MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock this week awarded $320,000 in funding to support the growth of 25 Native American-owned businesses across Montana through the Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant program.

The Montana Department of Commerce today announced registration is now open to attend the 2020 Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation.

The Montana Department of Commerce announced Monday that for the first time, state dollars are now available to develop affordable rental homes. Commerce’s Montana Housing is accepting applications for the Multifamily Coal Trust Homes Program. The new program makes available $15 million of Coal Tax Trust Fund dollars to develop affordable rental homes by providing developers with low-interest rate loans.

On Friday, Dec. 6, Department of Commerce Director Tara Rice will join the writer and director of the new film Mickey and the Bear at the film’s Anaconda premier, where it was filmed in 2018.

It’s not just the skiers who rejoice when snow starts to fall across Montana’s mountains, film crews are gearing up for winter car commercials that air during the holidays.

Ahead of Small Business Saturday on November 30, the Montana Department of Commerce and U.S. Small Business Administration released the Montana’s Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) impact for 2019.

The Montana Department of Commerce announced Thursday that 12 Montana communities will share more than $167,000 in planning grants through the Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP) to facilitate the development of infrastructure projects across the state.

The Community Development Block Grant Economic Development program is accepting applications for job creation and employee training awards on a rolling basis until Dec. 18, 2019.

Beginning December 1, the U.S. Census Bureau will increase Census field workers’ pay rates across the country. In Montana, the wages will increase to a starting rate of $17 per hour for enumerators and $19.50 for those working in Cascade, Gallatin, Lewis and Clark, Missoula and Yellowstone Counties.

As the folks responsible for promoting the vibrant, charming towns and stunning landscapes across our state, we know that Montana’s strong economy is driven in part by a thriving tourism and outdoor recreation economy.