The Agency for Regional Development and Business Center 2000 - Montana (ARD & BC) was established as a non-governmental/non-profit organization by 9 community members in February 2000 to support small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in the Montana region.The ARD & BC was registered as a legal entity in February, 2000 by the law of persons and families.
Since February 2001, the ARD & BC has staffed two employees, initially through the project "Capacity Building for the Accelerated Growth of the Small and Medium Size Enterprise (SME) Sector in Bulgaria" financed by the European Community and through a partnership with the Agency for Small and Medium Size Enterprises (ASME) and the Bulgarian Association of Regional Development Agencies (BARDA).A U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer has also provided daily organizational development support to the ARD & BC staff from September 2001 - August 2003. The ARD & BC has applied for a new U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer who should start working with the ARD & BC in mid-October 2003.
Through the support of the founders, the BARDA network, and international grant organizations, the ARD & BC has become a driving force for economic development of the region. The ARD & BC provides high quality consultancy and informational services to SMEs, entrepreneurs, local authorities, and other NGO's on a daily basis. In addition, through multiple partnerships, including the Montana Municipality, local NGO's, the ARDBC in Vidin, local vocational institutions, and the RDA - Southwest Oltenia in Romania, the ARD & BC staff has had the opportunity to work on multiple projects to support local businesses and the unemployed. These initiatives have not only improved the economic situation of the region, but also have improved cooperation between these partners to work together towards common goals. The ARD & BC will continue to design and develop initiatives to support it's target groups and regional economic development as a whole.

Where are we?

The ARD & BC is located in the center of Montana. Montana is a municipality and regional center in the Northwest Planning region of Bulgaria, which includes the regions Vidin, Montana, and Vratsa. The Montana Region covers an area of 3,618 square kilometers, which is 3.2% of the total area of Bulgaria. Romania borders the Montana Region to the North on the Danube River, the Vidin Region to the Northwest, Serbia to the West, the Sofia Region to the South, and the Vratsa Region to the East. Currently, the Montana region consists of 130 cities and villages distributed in 11 municipalities, with over 180,000 residents.
The Montana Municipality is strategically nestled between the Stara Planina Mountain range and the Danube River plains on a surface area of 647.6 km2 or 18% of the Montana Region. The shortest way from Western Europe to the Southern part of Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and the Middle East passes through the territory of Montana, which is situated on the European transportation corridor No. 4 and on the main highway E-79. The well-established road and railway systems provide easy access to the International Airport in Sofia as well as the Port of Lom, the second largest Bulgarian port on the Danube River to the north.