Commerce Announces $210,000 Awarded for Tribal Business Planning

December 18 2020

MONTANA – The Montana Department of Commerce on Friday announced it has awarded a total of $210,000 through the Tribal Business Planning Grant to assist tribes in Montana with planning for business development and economic growth.

“The Tribal Business Planning Grant at Commerce supports the economic planning and business growth priorities of tribal governments and organizations in Montana,” said Wayne Johnston, Business Assistance Bureau Chief at Commerce. “As tribes identify opportunities to strengthen their economies, these grants will help their plans come to fruition.”

The Tribal Business Planning Grant program assists tribal governments and organizations to deploy comprehensive business planning strategies. Funds can be used for activities such as business plan development, market analysis, feasibility studies, physical business infrastructure planning, such as zoning, and can be used to match other funding sources to accomplish business growth activities.

Tribal Business Planning Grants of $30,000 each will be awarded to:

Blackfeet Tribe: To conduct a feasibility study for a bottled water company
Chippewa Cree Tribe: To conduct a feasibility study and market analysis for a small-scale meat processing facility
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes: To conduct a feasibility study and market analysis for the purchase of the former Big Arm General Store
Little Big Horn College on the Crow Reservation: To complete a preliminary engineering report to expand the trades building and programs at the Little Big Horn College
Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes: To develop a contemporary zoning and development ordinance
Little Shell Chippewa Tribe: To assist with business and operation plans for three businesses under Little Shell Tribal Enterprises, LLC.
Northern Cheyenne Tribe: To assist with a business plan, preliminary engineering report and preliminary architectural report to develop a workforce training center

The Tribal Business Planning Grant is one of three proven grant programs within the Office of Indian Country Economic Development (OICED) at Commerce that is considered for funding by the Montana Legislature each biennium and was funded most recently as part of House Bill 2 in 2019. Together with the Native American Business Advisors grant and the Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant, these programs continue to articulate measurable success for investing in business and economic development activities on reservations in partnership with tribal governments, Native American economic development organizations and Native American-owned businesses to strengthen local and tribal economies.

To learn more, visit MARKETMT.COM.

Tags: Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant Program and Office of Tourism and Business Development

Commerce Announces $210,000 Awarded for Tribal Business Planning

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