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ABOUT

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SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA

Sweetgrass Development is a private, non-profit corporation created in 2004 to support economic development in the counties of Glacier, Cascade, Pondera, Teton and Toole, as well as the Blackfeet Nation. We are a diverse area which includes a large metropolitan area, many small towns, rural farming areas, several Hutterite Colonies and the Blackfeet Reservation.

We assist businesses and community entities with a variety of projects, including funding grants, Brownfields assessments, community meetings, and real estate listings. We want to see residents and businesses succeed in North Central Montana.

Sweetgrass Development strives for all county residents to find happiness and prosperity.  This includes strong infrastructures, viable housing, dynamic businesses, and upward community growth while maintaining local heritage and its environment.  All of this makes North Central Montana one of the best places to live in “The Last Best Place”.

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OUR COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (CEDS)

Production of a CEDS document is required to be recognized as an Economic Development District by the U.S. Economic Development Agency (EDA). At Sweetgrass Development, our CEDS document is our mission statement. It is the core of what we do. It is the result of a local planning process, a survey of economic conditions, and a guide to growing North Central Montana. Our CEDS is also a 5-year action plan and a living document which is continually updated to guide our Scope of Work for each year.

This Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is a resource for Sweetgrass Development to accomplish the following:

  • "The region will have a diversified age population with services, recreational, economic opportunities to support the populace and serve as a destination for young and old."

  • "The region will contain unique and individualized communities with updated infrastructure, adequate and affordable housing, a strong business presence and vibrant economy, with flexibility for continued growth and expansion."

  • "The region will serve as a corridor to Glacier National Park providing leisure activities for locals as well as visitors."

  • "The development within the region will connect citizens and visitors worldwide through technology and infrastructure."

  • "Preserve the local heritage and improve the quality of life while protecting the environment."

The Board of Sweetgrass Development partnered with the Montana State University Extension Local Government Center (MSU-LGC), Browning Community Development Corporation (BCDC) and Southeastern Montana Economic Development District (SEMEDD) to prepare the five-year plan.


This CEDS document was developed by staff and Board of Sweetgrass Development and SEMEDD. Seven community meetings were held throughout the region, facilitated by MSU-LGC and notes provided by the staff of BCDC. The citizens of the region were heavily involved in the identification of community opportunities and challenges and the development of an action plan.


Focus groups and economic analysis were conducted during the summer and fall of 2011. A draft of the CEDS document was circulated for review by the Board of Directors, staff, and Strategy Committee in October. A final draft was available for public comment in November and submitted to EDA in December 2011. EDA approval was granted at the end of January 2012.

For our 2017 edition, we repeated this process with an increased focus on economic resilience. We are rewriting our CEDS in 2022 and will have more information about town halls soon!

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CEDS
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HISTORY OF SWEETGRASS DEVELOPMENT

During the 1960s and 1970s, the U.S. Economic Development Agency (EDA) started forming regional organizations called Economic Development Districts (EDD). These "EDDs" often encompassed several counties in order to promote regionalizing community development efforts. One of the very first EDDs in Montana was the Bear Paw Development Corporation, based in Havre and overseeing the north central portion of the state. The Bear Paw Development Corporation still serves the counties of Hill, Blaine, Phillips, Chouteau and Liberty today; it was officially recognized as an EDD on March 22, 1969.

The EDA was not the only agency that recognized the effectiveness of regionalization. The North Central Montana Resource Conservation and Development Area (RC&D), a program sponsored through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS), formed its own, larger district. The RC&D district includes the five counties of the Bear Paw Development Corporation as well as the Sweetgrass Region. The RC&D provides technical assistance in grant writing, planning and other community development projects with a targeted focus on land conservation.

In order to provide more business-oriented services, the RC&D wrote an application for the western five counties in their district (Cascade, Glacier, Pondera, Teton and Toole) to form a brand new EDD. In early 2004, this district, titled the North Central Montana Economic Development District (NCMEDD), was officially recognized by the EDA. Ever since, we have done business as Sweetgrass Development!

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History

MEET THE STAFF OF SWEETGRASS DEVELOPMENT

We utilize our highly skilled staff to bring residents and businesses the knowledge and assistance needed to make their projects succeed in North Central Montana. Contact us to find out how we can help with your next project.

Staff
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SARAH CONVERSE

Executive Director

Sarah Converse is celebrating her 13th year as the executive director for Sweetgrass Development. A rancher and a lifelong advocate for Montana business, Sarah lives in Great Falls (Cascade County).

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CARRIE TAYLOR

Business Development/Loan Specialist

Carrie Taylor specializes in small business consulting. Her passion for assisting small business owners achieve their goals led her to a 20+ year career in banking. As a former bank branch president, she focused on ag, commercial and consumer lending.

Carrie's hours are: Mon. 9-1 

Wed. 11-2 Thur. 9-1 and by appt.

Board
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MEET THE 2023 BOARD OF SWEETGRASS DEVELOPMENT

We are proud to have our counties and communities represented by a dynamic Board of Directors with representatives from all corners of the Sweetgrass Region. The board holds quarterly meetings as well as an annual meeting each year in order to monitor and shape the progress of Sweetgrass Development in its mission to cultivate growth in the counties of Cascade, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, and Toole.

Clarence Sivertsen

Member

Montana Little Shell Chippewa Tribe

Cascade County

Government

Mary Ann Harwood

Commissioner

Toole County

Toole County

Government

Lorette Carter

City Dev. Coord.

City of Shelby

Toole County

Government

Del Darko

Council Member

Town of Belt

Cascade County

Government

John Overcast

Commissioner

Glacier County

Glacier County

Government

Holly Hovland

Council Member

Town of Sunburst

Glacier County

Government

Llew Jones

Senator

State of Montana

Pondera County

Government

Jim Larson

Commissioner

Cascade County

Cascade County

Government

Dale Siefert

Commissioner

Pondera County

Pondera County

Government

Gerald Wagner

Environ. Dir.

Blackfeet Tribe

Blackfeet Tribe

Government

Lila Evans

Owner

B and L Plumbing

Glacier County

Business/Organization

Shane Etzwiler

President/CEO

GF Chamber of Com.

Cascade County

Business/Organization

Jason Gibson

Owner

Private Businessman

Cascade County

Business/Organization

Cynthia Johnson

Owner

Desert Claim Farm

Pondera County

Business/Organization

Brenda Schilling

Executive Dir.

Glacier Co. PA

Glacier County

Business/Organization

Mike Mills

Owner

Mills Motor Comp.

Teton County

Business/Organization

Tony Sitzmann

Owner

Oil West Services

Glacier County

Business/Organization

BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Minutes are posted when approved

12/21/2022

06/29/2022

03/24/2022

09/23/2021

04/28/2021

09/23/2020

11/30/2022

04/19/2022

12/22/2021

06/23/2021

03/24/2021

01/26/2021

Minutes

BOARD MEETING AGENDAS

01/26/2023

09/22/2022

04/19/2022

12/22/2021

01/26/2021

06/23/2021

12/21/2022

06/29/2022

03/24/2022

03/24/2021

04/28/2021

09/22/2021

Agendas
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