We must return to a country of “we” instead of “me”. 

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Small-Scale Childcare, Big Impact: How Flex Plexes and Micro-Centers Are Reviving Rural Main Streets

  By converting homes or underused Main Street buildings into turnkey spaces for licensed family childcare providers, communities are creating new childcare slots, good-paying local jobs, and downtown activity that keeps young families rooted in place. These models lower barriers to entry by covering start-up costs, navigating licensing, and offering shared infrastructure, allowing providers to focus on caring for children while earning a sustainable living.

• How women know it’s time for a career pivot and what your company can do.

  In this environment, there are some things employers can do to truly support working mothers, even amid the structural challenges they’re up against. Read on to learn how your company can provide more flexibility to working parents, offer meaningful benefits like childcare subsidies, and facilitate a smooth reentry for employees who return from parental leave.

• Weekend Read: A River Runs Through The … Opera?

  Opera Montana commissioned an adaptation of “A River Runs Through It,” and the show will premiere in Bozeman this fall.

• Why is the United States 24th in the global happiness ranking? Missoula Aging Services launches grassroots Missoula Villages neighbor-powered network

  While sitting here in Paris at a sidewalk cafe surrounded by happily chatting folks (all facing out to the street) at various times in the day and into the night it really hit me that, while I’ve read a great deal about it, loneliness in the U.S. is one of the main causes, if not the instigator of our eroding quality of life.

• Amazon’s Mega-Store Gamble Near Chicago Raises Stakes for Big-Box and Local Retailers Everywhere

  If the Orland Park store succeeds, it could accelerate a national rollout—tightening competition across the retail landscape and intensifying pressure on small businesses already strained by Amazon’s online dominance.

Missoula, Montana Chamber of Commerce

• The City of Missoula Extends Partnership With The Missoula Economic Partnership to Advance Redevelopment and Housing Initiatives

  The Missoula Redevelopment Agency has approved an additional $50,000 to complete its $150,000 annual contract with the Missoula Economic Partnership, allowing the organization to continue serving as the city’s primary economic development arm.

• The Ag Banquet is 4 weeks away! – Missoula Chamber of Commerce

  Please join us for the 54th Annual Agri Business Banquet. On February 11, from 4:30-8:30pm, let us celebrate the farmers and ranchers who put food on our tables every day with a delicious “Ag-to-Table” meal, featuring all local food. Cocktails will be served 4:30-6:30pm with live AND local music! This year will feature another Diamond Drop graciously provided by L&M Fine Jewelry. We can’t wait to see you there!

Great Falls Montana Development Alliance

• GFDA Top Ten for 1-25-26

  The Bins are now accepting bookings for their one-of-a-kind events venue and destination lodging experience! Owners Casey and Sarah Shaw have thoughtfully renovated a 105-year-old barn in Conrad, MT into a beautiful space for weddings, reunions, and retreats.

• Ignite 2026 Recap Part One & Two – Great Falls Development Alliance

  28+ projects were announced and statuses updated. This week we are recapping a few of those projects. Remember these are just a few of the dozens of projects that will move forward this year. We’re poised to have an incredible year ahead.

TechLink

• TechLink Announcing The Defense Department Patent Holiday

  As the longstanding national technology transfer partner for defense labs, TechLink is here to support. We will guide qualified companies through the licensing process, so they may assess the commercial potential of patented technology developed by federal researchers.

Montana Housing

• California Developments Pioneer Neighborhood-Scale Designs Built to Withstand Wildfires

  While no home can be completely fireproof, researchers say even modest reductions in losses could dramatically limit how wildfires move through communities, offering a promising new model for building in high-risk areas.

YOUR MONTANA CAREER

• Missoula Aging Services launches grassroots Missoula Villages neighbor-powered network to connect and support older Missoulians: Free community events begin Jan. 25 with screening of “Optics of Aging” at the Roxy Theater

  Missoula Villages will connect older neighbors for everything from rides and yard help to activities around town, while creating opportunities for Missoulians of all ages to volunteer and build relationships with older residents.

University of Montana & Montana State University Tech Transfer

• From Lab to Neighborhood: How UC Berkeley Is Turning Community Research into Real-World Technology Transfer

  Through community-engaged research — spanning wildfire preparedness, clean drinking water, public health, and climate resilience — Berkeley scholars work alongside residents to co-develop research questions, gather and analyze data, and implement solutions. This collaborative model shortens the path from discovery to deployment, producing technologies, tools, and policies that are more accurate, more trusted, and more likely to be adopted at scale.

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