Montana Department of Commerce Small Business Development Center Network

The Montana Small Business Development Center Network provides free, confidential, one-on-one business consulting and low cost group trainings to businesses and prospective entrepreneurs enabling them to compete more effectively in the domestic and global economies. SBDC assistance is tailored to the local communities and needs of individual clients. The network includes 10 sub-centers that are located in local host economic development organizations across the state, allowing for a direct, grassroots implementation of the needs of the local business community.

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Many thanks to Ann Desch -Montana State SBDC Director, for providing this valuable information. If you have an existing company or hope to build one, contact your local office for invaluable assitance and guidance. These are the experts who can help you succeed.

Russ

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The ten Small Business Development Centers are operated and funded in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Montana Department of Commerce (MDOC) and local economic development organizations. SBDC offices are located in Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Colstrip, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Missoula, and Wolf Point. Through its network of resources, the Montana SBDC makes a significant investment in enhancing local economies through the strategic efforts and community linkages of the host organization. SBDC Directors provide local individual assistance to business owners by discussing the feasibility of an idea, developing a business plan, analyzing company profitability, assessing markets and products, and finding sources of capital.

A core competency of the SBDC network is the ability to assist companies with business planning and financial analysis in preparation for financing from banks and non-bank lenders. The SBDC network counsels approximately 1,500 start-ups and existing businesses per year. To provide a continuum of services, the SBDC refers clients to other resource partners that have specific expertise, such as SBA’s SCORE program, the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center; the MDOC Regional Development Program, MicroBusiness Finance Program, Small Business Innovation Research Program and MicroTechnical Assistance/NxLeveL program; Job Service/Business Advocates; and Montana Department of Agriculture business assistance programs.

The SBDC is part of a national network of over 1,000 local SBDC offices that are administered through 63 lead centers located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa. The Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) provides support, direction, and training to the MDOC Lead Center through access to national resources and lobbying efforts at the national level. The ASBDC also oversees the accreditation of the SBDCs which is based on the Baldrige Quality criteria. SBDCs must be accredited by the ASBDC to receive SBA funding. The Montana SBDC obtained a positive review and was accredited with conditions based on a site visit to nine of the subcenters in November 2003. The MDOC is currently making progress in meeting those conditions, which need to be completed by November 2004.

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Montana Small Business Development Center Network

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HELENA STATE OFFICE

Ann Desch, State Director

Montana SBDC

Department of Commerce

PO Box 200505/301 S. Park Ave, Room 114

Helena MT 59620

406-841-2746 FAX: 406-841-2728

E-mail:

Website: http://commerce.state.mt.us/brd/BRD_SBDC.html

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Rebecca Cooper, Administrative Officer

Montana SBDC

Department of Commerce

PO Box 200505/301 S. Park Ave., Room 114

Helena MT 59620

406-841-2750 FAX: 406-841-2728

E-mail:

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BILLINGS

Scott Langman, Director

Deanna South, Counselor

Small Business Development Center

Big Sky Economic Development Authority

222 North 32nd Street, Suite 200

Billings MT 59101

406-254-6014 FAX: 406-256-6877

E-mail:

Website: http://www.bigskyeda.org/

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BOZEMAN

Tracey Jette, Director

Small Business Development Center

Gallatin Development Corporation

222 East Main, Suite 102

Bozeman MT 59715

406-587-3113 FAX: 406-587-9565

E-mail:

Website: http://www.bozeman.org

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BUTTE

John Donovan, Director

Small Business Development Center

Southwest Montana Headwaters RC&D

305 West Mercury, Suite 211

Butte MT 59701

406-782-7333 FAX: 406-782-9675

E-mail:

Website: http://www.headwatersrcd.org

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COLSTRIP

David Anderson, Director

Small Business Development Center

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation

6200 Main/PO Box 1935

Colstrip MT 59323

406-748-2990 FAX: 406-748-2990

E-mail:

Website: http://www.semdc.org

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GREAT FALLS

Suzanne David, Director

Small Business Development Center

Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.

710 1st Avenue North/PO Box 2568

Great Falls MT 59403-2568

406-453-8834 FAX: 406-454-2995

E-mail:

Website: http://www.gfdevelopment.org

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HAVRE

Tiffany Korb, Director

Small Business Development Center

Bear Paw Development Corporation

48 2nd Avenue, Ryan Building

PO Box 170

Havre MT 59501

406-265-4945 FAX: 406-265-5602

E-mail:

Website: http://www.bearpaw.org

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HELENA

Dan Anderson, Director

Small Business Development Center

Gateway Economic Development Corporation

225 Cruse Avenue

Helena MT 59601

406-447-1512 FAX: 406-447-1514

E-mail:

Website: http://www.gatewayedc.org

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KALISPELL

Cliff Bennett, Director

Small Business Development Center

Kalispell Area Chamber of Commerce

15 Depot Park

Kalispell MT 59901

406-758-2802 FAX: 406-758-2805

E-mail:

Website: http://www.kalispellchamber.com

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MISSOULA

Steve Grover, Director

Small Business Development Center

Montana Community Development Corporation

110 East Broadway, 2nd Floor

Missoula MT 59802

406-728-9234 FAX: 406-542-6671

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.mtcdc.org

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WOLF POINT

Jay Boysun, Director

Small Business Development Center

Great Northern Development Corporation

233 Cascade St

Wolf Point MT 59201

406-653-2590 FAX: 406-653-1840

E-Mail:

Website: http://www.gndc.org