RELEASE: Commerce Awards Business Planning and Job Creation Grants to Six Montana Communities

Montana Department of Commerce sent this bulletin at 04/06/2023 09:30 AM MDT
montana department of commerce
Anaconda Montana

Anaconda, Mont. - Photo by Montana Department of Commerce

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 6, 2023

CONTACT: Mitch Staley, Department of Commerce

Commerce Awards Business Planning and Job Creation Grants to Six Montana Communities

Big Sky Trust Fund providing over $1 million in economic growth focused grants

HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce’s Business MT Division today announced more than $1 million in grant funding has been awarded to grow and support businesses in six Montana communities. The planning and job creation grant funding is provided by Business MT’s Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF).

“Montana is one of the top states in the country to do business,” said Scott Osterman, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “Our investments aim to keep that momentum going through sustainable economic growth – including helping local businesses plan for future growth and create more long-term, good-paying jobs for Montanans.”

BSTF Job Creation grants are awarded to local and tribal governments to create good-paying jobs for residents. BSTF Job Creation grant funding has been awarded to:

  • Bozeman - The City of Bozeman will receive $150,000 in BSTF job creation grant funding to assist Bridger Photonics, Inc. with the creation of 30 jobs over one year. Bridger Photonics, Inc. is an industry leader in methane emissions detection technology.
  • Butte - Silver Bow County will receive $300,000 in BSTF job creation grant funding to assist Praxis Sim Holdings, LLC with the creation of 40 jobs over two years. Praxis Sim Holdings, LLC is building a medical training center in Butte. It will be the nation's first simulation training center dedicated specifically to the needs of rural health care practitioners.
  • Kalispell - The Flathead County Economic Development Authority will receive $225,000 in BSTF job creation grant funding to assist ClassOne Technology, Inc. with the creation of 45 jobs over one year. ClassOne Technology, Inc. develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports capital equipment used in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices.
  • Kalispell - The Flathead County Economic Development Authority will receive $150,000 in BSTF job creation grant funding to assist GL Suite, Inc. with the creation of 30 jobs over two years. GL Suite Inc. provides configurable off-the-shelf software packages for automating the operations of regulatory agencies.
  • Kalispell - The Flathead County Economic Development Authority will receive $130,000 in BSTF job creation grant funding to assist Nomad Global Communications Solutions, Inc. with the creation of 26 jobs over two years. Nomad Global Communications Solutions, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced interoperable communication solutions to the public and private sectors.

BSTF Economic Development Planning grants are awarded to eligible Certified Regional Development Corporations (CRDCs), Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) as well as tribal or local governments to assist with economic development planning efforts that promote long-term, stable economic growth in Montana. BSTF Economic Development Planning grant funding has been awarded to:

  • Anaconda - Headwaters RC&D Area, Inc. will receive $8,250 in BSTF planning grant funding to assist Powell County. The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) planning grant will plan the connection of 35 rural towns and townships along a 220-mile alternative transportation route from Butte to the Idaho border.
  • Butte - Headwaters RC&D Area, Inc. will receive $27,000 in BSTF planning grant funding to assist Uptown Butte Master Plan Association with the planning activities leading to the creation of a Business Improvement District. The Uptown Butte Master Plan Association is a Montana nonprofit created for the sole purpose of creating and implementing the Uptown Butte Master Plan.
  • Missoula - The Missoula Economic Partnership will receive $27,000 in BSTF planning grant funding to assist Zip Beverage with construction documents for their new facility. Zip Beverage is a distributor of beer, wine and other beverages across western Montana.
  • East Helena - Montana Business Assistance Connection Inc. will receive $27,000 in BSTF planning grant funding to assist PTCO, LLC and the East Helena Valley Rodeo Association with an architectural report. PTCO, LLC is planning to develop a manufacturing facility for panelized walls for residential construction, materials offloading and storage facility.

In 2021, Headwaters RC&D Area, Inc. was awarded $27,000 in BSTF planning grant funding to assist Lucon Engineering with business planning documents. The project was recently completed this month.

“With the help of the Big Sky Trust Fund (BSTF) Grant, we now have videos and advertising that accurately represent our world-class product made and designed in Montana,” said Peter Lucon, President of Lucon Engineering. “The BSTF grant enabled us to plan the strategic marketing and advertising approach for our revolutionary new product used in the sonic drilling industry. The funds allowed us to work with local professionals to plan marketing materials that increased our global digital presence, and we have been able to drive interest in our product from sonic drilling operators throughout the world. These materials immediately began generating new client leads for us and have already generated enough new projected revenue to support two full-time engineers.”

In 2022, 14 Montana communities received more than $2.6 million in BSTF Planning and Job Creation grant funding through a competitive grant process.

For more information about BSTF grants, visit business.mt.gov.

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