The intent of GTA Business Acceleration and Marketing program (BAM) is to aid in the access, development, and expansion of viable agriculture products.
     • Help businesses access and develop new and existing markets.
     • Support businesses in overcoming market barriers
     • Expand businesses’ digital/web offerings, including e-commerce.
     • Fund projects still in early expansionary phase of development
     • Support startup businesses in minimizing time to profitability.
     • Offer expanding businesses the ability to establish groundwork for capital expenditure.
     • Accelerate new, innovative products up to commercialization.

Examples of eligible project activities involve product development, product commercialization, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point planning, tradeshow assistance, website design/development, packaging/label design, and return on investment analysis.  See guidelines for additional information on project eligibility.

NEW: Equipment expenses up to $5,000 are eligible for reimbursement.

General Criteria for Funding
Projects must be consistent with the goals of the Growth Through Agriculture Act and:
     • Primarily add value to Montana’s agricultural products;
     • Have the prospects for commercial success given current personnel, experience and resources of the applicant;
     • Have the prospects to create and/or retain jobs in Montana;
     • Primarily processes or adds value to Montana’s agricultural products currently produced or potentially produced in the state; and
     • Has the management structure to allow the reviewers to reasonably conclude that the applicant will comply with ongoing reporting          and monitoring activities.

In addition, an applicant that receives any two GTA funded grants will have a one-year cooling off period before they can apply again, starting in the current calendar year. Please contact GTA staff for any questions on this recent allowance.

Cost-Share Funds
Grant funds will be awarded on the basis of cost-share in the form of 50% reimbursements of approved project expenses. Expenses must be used toward completing the proposed project and may not come from another State of Montana grant award.

For assistance in planning your project and working on your application, please contact your local Food and Agriculture Development Center Network www.foodandag.mt.gov or Small Business Development Center sbdc.mt.gov.

To begin the Business Acceleration and Marketing Program application process:

1. Program Guidelines – Read the Program Guidelines in order to determine whether or not your project is eligible and learn more about the details of the program.
2. Resources - View the Growth Through Agriculture Resources and FAQs at www.gta.mt.gov

3. Contact your local Food and Agricultural Development Center Network www.foodandag.mt.gov, or Small Business Development Center sbdc.mt.gov, for specific guidance to your project and to request assistance in applying.

4. 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 application. If you are using an Assumed Business Name (ABN) / DBA – the ABN must also be registered with the Montana Secretary of State at www.sos.mt.gov. Any application from an organization that is not registered with the Montana Secretary of State will not be accepted.

5. Register Online. Before you can fill out an application, make sure that you have registered and received a username and password at funding.mt.gov - see attached instructions below "Webgrants Registration Instructions"

6. Log In. After registering, log in with your username and password and click "Start a New Application".

 ***Incomplete Applications will not be considered.***

Final Checklist: Double check that the Application form has been submitted on funding.mt.gov

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Budget - Important Eligibility Dates for Consideration:

BAM Funds – Reimbursement date: Costs incurred three months prior to the application submission date

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Application Scoring Scale

The Department will review applications and score using Attachment A - Application Review Guidelines from the Program guidelines:

Scoring will be based on the overall assessment of the below listed considerations (defined in Attachment A of the guidelines):

• Potential for Success
• Impact on Agriculture   
• Economic Impact     
• Marketing Strategy/Knowledge                      
• Budget 

Additional Items to Note:

Decision Timeline. Staff will meet quarterly to review submitted proposals, and applicants can expect to hear back within the month following quarter they submitted their application.  Exception: applications for trade show assistance.  If applying for a trade show, the application will be reviewed upon submission.  - Trade show applications must be received with required attachments 30 days prior to the first day of the trade show.

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

NOTE: File Formats - Please contact program staff at the contact information above if you are having any technical issues with file formats or versions. 

Resources:

Farm and Food Business Start-up resources are available at: http://agr.mt.gov/Start-a-Business

Start-up Business?  Check out the Business Start-up Checklist, including business plan templates at http://sbdc.mt.gov/startup

Small Business Administration Resources – www.sba.gov – see business guide resources to plan start-up or expansion of your business: https://www.sba.gov/business-guide