The Agency for Regional Development and Business Center 2000 - Montana (ARD & BC) strives to improve the economic and social development of the Montana Region by supporting small and medium-size enterprises, promoting job creation, and developing initiatives to encourage partnerships between public, private, and non-governmental sectors.

Goals:

The ARD & BC aims to:
• Identify the needs and problems of SMEs in the region;
• Provide high quality business services (consultancy, training, information and technical);
• Increase the number of business start-ups;
• Improve the economic performance of the Montana Region;
• Decrease the level of unemployment;
• Stimulate community involvement and mobilize resources for economic and social regional development.

Activities:

• Supports SMEs from the Montana Region to increase their competitiveness by providing information, business consultancy, training and technical services.
• Works as a partner with local authorities and non-governmental organizations to develop, apply, and implement projects to support local economical development.
• Mobilizes and coordinates activities of regional institutions to implement projects and development initiatives with the aim of continual cooperation and partnership.
• Designs programs to stimulate entreprenuership.
• Supports current and future entrepreneurs to apply for loans from banks and other financing institutions
• Researches, plans, and develops best practices for the growth of small companies and local economic development.
• Organizes and holds seminars, workshops, and similar public events to promote and popularize the role of small businesses in improving the economic situation of the region.
• Promotes the importance of foreign markets as a key to the growth of the SME sector.
• Provides technical services including the preparation, translation, design, printing, copying of documents/publications, as well as their transfer via telcommunication or electronic means.

Target Groups:

• Small and medium size enterprises (SMEs)
• Agricultural producers
• Entrepreneurs, new businesses and "start-ups"
• Municipalities and local authorities in the Montana Region
• Non-governmental organizations
• Marginalized groups demonstrating entrepreneurial skills (women, youth, minorities, etc.)
• Unemployed individuals