Policy & Advocacy

The unified policy voice for Montana’s bioscience innovators, employers, and researchers advocating for bioscience progress in Montana..

Advancing Bioscience Policy in Montana

The Montana BioScience Alliance represents the interests of the state’s bioscience industry at both the state and federal levels. Across Montana’s legislative districts and in Washington, D.C., we work to ensure that policies support research, commercialization, workforce development, and long-term industry growth.

Why Policy Matters

Bioscience supports nearly 30,000 jobs statewide and continues to expand across five diverse subsectors. Sustained growth depends on a policy environment that supports research funding, responsible regulation, and economic investment.

During each Montana legislative session and throughout the federal appropriations cycle, the Alliance engages lawmakers to strengthen Montana’s competitive position and protect the resources that fuel innovation.

Priority Issues We Champion

Focused advocacy where science, entrepreneurship, and rural communities meet.

NIH Funding & SBIR/STTR Success

Montana researchers and early-stage companies consistently punch above their weight in securing NIH grants and federal SBIR/STTR awards. The Alliance advocates to protect and grow these critical funding streams by working with our congressional delegation, tracking federal budget proposals, and elevating the impact stories that start in Montana labs and reach patients, producers, and consumers nationwide.

We help member organizations understand and navigate federal opportunities, and we speak up when proposed changes could undercut Montana’s competitiveness or limit access for rural and tribal communities.

Steady, competitive federal funding keeps Montana on the map as a trusted partner in national research and innovation networks.

Workforce Development & Education Policy

Bioscience employers in Montana depend on a workforce that understands both cutting-edge science and the realities of working in a rural, outdoor-oriented state. We advocate for K–12 STEM initiatives, two-year technical programs, and four-year university degrees that align with real industry needs—from lab technicians and quality specialists to data scientists and manufacturing leaders.

The Alliance supports policies that expand internships, apprenticeships, and upskilling programs, including flexible and remote learning models that serve workers in smaller towns and on the ranch or reservation. We work closely with education and workforce agencies so that public investments translate into job-ready talent for bioscience employers statewide.

Workforce policy that fits Montana’s geography keeps bioscience careers accessible without leaving the state.

Regulatory Clarity for Research & Commercialization

Bioscience thrives when regulations are predictable, science-based, and aligned with national standards. The Alliance works with state agencies, legislators, and regulators to advance clear rules for laboratories, clinical research, diagnostics, ag-bio applications, and regulated manufacturing—all while maintaining strong safety and environmental protections that Montanans expect.

We advocate to streamline permitting, modernize outdated statutes, and reduce unnecessary administrative burden, particularly for small and growing companies operating in rural communities. When innovators understand the rules of the road, they can invest confidently, hire locally, and bring new products and services to market faster.

Clear, consistent regulation keeps Montana competitive while honoring our commitment to safety and stewardship.

Economic Development Incentives for Innovation

Growing a bioscience company in Montana should be an advantage—not a hurdle. We champion state-level tax incentives, innovation grants, infrastructure investments, and targeted programs that make it easier for startups and scaling firms to stay, build, and hire here rather than relocating to coastal hubs.

By working with economic development organizations, local governments, and statewide partners, the Alliance ensures that bioscience is recognized as a core growth sector—alongside energy, agriculture, and outdoor recreation. We advocate for tools that help companies finance equipment, expand facilities, and connect with rural and tribal communities eager for high-quality jobs.

Targeted incentives keep bioscience innovation rooted in Montana soil and communities.

How We Work for Montana Bioscience

Year-round, relationship-driven advocacy grounded in member priorities.

Effective advocacy in a state like Montana depends on trust, consistency, and local knowledge. The Montana BioScience Alliance maintains active relationships with legislators, agency leaders, and our federal delegation throughout the year, not just when the Montana Legislature is in session. We translate complex science and business realities into clear, actionable information that policymakers can use as they craft bills, budgets, and regulations.

Legislative testimony: We provide expert testimony and coordinate member voices during Montana Legislature sessions on bills affecting research funding, regulation, workforce, and economic development.
Coalition building: We bring together universities, healthcare systems, ag producers, entrepreneurs, tribal governments, and economic development groups to present a unified, statewide bioscience perspective.
Interim & advisory committees: Alliance leaders and members serve on interim committees and advisory groups, shaping policy long before final votes are cast.
District outreach: We organize visits, tours, and roundtables in key legislative districts so lawmakers can meet the bioscience employers, labs, and field sites in their own backyards.
State and federal engagement: We meet regularly with state agencies and Montana’s federal delegation to keep bioscience issues on the agenda year-round.

Get Involved in Policy & Advocacy

Turn your organization’s experience into a coordinated, credible voice for Montana bioscience.

Every bioscience organization in Montana, large and small, has a stake in the policy choices made in Helena and Washington, D.C. When you engage through the Montana BioScience Alliance, your voice is amplified by peers across the state, backed by data, and delivered through trusted relationships with policymakers.

Join as a member: Help shape our policy agenda and gain direct access to advocacy resources, briefings, and strategy conversations.
Participate in advocacy alerts: Respond quickly to time-sensitive opportunities for testimony, letters, or calls during Montana Legislature sessions and key federal decision points.
Attend Capitol days and district meetings: Meet face-to-face with lawmakers in Helena and in their home districts to share your organization’s story and impact.
Serve on policy working groups or committees: Contribute your expertise on specific issues such as regulation, workforce, ag-bio, clinical research, or manufacturing.
Mobilize your team: Engage staff, students, and partners in letter-writing and email campaigns that show the human and economic impact of bioscience across Montana.

Together, we turn individual voices—from a single startup in Bozeman to a regional health system or ag-bio producer—into a coordinated, statewide bioscience presence that policymakers rely on for clear, credible insight.

Start Today

Whether you are a university lab, growing startup, established manufacturer, or healthcare or ag-bio partner, there is a role for you in shaping Montana’s bioscience future.

Become a Member

Join Advocacy Alerts

Alliance members gain:

Timely policy updates and analysis tailored to bioscience.

Invitations to exclusive briefings with state and federal leaders.

Opportunities to host policymakers at your facilities and field sites.

By standing together, Montana’s bioscience community can ensure that our independent, innovative, and collaborative character is reflected in the policies that shape our future.