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Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Mission West Community Development Partners

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Mission West Community Development Partners

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Mission West is an active collaborator in economic development efforts in Mineral and Sanders counties and the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Mission West Community Development Partners (formerly LCCDC) is a Regional Economic Development Organization established to provide Leadership, Community and Economic Development. Founded in March 1995 as a 501-C(3) nonprofit organization, Mission West Community Development Partners (formerly Lake County Community Development Corporation) is a regional economic development organization established to provide leadership, community and economic development efforts and to address growth issues as they affect residents, communities and the quality of life in the region we serve. Our mission is to enhance the quality life and sustainable economic well-being of all residents of the communities we serve. If you are an existing business seeking funding for expansion or efficiencies, an entrepreneur with a new business idea, or you are looking for financial support, Mission West has a strong track record of successful projects, weathering tough times with our clients and providing training and development opportunities to assist them in business decisions. Mission West’s Business Development Center has provided on-on-one technical assistance to hundreds of entrepreneurs, micro or small business owners during the past five years. Additionally, we host free workshops and training events throughout the region. Our Community Development Center works on infrastructure, housing, public spaces and other community projects. Our Cooperative Development Center works with new and existing co-ops to help with start-up, planning, capitalization and management. Our Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center (MMFEC) is a leader in food system and food hub economic development strategies and initiative throughout the state of Montana. The shared –use commercial kitchen and value-added food processing incubator helps food and value added enterprises overcome regulatory barriers; develop and manufacture products for retail markets, and gain market acceptance prior to graduating into their own facility. The facility is USDA, FDA and organically certified. MMFEC provides educational and training resources and opportunities for food and meat processors; helps start-up companies develop marketing and business plans, facilitate labels and process approval through state/county agencies. Mission West is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

10/13/2026

The CoBuild Summit is almost here. From October 20 through 22 at the University of Montana in Missoula, founders, entrepreneurs, cooperatives, community leaders, students, and investors from across the state will come together for three days focused on building values-based businesses and ventures that solve real Montana challenges. If you've been thinking about attending, this is your final reminder to make it happen.

This year's program covers employee ownership, affordable housing, entrepreneurship, food systems, rural health, biocarbon, and energy, with Tribal perspectives throughout. Confirmed voices include World Bank consultant and bestselling author Elizabeth MacBride, UM professor and MTPR host Justin Angle, Old Salt Co-op CEO Cole Mannix, and leaders from across Montana, including Mission West's own team guiding sessions on cooperative development, food systems, and energy.

Whether you're building a business, leading a cooperative, or working to strengthen your community, this is a rare chance to connect with people doing the same across the state. Register now at cobuildmontana.com/summit

10/12/2026

Running a food business is hard enough without having to figure out digital marketing on your own. If you've ever felt unsure where to start with your website, online sales, or reaching new customers, this free webinar is for you. On Friday, October 16 at 10am Mountain Time, join Digital Marketing Game Plan for Montana Food Manufacturers, a lively, interactive session built specifically for food and ag businesses.

Led by Curt Anderson and Damon Pistulka of B2Btail and Megan Militello of the Alaska Manufacturing Association, the webinar covers practical, affordable ways to increase your visibility, attract more customers, and open up new sales opportunities through digital marketing and e-commerce. It's hosted by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center, the FADC Network, Beartooth RC&D, and B2Btail Marketing, and Mission West is proud to help share it with our food and ag community.

Best of all, it's completely free. Register today and bring your questions. Sign up at missionwestcdp.org/events/food-marketing

10/08/2026

The markets have wound down and the harvest is in, which makes fall one of the best times for food entrepreneurs to step back and plan. Whether you're refining a recipe, thinking about scaling up, or getting serious about turning a passion into a business, the quieter season is the right time to build your foundation. That's exactly what the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center is here for.

MMFEC offers a certified commercial kitchen and hands-on support for food businesses at every stage. From increasing production and developing new products to navigating food safety, licensing, and wholesale, our facility and team help you grow without taking on the cost and risk of building your own space. It's the kind of infrastructure that lets small food businesses in Western Montana get to the next level.

If you're ready to build on your food business this fall, let's talk. Learn how MMFEC can help at missionwestcdp.org/mmfec

10/06/2026

Ronan's future is being shaped by the people who live here, and there's a seat at the table for you. Join us for the next Community Heart & Soul gathering on Thursday, October 8th. Come share a meal, connect with neighbors, and talk about what you love about this community and where you'd like to see it go.

Community Heart & Soul is a resident-driven effort to bring people together around a shared vision for Ronan's future, complementing the ongoing work with downtown revitalization and Main Street. Whether you've been to a gathering before or this is your first time, everyone is welcome, and every voice matters. Come hungry, come curious, and come ready to be part of the conversation.

