Montana Department of Commerce Awards Job Creation and Planning Grants to Eight Montana Communities

Man, woman, safety vests  Vena-Canva HELENA, Mont., – The Montana Department of Commerce (Department) announced today that nearly $798,000 of grant funding has been awarded to grow and support businesses in eight Montana communities. The job creation and planning grant funding is provided by the Department’s Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF).

“Resilient, good paying jobs are at the core of creating financial strength for Montana communities. Big Sky Trust Fund grants help them plan for future growth and create long-term employment for the people that live in these communities,” said Scott Osterman, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce.

BSTF Job Creation grants are awarded to local and tribal governments to create good paying jobs for residents. In addition to grants, BSTF also provides funding for loans. BSTF Job Creation grant funding has been awarded to:

BSTF Economic Development Planning grants are awarded to eligible Certified Regional Development Corporations (CRDCs), as well as tribal or local governments to assist with economic development planning efforts that promote long-term, stable economic growth in Montana. BSTF Economic Development Planning grant funding has been awarded to:

“By utilizing the Big Sky Trust Fund (BSTF) grant, we continue to grow our workforce and manufacturing capacity here at Nomad Global Communication Solutions (Nomad GCS). BSTF funding has been vital as we invest in our workforce with higher wages, more tooling and better facilities,” said Clay Binford, Chief of People and Development at Nomad GCS. “In addition to higher paying jobs, Nomad has been able to provide better benefits and more professional growth opportunities. The State of Montana’s grant investment has directly impacted our ability to generate higher revenue, which is then invested back into Montana employees and business.”
In the 2023 fiscal year, the Montana Department of Commerce has awarded $3,741,500 to support the creation of 740 jobs. An additional $265,656 was awarded for 13 different planning projects in the state.

BSTF programs support the development of good paying jobs for residents and promote long-term, stable economic growth in Montana. For more information, contact Annmarie Robinson at the Montana Department of Commerce at 406.841.2250 or visit business.mt.gov.

Tags: Business MT