1

Small Business

resource guide

How to 

Grow Your

BUSINESS

in Montana

MONTANA EDITION 2019-2020
2
 3

CONTENTS

Funding 

Programs 

24 National Success Story

With the help of a 7(a) business 

acquisition loan of $1.1 million, Mark 

Moralez and John Briggs purchased 

Printing Palace in Santa Monica 

becoming small business owners.

27 Need Financing?

28 SBA Lenders 

34 Investment Capital

35 Federal Research 

 & Development

36 National Success Story

Forest Lake Drapery and 

Upholstery Fabric Center in 

Columbia, South Carolina, 

rebounds thanks to an SBA 

disaster assistance loan.

38 National Success Story

Three Brothers Bakery weathers 

two hurricanes with the help of the 

SBA’s disaster assistance program.

40 SBA Disaster Loans

41 How to Prepare Your 

 Business for an 

 Emergency

42 Surety Bonds

44 Assistance with Exporting

Contracting 

45 National Success Story

Evans Capacitor Co. of Rhode 

Island, a leading manufacturer of 

high-energy density capacitors, 

gains contracting success with 

SBA assistanced.

48 SBA Contracting Programs

50 Woman-Owned Small 

	 	 Business certification

Local Business 

Assistance 

8 National Success Story

Rebecca Fyffe launched Landmark 

Pest Management with the help 

of the SBA-supported Women’s 

Business Development Center.

11 Local SBA Resource 

 Partners

12 How to Start a Business

16 Your Advocates

17 Write Your Business Plan

20 Programs for 

 Entrepreneurs

21 Programs for Veterans

22 Local Success Story

When the Great Recession drove 

the auto detailing franchisor 

MARS out of business, franchisee 

Devon Davidson didn’t just sit 

back—he acted, creating an 

association of fellow franchise 

owners that saved jobs and 

maintained the company’s 

legacy. The SBA then helped 

Devon finance his dream of small 

business growth.

 ON THE COVER Devon Davidson 

and employee, photo courtesy of MARS 

of Billings

Montana Edition 2019-2020
4

Small businesses

power our economy.

The SBA powers

small businesses.

Whether you dream of transforming your business idea into a 

thriving company, growing your customer base, or expanding 

into new markets or locations, the SBA is here for you. We offer 

programs, expertise, and access to capital that will empower you 

to take your small business to the next level of success.

Stop by your local SBA office or visit SBA.gov to learn how 

you can move your business forward with confidence.
 5

BY NEW SOUTH MEDIA

To schedule a meeting or to learn more, contact 

Buddy Butler at buddy@newsouthmediainc.com

or call 304.615.9884.

We have all heard the phrase “content is 

king.” Creating rich, engaging, and inspiring 

content differentiates your brand in the 

marketplace. But who has time to focus on 

anything other than running their business?

Narrative works with you to develop 

the tools to tell your story across all 

media platforms. Powerful and authentic 

storytelling helps you stand out. It inspires 

action. It creates an emotional impact and 

forges enduring relationships. It separates 

you from the competition.

Let us help 

give voice 

to your 

story.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Brand Voice

Articles

Blogs

Website Content

Social Media Posts

Email Content

Brochures

Catalogs

Visitor Guides

Books

Copywriting

Photography

Videos
6

published by

New South Media, Inc.

304.413.0104 | newsouthmediainc.com

PUBLISHER

Nikki Bowman, nikki@newsouthmediainc.com

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Zack Harold, zack@newsouthmediainc.com 

Pam Kasey, pam@newsouthmediainc.com

DESIGNER

Hayley Richard, hayley@newsouthmediainc.com

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Holly Leleux-Thubron, holly@newsouthmediainc.com

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR 

Heather Mills, heather@newsouthmediainc.com

ADVERTISING SALES 

Sandy Burky, Kelley McGinnis, Bryson Taylor

sba@newsouthmediainc.com

Copyright: New South Media, Inc. Reproduction in part or whole is 

strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the 

publisher. 

© NEW SOUTH MEDIA , INC. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Marketing & Customer 

Service directs the publication of the Small Business Resource Guide 

under SBA Contract #SBAHQ–17–C–0018. SBA publication Spring 2018 

National edition #mcs-0087.

WRITER/EDITOR

Becky Bosshart

(202) 205-6677

rebecca.bosshart@sba.gov

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Paula Panissidi Tavares

paula.tavares@sba.gov

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Kelley Daniels

kelley.daniels@sba.gov

The SBA’s participation in this publication is not an endorsement of the 

views, opinions, products or services of the contractor or any advertiser 

or other participant appearing here. All SBA programs and services are 

extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Printed in the 

United States of America. While every reasonable effort has been made 

to ensure that the information contained here is accurate as of the date 

of publication, the information is subject to change without notice. The 

contractor that publishes this guide, the federal government, or agents 

thereof shall not be held liable for any damages arising from the use of or 

reliance on the information contained in this publication.
 7

Welcome to the 2019 edition of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 

Montana Small Business Resource Guide. The SBA helps make the 

American dream of small business ownership a reality. We are the only 

federal agency dedicated to helping our 30 million small businesses start, grow, 

expand, and recover after a disaster. The SBA Montana District Office supports 

the small business community by providing SBA services and programs to our 

state. We work with an extensive network of business advisers and lenders to help 

Montana’s 118,315 small businesses at every stage of development.

Across Montana in the last year, we empowered the state’s small businesses to:

• Find an ally, advocate or mentor via the 17 local offices of our SBA Resource 

Partners, which includes SCORE chapters, Small Business Development 

Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and the Veterans Business Outreach 

Center, all powered by the SBA.

• Access over $75 million in SBA-guaranteed loans using 37 local banks, 

credit unions, community-based lenders, and microlenders. The 239 small 

businesses that qualified for this assistance then hired new employees, 

bought needed equipment, and built/renovated facilities.

• Gain more than $346 million in federal contracting awards.

Stay up to date on SBA events near you and get valuable Montana business 

information by following us on Twitter at @SBA_Montana. Register for email 

updates at sba.gov/updates. Use our 

Small Business Resource Guide to 

power your dream of starting, growing, 

or expanding your small business here 

in Montana.

Sincerely,

Wayne Gardella

Montana District Director

U.S. Small Business Administration

District Director

Wayne Gardella

(406) 441-1080

wayne.gardella@sba.gov

Deputy District Director

Brent Donnelly

(406) 441-1083

brent.donnelly@sba.gov

Business Opportunity Specialist

Kelly Dixon

(406) 441-1085

kelly.dixon@sba.gov

Economic Development Specialist

Sharon Franjevic

(406) 441-1088

sharon.franjevic@sba.gov

Lead Lender Relations Specialist

Lorena Carlson

Cell (406) 202-3401

lorena.carlson@sba.gov

Lender Relations Specialist

Tom White

(406) 441-1078

thomas.white@sba.gov

Billings Senior Area Manager

Martin DeWitt

(406) 459-5347

martin.dewitt@sba.gov

SBA Montana 

District Office

10 W. 15th St., suite 1100

Helena, MT 59626

(406) 441-1081

sba.gov/mt

@SBA_Montana

Billings Office

1629 Avenue D, building A, suite 6

Billings, MT 59102

(406) 459-5347

District Director Letter
8

How SBA-backed loans helped 

one woman turn a flagging pest 

control business into an

ever-expanding enterprise.

LOCAL BUSINESS 

ASSISTANCE

written by Zack Harold

Bitten 

by the 

Business 

Bug

LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT
 

9

Rebecca Fyffe first worked at ABC Humane 

Wildlife Control & Prevention Inc., a pest 

control business in suburban Chicago, 

Illinois, for a college summer job. She 

was on a different career path when she 

got a call from her old employer. The president of ABC 

needed to take a medical sabbatical, and the company 

wanted Fyffe to take over in his absence. Fyffe had 

studied public policy, pre-law, and epidemiology in 

addition to university-level research on pesticides. Not 

content with just keeping the seat warm, Fyffe began 

making improvements to the company’s operations 

during her year at the helm. “Because of that I was 

made CEO,” she says. That was in 2001. Fyffe was just 

25 years old, the youngest pest control company CEO in 

the nation and one of only a few women in a business 

dominated by men.

She continued to look for ways to grow the company. 

At the time, ABC focused its efforts solely on nuisance 

wildlife control. Fyffe saw a lucrative opportunity in 

urban bird management. She had long been concerned 

about pigeons. Growing up, one of her young cousins 

contracted encephalitis from pigeon droppings, which 

led to epilepsy, blindness, and eventually death. Fyffe 

studied the birds and how to mitigate their threat, 

which brought her to the conclusion that improvements 

could be made in urban pigeon control. She found more 

effective solutions were needed to make the mitigation 

material more durable for city use. Fyffe knew she could 

do better, but to get the new venture off the ground, 

ABC needed to borrow money to invest in training, 

equipment, and insurance. The company was hesitant to 

take on the financial risk, so Fyffe offered an alternative 

solution: allow her to launch a new company that would 

specialize in pigeon management. She would run that 

company in addition to her duties at ABC. 

She launched Landmark Pest Management in 2010 

with four employees. Fyffe still needed to borrow money, 

which would be more difficult now that she didn’t have 

an established business standing behind her. Thanks 

to workshops hosted by the SBA-supported Women’s 

Business Development Center, Fyffe applied for an SBAbacked 7(a) loan through Chase Bank. A conventional 

loan would have allowed her to mortgage the warehouse 

facility she needed, but nothing more.

“We would have maxed out our ability to borrow," Fyffe 

says. "That would not have worked for our business.” 

Because of SBA backing, Chase was willing to offer Fyffe a 

larger line of credit, which allowed her to get the warehouse 

as well as the uniforms, tools, and materials she needed. 

“We couldn’t have done it without the SBA,” she says.

Landmark established its reputation from its first 

contract, installing netting on a bridge project in Chicago. 

This bridge became the Chicago Transit Authority’s 

showpiece for bird control. Within two years, Landmark 

was one of the main companies providing bird deterrent 

systems in Chicago. Fyffe used the money she made to 

purchase ABC and merge the two companies in 2012.

LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
10

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

SBA Resource 

Partners

No matter your industry, location, or experience, if you have a dream, the 

SBA is here to help you realize it. Our SBA Resource Partners extend our reach, 

offering free or low-cost mentoring, counseling, and training to help you startup and thrive at all stages of the business life cycle.

Join the ranks of other business owners who have experienced higher revenues 

and increased growth thanks to SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer 

business mentors. These business executives share real-world knowledge for no 

cost and to fit your busy schedule. SCORE mentors are available as often as you 

need, in person, via email or over video chat. Visit sba.gov/score to start working 

on your business goals.

SCORE

Realize your dream of business ownership and then remain competitive in an 

ever-changing global economy with assistance from your local SBDC. Access 

free or low-cost one-on-one counseling and training on topics like marketing, 

regulatory compliance, technology development, and international trade. 

Connect with an SBDC adviser at sba.gov/sbdc.

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS

Women entrepreneurs receive essential business training from this national 

network of community-based centers. Each center tailors its services to help 

you navigate the challenges women often face when starting or growing their 

business. For your nearest Women’s Business Center, visit sba.gov/women.

WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS

Veteran and military entrepreneurs receive business training, counseling and 

mentoring, and referrals to other SBA Resource Partners at a Veterans Business 

Outreach Center, sba.gov/vboc. These are also the places to receive procurement 

guidance, which can help your business better compete for government contracts. 

VBOCs also serve active duty service members, National Guard or Reserve 

members, veterans of any era, and military spouses.

VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS

The company has grown to 85 

employees with 50 trucks on the 

road every day, working alongside 

the biggest construction firms 

in the country. Still, Fyffe 

challenges herself by finding 

ways to expand the company. In 

addition to its work in Illinois, 

Landmark does business in 

Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri. 

Fyffe is considering expansion to 

California and New York.

Landmark has continued to use 

its science-based methodology 

and proprietary technology 

to expand its offerings. The 

company is a leader in bedbug 

science, pioneering a special 

DNA test to detect infestations 

with a relatively small sample. 

Fyffe’s team is also testing a new 

nontoxic fungi spore that could 

be used to kill the pests. The 

company’s fastest growing sector 

is food production applications. 

Inspectors shut down factories 

if they find a pest, even if the 

animal has already been caught in 

a trap. Fyffe’s company developed 

a trap that is equipped with 

sensors that allow Landmark to 

dispatch technicians as soon as a 

pest is captured. Although Fyffe 

has used conventional loans for 

these expansions, she credits her 

first SBA-backed loan and her 

Women’s Business Development 

Center guidance with teaching 

her how to craft a growth plan 

and pitch ideas to lenders.

“We might not have been able 

to access that without the SBA,” 

she says.

We couldn’t 

have done it 

without the 

SBA.”

Rebecca Fyffe

Founder

Landmark Pest Management

There are more than 

300 SCORE chapters

980 Small Business Development Centers

100 Women’s Business Centers

20 Veterans Business Outreach Centers
 11

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

SBA’s Resource Partners are independent organizations that are funded through SBA 

cooperative agreements or grants.

SCORE

Visit sba.gov/score to start 

working on your business goals.

