What SOUTHEASTERN MONTANA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION does

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation (SEMDC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development corporation founded in July 1997 and headquartered in Colstrip, Montana. The organization serves a four-county region in southeastern Montana — Rosebud, Treasure, Custer, and Powder River Counties, encompassing the cities of Colstrip, Forsyth, and Miles City and the towns of Broadus and Hysham — covering roughly 13,280 square miles with a service-area population of approximately 22,000. SEMDC was formed jointly by these counties and municipalities to provide local financial support for economic development and acquired its 501(c)(3) status in 1998 through a merger with the Treasure Foundation.

SEMDC delivers an integrated portfolio of human-serviced economic development offerings: (1) free and confidential business counseling covering planning, projections, financials, marketing, and research; (2) grant writing research, review, and administration for businesses, government entities, and non-profits, with a $500 fee charged for private-sector engagements; (3) seven participation financing loan programs (CDBG, IRP, SSBCI 2.0, EDA RLF, Big Sky Economic Development RLF, Brownfield Cleanup RLF, and an EPEDC partnership vehicle) delivered in conjunction with regional banks; and (4) community planning services including Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) preparation, infrastructure needs assessments, and the Colstrip Economic Diversification Strategy. The organization also administers Community Impact Funding from energy-sector partners (NextEra Energy Resources, Grid United, Avista Foundation, Colstrip Impact Foundation) and participates in regional coalitions including the Coal Country Coalition.

The business model combines member contributions from four counties and five municipalities, federal/state program administration fees, revolving loan fund interest, nominal service fees, and energy-sector community impact grants. Since 2010, SEMDC has made over $5.2 million in direct loans and facilitated more than $58.1 million in grants to projects in its service region; since 1997, it has counseled over 1,819 clients and been associated with 1,191 jobs created or retained and approximately $92 million in cumulative project funding/impact. The organization is governed by a 16-member Board of Directors comprising county, municipal, tribal college, and at-large representatives, and operates with a staff of approximately four full-time equivalents under Executive Director Jim Atchison.

Name

SOUTHEASTERN MONTANA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Legal name

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation

Website

https://semdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization founded in 1997 that serves four counties in southeastern Montana, providing free business counseling, grant writing and administration, participation loan financing, and community planning to small businesses, government entities, and non-profits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Small business financing
• Grant writing services
• Revolving loan funds
• Community development planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Colstrip

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Service Fees: SEMDC charges a $500 fee for private grant writing assistance services. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the organization also receives funding from member contributions, grants, and loan program revenues.
2. Loan Program Administration: SEMDC administers revolving loan funds with participation financing programs. Revenue generated from loan program operations and administration fees.
3. Membership Contributions: Four counties (Custer, Powder River, Rosebud, Treasure) and five municipalities contribute to SEMDC's operational funding as supporting members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development corporation that delivers free business counseling, grant writing and administration, and seven participation loan financing programs to startups, existing businesses, government entities, and non-profits in southeastern Montana. The organization also produces Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) documents, community plans, and feasibility studies for the four-county service region. Operating since July 1997, SEMDC is jointly supported by four counties and five municipalities, and complements (rather than competes with) regional banks through participation lending.

