Ah, Big Sky Country! Montana is known for its natural beauty and varied wildlife—but it’s also a great place to start a new business. If you’re considering starting a Montana-based business—or already own one—you probably need funding. That’s where we come in. The list below details business loans and grants only available to Montana-based companies. Check it out.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Labor & Industry
Loan or Grant title: Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) program
The IWT program provides grants of $1,000 or $2,000 to offset the costs of skills-based training for existing employees. Small businesses (both for-profit and nonprofit) are eligible if they’ve been operating in Montana for at least one year and have no more than 50 employees. (Starting October 1, 2023, businesses with more than 50 employees may apply.) Businesses must register with the Montana Secretary of State’s Office and meet the employer matching funds requirement.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Big Sky Film Grant – Resident Short-Form Content
The Big Sky Film Grant (BSFG) is available to Montana-based production companies that film 50% or more of their principal photography days in Montana. Depending on the grant category, eligible productions include feature films, short films, documentaries, television series, limited series, music videos, and others. The maximum grant amount is $50,000. Applications are due February 7, 2025.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Big Sky Film Grant – Resident Feature Film and TV
The BSFG also has a resident feature film and TV grant available to Montana-based production companies that film 50% or more of their principal photography days in Montana. Depending on the grant category, eligible productions include feature films, short films, documentaries, television series, limited series, music videos, and others. The maximum grant amount is $100,000. Applications are due February 7, 2025.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Big Sky Film Grant – Feature Film and TV
The BSFG’s feature film and TV grant is available to production companies from out of state that film 50% or more of their principal photography days in Montana. Depending on the grant category, eligible productions include feature films, short films, documentaries, television series, limited series, music videos, and others. The maximum grant amount is $1.5 million. Applications are due February 7, 2025.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Big Sky Film Grant – Short-Form Content
The BSFG’s short-form content grant is available to production companies from out of state that film 50% or more of their principal photography days in Montana. Eligible productions include a short narrative, pilot episode, documentary, animation, webisode, Montana-centric story, or a film series of episodes, each 60 minutes or less in length and with a budget of $350,000 or less per episode. The minimum grant is $1,000 and the maximum amount is $50,000. Applications are due February 7, 2025.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Montana State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) 2.0 Loan Participation Program – Recycled Funds
Montana’s SSBCI 2.0 Loan Participation Program supports Montana businesses that need financing to stabilize, pivot, re-start, or expand their operations. The maximum loan amount is $1 million. Though most small businesses are eligible to apply, Montana is giving special priority to the following groups: Montana Native American-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, rural businesses, woman-owned businesses, start-up businesses, businesses located on a reservation, and businesses with ten or fewer employees.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Tribal Tourism Small Business Grant
The Tribal Tourism Small Business Grant supports Native American-owned tourism businesses in Montana. Eligible businesses can receive up to $10,000 in grant money to start or expand their business. Businesses will have two years to complete their tourism project using the funding.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Montana Trade Show Assistance Program (TSAP)
The Montana Trade Show Assistance Program helps Montana businesses finance their next domestic trade show exhibition. Eligible businesses can get a 50% reimbursement of eligible costs associated with a tradeshow, including booth rental fees, booth equipment, promotional materials, and travel expenses.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: SBIR/STTR Matching Funds
Montana offers SBIR/STTR matching grants to businesses that have been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I award. Eligible businesses can receive up to $30,000 in matching grant funds from the state.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: MicroBusiness Finance Program
The MicroBusiness Finance Program administers funds to MicroBusiness Development Corporations (MBDC) around Montana. Through these MBDCs, Montana businesses with fewer than ten full-time employees and less than $1 million gross revenues can apply for funding.
Department or Agency: Montana Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Montana Automation Loan Program
The Montana Automation Loan Program gives loans to Montana-based manufacturing enterprises that need help to upgrade, replace, or expand their equipment. The loan amount is 50% of the cost of the manufacturing equipment, up to $500,000. To be eligible, a business needs to be in manufacturing, in good standing with the Montana Secretary of State or Tribal Government, derive at least 51% of their revenue from the sale of manufactured goods, and have been operating for at least one year prior to applying.