Western Montana

225 Cruse Ave., suite D

Helena

(406) 442-4986

westernmontana@scorevolunteer.org

Bozeman

2000 Commerce Way

(406) 586-5421

scorebozeman@gmail.com

Billings

Stockman Bank

402 N. Broadway

(406) 927-7640

billings.score@scorevolunteer.org

Small Business 

Development 

Center

SBDC Lead Center

Montana Department of Commerce

301 S. Park Ave.

Helena

sbdc.mt.gov

Billings SBDC

Big Sky Economic Development

222 N. 32nd St., suite 200

(406) 869-8412

Bozeman SBDC

Montana State University TechLink Center

2310 University Way, building 2

(406) 599-0790

Our Local SBA 

Resource Partners

Butte SBDC

Headwaters RC&D

65 E. Broadway

(406) 533-6780

Great Falls SBDC

Great Falls Development Authority

405 Third St. NW, suite 203

(406) 750-0314

Jason Nitschke

jnitschke@growgreatfalls.org

Havre SBDC

Bear Paw Development Corp.

48 Second Ave., suite 202

(406) 399-1557

Helena SBDC

University of Montana Helena College

1115 N. Roberts St.

(406) 447-6376

Kalispell SBDC

Flathead Valley Community College

777 Grandview Drive

(406) 756-3836

Miles City SBDC

Miles Community College

2715 Dickinson St.

(406) 874-6168

Missoula SBDC

University of Montana

32 Campus Drive

Missoula, MT 59812

(406) 243-4770

Wolf Point SBDC

Great Northern Development Corp.

233 Cascade St.

(406) 653-2590

Veterans 

Business 

Outreach 

Center

Veteran entrepreneurs or small 

business owners can receive 

business training, counseling and 

mentoring, and referrals to other 

SBA Resource Partners at a Veterans 

Business Outreach Center, sba.gov/

vboc. This is also the place to receive 

procurement guidance, which can 

help your business better compete 

for government contracts.

Big Sky Economic 

Development

222 N. 32nd St., suite 200

Billings

(406) 254-6014

Women’s 

Business 

Centers

For your nearest Women’s Business 

Center, visit sba.gov/women.

Prospera Business Network

2015 Charlotte St. #1

Bozeman

(406) 587-3113

montanawbc.org

Ravalli County Economic 

Development Authority

274 Old Corvallis Road, suite A

Hamilton

(406) 375-9416
12

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

The Startup Logistics

Even if you’re running a home-based 

business, you will have to comply 

with many local, state, and federal 

regulations. Do not ignore regulatory 

details. You may avoid some red tape 

in the beginning, but your lack of 

compliance could become an obstacle 

as your business grows. Taking the time 

to research the applicable regulations is 

as important as knowing your market. 

Carefully investigate the laws affecting 

your industry. Being out of compliance 

could leave you unprotected legally, lead 

to expensive penalties, and jeopardize 

your business.

Market Research

Need to do research on your clients and 

location? View consumer and business 

data for your area using the Census 

Business Builder: Small Business Edition, 

https://cbb.census.gov/sbe. Filter your 

search by business type and location to 

view data on your potential customers, 

including consumer spending, and a 

summary of existing businesses, available 

as a map and a report. 

Business License & Zoning

Licenses are typically administered by a 

variety of state and local departments. 

It is important to consider zoning 

regulations when choosing a site 

for your business. Contact the local 

business license office where you plan 

to locate your business. You may not 

be permitted to conduct business out 

of your home or engage in industrial 

activity in a retail district.

» One stop business licensing 

and renewals

(406) 444-6900

revenue.mt.gov/forbusinesses/

onestop_licensing/default.mcpx

» Business Services Division

1301 Sixth Ave., Helena

(406) 444-3665

Fax (406) 444-3976

sosbusiness@mt.gov

sos.mt.gov/business/index.asp

Name Registration

Register your business name with the county 

clerk where your business is located. If you’re 

a corporation, also register with the state.

Taxes

As a business owner, you should know your 

federal tax responsibilities and make some 

basic business decisions to comply with 

COURTESY OF THE SBA

How to Start a 

Business in Montana

Adriana Medina, owner of 

Fuerte Fitness, in Seattle, WA, 

received counseling from a 

SCORE mentor and a Women's 

Business Center adviser.

Thinking of starting a business? Here are the nuts & bolts.
 13

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

certain tax requirements. The IRS Small 

Business and Self-Employed Tax Center, 

go.usa.gov/xPxYR, offers information on 

a variety of topics including: obtaining an 

Employer Identification Number, paying 

and filing income tax, virtual workshops, 

forms, and publications.

Whether you are a new or an experienced 

business owner, there are new tax law 

changes that may affect your business. As 

the IRS works to implement the Tax Cuts and 

Jobs Act, signed into law December 2017, 

you can access the latest information on

irs.gov/tax-reform to better understand 

the new tax law implications and how they 

affect your bottom line.

» Tax Assistance Centers

Billings

2900 Fourth Ave. North

(406) 247-7446

Bozeman

1805 S. 22nd Ave.

(406) 582-8671

Great Falls

11 Fifth St. North

(406) 761-8095

Helena

10 W. 15th St.

(406) 441-1039

Kalispell

275 Corporate Ave.

(406) 752-6636

Missoula

2681 Palmer St.

(406) 728-9127

Local Taxpayer Advocate

Karen Alvear

10 W. 15th St., suite 2319

Helena

(406) 444-8612

karen.l.alvear@irs.gov

» Montana Payroll Tax

Montana Department of Revenue

Sam W. Mitchell Building, 

Capitol Complex, Helena

(406) 444-6900

» Contribution Bureau

Department of Labor and Industry

(406) 444-3834

Social Security

If you have any employees, including 

officers of a corporation but not the 

sole proprietor or partners, you must 

make periodic payments, and/or file 

quarterly reports about payroll taxes 

and other mandatory deductions. 

You can contact the IRS or the Social 

Security Administration for information, 

assistance and forms, socialsecurity.

gov/employer or (800) 772-1213. You 

can file W-2s online or verify job seekers 

through the Social Security Number 

Verification Service.

Employment Eligibility 

Verification

The Federal Immigration Reform and 

Control Act of 1986 requires employers 

to verify employment eligibility of 

new employees. The law obligates 

an employer to process Employment 

Eligibility Verification Form I-9. The U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Service offers 

information and assistance through uscis.

gov/i-9-central. For forms, call (800) 870-

3676, for the employer hotline, call (888) 

464-4218 or e-mail I-9central@dhs.gov.

E-Verify, operated by the Department 

of Homeland Security in partnership 

with the Social Security Administration, 

electronically verifies the Social Security 

number and employment eligibility 

information reported on Form I-9. It’s the 

quickest way for employers to determine 

the employment eligibility of new hires. 

Visit e-verify.gov, call (888) 464-4218 or 

email e-verify@dhs.gov.

Health & Safety

All businesses with employees are 

required to comply with state and federal 

regulations regarding the protection of 

employees, visit dol.gov for information. 

The Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration provides information on 

the specific health and safety standards 

used by the U.S. Department of Labor, 

(800) 321-6742 or visit osha.gov.

» OSHA Billings area office

2900 Fourth Ave. North, suite 303

(800) 488-7087 or (406) 247-7494

» Safety and Health Bureau

Bureau Chief Bryan Page

(406) 444-6401

Employee Insurance

Check with your state laws to see if you 

are required to provide unemployment 

or workers’ compensation insurance for 

your employees. For health insurance 

options, call the Small Business 

Health Options Program at (800) 706-

7893 or visit healthcare.gov/smallbusinesses/employers.

» Department of Labor & Industry

(406) 444-3783

» Workers’ Compensation Insurance 

Montana State Fund

(406) 495-5000

Environmental 

Regulations

State assistance is available for small 

businesses that must comply with 

environmental regulations under the Clean 

Air Act. State Small Business Environmental 

Assistance programs provide free, 

confidential assistance to help small 

business owners understand and comply 

with complex environmental regulations 

and permitting requirements. These state 

programs can help businesses reduce 

emissions at the source, often reducing 

regulatory burden and saving you money. 

To learn more about these free services, 

visit nationalsbeap.org/states/list.

» Montana State University 

Extension Service

Pollution Prevention Program

(406) 994-6948 or (888) 678-6872

montana.edu/wwwated

Disability Compliance

For assistance with the Americans with 

Disabilities Act call (800) 669-3362 or visit 

ada.gov.

Child Support

Employers are essential to the success 

of the child support program and are 

responsible for collecting 75 percent 

of support nationwide through payroll 

deductions. The Office of Child Support 

Enforcement at Health and Human Services 

offers employers step-by-step instructions 

for processing income withholding orders 

for child support. “A Guide to an Employer’s 

Role in the Child Support Program” is 

available at the Office of Child Support 

Enforcement’s website at acf.hhs.gov/

programs/css > employer responsibilities.

You can also find information about other 

employer responsibilities and tools that can 

make meeting those responsibilities easier, 

such as electronic income withholding 

orders and the Child Support Portal. Send 

questions to employerservices@acf.hhs.gov.
14

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Intellectual Property

Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are 

types of intellectual property that serve 

to protect creations and innovations. 

Intellectual property may be valuable assets 

for small businesses and entrepreneurs, 

and are important to consider in the 

development of any business plan.

Patents and Trademarks

For information and resources about 

U.S. patents and federally registered 

trademarks: Visit uspto.gov or call 

the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

Help Center at (800) 786-9199. The 

Rocky Mountain Regional Office in 

Denver, Colorado, serves Colorado, 

Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, 

North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and 

Wyoming, uspto.gov/denver.

A patent for an invention is the grant 

of a property right to an inventor, issued 

by the patent office. The right conferred 

by the patent grant is the right to exclude 

others from making, using, offering for 

sale, or selling the invention in the United 

States or importing the invention.

There are three types of patents:

• Utility patents may be granted to 

anyone who invents or discovers any 

new and useful process, machine, 

manufacture, or composition of matter, 

or any new and useful improvement.

• Design patents may be granted to 

anyone who invents a new, original, 

and ornamental design for an article 

of manufacture.

• Plant patents may be granted to 

anyone who invents or discovers and 

asexually reproduces any distinct and 

new variety of plant, other than a tuber 

propagated plant or a plant found in 

an uncultivated state. For information 

visit uspto.gov/inventors.

A trademark or service mark includes 

any word, name, symbol, device, or 

any combination used or intended to 

be used to identify and distinguish the 

goods/services of one seller or provider 

from those of others, and to indicate the 

source of the goods/services.

Trademarks and service marks may be 

registered at both the state and federal 

level with the latter at the U.S. Patent and 

Trademark Office. Federally registered 

trademarks may conflict with and supersede 

those registered only at the state level. For 

information visit uspto.gov/trademarks. 

» Montana Tech Patent 

Depository Center

1300 W. Park.

Butte

(406) 496-4281

mtech.edu/library

Copyrights

Copyrights protect original works of 

authorship, including literary, dramatic, 

musical and artistic, and certain other 

intellectual works. Copyrights do not protect 

facts, ideas, and systems, although it may 

protect the way these are expressed. For 

general information contact:

» U.S. Copyright Office

U.S. Library of Congress

James Madison Memorial Building

101 Independence Ave. Southeast, 

Washington, DC

(202) 707-3000 or toll free (877) 476-0778

copyright.gov

Chambers of 

Commerce

Anaconda

discoveranaconda.com

Augusta

augustamontana.com

Baker

bakermt.com

Dillon

beaverheadchamber.org

Belgrade

belgradechamber.org

Big Sandy

bigsandymontana.com

Big Sky

bigskychamber.com

Bigfork

bigfork.org

Billings

billingschamber.com

Bitterroot Valley

bitterrootchamber.com

Boulder

bouldermtchamber.com

Bozeman

bozemanchamber.com

Bridger

bridgermontana.com

Browning

browningchamber.com

Butte

buttechamber.org

Carter County

cartercountychamberofcommerce.com

Chinook

chinookmontana.com

Choteau

choteaumontana.us

Circle

circle-montana.com

Colstrip

colstripchamber.com

Cooke City

cookecitychamber.org

Columbia Falls

columbiafallschamber.org

Conrad

conradmt.com

Culbertson

culbertsonmt.com

Cut Bank

cutbankchamber.com

Daniels County

scobeymt.com

Drummond

townofdrummondmontana.com/

chamber-of-commerce

East Glacier

eastglacierpark.info

Ennis

ennischamber.com

Eureka

welcome2eureka.com

Fairfield

centralmontana.com

Fairview

midrivers.com/~fairview

Forsyth

forsythmt.com

Fort Benton

fortbentonchamber.org

Gardiner

gardinerchamber.com

Garfield

garfieldcounty.com

Glasgow

glasgowchamber.net

Glendive

glendivechamber.com

Great Falls

greatfallschamber.org
 15

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Hardin

thehardinchamber.org

Harlowton

wheatlandchamber.com

Havre

havrechamber.com

Helena

helenachamber.com

Hot Springs

hotspringsmtchamber.org

Hysham

hysham.org

Judith Basin

russellcountry.com

Kalispell

kalispellchamber.com

Lakeside

lakesidesomers.org

Laurel

laurelmontana.org

Lewistown

lewistownchamber.com

Libby

libbychamber.org

Liberty County

libertycountycc.com

Lincoln

lincolnmontana.com

Livingston

livingston-chamber.com

Malta

maltachamber.com

Manhattan

manhattanareachamber.com

Meagher County

meagherchamber.org

Miles City

milescitychamber.com

Mineral County

montanarockies.org

Missoula

missoulachamber.com

Montana Chamber, Helena

montanachamber.com

Musselshell Valley

(406) 323-1966

Philipsburg

philipsburgmt.com

Plains

plainsmtchamber.org

Polson

polsonchamber.com

Poplar

poplarmt.com

Powder River

powderriverchamber.org

Powell

powellcountymontana.com

Prairie County

visitterrymontana.com

Red Lodge

redlodgechamber.org

Ronan

ronanchamber.com

Ruby Valley

rubyvalleychamber.com

Saco

sacomontana.net

Seeley Lake

seeleylakechamber.com

Sidney

sidneymt.com

Stanford

(406) 735-6948

Stillwater County

stillwatercountychamber.com

Swan Lake

swanlakemontana.org

Sweet Grass County

bigtimber.com

Thompson Falls

thompsonfallschamber.com

Three Forks

threeforksmontana.com

Townsend

townsendmt.com

Troy

troymtchamber.org

Virginia City

virginiacity.com

West Yellowstone

destinationyellowstone.com

Whitefish

whitefishchamber.org

Whitehall

whitehallchamberofcommerce.com

Wibaux

(406) 796-2412

Wolf Point

wolfpointchamber.com

Economic 

Development

Governor's Office of 

Economic Development

(406) 444-5634

business.mt.gov

Montana Business 

Assistance Connection

(406) 447-1510

mbac.biz

Montana Department of Commerce

Office of Tourism and Business Development

(406) 841-2870

marketmt.com

Montana Manufacturing 

Assistance Center Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership

Montana State University, Bozeman

2310 University Way, building 2

(800) 637-4634

montana.edu/mmec

Serving central Montana

300 Central Ave., suite 406, Great Falls

(406) 868-9574

Serving northwestern Montana

Montana West Economic Development

44 Second Ave. West, Kalispell

(406) 249-9404

bnicholson@montana.edu

Serving western Montana

1121 E. Broadway St., Missoula

(406) 218-9910

shane.cantrell@montana.edu

Serving southwest Montana

2310 University Way, building 2, Bozeman

(406) 994-3812

alistair.stewart@montana.edu

Serving eastern Montana

2310 University Way, building 2, Bozeman

(406) 560-2289

david.allard1@montana.edu

Native Amercan Development Corp.

