HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-08-26 Correspondence - Montana Department of Commerce - Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 3, Issue 40From:Montana Department of CommerceTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]Commerce Weekly Roundup - Volume 3, Issue 40Date:Thursday, October 8, 2026 2:00:56 PM
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Oct. 8, 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 Best of Show Flower Competition awards:
Best of Show for Hanging Flower Basket to Livingston with Great Falls and Bozeman
in second and third. Best of Show for Flower Planter to Great Falls, followed by Cut
Bank and Roundup in second and third place. For more information on the Montana
Main Street Program, visit commerce.mt.gov
The Community Technical Assistance Program can help with community planning
needs, including growth policies, subdivision regulations, downtown master plans or
long- or short-range planning. Contact the CTAP team for more information.
The CTAP team has begun scheduling community outreach opportunities around the
state. CTAP team members will be available Oct. 13 in Baker to discuss community
benefit agreement and existing and upcoming CTAP resources. They will also be
available Oct. 14 in Hardin to provide a training with the Hardin City-County Planning
Board.
The Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Program is accepting applications
until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 28. The application guidelines are posted on the METAP web
page; the funding opportunity is available on the Montana Grants and Loans Portal.
The Montana Main Street Program seeks additions to its MMS murals catalog. MMS
members may submit a mural by visiting the project's web page.
The Community Development Block Grant Program is accepting applications for
the Public and Community Facilities Program through Oct. 30 by 11:59 p.m. Eligible
applicants are limited to counties, incorporated cities and towns and consolidated city-
county governments. The application guidelines are available on the CDBG web page;
interested parties can apply through the Montana Grants and Loans Portal.
The Montana Coal Board will hold its next quarterly meeting on Dec. 10 in Billings.
Grant applications to be considered at this meeting are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on
Oct. 26. Visit the Montana Grants and Loans Portal to apply.
Business
The Agritourism Grant Program will accept applications through Oct. 22. These
grants support tribal and agricultural businesses and rural communities by assisting
with diversifying operations, developing and enhancing agritourism opportunities and
generating tourism revenue for the benefit of local Montana economies.
Commerce will host an Agritourism Grants Program webinar on Oct. 20 at noon. The
webinar will include an overview of the program, the 2027 application, scoring criteria,
the timeline and a Q & A session.
Commerce's Tribal Tourism Grant is now open. This grant is available to the tribal
nations of Montana for shovel-ready tourism projects. Updates to the TTG guidelines
approved by the State Tribal Economic Development Commission include an increase
in the award amount and a reduction in the match requirement. The grant closes at
11:59 p.m. on Nov. 30.
Commerce's Tribal Tourism Small Business Grant is now open. This grant is
available to enrolled citizens of Montana’s tribal nations aged 18-years old or older who
operate or wish to start a tribal tourism business in one of these categories:
Business that supports tribal tourism industry in Montana
Hosted accommodations, tours or experiences
Licensed food or beverage business, mobile or brick-and-mortar location
Licensed outfitter or guide in hunting or fishing
Native American Made in Montana producer or retailer
Updates to the TTSB guidelines approved by the STED Commission include an
increase in the award amount, changes to the match requirement and a cooling-off
period on award frequency. Applicants are encouraged to meet with a Native American
Business Advisor for technical assistance and business plan development. The grant
closes at 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 30.
The exhibitor application for the 2027 Made in Montana Trade Show is now open.
MIM members can apply online now until Oct. 31. Current MIM members who want to
grow their business through the wholesale market are encouraged to submit a trade
show exhibitor application.
Commerce’s Opportunities in Rural Economies Loan Participation Program is
expanding support for rural business growth and community development with a new
application cycle. The application cycle is now open and closes Oct. 30. The program
will make $8 million available to help finance eligible projects across Montana’s rural
communities. Eligible projects will be required to provide a one-to-one match.
Economic development organizations can apply to enroll in the ORE Program.
Enrollment is open-ended; organizations involved in regional economic development
and business assistance are encouraged to participate. Lenders interested in
partnering with the ORE Program are encouraged to contact program staff.
Participating lenders must execute a General Lender Loan Servicing Agreement. For
program information or lender participation details, contact Business Resource Partner
Josh Bennett at 406-841-2748 or josh.bennett@mt.gov.
SHOT Show sponsorship opportunities are available: Commerce’s business
attraction team announces the availability of sponsorship opportunities for Montana's
SHOT Show 2027 presence in Las Vegas in January. This show is one of the premier
events for the shooting sports and hunting and outdoor recreation industries. It also
helps the team promote Montana manufacturers, recruit new businesses and
strengthen industry partnerships.
Sponsorships support Montana's signature networking events and the new Montana
Room at the show while providing valuable brand exposure and networking
opportunities for participants. Oct. 16 is the sponsorship deadline. For more
information, see this sponsorship flyer or contact Business Attraction Coordinator
Cameron Johnson at camjohnson@mt.gov or 406-471-4418.
The Montana Automation Financing Program offers two funding opportunities for
Montana-based manufacturing businesses seeking to upgrade, replace or expand
equipment through automation and modernization investments: direct loans and
collateral support. The direct loan application window is open through Oct. 23.
Commerce will service eligible direct loans of up to $100,000. The collateral support
application window opens later this year. For details, contact Business Resource
Specialist Josh Bennett at josh.bennett@mt.gov or 406-841-2748.
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.
Housing
The Montana Board of Housing, administratively attached to Commerce, attended the
National Council of State Housing Agencies Annual Conference in Detroit this week.
Staff and board members attended AI workshops, single family and servicing
roundtable discussions, sessions on board governance, mortgage revenue bond
finance, rural housing preservation and starter home construction. MBOH attendees
connected with finance partners and vendors and swapped best practices with peers
from across the country.
MBOH thanks the Michigan State Housing Development Authority for hosting this
event, as well as the hardworking team at NCSHA.
The Montana Housing Partnership has opened its Affinity Groups Launch Survey
to gather input to help shape upcoming asset and property management, housing
preservation and development groups. Feedback will guide topics, tools and early
priorities. The survey closes Oct. 19.
MBOH Board Training: Oct. 19.
MBOH Public Meeting: Oct. 20.
Commerce News/Upcoming Events
The Montana Heritage Commission seeks concessionaires interested in running
business operations in historic Virginia City, Nevada City and Reeder's Alley in Helena.
A list of currently available opportunities can be found at commerce.mt.gov. Email
mhc@mt.gov with any questions.
Training opportunity: The 2026 Montana Co-op Academy is a two-track training
and connection event for cooperative leaders, rising leaders, outreach staff,
community partners and people supporting cooperative development work across
Montana. Hosted by the Montana Council of Cooperatives and co-hosted with
Montana’s credit unions, the event will bring together people working inside existing
co-ops and people helping communities explore cooperative solutions.
Trainings will be held Oct. 19-21 at the Spring Hill Suites in Bozeman. Register here.
These trainings are made possible with support from the Cooperative Development
Foundation and Commerce.
Register now for the 2026 Governor’s Summit on Montana Food and Agriculture,
which will be held Oct. 23-24 in Helena. The summit, hosted by the Grow Montana
Food Policy Coalition in partnership with the Montana Department of Agriculture and
the Governor’s Office, aims to gather Montanans to design a strategic roadmap toward
solving pinch points in the state’s supply chain. This event will feature speakers and
regional work sessions focused on identifying gaps and opportunities in the
distribution, marketing, production and retailing of food grown and produced in
Montana.
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Montana Department of Commerce
301 S Park Ave, Helena, MT 59620
406-841-2700