Bootstrap Montana Celebrates One Year Anniversary – Loans help nine entrepreneurs

The Bootstrap Montana Loan Program http://www.techranch.org/programs/bootstrapmontana.php is celebrating its
first year of establishment. In late 2007, TechRanch http://www.techranch.org bpartnered with the Gianforte Family
Charitable Trust to create the Bootstrap Montana Loan Program.

This program is currently
deploying $90,000 in micro-loans throughout rural Montana. Bootstrap Montana is the first
program of its kind to spur economic growth in Montana’s under-served rural communities. The
loans range from $5,000 to $20,000 and come with a 0% interest rate for the first year. They are
designed to assist rural Montana companies in accelerating revenue growth. Over its inaugural
year, Bootstrap Montana awarded nine loans to entrepreneurs across Montana.

Poland Culinary Vacations is a most recent recipient of a Bootstrap Montana loan. Malgorzata
(Sarna) Rose, founder and president of Poland Culinary Vacations, Inc., is a native of Poland who
turned her love and passion for travel and everything Polish into a first-class culinary travel
company. Sarna plans to use her Bootstrap Montana loan for a unique marketing strategy to allow
travel writers to experience her offering. Sarna plans to establish her company’s credibility through
reviews which will lead to word-of-mouth advertising that will lead to reservations.

For more
information on Poland Culinary Vacations, please visit http://www.polandculinaryvacations.com.

Great Northern Cattle Co., LLC, located in Red Lodge, MT is another recent recipient of a
Bootstrap Montana loan. This company provides niche market beef items to wholesale customers
country-wide. The company is primarily focused on Wagyu and organic beef markets. Derek
Kampfe, Founder and CEO of Great Northern Cattle Company, is using his loan funds to assist in
the hiring of a part time, soon to be full time, sales and customer service manager to manage his
growing list of accounts and augment his personal new-account sales efforts.

By reaching over 300 of Montana’s rural entrepreneurs via the loan program, it is with honor that
Bootstrap Montana celebrates its inaugural year. The program will continue to gain success and
provide effective funding for rural entrepreneurs. Bootstrap Montana plans to expand its loaning
capabilities to further rural Montana business development.

About Bootstrap Montana:

Bootstrap Montana, http://www.bootstrapmontana.org, is an initiative created by the Gianforte Family
Charitable Trust and further supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Seminar sponsors
include Zoot Enterprises, First Interstate, MSU-Great Falls College of Technology, and First West
Insurance. It is administered by Montana’s leading not-for-profit business accelerator, TechRanch.
0% interest loans are available to small Montana businesses through the program, as well as the
opportunity to attend the seminars.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Media Contact: Prairie Lee, Business Manager, TechRanch http://www.techranch.org
406-556-0272, [email protected]

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Bootstrap loans help nine entrepreneurs

By Chronicle Staff

At the end of its first year, Bootstrap Montana Loan Program, a partnership between the Bozeman-based TechRanch and the Gianforte Family Charitable Trust, has deployed $90,000 in micro-loans and helped nine entrepreneurs across rural Montana.

The loans, which range from $5,000 to $20,000, have a 0 percent interest rate for the first year and are designed to help Montana companies spur growth.

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2008/12/20/news/80bootstrap.txt