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| MATR Newsletter - Fri May 21, 2010 |
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"We must continue to push for better curriculum, more and better distance learning courses, and affordable and accessible higher education opportunities through dual enrollment to make Montana more competitive. The Montana Plan does just that." Governor Brian Schweitzer "Montana's Race To The Top - The State with the Best Education Wins!" News http://matr.net/news.p ... s!%22+
"CEOs Pick Best/Worst States for Business 2010" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Montana an example of fiscal policy -Video: Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Tom Brokaw on "Morning Joe" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Got Cupcakes?" - Winners Announced for the Montana University John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition " http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
"Montana's Race To The Top - The State with the Best Education Wins!"
The Best Place Project - Missoula, Montana's Five-Year Economic Development Strategy
- Waiting For Superman is Coming This Fall. Anyone concerned about our education system should see it.
For a nation that proudly declared it would leave no child behind, America continues to do so at alarming rates. Despite increased spending and politicians’ promises, our buckling public-education system, once the best in the world, routinely forsakes the education of millions of children.
- Guest opinion: Don’t forget low-income students in ‘Race to the Top’
Low-income/first-generation college students enrolled in Student Support Services programs persist and succeed in college at a greater rate than their peers.
- MSU awarded $1.2 million to strengthen undergraduate and precollege science education
MSU will use the $1.2 million, four-year award to better integrate biomedical curriculum, fund summer and academic-year undergraduate research experiences for MSU students and continue the Montana Apprenticeship Program (MAP), which brings Native American high school students to MSU to help prepare them for college.
- District of Columbia limbers up for stronger Race to Top
A maximum of $75 million is available in this round, and D.C.'s prospects are fairly bright, principally because Education Secretary Arne Duncan has said that the next group of winners will be much larger, as many as 10 to 15.
- Libby, Montana Schools requests public’s input on future
“It’s really a matter of tying the community more to the school,” Maki said. “We as a community choose what we are going to do with our schools. How is it going to benefit our kids and the community at the same time?”
PrintingForLess
- How to compete and grow: A sector guide to policy
To streamline the complex analysis governments need to undertake, MGI offers a new framework of six sector groups that share characteristics and respond to similar approaches to enhancing competitiveness.
- To fight 'dropout factories,' school program starts young
"A lot of kids, they see their older brothers and sisters not in school, and it influences them to run around as well."
Modwest
- PrintingForLess.com Ranks in Top 2% of E-Retailers for Business Printing
“With 2009 Web sales of $19.9 million and a ranking of No. 375, PrintingForLess.com once again made it into the Top 500,” states Internet Retailer Editor-in-Chief Kurt Peters. “Even in a challenging year, they developed and maintained a consistent online retail strategy.”
Montana SBA
- Thanks for hosting your website in Montana with Modwest
Modwest hosts websites for customers all over the world, but we're especially proud to serve local neighbors like you!
The Burton K. Wheeler Center
- SBA Hosting Small Business Workshop The Economy, Financing & Your Business, 6/2, Gallatin Gateway, Montana
A cast of presenters including local and state-wide lenders and technical resource partners will discuss and present on the economic conditions of Montana as well as giving you tools and resources to help your business succeed.
Come Home Montana
- The Burton K Wheeler Center for Public Policy Presents “Montana’s Challenge: Rethinking Education For The 21st Century”, 9/20-21, Helena, Montana
Please join us for the Fall 2010 Wheeler Conference
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Wells Fargo adding up to 150 jobs to Billings, Montana service center
Special skills for ideal candidates include multi-tasking, analytical thinking, problem solving, and customer service. Applications, including complete job requirements, are available by going online to http://www.wellsfargo.com/careers.
Montana Business
- Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education: A Comparative Approach
Entrepreneurship programs have flourished at the university level over the last three decades.
- Building a Startup Culture
Inspired in part by James Kwak's post "Why Do Harvard Kids Head to Wall Street?" Ehrenberg calls for better efforts to "lure the best and brightest into game-changing areas such as start-ups and social enterprises."
Montana Economic Development
- A Trade For A Trade of Molt, Montana - sells ethical, socially responsible, and non-exploitive products from around the world.
To make it easy to jump on board, we’ve categorized products according to our ethical policies, and provide “ethical info” on each product, so you know exactly who you’re helping.
- PPL Montana to begin new round of grant funding
Grants are usually under $10,000 per project and must relate to education, the environment, or economic development.
- NorthWestern Energy Announces Heather H. Grahame to Join the Company as Vice President and General Counsel
Prior to joining NorthWestern, Grahame was a veteran partner in Dorsey & Whitney, LLP, where she co-chaired its Telecommunications practice.
- Foes fear long-term 'high-and-wide' corridor through Montana
"A company like Imperial Oil is not spending $40 million on public infrastructure in the state of Montana for one project and one project only," said Hugh MacDonald, a member of the Alberta Legislature's opposition Liberal Party.
Regional Economic Development
- Flathead Valley Wide Marketing Initiative Kick-off, May 24
The effort will address both local businesses searching for resources to expand as well as the recruitment of out-of-state businesses and entrepreneurs using a variety of tactics ranging from traditional marketing to social media.
- Ravalli County Economic Development Authority awards first micro loan to Florence, Montana based BVS
BVS, said Foster, helps beekeepers nationwide fight colony collapse disorder. Customers include almond growers in California and the U.S. Army and the company is working on a product that will help mitigate the advance and destruction of pine bark beetles.
