MISSOULA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM:MISSOULA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP'S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SUPPORTS BUSINESSES AT EVERY STAGE OF GROWTH BY PROVIDING DIRECT ASSISTANCE, STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS, AND COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING. IN FY25, MEP COMPLETED MORE THAN 80 BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION (BRE) VISITS WITH BUSINESSES ACROSS MISSOULA COUNTY, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES RELATED TO WORKFORCE, INFRASTRUCTURE, MARKET EXPANSION, AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL. MEP ALSO ENGAGED WITH 23 STARTUP AND EARLY-STAGE BUSINESSES, HELPING ENTREPRENEURS NAVIGATE BUSINESS PLANNING, FINANCIAL FORECASTING, MENTORSHIP, AND GROWTH STRATEGIES.MEP CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN MISSOULA BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DIALOGUES EVENT SERIES AND PROVIDED ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT TO MORE THAN 40 DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY MAJOR DOWNTOWN INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN SAFETY AND MOBILITY PROJECT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN.IN ADDITION, MEP SUPPORTED BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND EXPANSION EFFORTS TIED TO SEVERAL MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. THIS INCLUDED ASSISTING MONTANA KNIFE COMPANY WITH EXPANSION PLANNING FOR ITS NEW 50,000-SQUARE-FOOT MANUFACTURING FACILITY EXPECTED TO CREATE UP TO 200 JOBS, SUPPORTING RECRUITMENT EFFORTS THAT BROUGHT STORY HOUSE PICTURES MONTANA TO MISSOULA, AND HELPING SECURE YEAR-ROUND NONSTOP AIR SERVICE BETWEEN MISSOULA AND CHICAGO THROUGH THE TAKE FLIGHT MISSOULA PARTNERSHIP.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM:MISSOULA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOCUSES ON STRENGTHENING MISSOULA COUNTY'S WORKFORCE PIPELINE, SUPPORTING INDUSTRY RESILIENCE, AND ADVANCING INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. IN FY25, MEP CONTINUED TO LEAD REGIONAL CONVERSATIONS AROUND WORKFORCE HOUSING, JOB QUALITY, AND INDUSTRY SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.FOLLOWING THE CLOSURES OF ROSEBURG FOREST PRODUCTS IN MISSOULA AND PYRAMID MOUNTAIN LUMBER IN SEELEY LAKE, MEP CONVENED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS TO SUPPORT REDEVELOPMENT PLANNING, WORKFORCE TRANSITION EFFORTS, AND LONG-TERM INDUSTRY SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES. MEP ALSO CONTINUED ADVANCING EFFORTS TO REESTABLISH WOOD PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING CAPACITY IN SEELEY LAKE, RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SECTOR TO REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT, FOREST MANAGEMENT, AND WILDFIRE MITIGATION.MEP REMAINED ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN WORKFORCE-FOCUSED POLICY AND INDUSTRY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR THE SAWMILL REVITALIZATION ACT DURING THE 2025 MONTANA LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TIED TO WORKFORCE HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE. THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, MEP WORKS TO EXPAND CAREER PATHWAYS, SUPPORT TALENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION, AND STRENGTHEN ACCESS TO QUALITY JOBS ACROSS KEY SECTORS OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.