Join Us

Are you any of the following?

Professional economic developer
Lender
Contractor
Business Owner
Engineer
Concerned Citizen who wants better opportunities and stronger commerce in your community

If you said, “Yes,” then you should be a MEDA member!

Already a member? Log In

Benefits

Professional development opportunities.

Advocacy.

Peer to peer connections and networking.

Relevant communications through the MEDA monthly newsletter.

One Grow America course ($1,700 value) at the discounted rate of $125!

Goals

Build relationships with economic developers, lenders, government representatives, & other members

Share best practices & strategies to improve the Montana economy

Identify and implement projects that put those ideas into action using numbers-based metrics

Professional Development

Do you want to expand your professional knowledge and development? MEDA members have exclusive access to training through Grow America that can do just that! This training, valued at $1,700, is available to MEDA members for just $125. We encourage you to explore International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as well!

Economic Development 101

Were you just hired by an economic development office in Montana? Are you looking for a career in economic development in Montana? Are you a Montana business owner trying to figure out what on earth “economic development” is in the first place? Let us show you around!

In general, when we say “economic development”, we are talking about supporting projects that make a positive impact on commerce, value of goods, and quality of life for a given community. What projects are those? It all depends on the community.

For many communities in Montana, that means coaching businesses through startup or expansion planning; writing grants and letters of support for infrastructure projects; funding assessments and cleanups for contaminated properties; hosting workshops and events to teach skills and connect; attracting new businesses and new workers; and so much more! We’ve included some further reading to help understand the key concepts that come with this term and with the work that we do. In particular, we recommend the libraries maintained by the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

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