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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Jan 29, 2016 |
No one ever learned anything while speaking.
The 2016 Missoula Business Women's Symposium, 1/30, Missoula http://www.matr.net/ev ... =5750 --- CodeGirl Movie & 2016 Technovation Challenge, 1/31, Missoula, Montana http://www.matr.net/ev ... =5763 --- Is Missoula Ready For Climate Change? A Discussion With Steve Loken Of Climate.Place, 2/3, Missoula, Montana http://www.matr.net/ev ... =5774
Big Sky Economic Development
Early Edge Montana
- Let's not be careless with Montana's economic future
I'm not writing to argue for a more "ideal energy portfolio" or to advocate for more or less coal, I'm compelled to write because we cannot afford to be careless about the value of reliable, affordable energy and the jobs that it creates for Montana.
Montana Department of Commerce
- State Pre-K Funding for 2015-16 Fiscal Year: National trends in state preschool funding
State Pre-K Funding for 2015-16 Fiscal Year: National trends in state preschool funding highlights an increase in early learning programs for the fourth-straight year
Montana Politics & Legislature
- Small Business Development Center Network: Guiding Montana Businesses to Success Annual Report 2015
We are proud to publish this summary of our productivity and economic impact for 2015.
Montana Technology Innovation Partnership
- Documents allege Right to Work's involvement in Montana elections
Thousands of newly uncovered documents and recently filed court records bolster already mounting evidence tying the anti-union National Right to Work Committee to the political activities of conservative nonprofit groups accused of improperly coordinating Republican legislative primary campaigns in Montana.
- Gov. Steve Bullock says Montana economy strong
"Our economy is strong," the governor said. "The state's ability to work collaboratively with the private sector has never been better. There is a lot to be excited about."
Montana Office of Tourism & Economic Development
- NIH SBIR/STTR Program Overview Webinar, 2/10
Learn about their upcoming solicitations and have your questions answered by a direct representative from NIH's SBIR/STTR Program!
Visit Montana - Montana Dept. of Tourism
- Montana Office of Tourism, Department of Commerce | Official Tourism Industry News
Made in Montana Trade Show Wholesale Buyer Registration Begins
- Made in Montana Trade Show Wholesale Buyer Registration Begins
As store owners, distributors and restaurants, this allows you the opportunity to do business with companies specializing in authentic Made in Montana products, which are high in demand.
Energy and Climate Change
- Patty Aaberg & The Great Northern Bed & Breakfast - Hospitality and fine dining on the Hi-Line
"Since they opened, Aaberg has been an artist asset to our community. For new providers she showcases really good food, with a dash of culture. She's top of a great trip when recruiters come here. Her food is to die for. She caters to what the feel or mood is. She serves in a stunning dining setting for private parties at the B & B. She hires local kids to serve."
Come Home Montana
- Montana rancher looks to the past to prepare for tomorrow's climate
"This is kind of scary," Kalsta admits. "(But) we've still got time to turn this thing around."
- Please Stop Saying Humans Aren't Causing Climate Change
"Natural climate variations just can't explain the observed recent global heat records, but manmade global warming can," said Prof Stefan Rahmstorf, at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany and one of the research team.
- SunShot Program Seeks to Lower Solar-Plus-Storage Costs to 14 Cents per Kilowatt-Hour
The Department of Energy's SunShot program is already well on its way toward achieving its goal for solar PV at $1 per watt installed cost, or 6 cents per kilowatt-hour.
- National clean energy innovator to keynote Vermont's Climate Economy Summit
The goal is to grow Vermont jobs linked to adaptation, mitigation, and reversing the effects of climate change and make Vermont a national leader in this sector.
- France to pave 1,000km of road with solar panels supplying power to millions of people.
"The maximum effect of the programme, if successful, could be to furnish 5 million people with electricity, or about 8% of the French population"
- The Cheapest Way to Scale Up Wind and Solar Energy? High-Tech Power Lines
The U.S. could dramatically increase solar and wind power without expensive energy storage.
- Energy Storage Will Boom in 2016, Analysts Say
Energy storage promises to be important for utilities, which can use batteries as resources for avoiding blackouts, avoiding the building of unnecessary infrastructure and relying on quick-start energy generation less often.
- Here Are All the Senators Who Do and Don't Believe in Human-Caused Climate Change
United States Senators stood up for what they believed in today--and it wasn't pretty.
- PUC gives big boost to solar rooftop industry in California
A big win for green energy backers
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Montana Career Opportunities - Web Developer/Design, Mathematics Instructor, eLearning Instructional Technologist and more... - University of Montana Western
The campus is located in the town of Dillon in the scenic Beaverhead Valley of southwestern Montana.
