Business Resources
How can the Department of Commerce help you?
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- One source of finance information:
- The Montana Finance Information Center website contains links to virtually all of the common state, federal, and local business finance programs and technical assistance providers.
- State grant programs for job training, business assistance, loan financing for building, equipment, and working capital:
- The Montana Board of Investments has several business finance programs accessible through Montana banks for buildings and equipment but not working capital.
- The Commerce Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Program can be accessed by applying through your local community.
- The Job Training Grant Program at Commerce can assist with training costs for primary sector and other eligible businesses in many cases.
- The Commerce Finance Information Center has links to virtually every major state, federal, and local finance and technical assistance program.
- The new Economic Development Trust Fund at Commerce can provide grants and loans through local governments to assist businesses.
- Small loans for microbusinesses can be accessed through Microbusiness Development Centers around Montana.
- Technical Assistance for businesses can be accessed through the Small Business Development Centers, the Certified Regional Development Corporations, and, for large projects involving Commerce funding programs, the Regional Development Program.
- Workforce Training Grant Programs
- Loan & grant programs for hospitals, medical centers, correctional and other public facilities:
- The Commerce Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Program can be accessed by applying through your local community for job training, loans and infrastructure improvements. The CDBG – Public Facilities program can also make grants for public facilities in some cases. The requirements differ from the Economic Development component.
- The Montana Facility Finance Authority is the primary issuer of municipal bonds for Montana's health care organizations, continuing care residential programs and community service providers. Created in 1983 to provide not-for-profit health care providers with access to low-cost capital, the Authority's statutory powers have been expanded to beyond the traditional health care arena to the point where the legislature changed its title from the Montana Health Facility Authority to the present title. The majority of the Authority's financings have been completed on behalf of acute care hospitals; however, we have also provided capital for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement facilities, outpatient centers, homes for persons with developmental or mental disabilities, chemical dependency centers and pre-release centers. Many other facilities are also eligible for the Authority financing programs.
- Grant programs for local governments to improve infrastructure for businesses?
- The Commerce Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Program can be accessed by applying through your local community for job training, loans and infrastructure improvements.
- The new Economic Development Trust Fund can provide grants and loans through local governments to assist businesses with a variety of needs including infrastructure improvements.
- The Montana Board of Investments has an In-State Loan Program that can assist communities and businesses with infrastructure improvements. With sufficient job creation the program can become essentially a grant.
- Tourism Infrastructure Investment Program
- Local, regional, national or international marketing assistance and possible financing:
- Made In Montana Program - local, regional & national product promotion & marketing assistance
- Export Montana - Export marketing, documentation, licensing, training; export finance information
- Travel, tourism or recreation business:
- Small Business Development Centers
- International relations & cultural exchanges
- International Trade & Relations Bureau - tourism & product promotions in Asia, sister-state relationships, business protocol
- Tourism promotions in Asia
- Marketing products in Asia
- Exporting products
- Marketing assistance for Made In Montana products
- I am considering moving my business to Montana
- The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity takes the lead working with businesses considering relocating to Montana.
- The Department of Commerce provides funding and certifications to the state-wide Certified Regional Development Corporations.
- If you have questions about starting a business or moving to Montana, contact Small Business Development Centers
- Technical or financial assistance for research, prototype development, and commercialization planning
- At the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Outreach Program you will find individual SBIR coaching assistance and financing information for the SBIR/STTR Program. The SBIR/STTR Program is very specialized to company research and development and allows federal grant funding only in specific circumstances.
- The Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology was created by the 1999 Montana Legislature to provide a predictable and stable source of funding for research and commercialization projects to be conducted at research and commercialization centers in Montana. The purpose of the program is to encourage economic development through investment in research projects that have a clear path to commercialization.
- Patents, Trademarks, Service Marks and Copyrights
- Resources for inventors and intellectual property can be found at SBIR Resources
- Where can I find information to help me start or manage an existing business?
- Entrepreneur Program - for 12-week course in-depth business plan development
- Small Business Development Centers website for the location of a business counselor in your area or for online tools for self-education, calendar of trainings, etc.
- Business Planning/Business Tools
- One-on-one individualized, no-cost counseling from a business advisor, self-help templates, on-line counseling, training courses and low-cost business management training at Small Business Development Center
- Training courses for business management at Entrepreneur Training
- Registering Your Business/Business Licenses and Permits
- Find general information about licensing at Small Business Development Center
- Find business license information at http://www.mt.gov/business.asp
- Secretary of State's Office website
- Department of Revenue One-Stop Business Licensing
- Business Standards Division
- Business Legal Structure/Business Entity Descriptions and Forms
- Secretary of State's Office on-line forms
- Secretary of State's Office on-line Corporate Record Search at https://app.mt.gov/corprecords/
- On-line business services at http://www.business.mt.gov/
- Where do I register my business name?
- Secretary of State's Office
- More information about starting a business in Montana can be found at the Montana Finance Information Center.
- Where do I find grants to start or expand a business?
- Grants are not available except in specific circumstances:
- Refer to SBIR program for businesses that want assistance to become competitive to apply for federal Research and Development funds.
- Refer to Finance Information Center website for SBA programs, local RLFs, SBDCs for SBA Community Express Loan Program, CDBG/EDA for larger community projects, etc
- Grants are not available except in specific circumstances:
- What matching grant programs are available through Commerce to assist me with my business?
- If you are in the travel, tourism or recreation business the following links will assist you:
- What resources are available to help me market and improve my business?
- If you are in the travel, tourism or recreation business the following links will assist you:
- Small Business Development Centers website for the location of a business counselor in your area or for online tools for self-education, calendar of trainings, etc.
- If you are in the travel, tourism or recreation business the following links will assist you:
- Loans/Grants for Businesses
- The SBIR Program and CDBG Program offer grants under specific conditions.
- SBIR Program
- Community Development Block Grant Economic Development
- Montana Finance Information Center
- U.S. Small Business Administration
- Downtown business district revitalization
- Website is in development for the Montana Main Street Program
- Business Statistics
- Find business statistics and industry data to help you develop a business plan or expansion of an existing business.