Product overview

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation (SEMDC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization serving Rosebud, Treasure, Custer, and Powder River counties since 1997. The organization offers an integrated portfolio of services including Business Assistance (counseling, planning, and training), Grant Assistance (writing and administration), Loan Programs (seven participation financing programs for small businesses), Community Planning (CEDS and regional economic strategy), and Energy-related initiatives including the annual Energy Open Conference and nuclear feasibility studies. The services are designed to support local businesses, government entities, and non-profit organizations in economic development across the sparse 13,280 square mile region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Assistance Free and confidential business counseling for startup and existing businesses, offering planning, projections, financials, marketing, and research assistance. Includes business planning documents, projected income templates, and financial report tools. Targeted at small businesses in southeastern Montana.
• Grant Assistance Grant writing research, review, and administrative services provided to businesses, government entities, and non-profit organizations in southeastern Montana. Includes community impact funding administration for the NextEra Energy Resources partnership. A $500 fee applies for private grant writing assistance; public sector grant services are provided as part of SEMDC's mission.
• Loan Programs Seven participation financing programs: CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), IRP (Intermediary Relending Program), SSBCI 2.0 (State Small Business Credit Initiative), EDA RLF, Big Sky Economic Development RLF, Brownfield Cleanup RLF, and EPEDC partnership. Provides low fixed-interest-rate loans for real estate, equipment, and cleanup projects, partnered with regional banks.
• Community Planning Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) preparation and updates, community planning documents, annual CEDS Community Recaps, infrastructure needs assessments, and the Colstrip Economic Diversification Strategy. Collaborates with four counties and five municipalities for regional economic planning.
• Energy Open Conference Annual Energy Open Conference and Golf Tournament, a signature event hosted by SEMDC to highlight and promote economic activity and opportunity in eastern Montana.
• Nuclear Study Colstrip Power Plant Feasibility Study assessing the power plant's viability, conducted in partnership with regional stakeholders.
• Scholarship Opportunities Scholarship programs for students in the southeastern Montana region served by SEMDC.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,819 clients counseled since 1997
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation (EPEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010MOU in place allowing SEMDC to provide RLF administration and services to EPEDC and its service region of five additional counties. This partnership enables regional coverage and shared resources.
• Miles Community College (MCC) - Small Business Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEMDC service region has access to the regional SBDC hosted by Miles Community College. SEMDC has a productive working relationship with SBDC Director Elizabeth Smith, providing business training classes throughout the year.
• Coal Country CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition formed with Big Sky Economic Development Corporation, Beartooth RC & D, and Snowy Mountain Development Corporation to assess impacts of coal industry changes and facilitate future planning.
• Brownfield Cleanup RLF Partners (GNDC, EPEDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional EPA-backed Brownfield Cleanup fund administered collaboratively by SEMDC, EPEDC, and GNDC for environmental cleanup projects.
• Miles City Area Economic Development Council (MCAEDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAEDC has representation on the SEMDC Board of Directors, serving as a key stakeholder in the regional economic development ecosystem.
• Chief Dull Knife CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChief Dull Knife College has representation on the SEMDC Board of Directors.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Montana Small Business Development Center Network: Statewide SBDC network hosted across Montana community colleges (including Miles Community College in SEMDC's region); provides overlapping free business counseling and training services and is an active partner/referral channel for SEMDC, making it a closely adjacent but not directly competing peer.
• Great Falls Development Authority: Montana regional economic development organization serving the Great Falls/north-central Montana corridor; comparable structure (nonprofit EDC offering business assistance, financing, and planning) but operating in a different geography within the same state ecosystem.
• Miles City Area Economic Development Council (MCAEDC): Local EDC with board representation on SEMDC; functions as a sub-regional partner for Custer County economic development, sharing overlapping service territory and customer base but with a narrower geographic remit than SEMDC.

Direct peers

• Snowy Mountain Development Corporation: Central Montana EDC also part of the Coal Country Coalition; offers small business lending, planning, and grant-writing services to a rural Montana county footprint, with an analogous nonprofit economic development structure and member-driven funding model.
• Big Sky Economic Development Corporation: Billings-based regional EDC that co-leads the Coal Country Coalition with SEMDC and operates revolving loan funds across southern Montana; directly comparable as a regional economic development corporation offering lending, planning, and business assistance services in Montana.
• Beartooth RC & D: Resource Conservation & Development nonprofit serving south-central Montana, also a Coal Country Coalition member; comparable as a regional nonprofit coordinating economic and community development resources across a rural Montana county region.
• Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation (EPEDC): Eastern Montana EDC with an MOU with SEMDC and a co-managed Brownfield Cleanup RLF; operates a parallel four-county/county-region economic development and small-business lending model serving a contiguous rural geography, making it the closest operational peer.

Others

• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): National membership association representing regional development organizations like SEMDC; relevant as the umbrella body that connects SEMDC to peer EDCs, federal funding programs (EDA), and best-practice frameworks for regional economic development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southeastern-montana-development-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOUTHEASTERN MONTANA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION