Community Futures East Kootenay

Community Futures East Kootenay Link in Bio: linktr.ee/cfek
Supporting East Kootenay entrepreneurs by providing business resources, guidance and small business loans.

Community Futures East Kootenay (CFEK) is dedicated to fostering strong, vibrant local economies. Engaging in community economic development with local governments, key partners and stakeholder organizations, CFEK seeks to be a driving force for economic growth and sustainability throughout the East Kootenay. Led by a volunteer Board of Directors, CFEK’s dedicated staff supports the creation and e

xpansion of small businesses in the area. CFEK promotes economic development and the creation of jobs and wealth in our region by providing small-business loans for start-up, expansion or the purchase of existing businesses. In addition to financial support, CFEK offers a variety of business-related services, including knowledgeable, professional business consultation and access to training for entrepreneurs and their employees.

DATE CHANGE! Big ideas are growing across the Kootenays. Now we’re ready to support the next wave 🚀The Innovate for Impa...
06/09/2026

DATE CHANGE!
Big ideas are growing across the Kootenays. Now we’re ready to support the next wave 🚀
The Innovate for Impact Youth Entrepreneurship Program is BACK for Cohort 2.
We’re looking for mentors who already work with youth groups and want to guide them through building purpose-driven business ideas using our ready-made curriculum.

This opportunity is ideal for teachers, youth workers, coaches, coordinators, and community leaders with 5+ youth already in mind.
As a mentor, you’ll receive ↓
→ Ready-to-use curriculum + support
→ $500 stipend
→ Be part of a growing regional movement
Want to learn more? Join our first info session.
📅 June 10, 2026
🕓 4:30 MDT / 3:30 PT
🔗 Registration link in comments!
🙌 Apply to be a mentor now: Link in comments
*Applications close September 17.

DATE CHANGE! Give youth the tools, and they’ll SURPRISE you.Last year, students in Kimberley joined the Youth Entreprene...
06/08/2026

DATE CHANGE!
Give youth the tools, and they’ll SURPRISE you.

Last year, students in Kimberley joined the Youth Entrepreneurship Program run by KAST and Impact Toolbox, where they developed and pitched ideas to a panel for funding.

One team pitched a youth café, a space where young people could gather, connect, and access affordable food.

They didn’t receive an award at the pitch event.

But they were passionate about their vision and refused to give up.

After the program, their momentum continued. They secured funding through our CED Grant, built a team of six, and just a few months later, launched Lee's Cafe.

They learned how to build a business in the real world, from budgeting and operations to teamwork and problem-solving.

Today, the café is no longer running in its original form, yet it’s still a success.

🔑The goal was never just the café.
→ It was the experience, the confidence, and the skills they built along the way.
→ It was a reminder of how capable young people are once they set their minds to something.

—

Now, we’re looking for youth mentors for our next cohort with ImpactToolbox and KAST.
If you work with youth and want to help them turn ideas into real experience, apply: Link in Comments
📅 Info session: June 10th, 2026
🕓 4:30 MDT / 3:30 PT
🔗 Register: Link in comments!

The Kootenays have no shortage of people doing REMARKABLE things. TODAY, we're putting them in the spotlight. 🔦🎭🌟🎬 Koote...
06/02/2026

The Kootenays have no shortage of people doing REMARKABLE things.

TODAY, we're putting them in the spotlight. 🔦🎭🌟

🎬 Kootenay Late Night is a virtual talk show-style celebration of the individuals and organizations sparking change across our region.

→ Stories
→ Energy
→ And a community worth being part of.

This is our first annual event. We'd love to see you there. 🎊

🎟️ Grab your spot: https://loom.ly/GqyVmo4

📍Tuesday, June 2, 7PM MDT / 6PM PT

"Non-profit organizations looking to build affordable housing projects in the East Kootenay now have a new tool in their...
05/27/2026

"Non-profit organizations looking to build affordable housing projects in the East Kootenay now have a new tool in their arsenal. At a housing event in Cranbrook on Monday, May 25, Community Futures East Kootenay and Vancity Community Foundation announced a partnership through the Vancity Affordable Community Housing Program ... The lending partnership with the Affordable Community Housing Program is one of the CFEK initiatives to build capacity and to better understand and help remove the barriers non-profit housing providers face. 'We want to be the bridge between non-profit housing providers and the tools, funding, or partnerships they need to progress,' explains CFEK Community Economic Development Coordinator Michelle Chan." Read the full Media Release below!

✨ We were thrilled to have so many valuable voices in one room to help create the building blocks needed to make this a success. We look forward to gaining momentum and seeing the positive impact this has on our region. Thank you to all of our panelists and attendees for being a part of this important step!

Imagine a talk show where the guests are social impact leaders, community builders, and passionate youth from across the...
05/27/2026

Imagine a talk show where the guests are social impact leaders, community builders, and passionate youth from across the Kootenays.

That's EXACTLY what our Kootenay Late Night is. 🎬🍿🎉

As part of our 2-year Innovate for Impact project, we’re hosting a celebration event unlike anything else in the region.

