The Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) program is a grant and loan program established by the Montana Legislature to strengthen and diversify Montana's agricultural industry through the development of innovative agricultural business organizational improvements and commercialization and marketing of new agricultural processes. Examples of eligible project activities involve equipment purchases, construction costs, advertising and promotion, and consultant services for engineering and feasibility studies.

Please note that eligible projects must demonstrate that the project will:
(1) be consistent with the purposes of the Growth Through Agriculture Program stated above;
(2) the project for which the loan or grant is made has prospects for achieving commercial success given the current personnel, experience, and resources of the applicant;
(3) the project for which the loan or grant is made is anticipated to create new jobs or retain existing jobs in the state;
(4) the loan or grant is primarily intended to be used for processing or adding value to agricultural products produced or potentially produced in the state; and
(5) the applicant has a management structure that allows the council to reasonably conclude that the applicant will comply with ongoing reporting requirements and postdisbursement monitoring activities established by the council.”

It is recommended that you begin working on your application as early as possible. For assistance in planning your project and working on your application, please contact your local Food and Agriculture Development Center www.foodandag.mt.gov or Small Business Development Center www.sbdc.mt.gov.

Targeted Areas - The Agriculture Development Council has designated the following targeted areas to be eligible for consideration for 0% interest rate loans:
•Businesses expanding or adding value to Montana commodities, or
•Businesses transitioning beyond direct sales/farmers markets

Typically salaries and overhead costs are not eligible for funding. Unless otherwise specified by the Council, any food or beverage/meal costs, per diem, etc. associated with the project are typically not funded and should be clearly specified in the application if proposed.

To begin the Growth Through Agriculture application process:

• Read the program background attached below in order to determine whether or not your project is eligible and learn more about the details of the program.

• If you have any questions about the eligibility of your project, please contact the GTA Program Specialist, Lindy Davies at (406) 444-0511 or gta@mt.gov.

• Contact your local Small Business Development Center www.sbdc.mt.gov/default.mcpx, or, specifically for food product projects or farm-based energy development projects, the Food and Agricultural Development Center www.foodandag.mt.gov, network to discuss your project and get assistance in applying for a Growth Through Agriculture grant or loan. You are also welcome to work with your local economic development organization.

• Register with the Montana Secretary of State. If your company is not already registered with the Montana Secretary of State, you may need to do so before going further with the application process. Organizations other than Sole Proprietorships must be registered with the Montana Secretary of State prior to submittal of the GTA application. Any application from an organization that is not registered with the Montana Secretary of State will not be accepted.

• Register Online. Before you can fill out an application, make sure that you have registered and received a username and password at www.fundingmt.org - see attached instructions below "Webgrants Registration Instructions"

• Log In. After registering, log in with your username and password and click "Start a New Application". Then follow the steps in the "GTA Application Instructions" attached below.

• Prepare Financial Statements. Prepare a cash flow statement using the appropriate spreadsheet form at the program link below, projected to a point of positive cash flow and profitability, and a balance sheet to accompany your application. All applications must include: a cash flow statement, a current and projected balance sheet, and a list of all key financial assumptions (see attached form below). The list of key assumptions should provide the basis for all major financial projections. Any application that does not include these items in the prescribed form will not be accepted. Use the guide, general spreadsheet, and sample provided in the program link below to help you prepare your cash flow statement and balance sheet. Choose the appropriate existing business or start up business spreadsheets for your project.

• Note: The GTA financial spreadsheet is the only format accepted - if you have any questions about putting your information in this format, please contact your local Small Business Development Center: www.sbdc.mt.gov

• Credit Check Release Form. Attached below. This form must be received by mail or fax by the application deadline. Complete the form and submit it by fax or mail it to:

GTA Program
Montana Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 200201
Helena, Montana 59620-0201
(406) 444-9442 fax

You may also contact GTA staff at the number above for assistance.

Final Deadline: Monday, May 4, 2015 by 2:00pm - submit by May 3, 2015 in order to allow time to respond to any technical issues that may arise prior to the deadline.

Additional Items to Note:

Staff Application Review Criteria. Applications will be reviewed by both staff and the Council. The general review criteria used by staff to review the project are attached below.

Decision Timeline. The Council will meet in May to determine which projects to fund, and may elect to fund a project through grants or loans or both a grant and loan funding.

Reimbursement Awards. All awards are provided on a reimbursement basis, unless otherwise specified by the Council.

Security Required for both Grant and Loan Awards. Security provisions are required for both grant and loan awards and are structured on an individual case basis.