(406) 259-3804

nadc-nabn.org

Montana U.S. 

Export Assistance 

Center

Gallagher Business Building, suite 257

University of Montana

Missoula

(406) 370-0097

carey.hester@trade.gov

export.gov
16

Advocacy

When you need a voice within the federal 

government for your interests as a small 

business owner, the SBA’s regional advocates 

are here to assist. The advocates analyze the 

effects of proposed regulations and consider 

alternatives that minimize the economic 

burden on small businesses, governmental 

jurisdictions, and nonprofits. Find your 

regional advocate at sba.gov/advocacy.

Your advocate helps with these small 

business issues:

» if your business could be negatively 

affected by regulations proposed by the 

government

» if you have contracting issues with a 

federal agency

» when you need economic and small 

business statistics

The SBA’s Office of Advocacy also 

independently represents small business and 

advances its concerns before Congress, the 

White House, federal agencies, federal courts, 

and state policy makers.

Ombudsman

Entrepreneurs who have an issue with an 

existing federal regulation or policy can 

receive assistance from the SBA’s national 

ombudsman.

The ombudsman’s office helps you:

» resolve regulatory disputes with federal 

agencies

Your 

Advocates

» reduce unfair penalties and fines

» seek remedies when rules are 

inconsistently applied

» recover payment for services done by 

government contractors

Make your voice heard by participating in a 

Regional Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 

Roundtable or a public hearing hosted by the 

SBA’s national ombudsman. These events 

are posted periodically on the ombudsman 

website, sba.gov/ombudsman.

To submit a comment or complaint through 

the online form, visit sba.gov/ombudsman/

comments. Your concerns will be directed to 

the appropriate federal agency for review. The 

SBA will collaborate with you and the agency 

to help resolve the issue.

To report how a proposed federal 

regulation could unfairly affect you, 

find your regional SBA advocate at 

sba.gov/advocacy.

To submit a comment about how 

your business has been hurt by an 

existing regulation, visit 

The SBA’s offices of advocacy and ombudsman are sba.gov/ombudsman/comments

independent voices for small business within the 

federal government.

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
 17

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Write your 

Business Plan

Traditional Business Plan

• This type of plan is very detailed, takes more time 

to write, and is comprehensive. 

• Lenders and investors commonly request this plan.

Lean Startup Plan

• This type of plan is high-level focus, fast to write, 

and contains key elements only. 

• Some lenders and investors may ask for more 

information.

Which business 

plan format is 

right for you?

Business plans help you run your business

A good business plan guides you through each stage of starting and managing 

your business. You’ll use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, 

run, and grow your new business. It’s a way to think through the key elements of 

your business.

Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new business partners. 

Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your 

business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you— 

or investing in your company—is a smart choice.

Pick a business plan format that works for you

• There’s no right or wrong way to write a business plan. What’s important is 

that your plan meets your needs.

• Most business plans fall into one of two common categories: traditional or lean 

startup.

• Traditional business plans are more common, use a standard structure, and 

encourage you to go into detail in each section. They tend to require more 

work upfront and can be dozens of pages long.

• Lean startup business plans are less common but still use a standard structure. They focus on summarizing only the most important points of 

the key elements of your plan. They can take as little as one hour to make 

and are typically only one page.

Your business plan is the foundation of your business. Learn how to write a 

business plan quickly and efficiently with a business plan template.
18

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

You might prefer a traditional business plan format if you’re very 

detail oriented, want a comprehensive plan, or plan to request 

financing from traditional sources.

When you write your business plan, you don’t have to stick to the 

exact business plan outline. Instead, use the sections that make the 

most sense for your business and your needs. Traditional business 

plans use some combination of these nine sections.

Executive Summary

Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be successful. Include your mission statement, your product or service, and 

basic information about your company’s leadership team, employees, and location. You should also include financial information and 

high-level growth plans if you plan to ask for financing.

Company Description

Use your company description to provide detailed information about 

your company. Go into detail about the problems your business 

solves. Be specific, and list out the consumers, organization, or businesses your company plans to serve.

Explain the competitive advantages that will make your business 

a success. Are there experts on your team? Have you found the perfect location for your store? Your company description is the place to 

boast about your strengths.

Market Analysis

You'll need a good understanding of your industry outlook and target 

market. Competitive research will show you what other businesses are 

doing and what their strengths are. In your market research, look for 

trends and themes. What do successful competitors do? Why does it 

work? Can you do it better? Now's the time to answer these questions.

Organization and Management

Tell your reader how your company will be structured and who 

will run it.

Describe the legal structure of your business. State whether 

you have or intend to incorporate your business as a C or an 

S corporation, form a general or limited partnership, or if you're 

a sole proprietor or LLC.

Use an organizational chart to lay out who's in charge of what in 

your company. Show how each person's unique experience will contribute to the success of your venture. Consider including resumes or 

CVs of key members of your team.

Service or Product Line

Describe what you sell or what service you offer. Explain how it benefits your customers and what the product lifecycle looks like. Share 

your plans for intellectual property, like copyright or patent filings. If 

you're doing research and development for your service or product, 

explain it in detail.

Marketing and Sales

There's no single way to approach a marketing strategy. Your strategy should evolve and change to fit your unique needs.

Your goal in this section is to describe how you'll attract and retain 

customers. You'll also describe how a sale will actually happen. 

You'll refer to this section later when you make financial projections, 

so make sure to thoroughly describe your complete marketing and 

sales strategies.

Funding Request

If you're asking for funding, this is where you'll outline your funding 

requirements. Your goal is to clearly explain how much funding you’ll 

need over the next five years and what you'll use it for.

Specify whether you want debt or equity, the terms you'd like 

applied, and the length of time your request will cover. Give a 

detailed description of how you'll use your funds. Specify if you need 

funds to buy equipment or materials, pay salaries, or cover specific 

bills until revenue increases. Always include a description of your 

future strategic financial plans, like paying off debt or selling your 

business.

Financial Projections

Supplement your funding request with financial projections. Your 

goal is to convince the reader that your business is stable and will be 

a financial success.

If your business is already established, include income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements for the last three 

to five years. If you have other collateral you could put against a loan, 

make sure to list it now.

Provide a prospective financial outlook for the next five years. 

Include forecasted income statements, balance sheets, cash flow 

statements, and capital expenditure budgets. For the first year, be 

even more specific and use quarterly—or even monthly —projections. Make sure to clearly explain your projections, and match them 

to your funding requests.

This is a great place to use graphs and charts to tell the financial 

story of your business. 

Appendix

Use your appendix to provide supporting documents or other materials 

that were specially requested. Common items to include are credit histories, resumes, product pictures, letters of reference, licenses, permits, 

patents, legal documents, and other contracts.

• Executive summary

• Company description

• Market analysis

• Organization and 

management

• Service or product line

• Marketing and sales

• Funding request

• Financial projections

• Appendix

TRADITIONAL 

BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT

TRADITIONAL BUSINESS PLAN CHECKLIST 
 19

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Want to see 

an example 

of a business 

plan? 

View examples of both 

business plan formats at 

sba.gov/business-guide/

plan/write-your-businessplan-template

If you fail to plan, you 

are planning to fail.”

Benjamin Franklin

• Key partnerships

• Key activities

• Key resources

• Value proposition

• Customer relationships

• Customer segments

• Channels

• Cost structure

• Revenue streams

You might prefer a lean startup format if you want to explain or start your business quickly, 

your business is relatively simple, or you plan to regularly change and refine your business plan.

Lean startup formats are charts that use only a handful of elements to describe your 

company’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. They’re useful for 

visualizing tradeoffs and fundamental facts about your company.

There are many versions of lean startup templates, but one of the oldest and most well known 

is the Business Model Canvas, developed by Alex Osterwalder. You can search the web to find free 

templates of the Business Model Canvas, or other versions, to build your business plan.

We’ll discuss the nine components of the Business Model Canvas version here.

Key Partnerships

Note the other businesses or services you’ll work with to run your business. Think about 

suppliers, manufacturers, subcontractors and similar strategic partners.

Key Activities

List the ways your business will gain a competitive advantage. Highlight things like selling 

direct to consumers or using technology to tap into the sharing economy.

Key Resources

List any resource you’ll leverage to create value for your customer. Your most important 

assets could include staff, capital, or intellectual property. Don’t forget to leverage business 

resources that might be available to women, veterans, Native Americans, 

and HUBZone–certified businesses.

Value Proposition

Make a clear and compelling statement about the unique value your company brings 

to the market.

Customer Relationships

Describe how customers will interact with your business. Is it automated or personal? 

In person or online? Think through the customer experience from start to finish.

Customer Segments

Be specific when you name your target market. Your business won’t be for everybody, 

so it’s important to have a clear sense of who your business will serve.

Channels

List the most important ways you’ll talk to your customers. Most businesses use a mix 

of channels and optimize them over time.

Cost Structure

Will your company focus on reducing cost or maximizing value? Define your strategy, 

then list the most significant costs you’ll face pursuing it.

Revenue Streams

Explain how your company will actually make money. Some examples are direct sales, memberships fees, and selling advertising space. If your company has multiple revenue streams, 

list them all.

LEAN STARTUP PLAN FORMAT

LEAN STARTUP PLAN 

CHECKLIST 
20

Find free short 

courses and 

learning tools 

to start and 

grow your small 

business at sba.

gov/learning. The 

SBA’s free Online 

Learning Center is a great 

resource for every entrepreneur, 

especially rural business owners 

looking for easy access to vital 

business training.

Courses include:

• writing your business plan

• small business legal requirements

• small business financing options

• digital and traditional marketing to 

win customers

• disaster recovery

• cyber security and crime prevention

Online 

Resources for 

Entrepreneurs

Business executives looking for their next educational opportunity will find it in the SBA’s 

Emerging Leaders program.

Participants in the intense seven-month Emerging Leaders entrepreneurship program 

are selected through a competitive process. The program fosters a learning environment 

that accelerates the growth of high-potential small businesses, while providing training 

and peer networking sessions. Emerging Leaders graduates have reported gaining more 

than $300 million in new financing and securing over $2.16 billion in government contracts. 

For information about the Emerging Leaders program, visit sba.gov/emergingleaders.

Entrepreneurs receive business 

counseling and assistance at the 

Philadelphia SBA district office in 

King of Prussia.

Programs for 

Entrepreneurs

SBA’s Emerging Leaders program helps grow businesses.

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
 21

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Need entrepreneurship training?

Entrepreneurship training is available through the SBA’s programs 

for veterans, sba.gov/veterans, at military installations around the 

world. These programs are open to active duty service members, 

those transitioning out of service, National Guard and Reserve 

members, veterans of all eras, and military spouses. Connect 

to other entrepreneurs and your local network of SBA Resource 

Partners through these services and programs. 

Veterans Business Outreach Centers, sba.gov/vboc, provide 

business training and counseling to those interested in starting, 

purchasing, or growing 

a small business.

Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial education and training 

program offered by the SBA as part of the Department of Defense’s 

Transition Assistance Program. Service members transitioning out of 

active duty and military spouses are eligible for Boots to Business.

During the course, you explore business ownership and other selfemployment opportunities while learning key business concepts. You 

will walk away with an overview of entrepreneurship and applicable 

business ownership fundamentals, including how to access startup 

capital using SBA resources. Boots to Business is conducted on all 

military installations that host the Transition Assistance Program, 

Programs 

for Veterans

both in and out of the contiguous United States.

Boots to Business: Reboot delivers the Boots to Business 

curriculum to veterans of all eras, members of the National Guard 

and Reserve, and military spouses in their local communities.

Register for either program at https://sbavets.force.com.

If you’re a service-disabled veteran or a spouse, the SBA’s ServiceDisabled Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program provides guidance 

on starting or growing your small business, visit sba.gov/ovbd.

Interested in doing business with the government?

Veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small 

businesses interested in federal contracting opportunities 

can receive training through the Veteran Federal Procurement 

Entrepreneurship Training Program. This program is administered 

by the Veteran Institute for Procurement, which offers a platform 

with three training programs to assist veterans: VIP Start, VIP Grow, 

and VIP International.

