MATR Newsletter – November 15, 2021
The state with the best education wins!

Come Home Montana

• REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS For Solar Photovoltaic System Services for the City of Missoula’s Resource Recovery Facility

  In accordance with Title 18, Chapter 8 (MCA) and adopted City policy for procurement of services, the City of Missoula, Montana, is seeking proposals qualified solar PV providers

• Montana Career Opportunity – Native American Cooperative Specialist – Montana Cooperative Development Center

  PROPOSED JOB DESCRIPTION Native American Cooperative Specialist Reports To The Native American Cooperative Specialist will report to the MCDC Program Director. Job Overview

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

• International law firm with a Missoula, Montana office, Dorsey & Whitney LLP Nationally Ranked by U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”

  Of those 25  practice areas ranked nationally, nine Dorsey practices were ranked national tier 1, the highest ranking available.

Montana Department of Commerce

• Montana Department of Commerce Announces $240,000 Awarded for Tribal Business Planning

  “As Montana’s economy continues to expand, it is imperative that our tribal communities financially thrive during this growth.” Commerce Director Scott Osterman said. “These grants will assist tribal governments with planning for growth through the identification of current and future economic opportunities that will strengthen their communities.”

Big Sky Commerce

• Chuck Marohn of STRONG TOWNS Engages Again with Missoula! TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 AT 9 AM – 10:30 AM – Online

  In this book tour presentation, Marohn demonstrates how the values of engineers and other transportation professionals are applied in the design process, and how those priorities differ from the values of the general public.

  Chuck will also discuss his coined term “Stroad” and offer ideas on how Missoulians may help improve conditions on our Reserve St. (Stroad!).

Great Falls Development Authority

• GFDA’s Top 10

  Here is our Top 26 for the last three weeks 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. Much more to share — will try to catch up in next week’s edition.

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce

• Kalispell Chamber Recognizes Local Leaders Amid Unprecedented Growth

  The 117th annual banquet featured a rebranding announcement and a posthumous “Businessperson of the Year” award to Jerry Meerkatz

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Suburban Revival: How the 21st Century will Redefine Life Outside the City

  America’s suburbs are increasingly diversifying, expanding, and evolving as COVID-19 and new economic realities shape behavior. New stories are unfolding in these suburban places as they change and grow. Is it time for a suburban revival?

• MEP, Missoula County question state’s denial of job-creation grant for local biotech firm

  Novoron, a San Diego-based biotech company, announced its plans in September to expand into Missoula, where it sought to open an office and build a team in its pursuit of curing injuries to the central nervous system.

• $8 million Port of Montana rail project enables Butte to connect to the entire United States

  “They have access to both Union Pacific and Burlington Northern, which is huge for a facility,” said Kathy Faso, the general manager of the Port of Montana. “We’re an inland port, so it’s unique. And plus we have the I-15 and I -90 interstates right here.”

The Telecommuting and Gig Workforce in Montana

• Americans Continue to Move to Smaller Cities

  Cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 continue to see an influx of migrants lured by lower costs of living and high quality-of-life metrics.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Infrastructure Bill Is a ‘Game-Changer’ for Broadband Access in Rural America, Advocates Say
  The bill allocates $65 billion to improve high-speed internet access and affordability.

Montana Business and Govt. Agency Collaboration Success

• Funding Alert: U.S. Treasury Quietly Unveils Details on a New $100 Billion Small Business Aid Program

  The State Small Business Credit Initiative is a funding program that aims to broaden access to capital for underserved communities.

• Gallatin County provides $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds to Gallatin College MSU workforce programs

  The funds will be used by Gallatin College MSU to develop or expand workforce programs in the construction trades, welding and fabrication, manufacturing and health care.

Senator Jon Tester

• Senator Jon Tester Secures $1 Million for Montana Economic Development Through American Rescue Plan

  “As Montana continues to rebound from this pandemic, it’s critical that we address the economic gaps exposed by COVID-19,” said Tester.

Housing

• Montana could lose $20 million in emergency rental funds next week

  “We will lose that block of money unless we get permeability in that column,” Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, the House Appropriations Committee chair added. “Montana simply does not have the need for $200 million in rent subsidy. While it’s a remarkable soundbyte, we can’t obligate money to somewhere where it’s not allowed to go.”

• Park County, Montana housing report finds unsustainable market

  “We really wanted to put out a clear compilation of the facts of our current situation,” Oldershaw said. “You can’t have an effective solution if you don’t have a very specific outline of the problems.”

Opportunity Zones

• How Opportunity Zones Launched a ‘Gold Rush’ for Wealthy Investors

  The place-based tax break program launched in 2017 as a means of revitalizing impoverished local economies. That’s not what happened, says author David Wessel.

Montana Business

• The Montana Manufacturing Association and Montana Chamber Honor Outstanding Manufacturers

  As first reported last month, MMEC is developing a Cybersecurity Challenge for manufacturers – a series of tasks to help you lay the groundwork for good practices and safe systems. Our goal is to kick it off in early 2022 when we’re all motivated to make improvements in the new year.

• Missoula company to open up factory to combat supply chain problems

  One of the other large shifts in her business is using all items are made the United States.

Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana

• Next Frontier Capital’s 2021 Annual LP Meeting Recap

  If you know a great company in the Northern Rockies, send them our way!
  Email us a deck at [email protected] or reach out to us on our website. We would love to hear from you!

TechLink

• 17 product ideas for starting a manufacturing business

  Whether you want to make clothing, medical devices, or outdoor gear, you should read the following advice on how to start a home-based manufacturing business.

Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana

• UM Receives $850,000 Google.org Grant to Support Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs

  The University of Montana’s startup incubator MonTEC has received an $850,000 grant from the Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls to support Indigenous women looking to start or grow a business in Montana.

Funding and Building your Business

• THE WAY WE WORK, A TED SERIES – What working parents really need from workplaces

  What if we started treating parenting like the real work it is? Podcast host and CEO Angela Garbes details how working families have evolved — and how companies haven’t — and gives insight into what parents really need from their colleagues and workplaces.

• Why Communication Skills Are Key To Leading A Startup

  John Spence, in his classic book “Awesomely Simple” says that the single biggest problem he has to deal with in client companies worldwide is the lack of open, honest, robust, and courageous communication. He narrows down the problem to the following six aspects of communication, and I agree:

• How to Develop a Great Business Website – Actify Media

  One-third of all businesses in the U.S. do not have a website, according to the Small Business Administration.

Incubators and R&D

• A New Drug Successfully Reversed Paralysis After a Spinal Cord Injury

  The next step for the team from Northwestern University is to propose human trials to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Regional Business News

• Powering the future: The drive for lithium

  With electric cars seen as the future of the American auto industry, companies are ramping up the production of batteries, which require lithium. Correspondent Ben Tracy looks at efforts to increase lithium mining in the U.S., and the struggle over its environmental costs.

Idaho News & Events

• Boise now the second-least affordable housing market across United States and Canada

  Boise is officially the second-least affordable housing market on the continent. When it comes to housing, only Vancouver, Canada, is worse for homebuyers, according to a new study from Oxford Economics, an economic forecasting company in England.

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

• The science of yawning

  Correspondent Faith Salie looks into the physiology of yawning, and why it not only helps our brains, but also is a sign of empathy and, yes, increased alertness.

Government News & Events

• US Census says American Indian undercounted by tens of thousands

  “I thought they were congratulating themselves for a lot of work that Native orgs (organizations) had been doing, “ Native American Voter Alliance (NAVA) Education Project director Ahtza Dawn Chavez, said. “And you know, we still have an undercount in the country, especially in New Mexico.”

• Montana Department of Transportation tests a new way to decrease wildlife collisions

  Data shows drivers have a 1 in 41 chance of crashing into wildlife in Montana. That’s why the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is looking at another way to keep drivers safe.

Government Technology

• Dedicated State and Local Cyber Grants Are Finally Arriving
  The newly approved federal infrastructure deal brings with it a great holiday present for state and local governments: dedicated cyber funding. Here’s the history, and the future, of cyber grants.

Come Home North Dakota

• Chinese company picks Grand Forks for manufacturing plant to utilize 25 million bushels of corn annually

  Fufeng Group Ltd. picked an approximately 370 acre (150 hectare) site in Grand Forks’ agri-business park. The facility is expected to initially require 25 million bushels of corn annually, the city’s announcement said,

Transportation

• The Best Cities for Owning an Electric Car

  Electric vehicles are a relatively new technology, and cities are still developing compatible infrastructures. Here are some of the best cities to own EVs right now.

• Infrastructure bill boosts regional effort to restore passenger rail to southern Montana

  While more than 42 years have passed since the North Coast Hiawatha ran across Montana’s populated southern tier, the silver coach cars buckled behind an Amtrak locomotive heading to Seattle, Portland or Chicago could be closer to reality.

• This Guy Is Building Solar-Powered Cars That Will Need To Be Charged Once In Two Years

  Sounds too good to be true? Well, the company called “Lightyear” makes solar-powered electric cars that do not need to be charged every day. Called the “Lightyear One,” the vehicle in question may currently run for months before it needs to be plugged in.

• Tool Helps Planners Pinpoint EV Fast-Charging Locations

  The E-DRIVE, developed by the Georgetown Climate Center and M.J. Bradley and Associates is a digital tool to aid policymakers and planners in locating new high-speed charging for electric vehicles.

Energy and Climate Change

• Australia’s biggest battery discharges at full capacity for first time

  The Vic Big Battery just hit a major milestone, discharging 300 MW for the first time as it begins final testing.

  That’s the most battery power ever injected into the Australian grid!

• UM climate expert, Dr. Steve Running: COP26 effects could ripple across Montana
  “I keep thinking how much easier this would have been 20 years ago,” said Steve Running, a retired University of Montana forestry professor whose work on the International Panel on Climate Change helped “lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change” when it won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
• Today’s TED Talk – The fastest way to slow climate change now

  “Cutting methane is the single fastest, most effective opportunity to reduce climate change risks in the near term,” says atmospheric scientist Ilissa Ocko.

• Electric soot collector from Noeton cuts particulate emissions from wood heaters

  The team tested the system in a masonry heater, comparing particle emissions from days with the HiTESC device running to those with it switched off. They found that HiTESC had a reduction efficiency of 45 percent, for very fine particles of 1 micrometer wide (PM1).

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