Montana Department of Commerce Relaunches Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund with Streamlined Guidelines and Expanded Lending Options
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HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund is now accepting new applications under revised guidelines adopted this month. The relaunch includes significant improvements to streamline access to capital, expand financing options and better support businesses in Montana’s wood products industry.
The WP RLF provides state-funded financing to wood products businesses for eligible uses including working capital, equipment purchases, infrastructure upgrades, land acquisition or lease and debt service. The program is designed to strengthen Montana’s natural resource-based economy by advancing wood products manufacturing, promoting economic diversification and supporting job creation and retention in rural and forest-dependent communities.
Under the updated guidelines, the WP RLF will now operate with a two-tier lending structure:
Commerce, under the authority of § 90-1-502, MCA, has adopted the updated program guidelines by reference and incorporated them as administrative rules. The revised guidelines modernize the WP RLF by:
For more information, call the WP RLF team at Commerce at 406-841-2594.
The WP RLF provides state-funded financing to wood products businesses for eligible uses including working capital, equipment purchases, infrastructure upgrades, land acquisition or lease and debt service. The program is designed to strengthen Montana’s natural resource-based economy by advancing wood products manufacturing, promoting economic diversification and supporting job creation and retention in rural and forest-dependent communities.
Under the updated guidelines, the WP RLF will now operate with a two-tier lending structure:
- Loan Participation Program: For requests between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000, Commerce will partner with enrolled lenders to co-finance loans and share risk.
- Direct Lending: For funding requests under $1,000,000, Commerce will continue to issue loans directly to eligible businesses.
Commerce, under the authority of § 90-1-502, MCA, has adopted the updated program guidelines by reference and incorporated them as administrative rules. The revised guidelines modernize the WP RLF by:
- Adding loan participation options to increase lending flexibility;
- Eliminating outdated provisions and reducing redundancy;
- Reorganizing content for clarity and ease of use;
- Reducing total guideline length from 39 pages to just 12; and
- Simplifying language to reduce administrative burden for borrowers and partners.
For more information, call the WP RLF team at Commerce at 406-841-2594.
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