» VIP Start is for companies wanting to enter the federal market 

and become ready for procurement. Nearly 200 veteran-owned 

businesses from 29 states plus Washington, DC have graduated 

from the program.

» VIP Grow is the core curriculum which assists companies in 

developing strategies to expand and operate within the federal 

marketplace. More than 700 veteran-owned businesses from 42 

states plus DC and Guam have graduated from this program.

» VIP International is for companies that want to enter or expand 

their federal and commercial contracting opportunities overseas.

Loan Fee Relief

To encourage lending to members of the military community who want 

to start or grow their business, the SBA reduces upfront guarantee fees 

on select loans. That means the cost savings will be passed down to 

you, the eligible veteran or qualifying military member. To learn more, 

contact your local SBA district office or ask your SBA Lender about the 

Veterans Advantage program, sba.gov/loans.

Learn about the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned 

Small Business certification program on page 49.

Have an employee who 

was called to active duty?

Ask your local SBA district office or lender about the 

Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan 

program. If you meet the eligibility requirements, 

you may receive funds that enable your business to 

meet ordinary and necessary operating expenses 

when an essential employee is called up to active 

duty in the military reserve.

Jack Goodison, a veteran, 

grew his business in North 

Kingstown, Rhode Island, 

J. Goodison Co., with the 

help of an SBA-guaranteed 

504 loan. 

Members of the military community can start and 

grow their small business with the help of SBA 

programs.
22

local success story

Devon 

Davidson

OWNER, MAGIC CITY AUTO RECONDITIONING SERVICES, DBA MARS OF BILLINGS

Billings, MT

When the Great Recession drove the 

auto detailing franchisor MARS out of 

business, franchisee Devon Davidson 

didn’t just sit back—he acted, creating 

an association of fellow franchise owners that saved jobs and maintained the 

company’s legacy. The SBA then helped

Devon finance his dream of small business growth. Devon and other former 

MARS franchisees formed MARS Nation, 

a buying group, to continue the business 

model during a bleak time in the markets. Acting as association president, 

Devon helps lead the corporate vision, 

sharing business practices and leveraging purchasing power. MARS of Billings 

has enjoyed year-over-year revenue 

growth since its inception in 2002. Devon 

has used an SBA-backed 504 Certified 

Development Company Loan to level up, 

purchasing real estate and growing his 

business to a 22,500-square-foot facility.

• What challenge did you have? MARS of Billings was growing rapidly and adding 

new services for our customers, so we needed more space. I wanted to own my 

own facility, so I needed assistance with financing. It was difficult to get a traditional lender to sign on to a business loan during a difficult economic time like 

the recession of 2007-2009.

• What was the SBA solution? SBA-backed financing is a great option for small 

business owners who cannot secure traditional forms of credit. My business 

qualified for the SBA-backed 504 Certified Development Company Loan program 

in 2007, which allowed us to expand our space to 10,000 square feet. Our community responded and business boomed. We outgrew that space and relocated to a 

22,500-square-foot building on Gabel Road thanks to a second 504 loan.

• What benefit did this have for you? If you’re looking to purchase or renovate 

real estate, the 504 loan program offers competitive fixed-rate mortgage financing for those who qualify. This SBA program allowed MARS of Billings to acquire 

the real estate it needed to grow. We now employ almost 40, offering auto body 

repair, restoration, and detailing all under one roof. We’ve had a staff increase of 

62 percent over the last two years, which is the best benefit a small business can 

bring to its community.
 23

SBA-backed financing is a 

great option for small business

owners who cannot secure 

traditional forms of credit.”

Devon Davidson

Owner, MARS of Billings

COURTESY OF MARS OF BILLINGS

On the left, Lance Davidson, shop foreman and lead 

painter, and business owner Devon Davidson.
24

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Financing Your Small Business

A Deal 

is Inked

An SBA loan helps these entrepreneurs succeed in the challenging 

printing market.

written by Pam Kasey

COURTESY OF J. EMILIO FLORES
 25

FUNDING PROGRAMS

When Mark Moralez’s employer, the 

owner of Printing Palace in Santa 

Monica, California, told him in 2014 

he’d found a buyer for the business, 

Moralez reacted with shock. “Why?” his boss asked. 

“Do you want to buy it instead?”

The idea surprised Moralez, but it was appealing. 

He’d been in the industry for more than 20 years and 

at Printing Palace for a decade. As general manager, 

he managed nine employees and took care of the 

business as if it were his own; many customers 

assumed he was the owner. He and his husband, 

John Briggs, discussed a possible purchase over 

lunch. “It wasn’t something I was looking to do, I 

was just trying to take control of my own destiny,” 

Moralez says. He was scared, but the couple decided 

to take the leap.

Moralez and Briggs visited their credit union and 

were quickly disappointed. The loan officer wouldn’t 

take the risk. “He decided that printing was a dying 

industry and there was no way he was going to fund 

us,” Moralez said.

In frustration, Moralez posted about the setback 

on Facebook. His social network came to his aid; 

the post got him the attention of an SBA Lender—as 

high up as the bank’s vice president, Mark Morales. 

This SBA Lender decided the couple deserved the 

chance, and Moralez and Briggs soon qualified for 

SBA funding. They received a 7(a) loan of $1.1 million 

toward the $1.4 million purchase, enabling Moralez 

and Briggs to buy Printing Palace in 2015.

It was a challenging time to invest in printing. 

“There were probably 20 printers in our area 10 years 

ago, and there are probably four now,” Moralez says. 

“The industry has changed a lot, even in the past 

three years. What used to be 20 to 30 percent of our 

business is now 50 to 60 percent, and that’s ondemand, digital, quick, turned around in a day.” The 

couple has met the challenge, giving up equipment 

they owned for five new digital printers they lease. 

They also added an architectural plan printer in 

response to frequent customer requests. “It’s not a 

huge moneymaker, but it meets demand and it’s a 

profitable unit,” Moralez says.

What sets Printing Palace apart in a changing 

industry is the shop’s commitment to customer 

service. “Everybody wants to do online printing,” he 

says. “What keeps us going, and we’re doing well, 

is that we cater to people who are frustrated with 

that—or who just want to come in and feel things 

and talk to somebody who’s knowledgeable about 

the product.” Printing Palace’s website touts its 

print-industry veterans who take pride in delivering 

jobs on time. Moralez and Briggs have earned high 

reviews online.

Moralez sought certification early on as an LGBTowned business. He serves as president of his local 

chapter of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian 

Mark Moralez believes that what sets Printing 

Palace apart in a changing industry is his talented 

work force and their customer service.

COURTESY OF J. EMILIO FLORES COURTESY OF J. EMILIO FLORES
26

FUNDING PROGRAMS

SBA-backed 

Loans

For small business owners and entrepreneurs 

who cannot get traditional forms of credit, an 

SBA-guaranteed loan can fill that need. The SBA 

guarantees loans made by lending institutions to 

small businesses that would not otherwise be able 

to obtain financing. If you are eligible and cannot 

obtain conventional financing with reasonable rates 

and terms, the SBA guarantee reduces a lender’s 

risk of loss in the event of a default on the loan. The 

guarantee is conditional on the lender following 

SBA program requirements. Just like with any other 

loan, you make your loan payments directly to your 

SBA Lender in accordance with your terms.

Lender Match

Visit your local SBA office for a lender referral, or 

use Lender Match, sba.gov/lendermatch. The 

SBA’s online tool connects entrepreneurs with SBA 

Lenders interested in making small business loans 

in your area.

Chamber of Commerce, giving Printing 

Palace prominence in a loyal market. 

“We’ve also done some charity work for 

Human Rights Campaign and Equality 

California, we’ve donated money and 

free printing. Those causes are near and 

dear to our hearts.”

At a time when print shops routinely 

struggle and fail, Printing Palace has 

secured its place. “Revenues have 

stayed steady,” Moralez says. “But we’ve 

streamlined everything, so we’re a lot 

more efficient and profitable than we 

were. In an industry that peaked 10 years 

ago and has slowly been in decline, the 

fact that we can stay where we are and 

make it profitable is a strong indication 

of how well we’re doing.”

The pressure is real. “Now everybody 

is relying on us, and the weight falls on 

my shoulders,” Moralez says. “It’s more 

work than I’ve ever done in my life, 

but it’s been a good thing. I’m glad we 

did it.”

For those seeking business financing, 

Moralez has this advice: do your research 

and find an SBA Lender who wants to 

work with you. “Then, go for it,” he says. 

“If it’s something you want to do and you 

have the skill to do it, you just have to 

jump in with both feet.”

If it’s 

something 

you want to 

do and you 

have the skill 

to do it, you 

just have to 

jump in with 

both feet.”

Mark Moralez

Owner

Printing Palace
 27

INTEREST RATE: prime + 6 percent

TERMS: up to 25 years for real estate, 10 years for equipment and 

working capital

GUARANTEE: 75 to 90 percent

Microloan Program

Eligible businesses can startup and grow with working 

capital or funds for supplies, equipment, furniture and fixtures. 

Borrow from $500 to $50,000 and access free business counseling 

from microlenders.

INTEREST RATE: loans less than $10,000, lender cost + 8.5 percent; 

loans $10,000 and greater, lender cost + 7.75 percent

TERMS: lender negotiated, no early payoff penalty

504 Certified Development Company

Loan Program

If you do not qualify for traditional financing, but would like to 

purchase/renovate real estate or buy heavy equipment for your 

business, ask about the 504 loan program. It provides competitive 

fixed-rate mortgage financing through a lender and a Certified 

Development Company.

MAX LOAN AMOUNT (up to 40 percent of the total project): up to 

$5 million; $5.5 million for manufacturing or energy public policy 

projects

INTEREST RATE: below market fixed rates for 10, 20 or 25 year terms

TERMS: 20 or 25 years for real estate or long term equipment, 

10 years for general machinery and equipment

GUARANTEE: the lender provides a senior loan for 50 percent of 

the project cost (with no SBA guarantee); the CDC finances up to 40 

percent in a junior lien position (supported by the SBA guarantee)

SPECIAL CONDITION: a minimum borrower contribution, or down 

payment, is required, amounts vary by project but are usually 

10 percent

Need 

Financing?

The 7(a) Loan, the SBA’s Largest 

Financing Program 

If you’re unable to get conventional financing and you meet the 

eligibility requirements, you can use a 7(a) loan to buy real estate, 

equipment, or inventory for your small business. It may also be 

used for working capital, to refinance business debt or purchase a 

small business.

MAX LOAN AMOUNT: $5 million

INTEREST RATE: generally prime + a reasonable rate capped at 

2.75 percent

TERMS: loan term varies according to the purpose of the loan, 

generally up to 25 years for real estate, 10 years for other fixed 

assets and working capital

GUARANTEE: 50 to 90 percent

CAPlines

Meet your revolving capital needs with lines of credit. CAPLines can 

be used for contract financing, seasonal lines of credit, builders line 

of credit, or for general working capital lines.

SBA Express Loan

Featuring a simplified process, these loans are delivered by 

experienced lenders who are authorized to make the credit decision 

for the SBA. These can be term loans or revolving lines of credit.

MAX LOAN AMOUNT: $350,000

INTEREST RATE: for loans less than $50,000, prime + 6.5 percent; 

for loans of $50,000 and greater, prime + 4.75 percent

TERMS: loan term varies according to the purpose of the loan, 

generally up to 25 years for real estate and 10 years for other fixed 

assets and working capital.

GUARANTEE: 50 percent

Community Advantage Program

Financing for women, veterans, low-income borrowers, and minority 

entrepreneurs just starting up or in business for a few years. Receive 

free business counseling as you work with a community-based 

financial institution.

Visit your local SBA office or lender to learn about 

these funding options.