On June 2, we're pulling back the curtain on what's been growing in our social impact sector. 🌱

→ The people doing the work.
→ The ideas taking root.
→ The momentum that's only getting started.

It's our FIRST annual celebration event, and you're invited.

👉 Save your seat: Link in comments

📍Tuesday, June 2, 7PM MDT / 6PM PT

A valuable business support service is now available for East Kootenay entrepreneurs. ✨ We’re excited to announce that t...
05/26/2026

A valuable business support service is now available for East Kootenay entrepreneurs. ✨

We’re excited to announce that the Start-Up Business Advisor (SUBA) service has expanded to include our region, thanks to the generous support of ETSI-BC. As more people look to start businesses and build local livelihoods, the need for practical, accessible support has grown too. SUBA was built to meet that demand.

Delivered by Community Futures Central Kootenay, in partnership with Community Futures East Kootenay, the program helps entrepreneurs move from idea to implementation with real-world guidance and support.
✔️ 1:1 business coaching
✔️ Help with planning, market validation and financial preparation
✔️ Guidance on launching, operations and sustainable growth
✔️ Support navigating funding opportunities and referrals to other business resources Whether you’re opening a storefront, launching a service-based business or finally pursuing the idea that’s been sitting in your notebook for years, SUBA is designed to help entrepreneurs build businesses that are viable, sustainable and rooted in the Kootenays.

Now serving: Cranbrook, Kimberley, Fernie, Invermere, Golden, Nelson, Castlegar, Creston, Nakusp, Slocan, Kaslo, Salmo, Trail, Rossland, Fruitvale, Grand Forks, Rock Creek, and rural communities in between.
🏔️ Link in comments to learn more!

📣 Big news here at CFEK! 📣We have a new addition to our awesome team! We'd love if you would help us in welcoming Brookl...
05/22/2026

📣 Big news here at CFEK! 📣
We have a new addition to our awesome team! We'd love if you would help us in welcoming Brooklyn Knutson as our new Business Loans Administrator. Brooklyn is a BBA graduate, specializing in finance with experience in investment analysis, nonprofit work, and financial research. She even competed in the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Research Challenge and placed 2nd at the regional level!
Needless to say, she's a pretty great addition to our team. She's excited to be involved in the continued growth of the East Kootenay business communities.
⛰️Fun Facts: Her current Netflix fave is Shameless and she's excited to explore more of the East Kootenays with her family.
Feel free to share some must-see places in the Kootenays so we can make her a list! 😉

🥹THIS is what happens when youth are given the chance to build something real. ↓In a 2025 Youth Entrepreneurship Program...
05/22/2026

🥹THIS is what happens when youth are given the chance to build something real. ↓

In a 2025 Youth Entrepreneurship Program, a group of local youth started Buttons & Beyond.

At first, it was a simple yet effective impact-driven business idea.

↳ They were making buttons and magnets, figuring things out as they went like how to price things, how to talk to customers, how to actually run something of their own.
Some things worked. Some didn’t.

But they kept going. 🤞
Over time, it turned into something more.

They used what they were building to support sensory kits for neurodivergent students in local classrooms, something that came out of their own ideas and experiences.

Now, a new group of youth is at that starting point.

–

At our upcoming Youth Pitch Showcase, you’ll see:
→ ideas in progress
→ early-stage purpose-driven businesses
→ real community-driven projects

This is a meaningful moment to step in.

📍 May 28 | 5:30PM MDT / 4:30PM PT
Link to join in comments!

DATE CHANGED TO JUNE 10th! Big ideas are growing across the Kootenays.Now we’re ready to support the next wave 🚀The Inno...
05/20/2026

DATE CHANGED TO JUNE 10th!
Big ideas are growing across the Kootenays.
Now we’re ready to support the next wave 🚀
The Innovate for Impact Youth Entrepreneurship Program is BACK for Cohort 2.
We’re looking for mentors who already work with youth groups and want to guide them through building purpose-driven business ideas using our ready-made curriculum.

This opportunity is ideal for teachers, youth workers, coaches, coordinators, and community leaders with 5+ youth already in mind.
As a mentor, you’ll receive ↓
→ Ready-to-use curriculum + support
→ $500 stipend
→ Be part of a growing regional movement
Want to learn more? Join our first info session.

📅 June 10th, 2026
🕓 4:30 MDT / 3:30 PT
Registration link in comments!
Mentor application link below!

*Applications close September 17.

🏠What are we doing about housing in the East Kootenays? We’re not just talking about housing, we’re working on it.✔️ Sup...
05/19/2026

🏠What are we doing about housing in the East Kootenays?
We’re not just talking about housing, we’re working on it.
✔️ Supporting non-profit housing providers with the tools to move projects forward
✔️ Building beneficial partnerships
✔️ Identifying barriers and closing readiness gaps
If you are part of a nonprofit housing organization in the East Kootenays, make sure to connect with Michelle, our CED Coordinator. She can help you as you map out your next steps to move from vision to implementation.
And we're just getting started. Stay tuned to hear about our upcoming partnerships helping drive this work forward!

Address

131 7th Avenue South
Cranbrook, BC
V1C2J3

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

250.489.4356

Website

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