.

Dig into your Google page: Make sure your listing is accurate, learn how to receive referrals and deal with negative comments.
Dig into your website’s SEO: Learn how to make changes to help your website’s performance.

CLICK HERE to Register!

Brought to you by Great Falls Development Alliance and the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Click Here for all 2026 Boost Your Business Workshops.

What Happens After SAM!
2026-01-21 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Unlock New Business Opportunities!

Please join the Montana APEX Accelerator for a strategic VIRTUAL training on how YOU can sell your company’s products and services to federal and state agencies.

Who Should Attend?

Any business in any industry that is interested in developing a focused market strategy for the government segment. It is not a requirement to already be registered in SAM or eMACS to attend the training. However, we will not be going over the registration process in this training. Register here: https://mtapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/41671

Wednesday, January 21, 2026
11:30 AM (MDT)
Virtual
Free

OFFICE CLOSED: President’s Day
2026-02-16

Boost Your Business: Pricing Strategy (Is Your Price Right)?
2026-02-19 08:30 - 09:30 (America/Denver)
Level up your business skills and stay ahead of the curve with Boost Your Business, a FREE in-person training series designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals across all industries. Each month, we dive into a new topic—marketing, leadership, finance, operations, technology, and more—to give you practical tools you can use right away.

February: Pricing Strategy (Is Your Price Right)?

Do you know if you are charging the right amount for your products or services? We will cover breakeven analysis, considerations when setting prices, market fluctuations, adjustments for seasonal considerations and understanding cost basis.

Please bring “real” examples of your products/services if you would like on-the-spot counseling for your pricing strategy. We will do our best to accommodate as many examples as possible.

CLICK HERE to Register!

Brought to you by Great Falls Development Alliance and the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

Click Here for all 2026 Boost Your Business Workshops.

Data Center Task Force
2026-02-23 17:00 - 18:30 UTC | Great Falls College: Heritage Hall, 2100 16th Ave South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, United States
Join us for a community discussion regarding data center opportunities in the Heritage Hall at Great Falls College MSU.

Defense Coalition Planning Meeting
2026-02-27 10:00 - 11:30 UTC | AE2S Conference Room, 405 3rd St NW, Suite 205, Great Falls, MT, 59404, United States
Central Montana Defense Coalition

Click Here for AgendaLocation

AE2S Conference Room in GFDA Building

The Portage Building in West Bank Landing

2nd Floor

OR

Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81679934264?pwd=[REDACTED]

Meeting ID: 816 7993 4264

Passcode: [REDACTED]

—

One tap mobile

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Join instructions

https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/81679934264/invitations?signature=kX1I215pfaqTLIM2uz3ysOkVfZcCiZTAVmLL01R3mdU

Build Smarter, Pay Less: The Power of C-PACE - Small Business Webinar
2026-03-02 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | Virtual-Online Only
Join us for our monthly Small Business Webinar featuring Seth Lutter of the Montana Facility Finance Authority. As administrator of Montana’s statewide C-PACE program, Seth will explain how businesses can access long-term, low-cost financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy, water efficiency, and building improvements. Discover how C-PACE could support your next project and get your questions answered live.

GFDA Board & Council Meeting
2026-03-05 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Denver) | Great Falls College: Heritage Hall, 2100 16th Ave South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, United States
GFDA Board & Council Agenda 3-5-26
Click HERE for Minutes
Great Falls College: Heritage Hall2100 16th Ave South; Great Falls, MT 59405
OR
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/94014829623?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 940 1482 9623Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile+12532158782,,94014829623#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Tacoma)+13462487799,,94014829623#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Houston)
Dial by your location+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adzGlXYsfN

Opportunity Zone Task Force Meeting
2026-03-12 15:30 - 17:00 UTC | The Station District, 119 River Drive N, Great Falls, Montana, 59401
Registration is open for our first Opportunity Zone Task Force meeting on March 12 at 3:30 PM at the Station District in Great Falls.

This task force will work to develop plans to secure designation of Opportunity Zones in our trade area and strategies to attract private investment in the Zones. Open to the public. Contact Jake Clark for more information.

GFDA Executive Committee Meeting
2026-03-18 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Denver) | AE2S Conference Room, 405 3rd St NW, Suite 205, Great Falls, MT, 59404, United States
GFDA Exec Agenda 3-18-26Click HERE for Minutes
AE2S CONFERENCE ROOMWest Bank Landing, Portage Bldg (behind The Peak)405 3rd St NW, Suite 205; Great Falls, MT 59404
OR
Join Zoom Meeting:https://zoom.us/j/97551413941?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 975 5141 3941Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile+16699009128,,97551413941#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (San Jose)+12532158782,,97551413941#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Tacoma)
Dial by your location+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acHlCWKIWF
