Choose Local
As Montana is reopening, we encourage you to support your local businesses. If you are interested in locally sourced ingredients, check out this list of our Taste our Place members and savor Montana flavor. You can also find Made in Montana producers and retailers in your area by visiting MADEINMONTANAUSA.com.
Agriculture
Northern Plains Resource Council hosts the 5th Annual Local Food Challenge Are you up to the challenge? The Northern Plains Resource Council is challenging you (and ourselves) to eat more local foods, to ask for more local foods in your community, and to help support Montana agriculture in a giant way. Learn more and take the challenge here.
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GRANT OPPORTUNITY: 2021 Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant
PURPOSE: Assist startup or expanding Native American businesses in Montana.
GRANT APPLICATION PERIOD: Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, 2020
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: The funds are available to enrolled members of the tribes in Montana. All applications must include documentation of tribal enrollment in the form of a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) or tribal ID. An application will be considered incomplete without this information.
GRANT AMOUNT: Awards for individual businesses can be up to $14,000 with a minimum dollar-to-dollar cash or in-kind match ($1:$1) and must be firmly committed and documented in the application.
For more information, click here.
Montana Dino Trail COVID-19 Masks Available
One of the cool projects completed by the Montana Dinosaur Trail Partners is the creation of a series of fun, fanciful images representing each of the 14 Trail Facilities and their communities. Artist Jenn Hall with the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka created the images with funding assistance from the Montana Office of Tourism.
Products featuring these images are available through the trail’s website in the “SHOP” tab and at many of trail facilities gift shops.
FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Updates
- All watercraft inspection stations are open except for the Eureka station due to the ongoing border closure with Canada. Most stations are operating during daylight hours seven days a week. See the watercraft inspection schedules at CleanDrainDryMT.com
- A record number of watercraft have been inspected this season with over 90,000 inspections and high levels of out of state boat traffic.
- 25 mussel fouled vessels have been intercepted at the Anaconda, Dillon, Flowing Wells, Hardin, and Nashua watercraft inspection stations.
- Working with area resource managers, Montana Trout Unlimited is stenciling the “Clean-Drain-Dry” message on boat ramps and other structures around the state, including at the Clearwater Junction inspection station and the Shannon boat ramp at Canyon Ferry.
Inside Out
Two Missoula businesses appear to have hit a homerun pairing their operations during the COVID-19 crisis. Minor league baseball team Missoula Paddleheads and the Roxy Theater joined forces to create the Centerfield Cinema series - movie night under the stars at Ogren Park every Thursday.
Both businesses rely on ticket sale and attendance from residents and visitors were negatively impacted by the restrictions put on their respective venues. The stadium has seen more than 4,000 attend a baseball game in past years while the Roxy Theatre has seating for 250 in its three theatre rooms. Now, those movie goers and baseball fans alike have the opportunity to take what was typically an indoor movie experience to the great outdoors. Most fitting, "A League of Their Own", a 90’s comedy based on women’s baseball is part of the series lineup.
With safety a paramount concern, the Missoula PaddleHeads implemented a full COVID-19 Readiness Plan allowing the ballpark venue to reopen safely and responsibly according to Taylor Rush, PaddleHeads’ Director of Marketing and Public. Rush adds “The outpour of support, the willingness of patrons to follow all COVID guidelines that ensure we keep our community safe, and the smiles on every face that leave the ballpark, are truly a statement as to what makes Missoula so special." For more information or tickets, click here.
Other communities around the state are also hosting outdoor movies at existing drive-in theatres as well as popup sites in businesses that would have otherwise been silent during the pandemic.
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Montana in the News Tourism Partner Shout-Outs, Recognition and News
Missoula—“Breadth of Representation” a Good Start for Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Late last year, Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier sat in a coffee shop with a view of the downtown rail yard to contemplate the task he had before him. It would involve uniting more than a dozen Montana counties behind a common vision to restore passenger rail service along the North Coast Hiawatha route vacated by Amtrack more than 40 years ago. It would also require support from the state’s congressional delegation and a review of state laws guiding the creation of an authority that doesn’t exist. Nine month’s later, Strohmaier has accomplished the task, but the work is far from over.
“On the one hand, it has been a short amount of time but on the other hand, it’s been a long time in coming,” said Strohmaier. “I’m super pleased with the breadth of representation we’ve gotten on that authority so far.”
Gallatin and Missoula counties have both adopted the joint resolution to establish the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, and two is all that’s required under state law. But another 10 Montana counties have signaled their intent to join, and Strohmaier is eagerly awaiting their vote. Several are expected to make their participation official in the coming weeks. Read more from the Missoula Current here.
Complete the 2020 Census Now!
Filling out the Census is quick, easy, and safe. It will take less than 10 minutes to complete and your information and privacy are protected by federal law. Montanans can fill out their Census forms online at my2020census.gov or by phone at 1.844.330.2020. The Census is also available via TDD (Telephone Display Device) at 844.467.2020. Learn more at CENSUS.MT.GOV.
Safety and Empathy: 10+ DMO Communications Tips for 2020
Confident, timely communication is a major challenge for destination marketers during the pandemic. To help kickstart your next content brainstorm, content marketers at Destination Think have gathered observations and examples of successful communication from destination marketers.
Take inspiration from these 10+ observations and ideas for communicating in times of uncertainty, or skip ahead to your favourite.
- Repeat your safety messages
- Frame compliance with guidelines as a positive
- Show the right behaviours in your images
- Create Instagram Stories highlights about COVID-19
- Use an infographic for the most important messages
- Don’t schedule your social media too far in advance
- Show people how to support local businesses (in tourism and beyond)
- Continue showcasing the experiences that make your destination special
- Adapt cultural experiences to social media
- Be calm and empathetic when responding to negative comments
Read more from DestinationThink! here.
New TripAdvisor Travel Safe Initiative
Trip Advisor is adding a new level of safety detail to its review process. Businesses will need to update their business listings on Trip Advisor with safety messaging in a new “Keeping you safe during COVID-19” section which includes safety measures, long form response as well as how travelers can contact the business directly or ask questions via the Q&A feature.
Here is a link to a presentation about the new program. Please update your organization listings and forward to businesses in your region or community.
October 6-8, 2020—The 2020 NAISMA (North American Invasive Species Management Association) Annual Conference (Virtual)—The 2020 NAISMA Annual Conference will be held on a virtual platform rather than our traditional in-person meeting in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.
This year’s virtual conference will be presented live during the conference dates. Sessions will also be recorded for post-event attendee access. Attendees will be able to log in to view presentations for up to 1 year after the event. To learn more, click here.
October 20, 2020 (Sidney) and October 22, 2020 (Butte)—Rise and Restore Small Business Summit—The Rise and Restore Small Business Summit is in response to COVID-19. Hear how industry experts and other small business owners have been maintaining their business, stabilizing their profit and protecting their team in response to COVID-19. To learn more or register, click here.
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