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Home My WebLink About12-09-25 Correspondence - MT Dept of Commerce - Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 2, Issue 49From:Montana Department of CommerceTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 2, Issue 49Date:Thursday, December 4, 2025 2:01:38 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dec. 4, 2025 – News, events, grants, loans and other funding opportunities Montana Department of Commerce Weekly Roundup The Weekly Roundup is a summary of events, news and information important to Commerce's constituents this week. Click on any topic for more information. Infrastructure and Planning The Montana Department of Commerce is proposing updates to the Montana Coal Endowment Program Emergency Grants application, grant administration manual and 2029 biennium application guidelines. The documents are available for review and public comment through tomorrow. Comments on the draft documents can be submitted electronically to docadministrativerules@mt.gov, or via mail to Montana Department of Commerce, Community MT Division, 301 S Park Avenue, P.O. Box 200501, Helena, MT 59620. The Montana Department of Commerce is accepting applications for the Community Development Block Grant Planning Program. Cities, towns, counties and consolidated city-county governments are eligible to apply. Visit the grants and loans portal to apply. The Montana Department of Commerce will be accepting applications for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant starting Dec. 5 and will close at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 28. Application guidelines can be found on the MHPG web page; eligible parties should visit the grants and loans portal to apply. Commerce’s Community and Economic Vitality team will be hosting two informational workshops via Zoom focusing on the upcoming grant cycle for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program. These sessions will provide an overview of the program, including the application process, timeline and eligibility requirements. The upcoming MHPG pre-application workshops are scheduled for: Dec. 18 from 1-2:30 p.m. and Jan. 15 from 12-1:30 p.m. Housing Montana Board of Housing Public Meeting: Dec. 8. Housing Coordinating Team Meeting: Dec. 11. Join us for this quarter’s Housing Coordination Team call, which will cover the application process for the Growth and Opportunity Housing Trust approved with last legislative session’s HB 924. With a new competitive funding round scheduled for spring 2026, this session will help you understand how to apply and what makes an application competitive. We’ll also host a round-robin discussion, giving participants a chance to share updates and insights from across the state. The 2026 Montana Housing Partnership Conference is now accepting speaker proposals. The Montana Housing Partnership is looking for leaders in affordable housing and community development to share their knowledge and experience at the 2026 Montana Housing Partnership Conference at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, May 18-20, 2026. If you’re passionate about inspiring others and connecting with peers across the industry, we’d love to hear from you. Business Commerce is currently accepting applications for the Opportunities in Rural Economies Planning Grant. Businesses and non-profits are eligible to apply. For more information, contact Finance Grants Coordinator Kathy Bartlett at kathy.bartlett@mt.gov or 406-841-2792. The Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund is accepting new applications under updated program guidelines. The program has transitioned to a loan participation structure for funding requests of up to $2 million and will continue to offer direct loans for amounts under $1 million. The application portal will remain open until all available funding has been committed to eligible businesses. Currently, the WP RLF has $878,941 available for lending. For more information, contact Program Specialist Chris Ryan at chris.ryan@mt.gov. The Montana State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 Loan Participation Program application portal for remaining Tranche Three funds will remain open until all available funds are fully obligated. Submissions will be reviewed in the order they are determined to be fully and properly completed. Upon completion of all required application materials, the application will be scored and reviewed by the loan review committee. All application determinations, approved or denied, will be promptly provided to the participating lenders. This process will continue until all funds have been committed to eligible businesses. Future opportunities will be supported through recycled SSBCI 2.0 funds as loans are repaid. The Montana State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 Loan Participation Program-Recycled Funds application is open and will remain so for the duration of the program, with capital availability contingent on repayments from existing borrowers. A list of participating lenders with funds for recycling can be found on the SSBCI webpage. Native American Collateral Support Program funding available: The NACS Program is now accepting applications online, which can be found on the website under “Application Process.” Currently, $170,832 in cash funding is available. For more information, contact Program Specialist Chris Ryan at chris.ryan@mt.gov or 406-841- 2594. The application portal for the ORE Loan Participation Program closed on October 28. The program continues to accept applications from economic development organizations wishing to enroll. The EDO enrollment period remains open-ended, and any organization involved in active economic development is invited to apply. Lenders who are interested in participating should contact program staff for further details and will need to sign a General Lender Loan Servicing Agreement. For additional information, please reach out to Business Resource Partner Josh Bennett at 406-841-2748 or josh.bennett@mt.gov. The Tribal Tourism Small Business Grant is open until Dec. 19. With $240,000 in funding available in award amounts of up to $10,000 each, this competitive