FUNDING PROGRAMS
28

FUNDING PROGRAMS

SBA Lenders

ABSAROKEE

First Interstate Bank

3 Woodard St.

(406) 322-4731

Yellowstone Bank

2 Grove St.

(406) 328-4512

AMSTERDAM

Manhattan Bank

7175 Churchill Road

(406) 282-7175

ANACONDA

First Montana Bank

123 Main

(406) 563-8303

Glacier Bank

307 E. Park

(406) 563-5203

Wells Fargo Bank

120 W. Park Ave.

(406) 563-4154

Alaska Growth 

Capital Bidco

(907) 339-6776

ARLEE

Valley Bank

17925 Highway 93

(406) 726-2000

ASHLAND

First Community Bank

Custer and Main

(406) 784-2302

BAKER

Bank of Baker

116 S. Main

(406) 778-3382

Wells Fargo Bank

24 S. Main

(406) 778-3348

BELGRADE

Big Sky Western Bank

(406) 388-3750

First Interstate Bank

98 N. Broadway

(406) 388-4283

6999 Jackrabbit Lane

(406) 388-0917

First Security Bank

511 W. Main

(406) 388-3700

Stockman Bank

6345 Jackrabbit Lane

(406) 388-5025

BELT

Belt Valley Bank

111 Castner St.

(406) 277-3314

BIG SANDY

Wells Fargo Bank

(406) 378-2175

BIG SKY

American Bank 

of Montana

1700 Big Sky Road

(406) 995-7111

Big Sky Western Bank

55 Lone Peak Drive

(406) 995-2321

First Security Bank

78 Meadow Village Drive

(406) 993-3350

BIG TIMBER

American Bank 

of Montana

313 W. First St.

(406) 932-5265

Citizens Bank & Trust

130 McLeod St.

(406) 932-5311

Opportunity Bank

101 McLeod St.

(406) 932-5317

BIGFORK

First Interstate Bank

800 Grand Ave.

(406) 837-1600

8111 Montana Highway 35

(406) 756-4160

Glacier Bank

8251 Highway 35

(406) 837-5980

Rocky Mountain Bank

8165 Montana Highway 35

(406) 751-7061

BILLINGS

Beartooth Bank

4130 King Ave. West

(406) 294-6500

First Interstate Bank

730 Main St.

(406) 255-5800

2501 Central Ave.

(406) 255-6100

401 N. 31st St.

(406) 255-5000

3199 Grand Ave.

(406) 255-6090

Little Horn State Bank

2900 Central Ave.

(406) 656-5148

Opportunity Bank

455 S. 24th St. West

(406) 256-1891

PNC Bank

3220 Fourth Ave. North

(406) 256-0000

Rocky Mountain Bank

(406) 656-3140

2615 King Ave. West

(406) 655-5142 -6025 -5106 -5164

2929 Third Ave. North

(406) 655-2797 -2781 -2782 -2794

Stockman Bank

402 N. Broadway (Downtown)

(406) 655-2417

2700 King Ave. West

(406) 655-2700

1450 Shiloh Road

(406) 655-3900

800 Main St. (Billings Heights)

(406) 896-4800

U.S. Bank

303 N, Broadway

(406) 657-8004

6 24th St. West

(406) 651-5626

Wells Fargo Bank

175 N. 27th St.

(406) 657-3515

Western Security Bank

2812 First Ave. North

(406) 371-8200

2675 King Ave. West

(406)238-8150

1546 Main St.

(406) 238-8880

Yellowstone Bank

2000 Overland

(406) 652-4100

3010 Third Ave. North

(406)248-3600

Our participating SBA Lenders serve all Montana. For information visit sba.gov/mt.
 29

FUNDING PROGRAMS

1511 Shiloh Road

(406) 294-9400

BOULDER

First Boulder Valley Bank

109 W. Second Ave.

(406) 225-3351

BOX ELDER

Native American Bank

RR1, Box 565

(406) 395-4355

BOZEMAN

American Bank 

of Montana

1632 W. Main St.

(406) 587-1234

Bank of Bozeman

875 Harmon Stream Blvd.

(406) 587-5626

Big Sky Western Bank

4150 Valley Commons Drive

(406) 587-2922

33 ICE Center Lane

(406) 582-1500

First Interstate Bank

2800 W. Main

(406) 586-4555

202 W. Main

(406) 556-4900

First Montana Bank

1336 Stoneridge Drive

(406) 587-2227

First Security Bank

208 E. Main St.

(406) 585-3800

670 S. 19th St.

(406) 585-3900

642 Cottonwood Road

(406) 556-6110

Manhattan Bank

2610 W. Main

(406) 582-0044

MoFi

222 E. Main St.

(844) 728-9234

Opportunity Bank

5 W. Mendenhall

(406) 586-2309

1455 W. Oak St.

(406) 587-7711

Rocky Mountain Bank

2901 W. Main

(406) 556-7600

Rocky Mountain 

Credit Union

8645 Huffine Lane

(406) 586-1505

Sky Federal Credit Union

(406) 587-1750

Stockman Bank

1815 S. 19th St.

(406) 556-4151

1433 N. 19th St.

(406) 556-4100

U.S. Bank

104 E. Main St.

(406) 585-5222

1460 N. 19th Ave.

(406) 582-9188

Wells Fargo Bank

211 W. Main St.

(406) 586-3381

Western Financial 

Services

1031 E. Olive St.

(406) 582-7894

Yellowstone Bank

(406) 587-9900

BRIDGER

Bank of Bridger

101 S. Main St.

(406) 662-3388

BROADUS

1st Bank

201 N. Wilbur

(406) 436-2611

BROWNING

Native American 

Bank-Blackfeet

125 N. Public Square

(406) 338-4028

BUTTE

Bank of Butte

3215 Harrison Ave.

(406) 494-8240

First Citizens Bank

3220 Harrison Ave.

(406) 494-4400

First Montana Bank

1940 Dewey Blvd.

(406) 494-6111

Glacier Bank

1880 Harrison Ave.

(406) 497-7000

Granite Mountain Bank

605 Dewey Blvd.

(406) 533-0600

Opportunity Bank

3401 Harrison Ave.

(406) 494-2233

U.S. Bank

10 S. Main St.

(406) 496-4000

Wells Fargo Bank

202 N. Main St.

(406) 533-7066

CASCADE

Stockmens Bank

117 Central Ave.

(406) 468-2232

CHESTER

U.S. Bank

4 Adams Ave. East

(406) 759-5544

Wells Fargo Bank

11 E. Adams

(406) 759-5107

CHINOOK

First Bank of Montana

327 Indiana St.

(406) 357-2244

Wells Fargo Bank

336 Indiana St.

(406) 357-2224

CHOTEAU

Citizens State Bank 

of Choteau

201 N. Main St.

(406) 466-5743

CIRCLE

McCone County 

Federal Credit Union

(406) 485-2288

Wells Fargo Bank

301 W. Main

(406) 485-2731

CLYDE PARK

Bank of the Rockies

205 First St.

(406) 686-4204

Mountain West Bank

(208)765-0284

COLSTRIP

First Interstate Bank

6210 Main St.

(406) 748-2840

COLUMBIA FALLS

Freedom Bank

530 Ninth St. West

(406) 892-1776

Glacier Bank

822 Nucleus

(406) 892-7100

COLUMBUS

First Interstate Bank

36 N. Ninth St.

(406) 322-4731

Yellowstone Bank

544 Pike Ave.

(406) 322-5366

CONRAD

Independence Bank

23 Fifth Ave. Southeast

(406) 271-2541

Stockman Bank

420 S. Main St.

(406) 278-8200
30

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Wells Fargo Bank

419 S. Main

(406) 278-3201

CORVALLIS

First Security Bank

297 Woodside Cutoff Road

(406) 961-4466

TrailWest Bank

1070 Eastside Highway

(406) 961-5200

CULBERTSON

First Community Bank

205 Broadway Ave.

(406) 787-6661

CUT BANK

First Interstate Bank

24 E. Main St.

(406) 873-2265

Stockman Bank

125 W. Main St.

(406) 873-5517

DARBY

Farmers State Bank

805 N. Main St.

(406) 821-4646

DEER LODGE

First Security Bank

311 Milwaukee Ave.

(406) 846-2300

Peoples Bank of 

Deer Lodge

430 Main St.

(406) 846-2400

Pioneer Federal 

Savings & Loan

(406) 846-2202

DENTON

Farmers State Bank 

of Denton

423 Broadway

(406) 567-2265

DILLON

Pioneer Federal 

Savings & Loan

32 N. Washington

(406) 683-5191

State Bank & Trust Co., 

a division of the Bank 

of Commerce

110 S. Idaho St.

(406) 683-2393

Stockman Bank

590 N. Montana

(406) 683-8200

Wells Fargo Bank

20 N. Montana St.

(406) 683-8088

DRUMMOND

Granite Mountain Bank

26 A St.

(406) 288-3553

DUTTON

Dutton State Bank

101 W. Main St.

(406) 476-3462

Signal Bank

(651) 306-1603

Independence Bank, 

dba Enterprise Capital

(401) 471-6300

EKALAKA

Summit National Bank

307 N. Main

(406) 775-8724

EMIGRANT

Bank of the Rockies

307 Story Road

(406) 333-9009

ENNIS

First Interstate Bank

118 Williams St.

(406) 682-3124

First Madison Valley Bank

132 E. Main

(406) 682-4215

EUREKA

First Interstate Bank

508 Highway 93 North

(406) 297-3116

Glacier Bank of Eureka

222 Dewey Ave.

(406) 297-2521

FAIRFIELD

Citizens State Bank 

of Choteau

321 Central

(406) 467-2531

FAIRVIEW

Merchants Bank

216 S. Ellery Ave.

(406) 742-5203

FLORENCE

Farmers State Bank

5501 Old Highway 93

(406) 273-0935

FORSYTH

First State Bank

880 Main St.

(406) 346-2111

Wells Fargo Bank

325 N. Ninth Ave.

(406) 346-2961

FORT BENTON

First Security Bank

1502 Main St.

(406) 622-2000

U.S. Bank

1304 Front St.

(406) 622-3434

FRENCHTOWN

TrailWest Bank

(406) 626-4500

FROID

First Community Bank

109 Main St.

(406) 766-2357

GARDINER

First Interstate Bank

(406) 848-7474

GERALDINE

Stockman Bank

Main and Collins streets

(406) 737-4288

GLASGOW

First Community Bank

540 Second Ave. South

(406) 228-8231

Independence Bank

125 Fourth St. South

(406) 228-9361

Valley Bank

110 Sixth St. South

(406) 228-4364

Wells Fargo Bank

623 Second Ave. South

(406) 228-4371

GLENDIVE

Community First Bank

319 N. Merrill

(406) 377-8282

First Interstate Bank

1115 Main St.

(406) 232-8571

Stockman Bank

204 W. Bell

(406) 377-1000

U.S. Bank

123 W. Bell

(406) 365-5651

GREAT FALLS

First Interstate Bank

2601 10th Ave. South

(406) 454-6217

12 Third St. NW

(406) 727-2265

Prairie Mountain Bank

1019 Seventh St. South

(406) 268-0404
 31

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Stockman Bank

(406) 771-2740

711 Third St. NW

25 Fifth St. North

2425 Tenth Ave. South

U.S. Bank

(406) 455-1077

300 Central Ave.

120 First Ave. North

Wells Fargo Bank

21 Third St. North, suite 200

(406) 454-5411

1400 Third St. NW

(406) 454-5562

HAMILTON

Farmers State Bank

1950 N. First St.

(406) 363-0030

First Interstate Bank

1501 N. First St.

(406) 363-0900

100 Main St.

(406) 375-6434

Opportunity Bank

711 S. First St.

(406) 363-4400

TrailWest Bank

224 Pinckney St.

(406) 363-1222

U.S. Bank

1265 N. First St.

(406) 363-6700

HARDIN

First Interstate Bank

402 N. Center

(406) 665-3822

Little Horn State Bank

317 N. Custer

(406) 665-2332

HARLEM

Bank of Harlem

101 S. Main

(406) 353-2201

HARLOWTON

Citizens Bank & Trust

32 N. Central Ave.

(406) 632-4373

National 

Cooperative Bank

(703) 302-8000

HAVRE

Independence Bank

435 Third St.

(406) 265-1241

Stockman Bank

324 Third Ave.

(406) 265-3800

U.S. Bank

235 First St.

(406) 262-2109

Wells Fargo Bank

135 Third Ave.

(406) 265-2264

HELENA

Bank of the Rockies

2000 Prospect Ave.

(406) 495-1900

Big Sky Finance

825 Great Northern Blvd., 

suite 301

(406) 443-3261

Farmers State Bank

1040 Partridge Place

(406) 603-4300

First Community Bank

2987 Prospect Ave.

(406) 449-9300

North Branch

7517 Roughsawn Drive

(406) 996-1160

First Interstate Bank

25 E. Lyndale Ave.

(406) 457-7151

First Security Bank

1721 11th Ave.

