HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-19-26 Correspondence - MT Dept of Commerce - Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 3, Issue 7From:Montana Department of CommerceTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 3, Issue 7Date:Thursday, February 19, 2026 2:01:58 PM
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Feb. 19, 2026 – 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.
Guidance for Commerce Grant Announcements
The Montana Department of Commerce will issue an initial press release announcing
all awardees of the agency's grants. Commerce kindly asks grant recipients to refrain
from issuing their own news releases, social media posts or public announcements
until after Commerce has made its official announcement. This ensures a coordinated
and consistent message regarding the grant awards. Once the initial press release has
been issued, grantees are welcome to share their news. Commerce appreciates being
tagged on Facebook or LinkedIn social posts by grantees.
Business
Thank you to the enrolled economic development organizations that applied for the
ORE EDO Capacity Building Grant. The application window is now closed;
Commerce will begin reviewing submissions. Applicants will be contacted regarding
any follow‑up questions as well as award decisions once reviews are complete. For
more information about the ORE Program, contact Business Resource Partner Josh
Bennett at 406‑841‑2748 or josh.bennett@mt.gov.
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
approximately $1.4 million 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 will temporarily close at midnight on Feb. 28 as the
program explores increasing future product offerings. While funds remain available, all
fully and properly completed applications submitted prior to the closure will be
reviewed for eligibility. Updates on program offerings will be released as more
information becomes available. Ongoing funding opportunities will be supported
through the SSBCI 2.0 Recycled Funds application portal which will remain open for
the duration of the program.
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 is available. The NACS
Program is now accepting applications online, which can be found on the website
under “Application Process.” Currently, approximately $61,235 in cash funding is
available. For more information, contact Program Specialist Chris Ryan at
chris.ryan@mt.gov or 406-841-2594.
The Rural Tourism Asset Grant Program will accept applications March 2-26. The
TAG Program supports projects that strengthen rural communities by enhancing visitor
experiences with amenities, improving tourism assets and fostering economic growth.
Visit the link to find webinar information, grant guidelines, a pdf version of the
application, the budget template and scoring information.
Free Webinar from the Montana World Trade Center: The “Ins and Outs of ATA
Carnets": March 11. If your company moves goods, tools, equipment or merchandise
across borders temporarily for trade shows, testing, repairs, installations or even hand-
carried shipments, this webinar is for you. Join ATA Carnet Specialist Kiel Ursin of
Boomerang Carnets for a practical, plain-English walkthrough of how ATA Carnets
work, what qualifies and how to avoid costly customs mistakes. Kiel’s tips can save
your firm both time and money at the border.
Did you significantly grow your exports in 2025? You may be eligible to apply
for an Exporter of the Year Award. Applications are due March 15. 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 this opportunity to spread the word about your 2025
export success!
The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program is returning to Montana,
and applications are now open to small business owners ready to grow. This tuition-
free, 12-week program offers one-on-one advice and personalized guidance, as well
as better tools, clearer financials, stronger strategy and a trusted peer network to help
grow small businesses. Participants will learn practical, immediately usable skills from
experienced faculty and join a national community of entrepreneurs who keep
collaborating long after graduation. Businesses must be at least two years old, have at
least two employees and have revenues over $75,000 in the most recent fiscal year.
Classes start in September.
Housing
The Montana Board of Housing’s Single Family Mortgage Bonds 2026 Series-A
closes today, Feb. 19, in the amount of $70 million. With this successful bond sale, the
Board can continue to provide attractive, below market interest rates to first-time
homebuyers and other eligible borrowers. Currently, the Board's Regular Bond
Program lending rate is 5.625%.
Housing Coordinating Team Meeting: March 12. Join us for a discussion on housing
and community needs assessments. The Montana Board of Housing will share its
intention to procure a statewide housing needs assessment and will solicit feedback
from stakeholders on this call. Additionally, attendees will learn about MSU Extension’s
housing education and community coaching for rural communities, and the Commerce
Community MT Division’s Community Technical Assistance Program.
Montana Board of Housing public meeting: March 16
Montana Board of Housing public meeting: April 14
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is launching the Multifamily
Energy Retrofit Loan Program to provide low-interest loans to existing
multifamily affordable housing facilities for energy efficiency improvements. The
MERL Program aims to lower energy costs of multifamily housing facilities and improve
comfort and energy performance of buildings. Some examples of eligible measures
funded under the program include air sealing, insulation, windows and efficient heating
and cooling systems. All measures must be recommended via a qualifying energy
audit and must be life-cycle cost effective.
