MATR Newsletter – December 2, 2024
The state with the best education wins!

Montana’s population boom fuels higher home prices and sends young, longtime residents packing

A population boom in Montana is driving up home prices there faster than in any other state in the nation, for good and for ill.

The Great Betrayal: America’s Public Lands Legacy is Under Siege

If you live anywhere in the country where public lands exist, be warned: special interests have become more emboldened than ever to privatize and profit from our public lands.

10,000 Small Businesses – Apply Now North Dakota, Mississippi, Indiana, and Montana Small Business Owners

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses has helped entrepreneurs across the country grow their businesses for over a decade by offering a free practical business training program, access to capital, and personalized support services. Now, we are expanding, bringing this best-in-class training program to rural communities across America.

Presentations That Move People – Business storytelling with Nancy Duarte.

Nancy Duarte: The Storyteller’s Guide to Remarkable Presentations

Today’s MATR Newsletter is sponsored by:

Come Home Montana

Montana’s population boom fuels higher home prices and sends young, longtime residents packing
A population boom in Montana is driving up home prices there faster than in any other state in the nation, for good and for ill.
The Great Betrayal: America’s Public Lands Legacy is Under Siege
If you live anywhere in the country where public lands exist, be warned: special interests have become more emboldened than ever to privatize and profit from our public lands.
The 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) initiative is hiring startup business advisors
The10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) initiative is part of a national investment to unlock the growth and job creation potential of small businesses. The program is based on the broadly held view of leading experts that a combination of education, business support services, and access to capital best addresses the barriers to growth for small businesses. The ultimate goal of the initiative is for the participating business owners to increase their revenues and create jobs in their community and surrounding areas. In March 2025, a cohort of 30 Montana entrepreneurs will participate in the free, 12-week training program (see attachment).…

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

We’re No. 3: Montana’s outdoor recreation sector contributed $3.4 billion in 2023
The outdoor industry grew 7.2% in 2023; ranks third in nation for contribution to state GDP, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis
Learning from Japan: A New Leadership Model – The Wharton School
In this Nano Tool for Leaders, Wharton experts reveal how to enhance leadership by adopting successful practices from Japanese organizations.
‘Adjust and adapt’: Montana farmers react to report on impact of climate change
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
Montana on pace for record number of new business starts “registering a car or an RV in a new Montana LLC is considered a new business in Montana”
Business registration in Montana has seen a significant increase over the past few months, with 10,000 new businesses being registered. This growth is attributed to recent changes in state policies.
The community-based model of care that doesn’t exist in any Montana community
It’s easy to see how large, out-of-state companies have come to Montana in order to allegedly help run social services. During Gov. Greg Gianforte’s first term, we’ve seen him outsource some services for unemployment and services to support childcare providers, all in the name of private business doing something more efficiently and better than the public sector, even though we haven’t seen definitive proof of either.
Commerce’s New Revolving Loan Program Allocates $24 Million of Grant Funding to Support Montana’s Tourism Industry
Through this loan program, Commerce will award funding as grants to eligible economic development organizations. The EDOs must use that money to create new revolving loan funds that will retain or expand existing tourism-related businesses, encourage workforce development, create good-paying jobs and promote long-term economic growth in Montana’s tourism economy.
10,000 Small Businesses – Apply Now North Dakota, Mississippi, Indiana, and Montana Small Business Owners
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses has helped entrepreneurs across the country grow their businesses for over a decade by offering a free practical business training program, access to capital, and personalized support services. Now, we are expanding, bringing this best-in-class training program to rural communities across America.

Missoula Chamber of Commerce

Missoula launches $245 million worth of infrastructure improvements detailed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan. What are your priorities?
Wilson says many of the problems that need solving recently come from safety issues surrounding the main arteries through town – the Reserve, Brooks and Russell corridors. According to the Missoula Police Department, in 2023, there were 2,742 traffic accidents in the city, most of which were along these roads.

Big Sky Economic Development

Big Sky Economic Development launches gift guide to boost local shops
The 63-page guide features 46 local businesses, highlighting a few of their products and holiday specials available this season as well as their websites or social media pages. It was free for businesses to be involved.

Great Falls Development Alliance

GFDA Top Ten for 12-1-24
We are especially thankful for our investors and public partners, whose contributions and guidance are essential to our work. Learn more about them by viewing this short video. Recent investments include: Community Division—Geranios Enterprises, Inc. To learn how you can invest in our work and support our mission, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or [email protected].

Montana Bioscience Cluster Initiative

Montana Bioscience Alliance – Future of Biotech in the Big Sky – 12/12 – Kalispell
Connect with professionals, educators, and enthusiasts in the biotech and high-tech industries.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte

Gianforte’s income tax cuts: Benefitting the rich or supporting the economy?
The analysis found the wealthiest Montana households earning more than $749,000 would see a tax cut of nearly $10,000.
Families earning $30,000 to $85,000 would see a cut of $40 to $115, according to the Montana Budget and Policy Center.

Housing

Cities cut red tape to turn unused office buildings into housing
Nearly a fifth of office space across the country sits empty, a record high vacancy rate that’s expected to keep growing.
Housing help in Montana is already here
Montana needs more affordable housing units, and the Villagio, pictured here, and Trinity both opened in 2023, together bringing 402 new homes to Missoula.

Visit Montana

DNRC launches new interactive Montana public access map
The DNRC has just rolled out a new public land access map to help answer any questions you may have.

Regional Business News

This Is What Happens to All the Stuff You Don’t Want
I ventured into the belly of the holiday-returns beast.

21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

Australia Passes Social Media Ban For Kids Under 16
Social media has proven to be quite dangerous for children (and adults, for that matter.

Government News & Events

Tracy Stone-Manning named president of The Wilderness Society.
Biden’s public lands director to lead prominent environmental group

City Club Missoula

City Club Missoula – Missoulians in Film and Theater: Kendra Mylnechuk and Jeff Medley – 12/9 – Missoula Library
Please join City Club for a discussion with two Missoula locals who have found success on stage and screen. Kendra Mylnechuk, an actress and playwright, and Jeff Medley, a film actor, will discuss the creative process and their ties to Missoula.