The Montana National Guard officially christened the newly designated Drop Zone near Power, Montana, showcasing a full demonstration for local and state leaders and marking the first operational drop on the site.
| 1) Malmstrom AFB has been selected by the USAF and the Defense Innovation Unit as one of two potential first bases to site advanced nuclear microreactors. MAFB was chosen because of its utility infrastructure, availability of land, and the critical missions performed there. Deployment of microreactors at key military bases will strengthen mission readiness through energy resilience and provide consistent power for all essential workloads; see Air & Space Forces Magazine and ExecutiveGov.com. 2) Congratulations to the Montana National Guard on the christening of its new drop zone, a meaningful investment in training capacity that strengthens Great Falls’ role in supporting military readiness and regional growth. The Central Montana Defense Coalition joined partners in recognizing this milestone, which enhances operational capabilities while deepening community connections. See KRTV and The Electric. This new asset underscores the continued value of military investment in driving economic opportunity and resilience across North Central Montana. 3) GFDA closed a $200,000 gap loan to support T & L LLC’s purchase of the building housing The FamLee Dentist on 10th Avenue South in Great Falls, allowing the practice to transition from leasing to ownership and build long-term stability and equity. Projects like this strengthen our local economy by supporting small business self-sufficiency and reinvestment in Great Falls. Special thanks to Erin Townsend at Bravera Bank for her tireless support of small businesses. If you think renting may be costing more than owning, please contact Shandi Gebhardt Jones at 1-406-590-9037 or Shandi@GrowGreatFalls.org to explore your options. 4) This Monday, April 13th from 5:00-8:00 PM, the Newberry in downtown Great Falls will be buzzing with energy experts ready to discuss challenges and opportunities in Montana. The event is cohosted by the Montana Energy Business Alliance and the Great Falls Development Alliance, featuring keynote speakers from Berkshire Hathaway Energy Montana and PowerGas Corporation, as well as a panel participants from the Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association, VisionNet, NorthWestern Energy, and GFDA. Register here to experience an energetic evening. Contact Kristen Blue at Kristen@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-788-4989 for more information. 5) Annapurna Indian restaurant opened in Great Falls. The Boardroom by All Things Charcuterie opened in Downtown Great Falls. Homestead 1909 opens in Downtown Great Falls on April 22nd. Great Falls Hospital’s new OrthoNOW walk-in clinic has opened. See TheElectric’s BusinessBites. 6) The Great Falls City Commission unanimously approved the Strategic Capital Investment Reserve (SCIR) program. The SCIR is a funding mechanism established by the City of Great Falls to expand and improve system-wide public water, sewer, and stormwater utility infrastructure and support strategic development. GFDA supports this innovative approach to engaging resources to support new development while also benefitting existing rate payers. The application window is open for the first round of funding. Prior to submitting an application, please contact City staff at SCIR@greatfallsmt.gov to discuss the project and set up a pre-application meeting. 7) GFDA’s annual celebration of women entrepreneurs is next week – join us at The Fire Within! From community and staff nominations, 51 women-owned businesses were selected to be honored at The Newberry at 6:00 PM this Thursday, April 16. We are excited to celebrate the ingenuity of female entrepreneurs in our region with an evening of awards, community, food, and a cash bar at the historic venue. There is still time for guests to register and join our celebration of exceptional women –register here to let us know you will be there. Doors open at 5:00 PM and the event will begin at 6pm. Questions about The Fire Within? Please reach out to Sara Niccum at 1-406-590-1301 or Sara@GrowGreatFalls.org. 8) Congratulations IND HEMP on the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Thien Phuoc, and Summit International Trade, outlining a farm-to-fashion hemp fiber textile supply chain collaboration with U.S.-grown hemp fiber supplying the Vietnamese textile industry. This partnership is part of IND HEMP’s broader effort to expand international markets for U.S.-grown industrial hemp. See full article. 9) GFDA has two great career opportunities — Downtown Great Falls Business Development Officer and Small Business Advisor. Downland description and how to apply. Please forward to great candidates! 10) Our Great Falls Regional APEX is helping businesses prepare for wildland fire contracting opportunities through the U.S. Forest Service’s VIPR (Virtual Incident Procurement) system. With fire season approaching, most solicitations have been released, and contractors can now begin responding. Businesses providing equipment, supplies, and services such as trucking, heavy equipment, catering, and sanitation have the opportunity to support fire response efforts while growing their business, but must be registered and prepared to compete. To get started, contact Mariah Liebing at Mariah@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-217-2174. 