CORONAVIRUS STATE & LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Transformation and Stabilization and Workforce Development Programs and Advisory Commission
The Montana 67 th Legislature passed House Bill 632 which allows funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to be used for economic transformation, stabilization and workforce development. HB632 created a Commission to oversee programs that are developed, and proposals that are reviewed and recommended by the Department of Commerce.
The Commission meets regularly and its members include Governor Gianforte's Budget Director Ryan Osmundson, Governor's Chief of Staff Chris Heggem, Labor Commissioner Laurie Esau, Senate President Mark Blasdel, Senator Ryan Lynch, Senator Steve Fitzpatrick, Speaker of the House Wylie Galt, Representative Llew Jones, and Representative Kim Abbott. Commission meeting information and future meeting dates can be found here. Commerce is tasked with staffing the Commission.
The Commission's first grant was of $15 million to the Department of Labor & Industry, for the creation of a return-to-work bonus program that will help address a critical labor shortage stemming, in part, from the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on the Return to Work Bonus program, click here.
Programs developed by the Department of Commerce and approved by the Commission may include grant and other programs for businesses, workforce development, and employee training. By law, the proposals recommended for funding by Commerce must be reviewed by the Commission, which will then recommend grants to the Governor.
Commerce, Labor & Industry and other agencies are in the process of developing recommended grant programs that will be submitted to the Commission for approval. Once programs are approved by the Commission, these agencies will provide more information on the grants available and process for applying and awarding the grants.
Please check this website often for updates, open applications, and deadlines.
The Department of Commerce Automation Loan Program is to assist businesses with the reduction of manual labor by updating or replacing production equipment that produces a product. This program is not designed to reduce the number of jobs but instead a reduction of manual labor by updating or replacing production equipment.
The Department will provide an 0% deferred loan for up to 50% of the purchase price of the automation equipment but not to exceed $500,000.
Program and applications guides are available Here. After accessing the application page, applicants will need to first register as a user by clicking on the "Submit" button on that page.
Questions about a grant application? Email businessmt@mt.gov.
Total funds available for grant awards are $7.5 million.
Visit agr.mt.gov/ARPAGrants to view application guidelines and apply. Concept papers are due by 5:00 PM MST on December 15, 2021.
* The ARPA Apprenticeship Training Grant Program is temporarily offline as scoring and guidelines are evaluated and updated.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Apprenticeship Training Grant Program is accepting applications and provides funds to eligible Apprenticeship Training Providers that provide construction related apprenticeship training. Apprenticeship Training Providers may apply for up to $3,000 per net new enrolled apprentice within the next 12 months. Funding for this program is part of the $10 million allocated by the Montana Economic Transformation, Stabilization & Workforce Development Advisory Commission to The Montana Department of Commerce.
The Montana Down Payment Assistance Loan Program objective is to allow growing businesses to retain valuable working capital during the growth phase vs. depleting cash to fund down payments on necessary equipment or building purchases/expansions. There is $37 million available for the program. Approved Lender To participate in the Montana Down Payment Assistance Loan Program the Lender needs to be an approved lender with the Montana Board of Investments (BOI). Financial Institutions wishing to become an Approved Lender with the Montana Board of Investments should follow the instructions provided in the program information provided below.
Application, FAQs, Program Detail and Program Contact Information can be found at https://investmentmt.com/Loan-Programs/Programs-and-Applications.
The Governor's Health Care Workforce Recruitment Program is now closed (no longer accepting applications). This program is intended to help address increasing demand for services by providing relocation reimbursements as an incentive to recruit skilled health care professionals to Montana. Health care businesses can visit the application page to begin the process.
Total funds available for this program are $4 million. Awards will be made on a first come, first served basis. The policy detailing program rules can be found here.
If you have additional questions, please submit them to: dlihcwr@mt.gov.
$4M will be distributed to existing state workforce program operators (WIOA Adult, TANF Pathways, SNAP E&T). The other $6M will be used to identify and create up to 10 industry-driven and MUS-partner-delivered short-term occupational trainings focused on jobs that pay or provide a pathway to at least $50,000/year.
Rapid retraining (short-term training) refers to that which can occur in three months or less.
Targeted and demand industries and occupations are those that have high labor or technical skill demands, that offer expanded career opportunities, that provide self-sustaining wages, and/or that were negatively impacted by the pandemic.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Training Grant Program is accepting applications and provides up to $3,000 per eligible employee receiving training to reimburse businesses for costs associated with training new and existing full-time workers. The business should be able to demonstrate an increase in revenue, capacity and/or production/manufacturing as result of the training process. The Montana Economic Transformation, Stabilization & Workforce Development Advisory Commission allocated $10 million for the program, which is administered by the Department of Commerce.
The goal of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Cybersecurity Program is to provide much-needed awareness regarding the threat of cybersecurity as well as monitoring, security, and training to protect Montana’s small and medium-sized businesses from cybersecurity attacks. Cyber-attacks on all businesses, but particularly small to medium-sized businesses are becoming more frequent, targeted, and complex. This program would provide funds to directly assist businesses with cybersecurity monitoring and security. Approximately $2 million has been allocated for this purpose.
Businesses can receive up to $8,000 in grant funds for reimbursement of newly implemented cybersecurity measures paid to an accredited Montana cybersecurity company for monitoring and security equipment and/or programs. Common cybersecurity certifications can be found here.
Program and applications guides are available here. After accessing the application page, applicants will need to first register as a user by clicking on the "Submit" button on that page.
Questions about a grant application? Email businessmt@mt.gov.
Other ARPA Funding Opportunities
The ARPA Artist grants for individuals is available with funds to support specific, definable projects including presentations, performances, tours, workshops, research, and the creation of artwork.
An operating support grant is available for 501c3 arts organizations to support day-to-day business expenses and/or operating costs.
Visit https://art.mt.gov/arpa to view application guidelines and apply.