Welcome to MEDA Online News. The purpose of this webpage is to serve as a communication link within the MEDA membership. It is to be a member-to-member site to inform MEDA Members as to news within our organization.
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January 2007;
FEBRUARY 2007
CRDC Update: Isn't it a great feeling to have your CRDC Annual Report finished, out the door and on its way to Quinn Ness? No doubt. Also in January, each CRDC was contacted and invited to attend Montana Means Business (MMB) web portal training, offered by the Governor's Office of Economic Development. CRDCs and everyone working in the economic development field can now use the information for the purpose of business retention and recruitment. The site is in the process of being moved to a state server, but you can check it out at http://www.gcs-research.net/mmbdev.
MEDA Membership Update: Thanks to each of you that have sent in your 2007 MEDA dues. For those of you not yet paid, you can pay your MEDA dues online or via check. New members in January include: Carolyn Keller, Grant Writer/Planner for Gateway Economic Development District; Melissa Kramer, Economic Development Coordinator for Stillwater County; and Debbie Swanson, Executive Director for Two Rivers Economic Growth.
Print the MEDA Membership Directory.
Grant and Funding Opportunities:
The Montana Technology and Innovation Partnership, administered by the Montana Business Incubator, has small grants available to assist Montana companies with SBIR proposal submissions to NASA. Contact MEDA Member David Stoltenberg, Montana Business Incubator for more information.
The National Association of Counties, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Wildlife Habitat Council, in cooperation with the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Southern Company, are pleased to solicit applications for the Five-Star Restoration Matching Grants Program. The Five-Star Restoration Program provides modest financial assistance on a competitive basis to support community-based wetland, riparian, and habitat restoration projects that build diverse partnerships and foster local natural resource stewardship through education, outreach and training activities. For more information contact: Amanda Bassow, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Working Groups...Are Working!:
For this month, our two most active Working Groups are BEAR and the Legislative Committee. Both groups are doing an exceptional job. Activities of the MEDA BEAR Working Group are available at http://www.medamembers.org/bear.html.
The minutes of the weekly Legislative Committee calls are available upon request. Please call 406.563.5259 for more information. With the commencement of the 2007 Legislative Session, the MEDA Legislative Committee meets via conference call on a weekly basis. Prior to the Wednesday call, committee members receive an updated MEDA Legislative Agenda grid. The MEDA office assists in coordinating testimony, alerting MEDA's membership, compiling letters of support or opposition and disseminating information. To date, MEDA has written nine letters on various bills and coordinated testimony for six hearings. Note: funding for this activity is provided by MEDA membership dues.
Opportunities For You: Interested in sharpening your professional skills as an economic and community development practitioner? Looking for new tools to place in your economic development tool box? Check these out.
Learn from the best! The community development specialists at Big Sky Economic Development Authority will present a free introductory workshop about the grant-seeking process on Wednesday, February 14th, from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. in the Big Sky EDA conference center located on the first floor of Granite Tower, 222 North 32nd Street in downtown Billings. Learn the basics of the grants process, types of grants, and who might be eligible for grant funds. Participants will also learn where to search for appropriate funding sources. While there is no fee to attend, pre-registration for the grants workshops is required and seating is limited to 25 attendees per session. Please call Mary Lou or Allison at 256-6871 ext. 100 to reserve your place at the Pre-Grants Workshop on or before Tuesday, February 13.
EPA Request for Applications: Smart Growth Implementation Assistance
EPA is soliciting applications from states or communities that want help
with either policy analysis or public participatory processes. Selected
communities will receive assistance in the form of a multi-day visit
from a team of experts organized by EPA and other national partners to
work with local leaders. Applications will be accepted until March 8,
2007. For more information and application materials, please go to
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm.
Montana Ambassador 2007 Annual Meeting, February 15th and 16th in Helena, promises to be a memorable event. Rich Karlgaard, Publisher of Forbes Magazine and author of "Life 2.0: How People Across America Are Transforming Their Lives by Finding the Where of Their Happiness", is the keynote speaker for the session. Governor Schweitzer will award several outstanding Montana Ambassadors including MEDA Member Rick Edwards - as Montana Ambassador of the Year. Register at http://www.montanaambassadors.com.
Montana BEAR Report: If you haven't already, get on board Montana's BEAR program! Review the January 2007 report and learn of progress in initiating this program across the state. Read the minutes of the local chapter meetings and learn about the progress of BEAR in Missoula, Hamilton and Butte. February promises to be a busy month with the Kalispell training on February 1st and kick off of the Lewistown area BEAR team on February 7th. According to data entered into the ExecutivePulse software, five regions were active this past month: Southwest with Silver Bow County, West with Flathead and Missoula Counties, North Central with Cascade County and South Central with Yellowstone County. Well done!
What the Numbers Say: 
Montana Department of Commerce
2005 Average Wage Per Job for Montana Counties
In late December, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released Average Wage Per Job for all states and counties for 2005. Listed below are the top five counties with the largest growth between 2004 and 2005.
For more information, contact CEIC staff at 841-2740 or sockert@mt.gov.
My Turn: This-n-That from the MEDA Office
It is nearing the end of a very hectic day (aren't they all?) and I wish you could sit at my desk for a day and see what is happening across Montana from my perspective. I get to work with the most amazing people - through BEAR, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, MEDA, Montana Ambassadors, CRDCs, local economic development organizations, and other development volunteer groups. Over and over again I get to see just how much these people give. They make things happen that go way beyond their job descriptions and certainly way beyond the 40 hour work week. Because of their hard work and dedication Montana is changing. When folks talk about economic development in Montana they sometimes focus on what is not happening; not being accomplished, but from my perspective it is clear that a great deal is happening and your work is succeeding. So, thank you to all who are working so hard and devoting so much to the task at hand; you do not get thanked often enough.
A Success Story....Do you have a story to share? Download the report template and send to MEDA.
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