Sen. Baucus honored for helping small business

The Gallatin Development Corp. http://www.bozeman.org honored Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., Tuesday night for his help in getting a nearly $1 million grant for a small business training progam.

By Chronicle Staff

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2004/10/27/news/baucus.txt

"I’m honored by this award," Baucus said in a prepared statement. "But the real winner here is Montana’s small businesses.

"Providing entrepreneurs with the resources they need to get their businesses up and running is vital to helping create jobs and boosting our state’s economy," he said.

Baucus received the Entrepreneurship Advocate Award for his help getting a $989,477 grant from the Small Business Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The money will be used to establish a joint program between the GDC and the Montana Community Development Corp. http://www.mtcdc.org/ to provide technical training to small businesses looking to expand in Bozeman, Missoula and throughout Montana.

He received the award at the GDC’s annual dinner.

The grant will allow the groups to take "what we’re already doing through the Small Business Development Center to another level," Mark Evans, GDC executive director, said in September.

"What we haven’t been able to do … under the current set up is work with … existing businesses that are really poised to grow but need assistance in some areas," Evans said.