grant program provides funding to start or expand a tribal tourism business in one of five business categories: Native American Made in Montana producers or retailers, including pop-up vendors Food, beverage or grocery operations that are either mobile or brick-and-mortar locations Licensed outfitters or guides in the hunting or fishing industry Hosted accommodations, tours or experiences Businesses that support tribal tourism businesses and services Eligible applicants must be 18 or older and enrolled citizens of a Montana tribal nation. For more information, email doctribal@mt.gov. The Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant will accept applications now through Dec. 18. The Destination Event Grant Program helps Montana’s communities with destination events and new events that will increase tourism, including regional, national and international visitors, promote Montana's unique attributes and generate additional community revenue. Economic Impact and Destination Event Grants Program overview webinar: Dec. 15 at noon. Includes information about the 2026 application, scoring criteria, the timeline and a Q&A session. The Big Sky Film Grant is now open. This grant program aims to build and support partnerships with filmmakers and production companies to create Montana film industry jobs. Application deadline is Feb. 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (MST). For more information, contact the Film Office. The Montana Tourism Development Grant Program, formerly known as the Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program, will accept applications from Dec. 15 to Jan. 22 at 11:59 pm. The MTDG is a state-funded opportunity, building tourism in a manageable, sustainable way that can stimulate and diversify Montana’s local economy, protect and enhance local resources and foster community pride without compromising the qualities that make local communities so special. MTDG Program overview webinar: Dec. 9 at 9 a.m. Includes information about the 2026 application, scoring criteria, the timeline and a Q&A session. Join via Zoom. Have you significantly grown your exports in 2025? You may be eligible to apply for up to three Exporter of the Year Awards: The SBA Exporter of the Year - Application due Dec. 22, 2025. Questions? Contact the Montana SBA District Office. The President’s “E” and "E Star" Awards - Application due Jan. 3, 2026. Send application and questions to U.S. Commercial Service International Trade Specialist Laura Barmby at laura.barmby@trade.gov. The Montana Exporter of the Year - Application due March 15, 2026. For more information, contact exportmontana@mt.gov or call 406-841-2783. Commerce’s Export team will submit applications to the Montana District Export Council’s review committee for consideration. Don't miss these opportunities to spread the word about your 2025 export success! Commerce is excited to announce the ORE Economic Development Organization Capacity Building Grant. The grant application window will open Jan. 1, 2026 and is available only to EDOs that have completed the enrollment process with Commerce. This 10:1 match grant is designed to help enrolled EDOs increase their internal capacity to better serve underserved businesses, invest in technological improvements and innovations, expand training and professional development opportunities for staff and support other activities that strengthen economic development in their regions. If your organization is interested in enrolling in the ORE Program or has questions about the grant, contact Business Resource Partner Josh Bennett at 406-841-2748 or josh.bennett@mt.gov. Commerce News/Upcoming Events Montana Board of Housing Allocates Funding to Build 160 Affordable Homes in Montana Commerce Allocates Over $8 Million of Federal Funding for Affordable Housing Two-Day Grant Writing and Grant Management Training Workshops: Join Grant Writing USA and the Montana Association of Conservation Districts, Dec. 8-9, for a two-day workshop designed to enhance grant-related skills and knowledge. Supported by the Western Montana Conservation Commission and Montana DNRC, these workshops will help grant managers navigate the new landscape of compliance, learn more about the importance of using grant reporting to tell a story, develop a relationship with their grantor and build the case for additional funding. Eligible entities include conservation districts, watershed groups, tribes, municipalities, counties, state agencies, special districts and local conservation NGOs. Applications for the Montana Heritage Commission’s long-term lease opportunities are due quarterly, one week before Commission meetings. Commission meetings are held on the first Friday in March, June, September and December. First quarter’s applications are due Feb. 27, 2026 by 5 p.m. for review at the March 6, 2026 commission meeting. Visit commerce.mt.gov for more information. Commerce invites economic development organizations to the SelectUSA Investment Summit in National Harbor, Maryland from May 3-6, 2026. This summit is the largest international business attraction event in the country. Partner with Commerce at no additional cost beyond travel and hotel expenses. To be a part of Commerce's booth, send an email to Business Attraction Coordinator Cameron Johnson at camjohnson@mt.gov by Jan. 31, 2026. Rural or tribal EDOs that have never attended the conference can also apply to SelectUSA for a competitive scholarship to cover hotel and conference registration costs. Go to selectusasummit.us and apply by Dec. 29, 2025. UPDATE SUBSCRIBER PREFERENCES Montana Department of Commerce 301 S Park Ave, Helena, MT 59620 Contact Us: 406-841-2700 commerce.mt.gov This email was sent to comments@bozeman.net using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: MontanaDepartment of Commerce · P.O. Box 200501 · Helena, MT 59620-0501 View as a webpage Unsubscribe Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on yourSubscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. Discover information about additional topics at Commerce. Sign up for more topics. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. Montana Department of Commerce 301 S Park Ave, Helena, MT 59620 406-841-2700