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Home My WebLink About04-09-26 Correspondence - MT Dept of Commerce - Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 3, Issue 14From:Montana Department of CommerceTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 3, Issue 14Date:Thursday, April 9, 2026 2:36:51 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. April 9, 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. Infrastructure and Planning The Montana Main Street Program seeks additions to its MMS mural catalog. Any MMS member can submit a mural by visiting the project's webpage. The Montana Main Street and Downtown Conference is open for registrations. The event will be held in Glasgow, April 29-May 1. 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 accept applications for the Montana Coal Endowment Program now through May 19 at 11:59 p.m. Application guidelines can be found on the MCEP web page; eligible parties should visit the grants and loans portal to apply. The Community Development Block Grant Planning Program will begin accepting applications for a third round of funding starting May 26 through 11:59 p.m. on Jul. 10. Application guidelines are available on the CDBG Planning website. The Montana Coal Board will hold its next quarterly meeting on June 4 in Billings. Grant applications to be considered at this meeting are due no later than midnight on April 20. Visit the grants and loans portal to apply. Business The Opportunities in Rural Economies Program is accepting applications from economic development organizations through its online application portal. The enrollment period is open-ended; organizations engaged in active economic development are encouraged to apply. Lenders interested in participating in the ORE Loan Participation Program may contact program staff for more information and, if eligible, will be required to execute a General Lender Loan Servicing Agreement with Commerce. For more information, 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-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 is on the SSBCI web page. Native American Collateral Support Program funding is available. The NACS Program is 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 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program is returning to Montana. Applications are open until May 18 for this tuition-free, 12-week program. One-on-one advice and personalized guidance, as well as better tools, clearer financials, stronger strategy and a trusted peer network will be offered to help grow small businesses. Participants will learn 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 revenues over $75,000 in the most recent fiscal year. Classes start in September. Join Commerce’s export team for a trade mission to Argentina and Uruguay, Sept. 7-11, to initiate or expand your business profile. Montana companies are well- positioned to benefit from exports and increase their international sales in these countries. For more information, contact our export team. Join Commerce’s export team for a trade mission to the United Arab Emirates, Oct. 26-30. The UAE is a significant economic region and a gateway to the Middle Eastern market. It offers an ideal platform due to its business-friendly environment, strategic connectivity and status as a commercial hub serving more than 2.5 billion consumers across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and parts of Europe. For more information, contact International Marketing Officer Rebecca Bruno at 406-804-9334 or rbruno@mt.gov. Housing Montana Board of Housing public meeting: April 14 Montana Board of Housing Public Meeting: May 11 and 12. Public Hearing: Fiscal Year 2027 Public Housing Authority Annual Plan and Administrative Plan: April 15 at 10 a.m. Commerce announces the public hearing for the Fiscal Year 2027 Public Housing Authority Annual Plan and Administrative Plan for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, the Moderate Rehabilitation Program and related voucher programs. The PHA Annual Plan, which includes the 2027 Administrative Plan, has been developed and published to incorporate new federal regulatory requirements and other administrative modifications. The public is now encouraged to review the draft document and provide feedback. The hearing will be held on Zoom; presentation materials will be available on Commerce’s website in advance. The hearing will give attendees an opportunity to respond to Commerce’s FY2027 PHA Annual Plan and Administrative Plan. Commerce will consider any comments or views provided orally during the public hearing or in writing during the comment period from March 2 to April 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. Commerce continues to wait for the allocation amounts for the Community Development Block Grant, Housing Trust Fund and HOME Investment Partnerships Programs. These programs anticipate those allocations in the coming weeks and expect the amounts to be similar to what Commerce received in 2025. HOME, HTF and CDBG-Housing applications will be due Sept. 15. Commerce has suspended its CDBG-Housing Stabilization Program because all funds earmarked for single-family rehabilitation activities have been awarded. Applications will be accepted when 2026 funds become available this fall. The Draft 2025 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report and 2026 Annual Action Plan will be available for public comment late May and mid-June. Watch for upcoming opportunities to comment on the CAPER and AAP on June 10 and July 9. Survey: Commerce’s Community Housing Program invites you to help streamline the Community Development Block Grant Housing Stabilization Program. Please share your input by April 30 on this important program that enriches the lives of many Montanans. Commerce News/Upcoming Events Commerce Allocates Grant Funding to Four Coal-Impacted Communities Governor Gianforte Unveils Montana’s New Highway Welcome Signs Montana Department of Commerce Allocates Planning Grants to Eight Montana Communities Commerce Awards Grant Funding for Tourism-Related Emergency Service Projects The Montana Heritage Commission is looking for concessionaires interested in running business operations in Virginia 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. Commerce's Census and Economic Information Center is soliciting suggestions from county officials for the Block Boundary Submission Project for the 2030 Decennial Census to adjust Census Block Boundaries by May 29. For further information you can visit the US Census Bureau Redistricting Data Program page. 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. Register now for the 2026 Housing Partnership Conference, May 18-20 at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. 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. This year’s agenda features inspiring plenaries, practical breakout sessions and meaningful networking opportunities designed to strengthen housing solutions across our state. The Montana Heritage Commission will meet June 5 at 9 a.m. via Zoom. Registration is required; click the Zoom link in advance to do so. Save the date for the 2026 Montana Department of Commerce Governor’s Conference on Tourism, 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 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