Beartooth Resource Conservation and Development Area

Beartooth rc&d promotes rural Development, economic Development and Conservation in big horn, carbon, stillwater, sweetgrass, and yellowstone counties of Montana as a state-designated certified regional Development corporation (crdc) and a federally-designated economic Development district (edd). We assist clients with project Development, business planning, and grant writing as well as working with municipalities and counties on improvement of public services, infrastructure and facilities. We currently manage 2 usda rcdi (rural community Development initiative) grants, one in big horn county and one in carbon. An epa brownfields program is a service we added in 2023 to assist property owners with phase 1 and phase 2 environmental assessments. Beartooth rc&d also has a state-funded food and ag Development center (fadc) that helps producers innovate and grow businesses that produce and commercialize food, agriculture, and renewable energy products and processes. A federal specialty crop block grant is part of the funding for the fadc, and a farm-to-school grant and a reap ta (rural energy for america program - technical assistance) grant are other small pots of funding available to assist clients throughout the region.

Beartooth rc&d administers a revolving loan fund (rlf) to promote economic Development. The role of the rlf is to provide gap financing to businesses who would find it difficult to meet conventional underwriting standards. Job creation is the primary goal, especially by providing employment to those in low and moderate income categories. Multiple funding sources have been used over the years, including eda, cdbg, irp, ssbci, mboi, and rmap. In 2023, 20 loans were serviced.