(406) 442-8870

Helena Community 

Credit Union

(406) 495-6040

Opportunity Bank

1400 Prospect Ave.

(406) 442-3080

Rocky Mountain 

Credit Union

3400 N. Montana Ave.

(406) 449-2680

Stockman Bank

5 W. Lyndale

(406) 441-1597

3094 N. Sanders St.

(406) 447-9000

U.S. Bank

302 N. Last Chance Gulch

(406) 447-5215

Valley Bank

3030 N. Montana Ave.

(406) 495-2400

Wells Fargo Bank

350 N. Last Chance Gulch

(406) 447-2033

HINSDALE

First Community Bank

203 Montana St.

(406) 364-2202

HOT SPRINGS

Valley Bank

101 Main St.

(406) 741-2000

Small Business 

Loan Source

(713) 425-3923

HYSHAM

Stockman Bank

719 Elliott Ave.

(406) 342-5214

CitiCapital Small 

Business Finance

(972) 652-4758

JOLIET

Bank of Joliet

128 E. Front St.

(406) 962-3030

JORDAN

Garfield County Bank

444 Main St.

(406) 557-2201

KALISPELL

First Interstate Bank

120 Hutton Ranch Road

(406) 752-4051

2 Main St.

(406) 756-5200

First Interstate 

Bank-Evergreen

100 E. Cottonwood

(406) 758-7600

First Montana Bank

85 N. Main St.

(406) 755-9999

Glacier Bancorp

202 Main St.

(406) 756-4200

Rocky Mountain Bank

2405 Highway 93 North

(406) 751-5070

Three Rivers Bank

233 E. Idaho

(406) 755-4271

552 N. Meridian Road

(406) 755-5432

TrailWest Bank

222 W. Idaho

(406) 755-9781

U.S. Bank

1825 Highway 93, suite F

(406) 257-5363

Valley Bank

41 Third St. West

(406) 752-7123

Wells Fargo Bank

(406) 756-4010

Whitefish Credit Union

234 Montana St.

(406) 257-3123

LAKESIDE

First Interstate Bank

7265 Highway 93

(406) 844-2535

Glacier Bank

(406) 758-4802

LAUREL

First Interstate Bank

401 SE Fourth St.

(406) 628-2200
32

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Western 

Security Bank

20 Montana Ave.

(406) 628-1100

Yellowstone Bank

12 First Ave.

(406) 628-7951

LEWISTOWN

Bank of the Rockies

401 W. Main St.

(406) 538-7448

First Bank of 

Montana

224 Main St.

(406) 538-7471

Stockman Bank

1716 W. Main St.

(406) 535-8374

Wells Fargo Bank

404 W. Broadway

(406) 538-1008

LIBBY

First Montana Bank

504 Mineral Ave.

(406) 293-0280

Glacier Bank

615 California

(406) 293-4109

LINCOLN

Citizens Alliance 

Bank

503 Main St.

(406) 362-4248

LIVINGSTON

American Bank 

of Montana

120 N. Second St.

(406) 222-2265

Bank of the Rockies

1203 W. Park St.

(406) 222-9010

First Interstate Bank

Second & 

Callendar streets

(406) 222-2950

Opportunity Bank

123 S. Main

(406) 222-1981

Sky Federal 

Credit Union

111 N. B St.

(406) 222-1750

Wells Fargo Bank

323 W. Park

(406) 222-3648

LOLO

TrailWest Bank

Lolo Shopping Center

(406) 273-2400

MALTA

First Security Bank

(406) 654-2221

First Security Bank

130 S. First East

(406) 654-2221

First State Bank 

of Malta

1 S. First St. East

(406) 654-2340

Independence Bank

216 Second Ave. East

(406) 654-2700

MANHATTAN

Manhattan Bank

124 S. Broadway

(406) 284-3255

Stockman Bank

100 Wooden Shoe Road

(406) 284-3100

MILES CITY

First Interstate Bank

1115 Main St.

(406) 232-5590

Stockman Bank

700 Main St.

(406) 234-8420

U.S. Bank

619 Main St.

(406) 232-0810

MILLTOWN

TrailWest Bank

7676 Highway 200

(406) 258-2400

MISSOULA

Bank of Montana

125 Bank St.

(406) 829-2662

Farmers State Bank

3130 N. Reserve St.

(406) 829-5000

First Interstate Bank

101 E. Front St.

(406) 523-4200

1821 South Ave. West

(406) 542-6222

First Montana Bank

201 N. Higgins Ave.

(406) 829-2666

First Security Bank

3010 American Way

(406) 327-1054

3660 Mullan Road

(406) 543-8700

First Security Bank 

of Missoula

1704 Dearborn, Missoula

(406) 728-3115

Missoula Federal 

Credit Union

3600 Brooks St.

(406) 523-3300

MoFi

229 E. Main St.

(844) 728-9234

Opportunity Bank

200 N. Higgins Ave.

(406) 542-1500

Stockman Bank

135 W. Main St., suite A

(406) 258-1404

TrailWest Bank

5600 Airway Blvd.

(406) 532-8023

U.S. Bank

1635 S. Russell St.

(406) 721-4910

2801 Brooks St.

(406) 523-2350

Wells Fargo Bank

1800 S. Russell St.

(406) 327-6266

MONTANA CITY

Montana City Bank

9 Bankers Lane

(406) 443-0497

PABLO

Glacier Bank

36024 Major Houle Road

(406) 675-4600

PHILIPSBURG

Granite Mountain 

Bank

139 E. Broadway

(406) 859-3241

PLAINS

First Security Bank

510 W. Railroad

(406) 827-6272

Rocky Mountain 

Bank

108 E. Railroad

(406) 826-3662

PLENTYWOOD

Montana State Bank

220 N. Main St.

(406) 765-2800

Rocky Mountain 

Bank

115 E. First Ave.

(406) 765-3208

Stockman Bank

102 S. Main St.

(406) 765-2460

POLSON

Eagle Bank

80 Heritage Lane

(406) 883-2940

First Citizens Bank

213 First St. West

(406) 883-4358

First Interstate Bank

106 Second Ave. East

(406) 883-8800

Glacier Bank

14 Second Ave. West

(406) 883-8300

1505 Highway 93 South

(406) 883-0600

POPLAR

Independence Bank

214 Second Ave. East

(406) 768-3916

RED LODGE

Bank of Red Lodge

401 S. Broadway

(406) 446-3208

First Interstate Bank

602 N. Broadway

(406) 446-1422

Wells Fargo Bank

1 S. Broadway

(406) 446-1620

RICHEY

Stockman Bank

(406) 773-5521

RONAN

Glacier Bank

123 Highway 93

(406) 676-4600

Valley Bank

815 Highway 93 South

(406) 676-2000

ROUNDUP

First Security Bank

401 Main St.

(406) 323-1100

Wells Fargo Bank

12 Main St.

(406) 323-2000

RUDYARD

Wells Fargo Bank

5 Main St.

(406) 355-4129
 33

FUNDING PROGRAMS

RYEGATE

Citizens Bank 

& Trust

121 E. First Ave.

(406) 568-2405

SCOBEY

Independence Bank

204 Main St.

(406) 487-2282

U.S. BankSBA Division

(206) 340-4753

SEELEY LAKE

Citizens Alliance 

Bank

Highway 83 & 

Sycamore Lane

(406) 677-2464

SHELBY

First State Bank

260 Main St.

(406) 434-5567

U.S. Bank

301 Main St.

(406) 434-5525

Wells Fargo Bank

131 Main St.

(406) 434-5528

SHERIDAN

Ruby Valley 

National Bank

103 N. Main St.

(406) 842-5411

SIDNEY

Richland Federal 

Credit Union

201 W. Holly St.

(406) 482-2704

Stockman Bank

101 S. Central Ave.

(406) 433-8600

Wells Fargo Bank

101 Second Ave. 

Southwest

(406) 433-2321

Yellowstone Bank

120 Second St. 

Northwest

(406) 433-3212

Stearns Bank

(320) 253-6607

ST. IGNATIUS

Lake County Bank, 

a branch of 

Valley Bank

102 Crystal

(406) 745-3123

ST. REGIS

TrailWest Bank

37 Highway 135

(406) 649-2400

STANFORD

Stockman Bank

103 Central Ave.

(406) 566-2238

STEVENSVILLE

Farmers State Bank

725 Main St.

(406) 777-7210

Rocky Mountain 

Bank

220 Main St.

(406) 777-5553

SUPERIOR

TrailWest Bank

208 River St.

(406) 822-8000

Wells Fargo Bank

112 Mullan Road West

(406) 822-4225

TERRY

Stockman Bank

117 Logan

(406) 635-5591

THOMPSON FALLS

First Security Bank

(406) 827-7000

Valley Bank

1222 Maiden Lane

(406) 827-9490

THREE FORKS

First Community 

Bank

120 S. Montana St.

(406) 285-9999

First Security Bank

320 S. Main St.

(406) 285-3291

Manhattan Bank

2 Railway Ave.

(406) 285-0500

TOWNSEND

Dutton State Bank

400 Broadway

(406) 266-3176

Opportunity Bank

416 Broadway

(406) 266-3137

TROY

First Montana Bank

600 E. Missoula

(406) 295-5238

TWIN BRIDGES

Ruby Valley 

National Bank

107 S. Main St.

(406) 684-5678

VALIER

Wells Fargo Bank

502 Montana Ave.

(406) 279-3225

VAUGHN

Citizens State Bank 

of Choteau

390 Post Ave.

(406) 965-3074

VICTOR

Farmers State Bank

103 Main St.

(406) 642-3431

WEST YELLOWSTONE

First Security Bank

106 S. Electric

(406) 646-7646

Yellowstone 

Basin Bank

216 Grizzly Ave.

(406) 646-4000

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS

Bank of the 

Rockies

205 W. Main St.

(406) 547-3331

Dutton State Bank

4261 Highway 12 East

(406) 547-3265

WHITEFISH

American Bank 

of Montana

140 Baker Ave.

(406) 863-1850

First Interstate Bank

306 Spokane St.

(406) 863-8888

Glacier Bank

319 E. Second St.

(406) 863-6300

Whitefish 

Credit Union

300 Baker Ave.

(406) 862-3525

WHITEHALL

Rocky Mountain 

Bank

101 E. Legion

(406) 287-3251

WIBAUX

Stockman Bank

120 S. Wibaux

(406) 796-2424

WOLF POINT

First Community 

Bank

215 Third Ave. South

(406) 653-2010

Western Bank of 

Wolf Point

111 Third Ave. South

(406) 653-5500

WORDEN

Stockman Bank

2450 Main St.

(406) 967-3612

Participating 

Certified

Development 

Companies

Big Sky Finance

222 N. 32nd St., suite 200

Billings

(406) 869-8403

Dakota Business 

Lending

207 W. Main St., suite 2, 

office 4

Lewistown

(406) 760-1002

High Plains 

Financial

405 Third St. Northwest, 

suite 203

Great Falls

Mike Archer

marcher@

growgreatfalls.org

(406) 284-1789

Participating 

Microlender

MoFi

(844) 728-9234

mofi.org

Missoula

229 E. Main St.

Bozeman

222 E. Main St., suite 202
34

Investment 

Capital

If you own a U.S. small 

business, you could 

receive capital from a 

Small Business Investment 

Company that is regulated 

by the SBA. Investment 

companies with financing expertise in certain 

industry sectors receive 

SBA-guaranteed loans, 

which means the federal 

government is responsible 

in case of default. These 

investment companies use 

the SBA-guaranteed capital 

and private funds to invest 

in qualifying small businesses. Small businesses 

then receive a loan, equity 

(a share of ownership an 

investment company gets 

in a business), or a combination of both.

Mature, profitable 

businesses with sufficient 

cash flow to pay interest 

are more likely to receive 

an investment from an 

SBIC. Each one has its own 

investment profile in terms 

of targeted industry, geography, company maturity, 

the types and size of 

financing they provide.

Search the SBIC directory by visiting sba.gov 

and clicking on Funding 

Program and then 

Investment Capital.

Looking for investors? You might find leads in our Small Business Investment Company online directory.

FUNDING PROGRAMS
 35

R&D Opportunities for 

Next Gen Entrepreneurs

Do you work in one of these areas?

» advanced materials

» agTech

» artificial intelligence

» biomedical

» cybersecurity

» energy

» first response

» national security

» space exploration

The Small Business Innovation Research and the Small Business 

Technology Transfer programs, also called America’s Seed Fund, 

provide more than $2.5 billion in early stage capital through more 

than 4,000 new awards annually.

How it works

Every year, 11 participating federal agencies announce topical areas 

that address their R&D needs. Eligible businesses submit proposals 

through a competitive process, and if successful, enter a three phase 

awards program.

» Phase I, the proof-of-concept stage, typically lasts from 6-12 

months, often providing $100,000-$225,000.

» Phase II, the full R&D period, lasts about 24 months and typically 

provides $600,000-$1.5 million.

» Phase III, the commercialization stage, where you seek public or 

private funds for your venture.

How else does your startup benefit? The funding agency does not 

take an equity position or ownership of your business. The federal 

government also has a protection period in which it does not 

disclose your reports and data.

Visit sbir.gov to find funding opportunities and helpful program 

tutorials, as well as past award winners, such as Qualcomm, iRobot, 

Illumina, and Symantec.

Participating agencies:

» Department of Agriculture

» Department of Commerce

» National Institute of Standards and Technology

» National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

» Department of Defense

» Department of Education

» Department of Energy

» Department of Health and Human Services

» Department of Homeland Security

» Department of Transportation

» Environmental Protection Agency

» NASA

» National Science Foundation

If you are engaged in high-risk research and development, your small business may be eligible 

to compete for funding to develop your tech and get it to market. OUSA CHEA/UNSPLASH

ALEXANDRE DEBIÈVE/UNSPLASH

FUNDING PROGRAMS
36

FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE

After the 

Flood

A South Carolina fabric business rebounds bigger and 

better with the help of an SBA disaster loan.

written by Carlee Lammers

FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER

COURTESY OF FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER

After floodwaters devastated his family business, Michael 

Marsha visited the SBA and received something not many 

others could give him: security. Marsha is the owner and 

president of Forest Lake Drapery and Upholstery Fabric Center 

Inc. in Columbia, South Carolina. The fabric store started 

in 1964 as an offshoot of L.A. Marsha Textile Co., a closeout fabric store 

owned by his father and grandfather. Marsha took over the family business 

in 1990 and worked to grow it into something bigger. “I grew it slow," he 

says. "I didn’t borrow money. I just took the 

cashflow over the years and grew it into a big, 

big company. I didn’t really have a banker at 

all. I didn’t really need one." 

When catastrophic flooding hit South 

Carolina in October 2015, water destroyed 

Marsha’s entire fabric inventory and nearly 

destroyed the lower level of his store, wrecking 

structural havoc, tearing out sheetrock and 

destroying the carpeting. The damages came 

to about $1.4 million. Crews spent hours 

cleaning after the floods receded. All that was 

left of Marsha's business was a shell. 

He had to act fast. Marsha bought a space 

two doors down from his store. Marsha kept his 

inventory in the upper level of his original store 

and cut the fabric in his new space. Lenders 

made offers to help him rebuild, but Marsha 

wanted better terms. He was speaking to state 

officials about the flood when he met some SBA 

disaster assistance specialists.

Marsha recalled how he felt at the time: “I 

couldn’t crawl back into business, I needed to 

sprint back into business."

He received a low-interest, fixed-rate SBA 
 37

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS

Working Together

The SBA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other 

organizations work together to provide assistance to those affected 

by a disaster. Once immediate safety and security needs are met, 

the SBA helps get you and your community back to where you were 

before the disaster. The SBA provides loans to businesses of all sizes, 

nonprofits, homeowners, and renters to cover rebuilding costs not 

covered by insurance or other forms of assistance.

Small businesses and nonprofits are also eligible to apply for economic 

injury losses, even if they suffered no physical damages. These direct 

loans come with low-interest rates and long terms. Property owners can 

also secure additional SBA funds to help protect their business or home 

against a disaster. Visit sba.gov/disaster.

disaster loan for $735,000, which Marsha used 

to rebuild the property, replace inventory, and 

install storm shields to protect the property 

from future floods.

Forest Lake Fabrics reopened a year later and 

saw back-to-back months of record sales. He 

rebuilt even stronger and was excelling. SBA 

assistance didn’t stop with construction. Marsha 

still regularly consults with his local SBA district 

office staff for help with online marketing. 

“Not only does SBA disaster assistance lend you 

money, but local staff help me find out ways to 

make money to make sure I’m in a profitable 

situation to pay them back,” he says. “It’s 

security.”

Now, three years after the flood, Marsha is 

doing so well, the SBA recently presented him 

with the Phoenix Award for Outstanding Small 

Business in Disaster Recovery. “The SBA bent 

over backward to help me get back in business,” 

Marsha says. “I couldn’t have asked for a better 

situation. I really couldn’t.”

The SBA bent 

over backward 

to help me get 

back in business. 

I couldn’t have 

asked for a 

better situation. 

I really 

couldn’t.”

Michael Marsha 

Owner/President

Forest Lake Drapery and Upholstery 

Fabric Center

FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER
38

FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE

T hree Brothers Bakery is no stranger to difficult 

times. The business got its start in Chrzanow, 

Poland in the early 1800s as Morris Jucker’s 

Bakery. Jucker’s twin boys, Sigmund and Sol, 

started out in the business in 1932 when a 

baker’s strike meant only family members could work the 

ovens—this started a lifetime of camraderie and partnership 

between the brothers. They worked together through the 

outbreak of World War II and the invasion of Poland, enduring 

internment in a Nazi concentration camp when they were 

“We Would Have Been 

Out of Business Twice”

SBA disaster assistance helps a Houston bakery recover after disaster.

Written by Carlee Lammers

19. After their liberation, Sigmund and Sol Jucker joined their 

younger brother, Max, and immigrated to America. Living in 

Houston, Texas, the three brothers returned to their family 

roots and established their bakery in 1949, near one of the city’s 

bayous on Braeswood Boulevard. Today, the three locations of 

the kosher Eastern European bakery are owned by Sigmund's 

son Bobby Jucker and his wife, Janice.

The family has continued to weather storms. Hurricane Ike 

in 2008 brought 12 inches of rain, destroying the bakery roof. 

Hurricane Harvey in 2017 poured four and a half feet of water COURTESY OF KATRINA KIDDER
 39

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS

Disaster 

Declarations

Who to contact after a disaster 

is declared by the President

Register with FEMA at 

disasterassistance.gov, call (800) 621-3362,

TTY: 800-462-7585, or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. 

Locations can be found at fema.gov/drc.

Businesses are automatically referred to the SBA. Most 

homeowners and renters will be referred by FEMA to the SBA 

to apply for disaster loan assistance. You must complete 

the SBA application to be considered for assistance. If the 

agency cannot help you with a loan for all your needs, the 

SBA will, in most cases, refer you back to FEMA.

Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program

Businesses affected by a Presidential disaster declaration 

are eligible to receive expedited bridge loan financing 

through an SBA Express lender. The bridge loan funds may 

be used for disaster-related purposes while the business 

waits for long-term financing through the SBA’s direct 

disaster loan program.

Loan Amount: $25,000

Terms: up to 7 years

Guarantee: 50 percent

Who to contact after a disaster is declared by the SBA

Contact the SBA directly to apply for a 

disaster loan. Businesses of all sizes, 

nonprofits, homeowners and renters are 

eligible to apply:

• online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/

• visit a federal/state Disaster Recovery Center in your area

• call our customer service center at 

(800) 659-2955 (TTY: 800-877-8339) and 

ask for an application package to be 

mailed to you 

FEMA grant assistance for homeowners or renters is not 

available under an SBA declaration.

Information needed to get started:

• address of damaged residence or business and contact info

• insurance information, including type of insurance, 

policy numbers, amount received

• household and/or business income

• routing and bank account numbers

• description of disaster-caused damage and losses

into the building. Photos of the bakery’s submerged parking 

lot went viral on social media.

After each disaster, the family had some money for 

recovery, but not nearly enough. There was so much to 

purchase, so much to repair. Each time, Three Brothers 

turned to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s disaster 

assistance program for help.

The SBA was a saving grace for the Juckers, providing 

money and resources they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. 

“If it weren’t for the SBA, we would've been out of business—

twice," Janice Jucker says. "There was no way we would have 

had the cash to recover."

Houston is recovering, but there’s still work to be done. 

“People are buying sofas and socks," Janice Juckers says, "But 

they are not yet buying as many cakes and other baked goods." 

She remains optimistic for a full recovery. The Juckers are 

also leading an effort to craft legislation that would encourage 

consumers to shop in areas affected by a disaster—to help 

rebuild broken economies.

With help from their local SBA district office, the bakery is 

rebranding, working on a new website, and investing in new 

marketing strategies. “Everything the SBA does—everything 

they do—is good," she says.

COURTESY OF THREE BROTHERS BACKERY COURTESY OF THREE BROTHERS BACKERY
40

Keep in mind

An SBA disaster loan is a 

direct loan from the government. Other organizations may reduce or not 

award you a grant if you 

have received an SBA loan 

or other assistance. Be sure 

to check with other organizations to see how an 

SBA loan might affect your 

eligibility for their program.

In general, recovery 

expenses covered by 

insurance, FEMA or other 

forms of assistance may 

reduce the amount provided by your SBA disaster loan.

Verification & Processing

An SBA loss verifier will estimate the total loss to your property damaged by the 

disaster. A loan officer determines your creditworthiness and eligibility after reviewing any insurance or other recovery funds. The SBA can approve and disburse a loan 

while your insurance recovery is pending. You will be advised in writing of all loan 

decisions.

• Terms may go up to 30 years. The SBA sets terms based on each borrower’s ability 

to repay, no early payoff fees or penalties.

• Rates are low, based on the type of loan and if you have credit available elsewhere.

For Physical Damages

A business of any size and any nonprofit may borrow up to $2 million to repair or 

replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, 

and other business assets.

• A homeowner may borrow up to $200,000 to repair/replace primary residence 

damage.

• A homeowner or renter may borrow up to $40,000 to repair/replace damage to 

personal property, including vehicle losses.

For Economic Injury

The SBA also offers economic injury disaster loans for up to $2 million to help meet 

working capital needs caused by a disaster.

• Who are eligible: small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses, and most nonprofits.

• Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Closing & Funds Disbursement

Approval decision and disbursement of loan funds is dependent on receipt of your 

documentation.

Be sure to sign your closing documents. This can be done by mail or with an SBA 

representative at a closing center, if one is open in your area.

The SBA disburses loan funds as recovery work is completed, items are replaced, 

and/or as funds are needed. The SBA will typically make an initial disbursement of up 

to $25,000, if all requirements are met, within five days of receiving your signed loan 

closing documents. Your case manager will schedule subsequent disbursements 

of the full loan amount. Your case manager will work with you to help you meet all 

loan conditions. Your loan may be adjusted after closing according to your changing 

circumstances, such as unexpected repair costs or additional insurance proceeds.

How an SBA 

Disaster Loan Works

The SBA provides loans to businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners and renters 

to cover rebuilding costs not covered by insurance or other forms of assistance.

FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE
 41

How to Prepare 

Your Business 

for an Emergency

The financial cost of rebuilding a business after a disaster can

be overwhelming. However, with a business continuity plan in 

place, you will be able to rebound and reopen quickly. You’ll be 

in a better position to contribute to the economic recovery of 

your community.

Establish a protocol to communicate with employees outside of the office

to ensure they and their families are safe. Test the procedures regularly.

Keep your plan and all related documents in a digital format or in an accessible, protected, off-site location.

Review your insurance coverage

• Contact your insurance agent to find out if your coverage is right for your business; make sure you understand the policy limits and deductibles.

• Ask about business interruption insurance, which compensates you for lost 

income and covers operating expenses if your company has to temporarily 

shut down after a disaster.

Establish a solid supply chain

If your vendors and suppliers are local and the disaster is widespread, you will all 

be in the same situation—struggling to recover. Set yourself up to be able to get 

key supplies from companies outside your area, if possible.

• Create a contact list of important contractors and vendors you plan to use in 

an emergency.

• Make sure you know your suppliers’ recovery plans.

Plan for an alternative location

• Do some research in advance of the disaster for several alternative places to 

relocate your company in case a disaster forces you to close your business for 

an extended time.

Contact a local real estate agent to get a list of available office space. You could 

make an agreement with a neighboring business to share office space. You could 

also make plans for employees to telecommute until your office reopens.

The Ready Business program, 

ready.gov/business, gives 

step-by-step guidance on how 

to prepare your business for 

a disaster. The series includes 

preparedness toolkits for 

earthquakes, hurricanes, 

inland flooding, power 

outages, and severe winds/

tornadoes. Spanish materials 

are available.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS
42

Surety Bonds

Surety bonds help small 

businesses win construction, 

supply and service contracts 

by providing the customer with 

a guarantee the work will be 

completed. Many contracts 

require surety bonds, which are 

offered by surety companies. 

The SBA guarantee provides an 

incentive for surety companies 

to work with small businesses 

that would normally not be 

able to obtain the bond. Eligible 

small businesses can receive 

the bonding assistance necessary to compete for contracting 

and subcontracting jobs using 

the Surety Bond Guarantee 

Program. This program is aimed 

at small businesses that lack the 

financial resources or performance track record necessary to 

secure bonding through regular 

commercial channels.

Small businesses that often 

come to the SBA for surety 

bonds:

• Startups and firms in business less than three years

• Businesses with credit issues

or internally prepared financial 

statements

• Subcontract trades with a 

desire to establish their own 

bonding as a prime contractor

• Those wishing to increase

their current bonding limits

Surety bonds help small businesses win construction, supply, and service contracts.

FUNDING PROGRAMS
 43

Questions? 

Do you want to discuss the advantages of the SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program 

or need to locate an SBA authorized agent? Contact a bonding specialist:

Tamara E. Murray

Denver, CO

(303) 927-3479

Kevin Valdes

Seattle, WA

(206) 553-7277

Jennifer C. Bledsoe

Washington, DC

(202) 205-6153

For Public and Private Prime 

Contracts and all Subcontracts

For Federal Contracts

The SBA guarantees: bid, payment, performance, and 

ancillary bonds issued by surety companies

Cost of contract: up to $6.5 million

SBA reimburses surety companies in case of default 

90 percent of losses sustained for veteran and servicedisabled veteran, minority, 8(a), and HUBZone-certified 

small businesses; all projects up to $100,000 

80 percent for all other small businesses.

The SBA guarantees: bid, payment, performance, 

and ancillary bonds issued by surety companies—

if a guarantee would be in the best interest of 

the government

Cost of contract: up to $10 million

SBA reimburses surety companies in case of default 

90 percent of losses sustained for veteran and servicedisabled veteran, minority, 8(a), and HUBZone-certified 

small businesses; all projects up to $100,000 

80 percent for all other small businesses.

Typically, small businesses provide financial statements and other documentation when applying for 

surety bond guarantees. This process is streamlined under the SBA’s QuickApp program, which is 

for contracts below $400,000. The streamlined application reduces the normal paperwork to a simple 

two-page application, and the small business does not need to file any financials with the SBA.

The SBA partners with 35 surety companies and hundreds of bonding agents. Online 

applications submitted through SBA authorized agents are approved in less than two days for 

regular applications and within hours for QuickApps. Find authorized agents at sba.gov/osg.

SBA’s QuickApp Program

FUNDING PROGRAMS
44

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Small businesses can enter and excel in the 

international marketplace using State Trade 

Expansion Program grants and training. Visit 

sba.gov/internationaltrade to find out if 

your state is participating.

You can:

• learn how to export

• participate in foreign trade missions and 

trade shows

• obtain services to support foreign market 

entry

• translate websites to attract foreign buyers

• design international marketing products 

or campaigns

Financing for International Growth

The International Trade Loan can position 

you to enter or expand into international 

markets. It can also help you better compete 

if your business has been adversely affected 

by unfair trade practices.

Max loan amount: $5 million

Interest rate: generally prime + a reasonable rate capped at 2.75 percent

Terms: up to 25 years for real estate, up to 10 

years for equipment

Guarantee: up to 90 percent

Ask your SBA Lender about the Export 

Express Loan for enhancing your export 

development.

Max loan amount: $500,000

Interest rate: typically not to exceed prime 

+ 6.5 percent

Terms: up to 25 years for real estate, up to 

10 years for equipment, up to seven years 

for lines of credit

Guarantee: up to 90 percent

Exporters looking to meet their short-term 

capital needs can use the Export Working 

Capital Program. Use this loan to purchase 

inventory to make the products you export 

or to finance receivables. You can apply for 

lines of credit prior to finalizing an export 

sale or contract.

Max loan amount: $5 million

Interest rate: negotiated between lender 

and business, fixed or variable rate

Terms: typically one year, cannot exceed 

three years

Guarantee: up to 90 percent

Benefits of

Exporting

Nearly 96 percent of consumers 

live outside the U.S., and twothirds of the world’s purchasing 

power is in foreign countries. If 

you’re a small business owner, 

here’s how to work with the SBA 

for your trade needs.

STEP 1 GET COUNSELING

STEP 3 GET FUNDING

Expert Advice on Exporting

If you need assistance with international trade regulations, the SBA can be your 

advocate in foreign markets. Call toll free (855) 722-4877 or email your contact 

information and trade issue to international@sba.gov.

