RightNow Technologies is among the first example that comes to mind when people talk about what is right with growth in the Gallatin Valley. RightNow is the kind of clean, high-tech, high-growth, world-market business that every town in America is trying to attract.

For many people in Bozeman, RightNow founder and CEO Greg Gianforte is the person who brought his business to Bozeman and is responsible for its growth -- which has, in turn, boosted the economy of the area.

For much of the rest of the world, Gianforte is the "bootstrap" business guy who spends much of his time preaching low-capital entrepreneurship and expansion.

Now, in addition to running RightNow, Gianforte is putting his expertise and cash to work to help those areas of Montana that are not blessed with the growth that the Gallatin Valley has experienced.

The Bootstrap Montana Loan Program is designed to give small, interest-free loans -- of $5,000 to $20,000 -- to small startup businesses or those that need a boost to expand. It will concentrate on places in Montana where economic activity and growth are relatively stagnant, leaving little opportunity for even small investments.

Businesses that bring money into Montana by selling their goods and services outside the state will get preference for the loans. Small companies that can use the loans to turn quick returns also will be considered.

In addition to no interest, the loans will feature a low level of paperwork. The program requires only a quarterly one-page report on how the money was used to create jobs and increase revenue. Administrators will use the reports to gauge their success.

The loans are an entry-level opportunity for businesses to help their hometowns the same way RightNow has helped Bozeman grow and thrive. TechRanch, the Bozemanbased institution that helps business startups, will administer the program.

Gianforte is to be commended for investing his personal money in helping all of Montana grow. His theories and expertise -- published in books and numerous articles in national publications -- are the foundation of many startup businesses. But, without the actual low-cost cash to get started, it is difficult to turn the theories into profits.

The Bootstrap Montana Loan Program provides what could amount to the final push that small-town, slow-growth places in Montana need to thrive.