Loan Terms:
No application fee
2026 interest rate: 2%, fixed for the term of the loan, 2.055% APR. APR is based
on an $800,000 loan, 2% interest rate, 15-year term and $3,142 in closing costs.
Loan amount: $100,000 to $1,000,000
Loan term: 15 years or useful life of the measure(s), whichever comes first.
The MERL Program was established with federal funds and all projects are subject to
federal requirements including Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage, Build America Buy
America for publicly owned facilities, the National Environmental Policy Act and the
National Historic Preservation Act. MERL projects are also subject to state
requirements.
For more information, visit the MERL Program web page or contact MERL Program
Manager Meranda Bass at msikes@mt.gov or 406-444-6586.
Infrastructure and Planning
Commerce is accepting applications for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant
through 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.
The Uniform Application for Montana Public Facility Projects, which is part of
Commerce’s Montana Coal Endowment Program’s application, has been
updated and is available for use. The updates include a preliminary engineering
report outline with requirements for irrigation projects, an application that now requests
information regarding short-lived assets and contact information including links and
phone numbers.
Commerce will be scheduling a preapplication workshop for the Montana Coal
Endowment Program’s 2029 Biennium application. More information will be
available on the Meetings and Events web page once scheduled.
The Montana Main Street Program is seeking nominations for their Excellence on
Main Street Awards. The award categories include best event, best education project
or activity and small business of the year. The deadline for submitting nominations is
March 15. Excellence On Main Street Awards Guidelines.
Commerce News/Upcoming Events
Mark your calendar for the 2026 Made in Montana Trade Show for Food and
Gifts, Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds in
Helena. This is the premier statewide event to see, sample and purchase the newest
products and developments in the Made in Montana food and gift industry. Businesses
interested in attending wholesale buyer day on March 13 must register here.
The Montana Heritage Commission is looking for concessionaires interested in
running business operations in historic Virginia City, Nevada City and Reeder's Alley in
Helena. A list of currently available opportunities is at commerce.mt.gov. Please
email mhc@mt.gov with any questions.
The Montana Departments of Commerce and Public Health and Human Services
are collaborating on various housing and service programs administered by
their respective agencies. One of these programs is Money Follows the Person,
administered by DPHHS. The MFP Program provides a smooth transition for
individuals moving from an institutional setting back into the community for people who:
Resided in an institutional care setting for 60 days at the time of transition;
Medicaid must pay for one of the days that the individual is in the institutional
setting. A person can be eligible for Medicaid and Medicaid to not pay for one of
those days; and
Are eligible for a Montana waiver program. State plan eligibility is not sufficient
for MFP purposes.
If you know a person who may benefit from this support, please consider making a
referral to DPHHS. For more information about the MFP Program, visit dphhs.mt.gov.
The World Trade and Investment Day will be held May 12 in Butte. This event
brings together exporters, importers, investors, policymakers and service providers to
explore global market opportunities, supply chains, foreign direct investment and the
real-world challenges Montana firms face doing business internationally.
Montana Board of Housing Annual Compliance Conference: April 27-30 at
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Registration is now open. The training's agenda is still
being finalized. A general trimline includes:
Event check-in begins at 9 a.m. on April 27.
LIHTC instruction will begin April 28 at approximately 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
LIHTC instruction will continue April 29 at the same approximate times.
The HCCP exam will be offered to all interested parties in the morning of April
30.
A block of rooms has been set aside for attendees at the state lodging rate. Please
contact Fairmont Hot Springs Resort directly to reserve your lodging and be sure to
mention that you are attending the Montana Board of Housing Annual Compliance
Conference. Registration for the event this year is $550 per attendee. Click here to
register. Commerce's MBOH team is looking forward to seeing you there.
Save the date for the 2026 Housing Partnership Conference, May 18-20 at
Fairmont Hot Springs. Registration will open in late February. This conference brings
together housing professionals, policymakers, developers and advocates from across
the state and nation to explore innovative solutions, share expertise and collaborate on
the future of affordable housing in Montana.
Sponsoring the Montana Housing Partnership Conference puts your organization in
front of housing leaders and decision makers from across the state before, during and
after the event. More sponsorship information is available here.
Save the date for the 2026 Montana Department of Commerce Governor’s
Conference on Tourism. This year’s conference will be held Sept. 16-18 in Great
Falls. The event brings together more than 350 tourism and business professionals to
educate, network and inspire one another. More information will be available on
the conference website when registration opens this spring.
UPDATE SUBSCRIBER PREFERENCES
Montana Department of Commerce
301 S Park Ave, Helena, MT 59620
Contact Us: 406-841-2700
commerce.mt.gov
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Montana Department of Commerce
301 S Park Ave, Helena, MT 59620
406-841-2700