Dinner is provided and the event is free and open to all. Learn more and RSVP at ronanheartandsoul.com

10/02/2026

At the Community Heart & Soul kickoff in August, people covered the walls with what makes Ronan work, then wrote down what they want it to become. A Main Street full of businesses, more ways to take part in local government, and more support for local artists all made the list.

Round two is next Thursday, October 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM in the Large Conference Room at Mission West, 407 Main St SW. Dinner's free, and if you missed the kickoff, come anyway.

If you RSVP'd for the canceled September date, you're already counted. Everyone else, RSVP so there's enough food:

ronanheartandsoul.com

What would you add?

10/01/2026

With the busy season behind us, fall is when a lot of tourism business owners start planning what they want to build, upgrade, or expand before visitors return next year. The challenge is usually financing, since tourism projects don't always fit what traditional lenders are looking for. That's where Mission West comes in.

Mission West administers the Tourism Development and Enhancement Revolving Loan Fund, a $3.5 million fund through the Montana Department of Commerce. Loans range from $5,000 to $250,000. Eligible projects include lodging upgrades, cultural and recreational attractions, infrastructure improvements, and food and beverage operations, with preference given to rural and under-visited areas. Businesses across Lake, Mineral, and Sanders Counties are well-positioned to qualify.

If you're planning ahead for next season, now is the time to start the conversation. Learn more and get in touch at missionwestcdp.org/business-development-center

09/30/2026

Attention commercial property investors. That building you're considering purchasing, do you know its history, or what environmental contaminants might be hiding inside? Our communities have a history of former unpermitted gas stations with underground storage tanks that may never have been removed, along with aging buildings that can harbor lead-based paint, asbestos, PCBs, mold, and heavy metals. Before you buy, it's worth knowing what you're getting into.

A Phase I Environmental Assessment is like taking a used car to the mechanic for a full inspection before you buy. A qualified environmental professional reviews the property's history, inspects the site, and interviews owners and officials to identify potential contamination, then delivers a report with key findings. Knowing what's there helps you negotiate a fair price, satisfies lenders who may require it, and clarifies environmental liability before it becomes your problem. It also qualifies the property for EPA and Montana DEQ cleanup funding.
Mission West's Brownfields Program offers Phase I assessments free of charge for qualified properties, and can help develop a path for cleanup and redevelopment.

Learn more at missionwestcdp.org/brownfields

09/29/2026

In Meagher County, farmer Shauna Eagleton drives a 500-mile weekly route to bring fresh, local meat, produce, and dairy to communities that otherwise struggle to access it. What started as a way to sell her own farm's vegetables has grown into the Central Montana Food Hub, an aggregator and online marketplace that connects local producers with customers across central Montana, with a new high-tech food storage facility on the way in Harlowton.

Stories like this are exactly why Mission West's food financing work exists. Through programs like the Montana Local Food Financing Partnership (MLFFP), Mission West provides credit enhancements, collateral support, and technical assistance to food businesses working to expand food access in rural Montana. When a food hub can grow, it doesn't just help one business, it strengthens the entire local food system and gets fresh food onto more tables.

If you're building a food business that serves rural Montana, Mission West may be able to help. Learn more about MLFFP and our food financing work at missionwestcdp.org/business-development-center/mlffp

09/24/2026

It's almost here. The 2026 Governor's Summit on Montana Food and Agriculture, the first summit of its kind in a decade, takes place October 23 and 24 in Helena. Hosted by the Grow Montana Food Policy Coalition in partnership with the Montana Department of Agriculture and the Governor's Office, it brings producers, entrepreneurs, and community partners together to design a strategic roadmap for the future of Montana's food system.

At the center is the 33x33 for Montana Initiative, a goal to increase Montana-grown food consumption from 3 percent to 33 percent by 2033, which would keep $1.5 billion in annual food spending within our borders. The Summit features Montana-grown meals, expert speakers, and working sessions on the real challenges in production, distribution, marketing, and retail. Mission West has been part of the groundwork, including regional listening sessions across Western Montana.

If you're a producer, business owner, or community partner, there's still time to register. Learn more at growmt.org

09/23/2026

There's a vibrant new piece of public art brightening downtown Ronan. The Buffalo Wild Rose Mural, designed by local artists Aspen and Cameron Decker, celebrates connection, renewal, and the beauty of the Mission Valley. You'll find it on the west-facing wall of Evolve Fitness, a newly renovated Main Street business, where it adds color and life to a shared community space.

What makes this mural special is how it came to be. Through a series of community paint days, an estimated 250 to 300 residents picked up a brush and helped bring it to life, turning public art into a shared experience that builds community pride and celebrates local heritage. The project was funded by the Ronan Chamber of Commerce and the Montana Department of Commerce's Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program, part of the ongoing work to strengthen and beautify downtown Ronan.

Next time you're downtown, stop by and see it for yourself. Learn more about downtown revitalization at ronantourismgrant.com

Address

407 Main Street SW
Ronan, MT
59864

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+14066765901

Website

http://www.missionwestcdp.org/

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