Membership

Joining Made in Montana is free, easy and offers many rewarding benefits for your business. It is important to note that the Made in Montana program is a certification program for your products, not services, or your company or business.

1. Create a State of Montana Single Sign On (SSO) Okta account with your email address. Okta, formerly ePass, is the state of Montana's secure login platform.
2. Complete the business registration page.
3. Complete the product listing page.

We created a User Guide to help you through the process.
Okta Help can be found here

• Made in Montana provides membership to producers making and selling their products to consumers and retail stores, as well as authorized retail and online stores that sell Made in Montana products.
• Producers
  • The product you create or add value to has to be made, grown, or enhanced in the state of Montana, and the end product is worth 50% or more in added value. This category also includes establishments using Montana sourced ingredients in their ready to consume meals and/or beverages. Producers have permission to use logos to mark their products and show they are Made in Montana. Producers can list their showroom, online store, and/or retail locations in their online listing.
• Retail Stores / Online Retailers
  • Retail Stores and online retailers carry a variety of Made in Montana registered products in the regular inventory.
  • Retail members can use logos on interior and exterior signs, posters, and printed materials designating the store carries Made in Montana products.
  • Only approved producer members are eligible to place logos on products.

Placing the logo on your products, signage, or marketing materials lets buyers know you are selling genuine Made in Montana products. Producers can purchase low-cost logo labels or use the electronic image at no charge to print the logo directly on product packaging. Retail stores, restaurants, and distributors are eligible to use the logo on their signs, menus, and other collateral - but only producers are eligible to place logos on the actual products. We encourage you to use it in your electronic marketing too. We love to see it on your websites and social media! However, please do not use the logo as your main profile photo.

Color World located in Bozeman has the exclusive sales contract for logo stickers. Approved members must order through them.

Their inventory includes the following:

• Printed logo stickers (available for producer members only)
• Hang tags
• Posters
• Window clings
• Decals
• Banners

Order online via the Color World website or contact them directly:

Color World
201 East Mendenhall, PO Box 1088, Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 587-4508 or (800) 332-3303

Native American Made in Montana Logo Labels

These logo labels are distributed directly to Native American Made in Montana members by the Made in Montana program. Contact us by email or call (406) 841-2757 to request labels.

Electronic Logos

An electronic version of the logo is available at no charge for members to use for specific, individualized marketing projects. All logos are available in color or black/white and in jpg, pdf, and ai formats.
In no case may the artwork be reproduced, distributed, or sold as individual logo labels.

• Members are required to update their listing annually to keep their listing live and to continue using the logo. Made in Montana will send you a reminder email when it is time to renew your membership and listing.
• Members can update business and product information anytime by logging into the Made in Montana membership portal.
  • Membership portal
• We created a user guide to help navigate the membership portal.
  • User Guide
• Use the instructions that start on page 3 for existing Made in Montana members. Walk through the steps to register for an Okta account (single sign on) and then use that login to connect to your Made in Montana membership account.

• Good photo subjects can be of your products, your logo, a shot of you producing your work, a shot of your storefront or interior, etc.
• If you forget to upload photos when you apply, you can upload photos later by logging into the Made in Montana membership portal and editing your business profile or product listings.
  • Membership portal
• Contact us if you have questions.
  • Contact us
• NOTE: We may edit your photos for clarity. We will not include out-of-focus, discolored, or inappropriate photographs in online listings.

• You can update your Made in Montana business profile or product listing(s) at any time. Log into the Made in Montana member portal to keep your information up to date.
  • Membership portal
• You will also have the opportunity to make changes annually during your mandatory annual renewal. See "Maintaining Your Membership & Annual Renewal" for more information.

• SBDC
  • The Montana Small Business Development Center's (SBDC) certified Business Consultants offer free one-on-one business advising to entrepreneurs statewide. The SBDC Lead Center is located at the Montana Department of Commerce in Helena and supports ten centers, each hosted by economic development and higher education institutions.
  • To reach a Business Consultant at the SBDC, see their website and contact them at https://commerce.mt.gov/Business/Programs-and-Services/Small-Business-Development-Center/
• MMEC
  • The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) is a statewide manufacturing outreach & assistance center staffed by full-time professionals with extensive experience in manufacturing and business in a variety of industries. Their home office is in the College of Engineering at Montana State University, Bozeman, with remote offices in Billings, Missoula, Kalispell, and Great Falls
  • To reach a Business Advisor at MMEC visit, https://www.montana.edu/mmec/
• SBA
  • The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. The Montana District Office is the only SBA office in Montana and serves all 56 counties.
  • To contact the SBA, visit https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/mt/helena

• Domestic Tradeshow Assistance
  • The Tradeshow Assistance Program assists Montana based companies in exploring new domestic wholesale markets by encouraging first-time exhibition at new trade shows outside of the state.
• International Trade Show Exhibition
  • Attending wholesale trade shows internationally is a great way for a company to introduce their products to a global audience as well as help maintain awareness of their products in the marketplace. However, they are capital intensive. To help mitigate risk and provide opportunity this program provides partial reimbursement for marketing expenses related to attending trade shows with international buyers.
• For more information about domestic and international Trade Show assistance, visit https://commerce.mt.gov/Business/Expand/Export-Montana/Grants-for-Exporters/Trade-Show-Assistance-Program

• We’re constantly on the lookout for trainings and events that are relevant to our members.
• Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.