Montana Department of Commerce, Block Grant Program Awards $600,000 in Funding to Carbon County and the City of Red Lodge for Beartooth Hospital and Health Care to Purchase New Medical Equipment

The Montana Department of Commerce has awarded $600,000 in funding from the Community Development Block Grant – Economic Development (CDBG-ED) Program to Carbon County and the City of Red Lodge to provide a grant to Beartooth Hospital and Health Care for the purchase of new medical equipment. The new equipment will be utilized immediately in the existing hospital and then be moved into the new hospital building upon completion of construction.

“This project will create 30 well paying, full time positions in the healthcare industry and provide brand new medical equipment for the citizens of Red Lodge and surrounding areas,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “The outcome of this project will benefit the community for generations.”

“Strong partnerships are an important part of economic development and we are proud to be one of several working partners,” said Anthony Preite, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “This project is about creating jobs and a better quality of life for many people.”

Beartooth RC&D Area, Inc. will assist with the administration of the project. Other contributing funding will be from the community fundraising efforts of the Beartooth Hospital Foundation, which has raised $2,790,000 to date, a loan from Billings Clinic for $2,500,000, and loans from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for $19,775,000.

Montana’s CDBG-ED program is designed to stimulate economic development activity by assisting Montana’s private sector in job creation or retention. The program receives funding from the Community Development Block Grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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Marissa P. Kozel

Communications Director, Director’s Office

Montana Department of Commerce

406-841-2772 (o)

406-465-7208 (c)

[email protected]