The Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund
The Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF) program is a state-funded program created by the 2005 Legislature. It is designed to aid in the development of good paying jobs for Montana residents and promote long-term stable economic growth in Monana. A business cannot directly apply for BSTF and CDBG programs.  The applications must be an incorporated town or County. Though applications will have a better chance of being funded if the project has private sector dollars invested.

The BSTF program is designed to provide financial assistance in the following two categories:

Category I: Economic Development Projects 75% of BSTF earnings shall be awarded to local governments in the form of grants and loans for economic development projects that create new qualifying jobs for Montana residents.

Category II: Planning Grants 25% of BSTF earnings shall be awarded to Certified Regional Development Corporations and other qualified economic development organizations in areas not covered by a CRDC in the form of a grant for planning activities such as feasibility studies, business plans and preliminary architectural reports. 

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
The Business Resources category of Montana's Community Development Block Grant Economic Development (CDBG-ED) Program is designed to stimulate economic development activity by assisting Montana's private sector to create or retain jobs for low and moderate income (LMI) persons. The program assists businesses by making fixed-rate financing available to them at reasonable interest rates and by providing public improvements in support of economic development activities. CDBG-ED provides flexibility in interest rates and loan terms to complement conventional business financing and other State and Federal business financing programs. CDBG-ED funding can provide payment deferments, lower payments in the first year, and interest-only payments. CDBG-ED funds are intended to be used in situations where a funding gap exists and alternative sources of public and private financing are not adequate.

Treasure State Endowment Program
The Montana Department of Commerce's research findings, along with comments from local govenment officials and citizens, indicate that the principal reason why so many local public facilities are deficient is that most options for correcting deficiencies are simply not considered affordable by local residents. The Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP) is a state-funded program that has been designed to help address that "affordability" problem by providing grants to lower the cost of constructing public facilities projects.

The Montana Fund
The Montana Fund provides flexible capital for rapidly-growing companies. Our funds can function like equity for companies that are expanding rapidly in strong markets.
The Montana Fund does not take any ownership interest in client companies. Our funding of up to $250,000 is structured as an amortized loan with an additional payment that is based on the company's achieved revenue. 

EDA Public Works
Public Works and Economic Development ProgramPublic Works and Economic Development investments help support the construction or rehabilitation of essential public infrastructure and facilities necessary to generate or retain private sector jobs and investments, attract private sector capital, and promote regional competitiveness, including investments that expand and upgrade infrastructure to attract new industry, support technology-led development, redevelop brownfield sites and provide eco-industrial development. (CFDA No. 11.300 ).

The Ravalli County Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund.

The RCEDA Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) financing is generally used for expansion, renovations, machinery and equipment, and / or working capital. The RLF usually provides gap financing, the difference between what a business can borrow from a traditional lending institution and what they actually need to complete their intended project. The RCEDA RLF is usually willing to accept a subordinate position to the other lenders.

Minimum loans are $50,000 and the maximum loan is approximately $100,000. Job creation or retention is an important criteria for the RCEDA RLF Committee when ranking applications.

For application and additional information email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call.