MATR Newsletter – June 29, 2022
The state with the best education wins!

Come Home Montana

• Montana Career Opportunity – Executive Director – Butte Local Development Corporation (BLDC) and Headwaters RC&D Area, Inc. (HWRCD)

    BLDC and HWRCD are two economic development organizations that serve Butte-Silver Bow and a seven-county region of southwestern Montana, respectively. The two organizations have entered into a joint venture,…

Montana Department of Commerce

• Annual Montana Tourism Grant Program Workshop July 13 and 27 – Online

  For the upcoming annual application cycle, the Tourism Grant Program will host a virtual workshop on July 13th and again on July 27th providing an overview of the Program guidelines and timeline of the grant cycle, a review of the FY23 application, and an opportunity to answer questions about potential projects.

Great Falls Development Authority

• Great Falls Economic Development Top 10 for 6-28-22

  Here is our Top 14 for last week celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen the Great Falls regional economy — Montana’s Golden Triangle. And, sharing business resources and skill-building opportunities to empower your success.

• GFDA – Upcoming trainings: A Tool to Retain Employees, Profit Mastery, Becoming a Franchisee and more!

  Whether you’re just getting started, looking for new customers, wanting to grow sales through e-commerce, or focusing on workforce.
  We’re here to help.

Prospera Business Network

• 7th Annual Prosperity Party in Paradise Benefitting the Montana Women’s Business Center Thursday, September 29, 2022 | 6-9 pm

  High Fashion and Party Attire Welcome

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• New Software Helps Navigate Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding Opportunities and Deadlines

  A Consulting firm released a navigator to help local governments and the private sector find resources and major milestones for infrastructure funding.

• Impact of flooding in southern Montana: We need your story!

  The Minneapolis Fed is responsible for tracking current business conditions in the Ninth District, a region that includes Montana. We are partnering with local organizations in Montana to reach businesses located in or near impacted areas. As a group, we are undertaking this effort to better understand and communicate the impact of the floods on businesses and their communities across southern Montana.

• Red Ants Pants Foundation – Exciting News! 2022 Community Grant Recipients Announced

  To date, the Foundation has granted over $130,000 to nearly 100 entities across nearly every corner of Montana!!

• How growing Western recreation towns might hold onto their futures

  Researchers look to give small tourism communities the tools for a GNARly approach.

• Join President Neel Kashkari from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis for a Q&A in Helena, MT – 7/7

  Neel will provide brief remarks on monetary policy and inflation, followed by audience Q&A.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Speedtest data confirms Starlink internet is a rare win for Elon Musk

  Hey, Elon Musk actually did something (good)!

• PCMag Fastest ISPs 2022: Municipal Broadband and Local ISPs Outperform Major ISPs Once Again

  Not one of 10 fastest networks in the nation are owned or operated by the major national ISPs, many of whom have embarked on an aggressive lobbying campaign to misinform public officials in particular and the public in general on the viability and successes of municipal broadband and local partnerships.

Montana Business

• Using EverLogs In Wildfire Prone Areas – Why This Family Decided To Use EverLog Siding To Protect Their Home From The Threat Of Wildfires

  Our concrete log homes are non-combustible and have a minimum 3-hour fire rating. Not only do EverLog products provide superior fire protection, but insurance companies also provide our homeowners with preferential insurance ratings resulting in lower homeowners insurance costs. Homeowner’s insurance is generally a minimum of 20% less costly than comparable frame or log homes. These savings increase in wildland-urban interface areas.

• ‘Biblical’ swarms of cannibalistic insects in the West spark a push to fight back

  Farmers and government officials are battling an explosion of cannibalistic insects ravaging crops from Montana to Nevada in an effort save livelihoods and land.

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

• University of Montana Public Administration Student, Ashley Brittner Wells Connects Residents With Missoula

  “Our Montana Baucus Leader Program affords students opportunities to use their skills from the classroom to connect during applied summer learning experiences,” said Dr. Sara Rinfret, the MPA director. “Our goal is to carry out Sen. Baucus’ commitment to public service. Ashley’s Baucus Leader experience provided her with additional skills and connections to land a new position to be a leader for city government.”

2023 Montana Legislature and Politics

• Montana Interim committee votes down motion to access funds in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

  An interim legislative committee rejected a proposal on Monday to appoint one Democrat and one Republican to draft a bill outlining how the state could access newly announced federal funds allocated to address gun violence and mental health in schools.

• Montana’s Draft Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan Now Available for Public Comment

  The draft plan describes Montana’s strategy, vision and goals for spending Montana’s $43 million allocation of federal funds over the next five years under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula (NEVI) Program.

City Club Missoula

• City Club Missoula – The Future of Marshall Mountain **IN PERSON!** July 11, 2022 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

  Community stakeholders are working to develop a Master Plan for a regional outdoor recreation “Mountain Park” at Marshall Mountain.

Transportation

• Charging Forward: Bringing Electric Vehicles to Rural America – 7/7 – Online

  Webinar participants will learn about funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that will be administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to help develop electric vehicle infrastructure.

• Cabless autonomous electric truck approved for US public roads

  In what Einride claims is a first, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has approved its purpose-built autonomous electric vehicle to operate on public roads in the US, and there’ll be no driver in the cab as the Einride Pod doesn’t have a cab.

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