Find an SBA professional in one of the 21 U.S. Export Assistance Centers, 

sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/eac, located in most major metro areas. The 

centers are also staffed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and, in some locations, the Export-Import Bank of the United States and other public and private 

organizations. Also, visit your local Small Business Development Center (see page 8) 

for exporting assistance from professional business counselors.

STEP 2 FIND BUYERS

Assistance with 

Exporting

Businesses that export are less dependent on any one market. 

Exporting also broadens the market and stabilizes sales for those 

who make seasonal products.
 45

CONTRACTING

Doing Business with the Government

Staying Power

Evans Capacitor Co. of Rhode Island was chosen as the SBA’s 2018 National Small Business 

Subcontractor of the Year for its customer care.

written by Jess Walker

COURTESY OF EVANS CAPACIITOR CO.
46

CONTRACTING Powering some of America’s 

greatest defense and aerospace 

technologies is a small product 

from a small business located 

in the smallest state. Evans 

Capacitor Co. of Rhode Island is a leading 

manufacturer of high energy density 

capacitors, battery-like components that can 

release stored electrical energy quickly—

crucial in applications such as laser or 

radar systems.

“The best and most rewarding feeling is 

when we have visitors to our plant, be they 

customers, politicians, or even from the SBA, 

who look around and are truly astonished by 

what we do right here in East Providence,” 

says Charles Dewey, cofounder and CEO of 

Evans Capacitor. “They are always smiling and 

surprised when they see our great employees 

actually building these devices by hand.”

In 1996, Dewey and his cousin and 

cofounder Dave Evans spun Evans Capacitor 

out of an old family business. Dewey handled 

the business model and finances, and Evans 

spearheaded engineering and development. 

Evans’s hybrid capacitor invention, which 

combined electrolytic with electrochemi-

cal technology, had come to him in a dream. 

He made that dream into a reality, but the 

market for it was not immediately robust. A 

licensing deal with medical device producer 

Wilson Greatbatch Technologies incorporated 

the invention into capacitors for implant-

able defibrillators, jump-starting the young 

company.

Evans Capacitor has been a subcontractor 

since its beginning, with most products sold 

commercially to defense contractors. Its client 

base now extends into commercial aviation 

and the oil and gas industry. “Dave Evans and I 

decided early on that we would work on what we 

knew,” says Dewey. “He invented a lot of stuff, 

but only some things were business-viable. We 

stuck to what worked and built a niche.”

Evans Capacitor prides itself on its 

responsiveness to customers. When a client 

once needed a smaller product, the company 

repackaged its round capacitor into a square, 

which provided more energy using the 

same footprint. Another client’s comments 

about overheating resulted in a capacitor 

that reduced resistance by half, effectively 

doubling the power while decreasing the need 

for cooling. “Listening to our customers is 

critical so we know which direction to focus 

our efforts,” says Colin McClennan, vice 

president and general manager. It’s a practice 

that pays off in relationships and recognition: 

Longtime customer Lockheed Martin 

Evans Capacitor built its business by being a 

subcontractor that sells its products to defense 

contractors. The company is expanding into 

commercial aviation and the oil and gas industry. COURTESY OF EVANS CAPACIITOR CO. COURTESY OF EVANS CAPACIITOR CO.
 47

nominated Evans Capacitor for the 2018 

National Small Business Subcontractor 

of the Year, which the company went on 

to win. 

The State Trade Expansion Program, 

administered by the SBA’s Office 

of International Trade, has helped 

Evans Capacitor smooth the peaks 

and valleys of production through 

expansion of its customer base. A 

national export initiative, the STEP 

grant awards matching funds to states 

and territory governments to help 

small businesses enter and thrive in 

international markets.

For the past two years, Evans 

Capacitor has used Rhode Island STEP 

funding to send representatives to 

global exhibits, create trade show 

materials, and revamp its website for 

international audiences. The company 

has been represented as far away as 

India, Spain, and the United Kingdom. 

“We’ve done programs with [STEP 

assistance] we likely wouldn’t have 

done otherwise,” says McClennan. “I 

expect we’ll continue using it.”

Running a small business can be 

hard, but the close-knit environment 

makes it worthwhile. When McClennan 

joined the company in 2000, he thought 

he’d live in Rhode Island for a year or so 

before moving back to Ohio. Eighteen 

years later, he still finds every day at 

the 47-employee plant engaging and 

ever-changing. “You’re able to have 

such an impact in a small business,” he 

says, “as opposed to working in a large 

corporation where the impact of your 

efforts might be much more diluted.”

Dewey is happy for other entrepreneurs to learn from Evans Capacitor’s 

experience. “We hope the SBA uses us 

as a model, especially to other small 

businesses looking to get into subcontracting and defense work,” he says. “It 

is a daunting undertaking for a commercial company, but it’s been our lives 

since day one, so maybe we can help.” 

For other small businesses, no matter 

the industry, Dewey recommends they 

hone in on their niches. “Don’t stray, 

stay focused, and be the best you can 

be. As Dave says, ‘You have to play the 

hand you’re dealt.’ But you can learn to 

play it well.”

Identify your product or service number at naics.com.

Search the FedBizOpps database (fbo.gov) or web.sba.gov/

subnet to see if any federal agencies are looking for your product 

or service.

Attend an SBA district office workshop on contracting. Visit 

sba.gov/localassistance to find your local office.

Talk to a local Small Business Development Center counselor 

(see page 8) or visit a Procurement Technical Assistance Program 

adviser. Find your closest center at aptac-us.org.

Obtain a free DUNS number at fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

Register with the System for Award Management (sam.gov) 

to start doing business with the government.

See if you’re eligible for a contracting program and start the 

certification process. All required documents must be uploaded 

to certify.sba.gov before submitting an offer on a contract set 

aside for a specific program.

How to 

do business 

with the 

government

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

CONTRACTING
48

CONTRACTING

SBA Contracting 

Programs

Your business could earn profit and gain valuable work experience by 

providing goods or services to the government.

The federal government sets aside 

contracts for small business, and these 

certification programs are designed to help 

you compete for and win federal contracts. 

Visit sba.gov/contracting to learn more 

about set-asides and whether one or more 

of these government contracting programs 

is right for your business.

All Small Mentor-Protege 

Program

Looking for an opportunity to partner with 

a more experienced firm for mentorship? 

You may find that effort rewarded in the 

All Small Mentor-Protege Program, sba.

gov/allsmallmpp. At the same time 

you’re gaining invaluable direction and 

experience, you and your mentor can 

compete for government contracts, further 

growing your business.

To qualify for this program:

» Proteges must have a mentor prior to 

applying for the program. Visit your 

local SBA office for guidance. Ask about 

the SBA’s Resource Partners and the 

Procurement Technical Assistance 

Program for help in connecting you with a 

mentor business.

» You must be certified as a small business 

within your NAICS industry classification 

and have experience in that field.

» Mentors and proteges must be organized 

for profit or as an agricultural cooperative.

» Mentors cannot own more than 40 

percent equity in the protege’s business.

» An SBA determination of affiliation must 

not exist between the mentor and the 

protege. All Small-approved partnerships 

receive an exclusion of affiliation for 

contracting purposes.

8(a) Business Development 

Program

If you’re an entrepreneur who is socially 

and economically disadvantaged, 

you can get business training and 

government contracting assistance 

through the 8(a) Business Development 

Program, sba.gov/8a. The program 

includes free business development 

education, training workshops, and 

match-making opportunities with federal 

buyers. Firms owned by Alaska Native 

Corporations, Indian tribes, Native 

Hawaiian organizations, and Community 

Development Corporations are also eligible 

for 8(a) business development assistance.

To be eligible for the 8(a) program, 

your small business must meet the 

following criteria:

» qualify as a small business which is 

unconditionally owned and controlled by 

one or more socially and economically 

disadvantaged people of good character

» be controlled by a U.S. citizen who lives in 

the United States

» demonstrate a track record of work and that 

you have potential for continued success

Socially disadvantaged: those who have 

been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice 

or cultural bias without regard to their 

individual qualities because of their identity 

as members of certain groups. The following 

groups of people are assumed to be socially 

disadvantaged: Black Americans, Native 

Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, 

Hispanic Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, 

and Subcontinent Asian Americans. A person 

who is not a member of one of these groups 

must establish that it is more likely than not 

that they have suffered disadvantage.

Economically disadvantaged: those whose 

ability to compete in the marketplace 

has been impaired because the person 

has not had as much capital and credit 

opportunities compared to others in the 

same or similar line of business who are not 

socially disadvantaged.
 49

CONTRACTING

The benefits:

» 8(a) businesses are assigned an SBA professional to help 

coordinate your business development assistance.

» You could be awarded an 8(a) sole-source contract up to $4 million for 

goods and services; $7 million for manufacturing, exceptions apply.

What is an 8(a) sole-source contract? A direct awarding of a contract 

to an 8(a) small business that can provide the needed services.

HUBZones

Businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones, 

HUBZones, sba.gov/hubzone, must be certified to gain special access 

to federal contracts. To qualify for the program, a small business must:

» be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by a U.S. citizen(s), 

a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural 

cooperative, or an Indian tribe

» be located within a HUBZone, which includes Indian 

reservations and military facilities closed by the Base 

Realignment and Closure Act. Enter your address in our 

interactive map to see if your business is located in a HUBZone, 

maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map.

» have at least 35 percent of your employees residing in a HUBZone

Service-Disabled Veterans

If you’re a service-disabled veteran looking to enter 

the federal marketplace, you may be eligible for this small business 

certification. To determine your eligibility, contact a veterans 

business development officer at your local SBA office, or the SBA’s 

Office of Veterans Business Development at sba.gov/ovbd. After 

you have set up to do business with the government in sam.gov, 

update your status as a service-disabled veteran business.

Keep in mind

The SBA does not officially certify this designation, so when 

a contract awarded based on this eligibility is protested, the 

SBA will determine if your business meets the eligibility status, 

ownership and control requirements.

Procurement 

Technical 

Assistance Centers

Businesses that want to sell products or services to federal, state, 

or local governments receive one-on-one counseling and training 

at Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, free or low cost.

How can a procurement assistance center help you?

» A center adviser can help you determine if your business is 

ready for government contracting.

» An adviser can help you register in the System for Award 

Management (sam.gov).

» Your adviser will help you see if you are eligible for any small 

business certifications and programs.

Federal contracting can be complex, but you don’t have to do 

it alone. Visit sba.gov/localassistance to find your local SBA 

office or an SBA Resource Partner near you (see page 8).

Billings PTAC Big Sky 

Economic Development 

Authority

222 N. 32nd St., suite 200

Deanna Langman

(406) 869-8410

langman@bigskyeda.org

Rosalind Dix

(406) 869-8413

dix@bigskyeda.org

Bozeman PTAC at 

Montana State University

2310 University Way, building 

two, suite two

Phillip Luebke

(406) 994-7748

phillip.luebke@montana.edu

Great Falls PTAC 

at Great Falls 

Development Authority

405 Third St. Northwest, suite 

203,

Lillian Sunwall

(406) 750-1253

lsunwall@growgreatfalls.org

Hamilton PTAC at 

Ravalli County Economic 

Development Authority

274 Old Corvallis Road

John Schneeberger

(406) 375-9416

john@rceda.org

Kalispell PTAC at 

Mountain West Economic 

Development

44 Second Ave. West

Doug Bolender

(406) 257-7711

doug@dobusinessin

montana.com

Lewistown PTAC at 

Snowy Mountain 

Development Corp.

613 NE Main

Kathie Bailey

(406) 535-2591

smdcdist6@hotmail.com

Missoula PTAC at University 

of Montana

014 Gilkey Executive 

Education Building

950 Arthur Ave.

Patty Cox

(406) 243-4030

patricia.cox@umontana.edu

Native American 

Development 

Corporation PTAC

2929 Third Ave. North, 

suite 300

Billings

(406) 259-3804

nadc-nabn.org

An O’Fallon Casting Inc. 

employee at work in 

O’Fallon, MO. Owner Vince 

Gimeno grew his business 

thanks to expert SBA 

business counseling.
50

CONTRACTING

Women-Owned Small Business 

Certification

If you're a woman proprietor looking to sell to the federal 

government, you may be eligible for the Women-Owned Small 

Business certification, sba.gov/wosb. 

Here’s how to get certified:

• Your business must be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more 

women who are U.S. citizens. The ownership must be direct and unconditional.

• A woman must hold the highest officer position and have managerial experience 

required to run the business.

• One or more women must manage the daily business operations on a full-time 

basis and conduct long-term decision making and planning.

To qualify as an economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, your 

company must meet these criteria and the business owner and/or manager must 

meet certain income and asset requirements.

• Register with the System for Award Management (sam.gov) to start doing business with the government.

• Update your status as a woman-owned small business in sam.gov.

• Search the FedBizOpps database (fbo.gov) for your new business opportunity.

Self-certify as a woman-owned small business or an economically disadvantaged 

woman-owned small business for free, or obtain certification from one of the SBA’s 

approved third-party certifiers (which costs a fee):

• El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

• National Women Business Owners Corporation

• U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce

• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council

All required documents must be uploaded to certify.sba.gov prior to submitting 

an offer on a contract set aside for the program.

1. Make sure you’re eligible

2. Register

4. Update your status

5. Search the database

3. Certify

By the 

Numbers

The U.S. government is the largest single 

purchaser of goods and services in the 

world. Every year it awards more than 

$500 billion 

in contracts.

Of those prime contracts, the federal 

government must set aside 23 percent 

for small businesses. 

This includes:

• 5 percent for small 

disadvantaged 

businesses

• 5 percent for women-owned 

small businesses

• 3 percent for HUBZonecertified small businesses

• 3 percent for service-disabled 

veteran-owned small businesses
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