MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• BLDC September 2025 Newsletter

  Economic development. What is it? Before a business puts a shovel in the ground, there’s so much work that has to take place behind the scenes. Economic developers must wear all the hats, know all the people, and be all the things, but what are these things? Here’s a quick look behind the curtain of the hats we might wear on any given day:

• Rising current: America’s growing electricity demand

  Our analysis shows that U.S. electricity demand is expected to grow by 25% by 2030 and by 78% by 2050, compared to 2023. All of this demand growth has significant implications for the reliability and affordability of electricity. For residential customers, electricity rates could increase by 15% to 40% by 2030, depending on the market. By 2050, some rates might even double.

• Vanishing Public Record Makes Enterprise Data a Strategic Asset

  While data manipulation is a timeless tale in politics, this year the U.S. government accelerated efforts to manipulate publicly accessible data. Even seemingly nonpolitical and innocuous data, such as climate and weather records, economic indicators and scientific research, were scrubbed or tilted toward one bias or another. This is a much bigger problem than some may realize.

Great Falls Development Alliance

• GFDA Top 10 – 9/16/25

  Every service we offer is a building block for our region’s future. With the support of our investors and partners, we’re stacking up new businesses, stronger communities, and more opportunities. Learn more about our team of supporters by viewing this short video.

Montana Ambassadors

• Out of the shadows: Robert Redford, fly fishing and ‘The Movie’ that changed southwest Montana forever

  Urban legend has it that Robert Redford was so chagrined by the impact his cinematographic masterpiece “A River Runs Through It” had on southwest Montana he wouldn’t include locations in the credits for his subsequent film “The Horse Whisperer”, shot mostly near Big Timber.

Montana Bioscience Cluster Initiative

• Surviving the Valley of Death: a guide for bio-startups

  What can biobased entrepreneurs do to give their startups the best start in life?

Prospera Business Network

• Prospera is proud to support the Greater Gallatin United Way and their Child Connect initiative.

  When care is available, children get the strong start they deserve, parents stay in the workforce, businesses keep valued employees, and providers are recognized and supported in the critical work they do every day. That’s the power of Child Connect – strengthening the whole system so every part works better together.

Housing

• School officials: More Helena students are facing homelessness than last year

  Hundreds of students in the Helena area are experiencing homelessness—couch surfing, sleeping in their cars, unsure when their next meal will be.

Funding and Building your Business

• Montana West Economic Development and Rich in Thought Consulting have teamed up to launch the Business Lifecycle Masterclass Series — a first-of-its-kind, 12-part program designed to equip Montana businesses with practical tools from startup to succession.

  This series offers tailored insights and actionable strategies to help you thrive in Montana’s unique economic landscape

Regional Economic Development

• Lack of film incentives a roadblock, but South Dakota film industry still growing

  “Unfortunately, the industry has evolved to where these incentives are vital to production. So if a state doesn’t have one, they’re crossed off the list immediately,” Rausch told News Watch. “A lot of times the rural Western landscape of South Dakota is actually Wyoming or Colorado.”

City Club Missoula

• City Club Missoula Presents: Missoula’s Mayoral Debate: Andrea Davis and Shawn Knopp – 10/14 – Missoula Library

  Moderator: Rob Chaney will facilitate the debate which will include candidate remarks, Table Talk, and audience questions.

• YOU’RE INVITED – City Club Missoula Celebrates Sponsors, Members, and Former Board Members – 9/25 – Members Only

  In appreciation of your dedicated support, the City Club Missoula Board is honored to host our valued members, sponsors, and former board members for hosted drinks and hors d’oeuvres. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating twenty years of connections and leadership that make City Club thrive. We look forward to seeing you there!

YOUR CAREER

• Hundreds of Google AI Workers Were Fired Amid Fight Over Working Conditions

  Those that remain working at GlobalLogic say they are afraid to speak up because they may lose their jobs. “It’s just been kind of [an] oppressive atmosphere,” says Alex. “We can’t really organize—we’re afraid that if we talk we’re going to get fired or laid off.”

• The Newest Face of Long-Term Unemployment? The College Educated.

  For years, only a small portion of the people experiencing long spells of joblessness were college graduates. That’s starting to change.

Energy and Transportation

• Trump administration – no data – no problem

  “Measuring itself is a political act with political consequences.   And clearly the Trump administration does not want to do anything to alleviate a problem like climate change.”

• Jet-ignition motor multiplies electrified vehicle range past 800 miles

  Mahle notes that the market for range-extended electric vehicles is expected to grow by 15% each year until 2030.

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

• Statewide Montana School Funding Road Show Kicks Off in Kalispell

  What skills do Montana’s young people most need to thrive? And what should Montana’s education system prioritize to best prepare young people for the future?

• ‘It’s super fun’: Coding sessions for 4th through 8th grade girls in Montana kickoff

  Norstrand is one of several fourth through eighth graders in Montana who are part of Code Girls United, which is an organization that teaches girls how to code and eventually present an app for scholarship money.

• Montana Advocates Worry About Federal Impacts on Support for Students With Disabilities

  The Education Department has laid off roughly half of its staff, held up billions in funds, and canceled grants designed to aid schools in hiring mental health workers

• Seeing STARS: Nearly every district in state boosted by program to increase starting teacher pay

  New initiative addresses perennial Montana challenge of low pay for new educators

• Above the Big Sky UM Takes Flight as Montana’s Drone Hub

  From reimagining disaster monitoring to reshaping agriculture, drone technology is improving the safety and efficiency of industries across Big Sky Country – and the University of Montana is the state’s command center for training the experts who will pilot them.

2025 Legislature and Politics

• Why America Has the World’s Oldest Politicians

  The Age Divide: How America’s electoral system reinforces the gerontocracy and inhibits young people’s full participation in democracy.

• 5 big changes coming to Social Security in 2026 that may surprise retirees

  With rising medical costs and higher utilization rates, Medicare officials expect to raise premiums quite a bit in 2026. While we won’t have the exact number until later this fall, the Medicare Board of Trustees estimates next year’s standard Part B premium will be $206.20 per month, up from $185 this year. That’s an 11.5% increase.

• Rep. Zinke’s office schedules mobile office hours across Western Montana

  Mobile office hours are open to Montanans needing assistance from Zinke’s staff on issues including disputes with a federal agency, grant applications, and permitting.

• Montana will need dozens of new employees to roll out federal Medicaid work requirements

  State health officials are grappling with the stack of new regulations passed by Congressional Republicans earlier this year.

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