Economic Development - Projects

Community Futures contributes to community economic development through participation in various projects and programs throughout our region.

Current Projects:

Kootenay Business Exchange (KBE)

KBE is a small business problem-solving initiative dedicated to bringing small business owners together to act as an unofficial peer mentorship group, with the goal of solving each other’s business problems. KBE is modeled after highly successful programs in Oregon, Washington and BC.

The West Kootenay Business Exchange Pilot is currently running in Castlegar and Nelson. It is providing a grass roots approach to assisting local small business by providing a confidential environment for them to solve their business problems.
KBE serves to build strong support networks among its members and provides them with the opportunity to access timely, practical, useful information from others who have experience in running a small business.

Small businesses that join KBE form a team of 12-20 non-competing members. They meet once a month for a breakfast meeting in a confidential environment to share ideas, positive feedback and on-going support for business issues.

Kootenay Business Exchange:

• Identifies local business problems & barriers and develops strategies to address these issues
• Provides access to business training and professional business advice
  Identifies unrealized business opportunities
• Assists businesses to generate new ideas and strategies to address business challenges
• Provides an informal forum for business to solve their problems
• Capitalizes on local business expertise
• Creates partnerships and business linkages
• Develops networking opportunities
• Provides Strategic Working Advisory Teams (SWAT) - ad hoc crisis teams for member emergency situations
• Brings in dynamic guest speakers for members

The program is supported by the cities of Nelson and Castlegar, the Castlegar Chamber of Commerce, and the Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce.

Sponsors include Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST), Berg Naqvi Lehmann Chartered Accountants and the Leadership & Management Development Council of BC (LMDC).

For more information please contact us.