- Bitterroot sees higher demand for skilled workers
Qualified job seekers in Ravalli County may be having more luck obtaining employment. But some employers are having a harder time filling jobs that require specialized skills.
Montana Business
- Liz Marchi - Attracting investors to 'Big Sky' and its entrepreneurs
"The entire conversation and perception needs to move about rural America, what is going on here and its role in making our economy and our country work better," she said, expressing the principle that has guided her commitment to Montana entrepreneurs.
Careers
- Glo European Windows Awarded USGBC Montana Sustainability Merit Award
"The USGBC Montana promotes environmental stewardship and green building practices" said Mark Wells, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Glo European Windows. "It is a great honor to receive this award and this recognition from the USGBC".
- Labor Officials: Montana Economy Added Over 10,000 Jobs in 2015
"More Montanans are working today than ever before and that's a testament to the small business environment we've worked so hard to strengthen over the last three years," said Gov. Steve Bullock, who noted that Montana's unemployment rate now falls a full percentage point below the national average.
- Montana-made cheese from Flathead Lake Cheese tempts taste buds and brings tourists to the state.
"It's amazing the level of personal connection. I love being a small business owner."
- Experts project favorable economy for Great Falls, state
The Cascade County economy, like that of Montana, can expect "good if not great growth" led by manufacturing gains in the coming year, experts from the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Development said Wednesday.
- Montana Economic Development Report
The state of MONTANA'S economy is strong. -Governor Steve Bullock
- GeoFli - Personalize your website based on location.
GeoFli allows users to replace existing website content with relevant information based on location.
- Doctor Shortage in Northwest Montana Leads to Questions of Health Care Access
Visiting a primary care doctor in Montana to catch these health problems early can be a challenge in itself.
Next Generation Broadband in Montana
- Goldman Sachs' Plan To Get More Older Women Back To Work
The odds are stacked against women over 50 who want to return to work. This program tries to help them.
- Waving goodbye to a bit of Americana -- the lumberjack
As markets for forest products change and high-tech machinery replaces chain saws, which themselves replaced the ax, a generations-old way of life is disappearing.
Rural Communities
- 'Cool & Connected' Program Gives Struggling Communities a Shot at Broadband
This new program offered through the Environmental Protection Agency will lend broadband expertise to small and rural communities.
- Rural broadband advocates: state's efforts 'insignificant'
"The increase is only slightly better than nothing."
- Senators Whine About FCC's 25 Mbps Broadband Standard, Insist Nobody Needs That Much Bandwidth
At the end of the day, incumbent providers and the politicians who love them are simply annoyed that the FCC has any standards whatsoever, since that makes it immeasurably harder to pretend that the nation's broadband competition and connectivity issues don't exist.
Business Plan Forums
- Breaking Down Rural - Urban Barriers
We believe that people are more likely to do good work together when they have meaningful experiences in one another's communities and are invested in their relationship to one another.
Government
- Lewistown, Montana Downtown District ROC 59457 Business Plan Competition!
ROC 59457 is a business plan competition designed to make your business idea into a reality within the Lewistown downtown district.
Idaho Business
- Montana averts huge shortfall for health care system
Gov. Steve Bullock said Tuesday his budget officers originally projected a $12 million deficit last year for the Montana State Employee Health Plan. Instead, state officials squeezed out $2 million in savings -- partly because of wider use of Montana's six state-run health clinics.
- Montana Senator Jon Tester unveils bipartisan bill to reduce government waste and save millions
"Senator Tester has shown tremendous leadership in putting forth thoughtful, targeted legislation that will address the major problems identified with administrative leave usage and reporting, while preserving agency flexibility, due process and employee rights," said Tim Dirks, Interim President of the Senior Executives Association.
- Betsy Markey named Regional Administrator of SBA's Denver-based Region VIII
The region is based in Denver and covers the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
- Montana Senator Jon Tester brings famed DeLorean sports car back to the future
Thanks to car enthusiast and U.S. Senator Jon Tester, the DeLorean Motor Company is bringing its famed DMC-12 model sports car back for future car buyers to enjoy.
Utah Economic Development
- Idaho 2020: State's aversion to public financing hurts economy
An economic study by Idaho 2020, the new policy group comprising some of Idaho's leading business executives, finds high barriers to municipal financing in Idaho that are "critical to necessary investment in public infrastructure" and commonly in use by neighboring states.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Workforce development, education funding top business community's legislative priorities
Making sure the state has an adequately educated workforce, low taxes, effective regulation and a well-maintained infrastructure rank among the most important issues lawmakers will face in the 2016 Legislature, according to Utah business leaders.
