USDA Helps Rural Businesses Create Jobs and Increase Economic Opportunities

   Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded 385 grants to help support the start-up or expansion of rural small businesses.

   “These grants can be a vital part of not only creating jobs but also growing and creating business opportunities in Montana,” according to Janelle Gustafson, Acting State Director, USDA Rural Development. “The funds allow access to assistance that many small and start-up businesses could not afford on their own.”

   USDA is awarding the grants through the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program. Recipients may use the funds to provide technical assistance, training and job-creation activities.

   Great Northern Development Corporation (GNDC) in Wolf Point, MT, is one of eight RBDG’s awarded in Montana. GNDC will use the $61,000 in grant funds to assist Sand Creek Winds in conducting an assessment for a new wind farm in McCone County. Four new jobs are expected to be created by this project.

   Other RBDG recipients include the City-County of Butte-Silver Bow, MT, which received a $20,169 grant to conduct a feasibility analysis of a proposed mill and mine in Silver Bow County. The mill could create as many as 10 new full time jobs along with the jobs that would come with the opening of a new mine.

   In Lewistown, MT, Snowy Mountain Development Corporation (SMDC), will use its $20,613 RBDG grant to set-up a network of entrepreneurs and business owners to assist other businesses.  The network will create and deliver educational programs tailored to individual business needs and stages of development, providing a culture of entrepreneurial support. RBDG funds will support 14 educational workshops and allow for one-on-one professional technical assistance for 25 startup and existing small and emerging businesses in Lewistown and the counties of Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, Petroleum, and Wheatland. This project is expected to result in the creation of 12 additional jobs.

   Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant agreement.

   In total, USDA is providing nearly $20 million in grants, $184,000 of that was granted in Montana.

   USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant Program is one of several that support rural economic development. Since the start of the Obama administration, USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service has helped 85,000 rural businesses.

   President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities.