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Montana Department of Commerce Announces Economic Development Grant Awards

The Montana Department of Commerce awarded a total of $636,750 in economic development grants to three organizations to promote business growth across the state.

MDOC awarded a $600,000 Primary Sector Workforce Training Grant (WTG) http://www.wtg.mt.gov to SeaCast of Montana, located in Butte. MDOC also awarded two Big Sky Economic Development Trust Funds (BSTF) planning grants – a $26,250 grant to Bitterroot Economic Development District, Inc. of Missoula and a $10,500 grant to Beartooth Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Area, Inc., located in Joliet.

"Both Primary Sector Workforce Training Grants and Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Grants are proven business expansion tools," said Dore Schwinden, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. "They help grow businesses and create jobs."

The WTG Program provides grant funds to businesses for training of new full-time and part-time workers with the purpose of creating jobs in Montana. The grant funds can be used for providing education or skill based training for those new employees.

BSTF planning grants are awarded to local certified regional development corporations (CRDCs), tribal governments and local economic development agencies not located in a CRDC region, to assist in planning efforts to promote long-term, stable economic growth in both the region and Montana.

The grant awards include the following:

SeaCast of Montana, located in Butte received $600,000 of WTG funds to provide technical training to 117 full-time, new employees. SeaCast pours alloy steel, stainless steel, aluminum, cobalt, copper, nickel and titanium alloys.

Bitterroot Economic Development District, Inc., located in Missoula, received $26,250 of BSTF funds to assist the Legal Atlas, LLC with the completion of an information system design and marketing items to attract potential investors. The Legal Atlas is developing plans for a custom-built user interface that would act as "technological infrastructure" to gain access to data related to environmental law.

Beartooth Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Area, Inc., located in Joliet, received $10,500 of BSTF funds to assist Yellowstone Horseracing Alliance with completion of a simulcast business planning study. The study will evaluate current system flaws and make recommendations for alternatives.

WTG is a state-funded program. The goal of the program is to increase year-round and permanent job opportunities by providing grant assistance to businesses to help train their work force. Additional information about the Primary Sector Workforce Training Grant program can be found at the WTG website, which is http://www.wtg.mt.gov.

BSTF is a state-funded program. The goal of the program is to promote good-paying jobs and to promote long-term, stable economic growth in Montana. Besides planning grants, the BSTF can provide grant assistance to basic sector Montana businesses, who are hiring net new positions within their company. Additional information about the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund program can be found at the BSTF website, which is http://www.bstf.mt.gov.

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