Business Plan Forums
- Maximizing the Potential of Older Adults: Benefits to State Economies and Individual Well-Being
Undergirding both work and volunteerism is the importance of education and training opportunities for older adults so they can acquire the skills they need to effectively participate in the labor market.
- Community Economic Development Projects
Grant funds will be made to Community Development Corporations (CDCs) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects to enhance job creation and business development in low-income communities.
Careers
- Deadline looms for clean technology competition
Participants will compete for more than $100,000 in regional prizes and ultimately a national Grand Prize of $250,000 in cash and services.
Funding and Building your Business
- Experience Works helps low-income seniors find good jobs in their local communities.
Our Mission: Improve the lives of older people through training, community service, and employment.
- How to calculate your target salary
Go into your salary negotiation armed with information.
- Labor Department Joins Microsoft to Announce Free Computer Skills Training and Certification Program for Montanans
"To have a strong economy, you have to have a strong workforce and 'Elevate America' offers a great way for our workers to ramp up their computer readiness to have an edge in the job market," said Governor Brian Schweitzer.
Incubators and R&D
- 5 ways to bring about real change at your company
Change is an ongoing campaign.
- How to Use Kickstarter to Launch a Business
Roughly 1,000 projects, from rock albums to documentary films to, well, soda-bottling ventures, have been funded on Kickstarter since its launch.
- Why a Sudden Surge in Tech M&A? Startups Pay Attention
Silicon Valley companies — big and small — are off on a shopping spree and if you’re a startup, that is really good news.
- Getting your startup investor ready
Here’s a copy of the workshop I gave at Mesh today on getting your startup ready for investment.
- Google Gives Away Video Software to Lure Developers
An open and free video format offers new opportunities for Web programmers
Regional Business
- University of Wyoming now has money ($25 million) to build energy research center
Contributions from oil, gas and coal companies were matched dollar-for-dollar by the state, raising a total of $25 million.
- Pairing High-Tech, Health Care
Andy Grove and Susan Desmond-Hellmann discuss efforts to speed the process of transferring lab breakthroughs to the marketplace using Silicon Valley-style techniques.
University Business Plan Competitions
- CEOs Pick Best/Worst States for Business 2010
States do compete with one another for business and for people. When we queried CEOs last January on their views of the best and worst states for business several patterns emerge.
University TechTransfer
- "Got Cupcakes?" - Winners Announced for the Montana University John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition
There were 26 teams that competed this year from universities throughout the state of Montana. Here is a list of the winners and some information about participating teams.
Developing an Angel Network in Montana
- Universities supports Stanford in research appeal
The decision, made last September, denies the University full ownership on several patents on work by Stanford School of Medicine researchers.
Idaho Business
- Washington Reform Update: Did Angel Investors Get Their Wings?
Here’s a quick before and after for comparison:
- Seed Capital From Angel Investors: Nicola Corzine, Band of Angels Acorn Fund (Part 1)
Our region is Silicon Valley, obviously, and then the Pacific Northwest. We are open to doing deals in Washington, Oregon, and all of California.
- Where angels need to tread
So what do angels look for when they decide to invest in a venture?
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Sun Valley, Idaho needs to do more, differently
“We’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on marketing consultants in the past without doing anything.”
- Southern Idaho counties get on federal contract preferred list
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday approved Idaho Labor Department’s request to dramatically expand areas of the state where employers receive preference when they bid on federal contracts.
Oregon Economic Development
- Made in China Becomes Made in ND
A North Dakota company has abandoned Chinese manufacturing of its product.
Education
- Small businesses get low-cost legal help from big names like Intel, Perkins Coie
Providing legal services to low-income small and emerging businesses.
Canada Business & Economic Development
- Teaching Candidates Aplenty, but the Jobs Are Few
The recession seems to have penetrated a profession long seen as recession-proof: superintendents, education professors and job-seekers say that teachers are facing the worst job market since the Great Depression.
Government
- Canada’s $200-million lure pulls in 19 big-name researchers
A $200-million international recruitment drive is bringing 19 leading researchers to Canadian campuses with multimillion-dollar grants that are setting off alarm bells over a potential brain drain in other countries.
Community
- Montana an example of fiscal policy -Video: Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Tom Brokaw on "Morning Joe" -
Gov. Brian Schweitzer, D-Mont., sits down with Morning Joe to discuss how he has managed to create a state surplus of over $402 million for Montana.
Energy and Climate ChangeCool Stuff That's Coming
- One Moos and One Hums, but They Could Help Power Google
America’s dairy farmers could soon find themselves in the computer business, with the manure from their cows possibly powering the vast data centers of companies like Google and Microsoft.
- Wind farm design inspired by school of fish
“It turns out that many of the same physical principles can be applied to the interaction of vertical-axis wind turbines.”
Government Technology
- Google's plan for viewing Web content on TV due today
"Google has been really itching to get at the $60 billion TV advertising market for years."
Non-Profit News
- California Creates Portal for State's 10,000 IT Workers to Collaborate
Like most employees, California government employees would prefer working on self-created projects. Now the state's 10,000-plus IT workers have a platform to share, collaborate on and refine those projects.
- New Tax Incentive for Nonprofits to Hire Employees
Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, enacted March 18, 2010, two new tax benefits are available to employers who hire certain previously unemployed workers (“qualified employees”).
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