JOBS NOW INC DBA MONTANA WEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PROCURES CAPITAL FOR NON-TRADITIONAL REVOLVING BUSINESS LOANS AND PARTNERS WITH BANKING INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE GAP EQUITY FINANCING, OR DIRECTLY LENDS TO NON-BANKABLE PROJECTS TO GET DEALS DONE. THE OUTCOME IS JOB CREATION, JOB RETENTION, HELPING DEALS BECOME BANKABLE, AND SUPPORTING BUSINESS INVESTMENT.PROVIDES FREE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING SERVICES BY ASSISTING BUSINESSES WITH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A GOVERNMENT APPROVED SUPPLIER; IDENTIFYING BID OPPORTUNITIES; ASSISTING BUSINESS WITH THE BID APPLICATIONS; AND THEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BID AWARDS. ACTS AS AN INTERMEDIARY FOR PASS THROUGH GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES THAT ARE CREATING JOBS AND BUSINESS INVESTMENT; PROVIDES BUSINESS EDUCATION THROUGH EVENTS, AND HOSTS BUSINESS MENTORS.THERE CONTINUES TO BE STEADY GROWTH IN THE FLATHEAD VALLEY. WHILE HOUSING AVAILABILITY SEEMS TO HAVE IMPROVED, PRICING IS STILL CREATING A CHALLENGE FOR MANY RESIDENTS. THIS ALSO ADDS TO THE CHALLENGE MANY BUSINESSES HAVE IN FINDING OR ATTRACTING QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES. HOWEVER, MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE STRONG AND EXPANDING. MWED CONTINUED TO WORK TO GROW OUR LOAN PORTFOLIO AND PURSUE ADDITIONAL CAPITALIZATION SOURCES. THE TOTAL LOAN PORTFOLIO WAS APPROXIMATELY $12.7 MILLION AT THE END OF 2024. OUR APEX ACCELERATOR PROGRAM CONTINUED TO BE ACTIVE IN FY2024, WITH 263 UNIQUE CLIENTS SERVED, 293 CONTRACTS AWARDED, AND A TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE IN EXCESS OF $44.8 MILLION. APEX ADDITIONALLY HOSTED SIX TRAINING EVENTS FOR OUR REGIONAL CLIENTS FOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER FRESHER COURSES, FACILITATED THREE CLIENT TRAINING WEBINARS AND HELPED TO ORGANIZE A STATEWIDE GOVMATCH EVENT TO BE HELD IN AUGUST OF 2025.THROUGHOUT 2024, MWED STAFF PRIORITIZED THE BUILDING OF SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE ORGANIZATION. MWED RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION OF A $10 MILLION COMMUNITY WILDFIRE DEFENSE GRANT (CWDG) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FLATHEAD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.