Governor Bullock has announced 9 grants funded through $1.25 billion in federal emergency relief funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The following new programs join the state’s suite of existing support services and direct federal appropriations to ensure Montana’s families, workers, seniors, businesses and non-profits emerge from this challenge even stronger than before.

Incumbent Worker Training is an employer-sponsored program that provides grant funding to assist eligible Montana small businesses offset the cost of training for their existing (incumbent) workers. Its intent is to create a stronger workforce through developing employees and strengthening small business for Montana residents.

President Obama signed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014 (H.R. 3080) into law on June 10, 2014.  WRRDA is the primary legislation by which Congress authorizes the Corps of Engineers’ key civil works missions, including navigation, flood risk management and environmental restoration.  The authorities provided in WRRDA help USACE continue to provide value to the nation in developing and maintaining the nation’s waterways and harbors, reducing damages from storm events, and restoring the environment.

WRRDA grants can be used for wastewater treatment and related facilities, water supply and related facilities, environmental restoration and surface water resource protection and development.

EDA’s Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) programs provide economically distressed communities and regions with comprehensive and flexible resources to address a wide variety of economic needs. Projects funded by these programs will support work in Opportunity Zones and will support the mission of the Department by, among other things, leading to the creation and retention of jobs and increased private investment, advancing innovation, enhancing the manufacturing capacities of regions, providing workforce development opportunities, and growing ecosystems that attract foreign direct investment.

EDA Public Works program investments help facilitate the transition of communities from being distressed to becoming competitive by developing key public infrastructure, such as technology-based facilities that utilize distance learning networks, smart rooms, and smart buildings; multitenant manufacturing and other facilities; business and industrial parks with fiber optic cable; and telecommunications and development facilities. In addition, EDA invests in traditional public works projects, including water and sewer systems improvements, industrial parks, business incubator facilities, expansion of port and harbor facilities, skill-training facilities, and brownfields redevelopment.

The Reclamation and Development Grants Program (RDGP) Planning Grants are state-funded grants designed to fund projects that help plan and develop RDGP Project Grants.

Examples of Projects:

• Planning activities that lead to RDGP project grant application
• Site assessment and sampling
• Feasibility or design studies
• Groundwater Investigation
• Research or technology demonstration
• Grant writing for natural resource cleanup grants and RDGP Project Grants

The Montana Big Sky Film Grant has been created to build partnerships with filmmakers and production companies by providing seed funding to enable the creation of jobs related to filmmaking production and support Montana’s filmmaking community while enhancing the marketing efforts of Montana’s tourism regions, people, history, and overall quality of life.

The Montana Big Sky Film Grant presents the following categories of funding:

• Feature Film and TV Grant: If a film or television project meets the grant criteria and the in-state spend exceeds $300,000 AND shoots at least 50% of principal photography in Montana, a qualifying scale of funds on any expenditures while filming in the state can be eligible for allocation.
• Residents filmmaker Grant: The Montana Big Sky Film Grant has been created to build partnerships with filmmakers and production companies by providing seed funding to enable the creation of jobs related to filmmaking production and support Montana’s filmmaking community while enhancing the marketing efforts of Montana’s tourism regions, people, history, and overall quality of life.
• Development Grant: If either a Montana filmmaker or resident production company creates Montana-centric content that can be screened exclusively on the Montana Office of Tourism, and/or Montana Film Office YouTube Channels or another established, well visited YouTube channels (or other platforms deemed necessary), they can apply for development grant allocations up to $50,000. Prior to applying for a development grant you must submit a content pitch. Click the link below to learn more about applying for development grant funding: Development Grant Pre-Submission Guideline.

Applications for the Big Sky Film Grant are accepted throughout the year. To apply to any of the grant-types above, contact the film office directly.

 

Montana’s Registered Apprenticeship Program has approximately $151,000 to provide grants up to a maximum of $4,500 per award, to help employers, industry associations, colleges, or other workforce groups to establish new or expanded apprenticeship programs. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the grant dollars have been expended. The following are allowable costs for use of potential grant dollars:

• Costs related to design and startup of an apprenticeship program
• Classroom education or online training programs for apprentices
• Other direct costs related to on the job training (excluding wages)
• Curriculum development
• Instructor training
• Training manuals

Under no circumstances can payments be made directly to the apprentice(s) and funds may NOT be used to reimburse the business for wages paid to the apprentice(s) or equipment purchased for the apprentice.

Public Value Partnerships (PVP) provide operating support for the artistic and educational mission of Montana arts organizations. The program recognizes strong operations, stable management, ongoing engagement, and high-quality programming for the communities being served.

Public Value Partners expand their work by:
• Building relationships with audiences, funders, community and political leaders.
• Creating greater relevance and connection to what has value and meaning to the community.
• Demonstrating a strong return on investment that brings meaning, adds vitality, and becomes a catalyst for new ways of thinking, seeing and solving problems.

The Community Technical Assistance Program (CTAP) provides professional planning assistance to communities across Montana in support of sound land use and development decisions, economic revitalization, and overall community resilience. Technical assistance is provided through workshops and trainings, direct assistance by phone or email, collaboration with local, state, and federal partners, the creation of model documents, and guidance on planning best practices.

CTAP staff include a land use attorney, professional planners, planning and outreach specialists, and licensed engineers who assist communities in everything from the development of long range plans to interpretation of statute to guidance on grant applications and review of technical documents. This assistance is provided at no cost to communities statewide.

The Montana Department of Commerce’s Office of Trade & International Relations helps Montana companies to compete at home and around the globe with key programs including:

• State Trade Expansion Program (STEP): grants for funding your international marketing activities
• Trade Show Assistance Program: grants for exhibiting at domestic trade shows
• Export Technical Assistance:work with our staff to get the one-on-one exporting assistance you need
• The Montana Forest Product Marketing & Exhibitor Assistance– Assists Montana forest product businesses to market and promote their products to new and existing domestic and international markets.