Education
- Why Business Schools Should Let Their Students Start Businesses
Students sense a gap between what they are learning in the classroom and the application of that learning to their career objectives.
Missoula Children's Theatre
- Are charter schools the new subprime loans? (Think 'The Big Short')
If something happens with the charter school, the authorizers don't have to clean up the mess.
- Top ten mistakes students make on the FAFSA
There are some common mistakes that tend to crop up when students begin to apply for college loans. Learn how to avoid them in order to get the most possible in student aid.
Montana Education Excellence
- "You biscotti be kidding me!" No kidding! Well, lots of kidding...This is the LAST weekend to catch the infectious laughter that is The Drowsy Chaperone at MCT
This is the LAST weekend to catch the infectious laughter that is The Drowsy Chaperone. After seeing this show, it is very likely you'll never look at ice water the same way again! Or roller skates...or monkeys...or gangsters...or the word "drowsy"...or musicals in general!
Community
- The perils of school privatization in Montana
Our public's schools are diminished by every Walter Cunningham or Scout Finch who doesn't attend one. And so are our we.
- UM Student Documentary "Everyone in Between" Wins Big at Utah Film Festival
As part of the Fusion Doc Challenge, the film also will screen in Missoula during the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February.
- University of Montana, Missoula County Public Schools Collaborate to Create a 21st Century Learning Environment
SHAPE 2.0 is the beginning of a new national narrative. Americans know it's time for a change, and Missoula is leading the way.
- University of Montana hiring practices questioned by coalition - Religion plays no part in UM hiring
Since Perry Brown took the post of interim provost at the University of Montana in 2010, the campus has filled several high-profile positions with people who share his Mormon faith or received their education at Utah State University.
- Passion projects teach Bozeman students creative thinking
Keith, the 2010 Montana teacher of the year, feels so strongly about the importance of passion projects, she has set aside one class period a week -- 48 minutes, or 20 percent of class time.
- University of Montana Western - 'Experience One' - a more practical way to learn.
The University of Montana Western is the only public college in the country to offer a block scheduling program.
Funding and Building your Business
- What It Means to Be a 'Smart City'
There's such a strong emotional connection to places we love, and smart cities need to be built with this objective in mind.
Connectivity & Communications
- ExporTech™: Developing International Market Strategies for Montana's Businesses
With so many more people outside of the United States, exporting can be a huge opportunity for many small businesses.
- Five Signs That You're Really Ready for Talent Analytics
Talent Analytics can help you understand why certain candidates fail after their hiring while others succeed.
- Early Stage Investing For Entrepreneurs And Individual Investors Just Got A Whole Lot More Attractive
Uncle Sam has thrown a huge bone to early stage investors and founders.
- Five Montana businesses graduate from MSU's Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) export program
The program, offered by MSU's Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC), ran for 10 weeks and included three full-day workshops on campus during which each company developed a written export plan that was vetted by a panel of experts.
- President Obama's new plan would help small business workers save for retirement
The latest proposal would remove the requirement on industries, making it possible for small businesses in different fields to work together to offer retirement plans to employees.
- How to Identify Employees Who Are at Risk of Quitting Your Small Firm
You can get that extra time with indicators that let you know who is likely to leave.
- What Investigative Reporters Can Teach You About Interviewing Job Candidates
Three experienced journalists offer their advice for getting revealing answers.
- 2016 Invest in Success Conference - New and Exiting Conference Features Recently Added The largest Montana small business conference keeps getting bigger!
Looking forward to seeing you in Havre on March 15-16
Government Technology
- Six Senators Including Sen. Steve Daines Want To Slow Down High-Speed Internet
Read the senators' entire letter below. Bonus points if you can see where they just copy and pasted sentences from ISP lobbyists.
Non-Profit News
- Conquer Chicago's Mountain of Data With This Powerful Tool
Chicago has done a good job of supporting the developer community, which has created civic-focused apps based on the data sets APIs.
- 5 Steps to Speeding Up Smart Government (by Slowing Down)
A study by the Harvard Business Review found that companies that "slowed down to speed up" performed much better -- averaging 40 percent higher sales and 52 percent higher operating profits over a three-year period.
- 2016 Nonprofit Management Series - Montana Nonprofit Association
This spring, the Montana Nonprofit Association is proud to present its fourth Nonprofit Management Series in Dillon and Missoula.
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