11) Great Falls Montana Tourism secured bringing the BMW Motorcycle Owners Association Annual Rally back to the Montana ExpoPark June 17-19, 2027. The 2021 rally drew 4,889 riders to Great Falls. Over 6,000 are expected in 2027. Great work! 12) Participated in an excellent CTE conversation at Great Falls College MSU with Stephanie Erdman, Quincy Jones, Lance Boyd, Heather Hoyer, Bryon Johnson, and Taylah Jaques. One of the students shared,”Stop asking kids where they are going to school and ask what they are interested in.” Let’s get curious about our future careers not limit potential to four year degrees. GFPS and GFCMSU are working close together to make sure our kids are prepped for Great Falls jobs. 13) Congratulations to Deb McGregor on the successful purchase of The Gittin Store, a boutique clothing store in Great Falls that specializes in high-quality medical scrubs. Deb has rebranded the business as Montana Scrubs and will continue offering top-quality scrubs along with a few additional retail items. And congratulations to former owner Kim Woloszyn on a successful sale and smooth transition. 14) Are you thinking about selling your business? Our SBDC advisors offer no-cost business advising support, including transition planning, and are here to help. We’ll also be offering a no-cost training on Thursday April 16th covering the basics of transition planning. Check out our upcoming free training on transition planning here. 15) We met with Representative Troy Downing in coordination with the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. The discussion focused on strengthening support for defense initiatives in the region and identifying opportunities to enhance collaboration with federal partners. These conversations are key to ensuring North Central Montana remains a strong and strategic location for military missions and related economic activity. If you are interested in knowing more about the Central Montana Defense Coalition’s efforts or to get involved, please contact Christian Leinhauser at CLeinhauser@GrowGreatFalls.org or +1-406-836-0136. 16) Sara Niccum networked with food and ag manufacturing businesses at a PCQI (Preventative Controls Qualified Individual) training held at Great Falls College. This certification is mandatory for food manufacturing businesses registered with the FDA. The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) delivered the 3-day training free of charge (valued at $895 per person) thanks to sponsorship from GFDA’s Food and Ag Development Center. This allows small and medium-sized manufacturers, like Alpine Touch based in Choteau, to stay compliant with federal guidelines without impacting their operating budget. 17) More water is flowing in the Milk River with another milestone completed in the Bureau of Reclamation’s Milk River Project which is critical to the Hi-Line; see KRTV and Billings Gazette. Moore School broke ground on a $12 million construction project; see Lewistown News. 18) The Montana Department of Commerce announced that 10 local safety agencies will share $500,000 in grant funding to support tourism-related emergency service projects in rural areas through the Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Grant Program. Congratulations to the City of Shelby and the Shelby Fire Department, which will receive $50,000 for a radio upgrade, and to the Sun Prairie Rural Fire Department, which will receive $50,000 to purchase extrication tools. 19) The Big Sky Post of the Society of Military Engineers is hosting a Sentinel Industry Day, May 7 here in Great Falls. Download this flyer for more details and to register. 20) Save the date for the Montana Agritourism Association’s 3rd annual Agritourism Conference, happening November 5–6, 2026 in Lewistown. The association works to strengthen Montana’s agritourism industry by fostering collaboration with state and industry partners, offering valuable resources, research, and education, and connecting local producers and stakeholders to regional and global markets to support long-term growth and sustainability across agriculture and tourism. 21) Jolene and Jenn joined peers from across Montana at the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) spring conference to trade ideas, learn from speakers and agency partners, and strengthen relationships that support economic development work. The conference provided direct access to state and federal leaders and helped identify new opportunities to bring back to the region. 22) The Central Montana Defense Coalition is a coordinated effort led by business and community partners to support and advance the defense missions in our region. Thank you to the members and partners for your commitment to this work. Your investment is crucial and helps us advocate for mission needs, strengthen relationships, and position our region for future opportunities. Recent investments include: Titan Division—Great Falls Montana Tourism; Atlas Division—Home Builders Association of Great Falls. If you’d like to join the coalition, reach out to Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. 23) Brett was back in DC for the Council of Development Finance Agencies’ annual policy conference focused on Opportunity Zones, the CDFI Fund, revolving loan funds, State Small Business Credit Initiative, and other federal development finance efforts. 24) This is how the region grows. Investors and partners back the work that turn ideas into results. Their investment helps create a place where people build a future and stay. Watch the short video to meet the team behind it. Recent investments include: Advance Division—Culligan Water Great Falls; Community Division—Big Sky Civil & Environmental, Inc. and EquipmentShare. Join the team that’s making an impact, contact Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org. Hard at work helping clients and partners move things forward! THANK YOU for such great support to help make great things happen! “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney Edition 732 |
