Community Futures Central Kootenay

Community Futures Central Kootenay Community Futures Central Kootenay is a not-for-profit economic development organization.

We are committed to helping people in the Central Kootenay region who are currently operating or are about to start their own business.

Our team was pleased to attend Slocan Resilience Day, a community event hosted by the Slocan Valley Community Service So...
06/05/2026

Our team was pleased to attend Slocan Resilience Day, a community event hosted by the Slocan Valley Community Service Society that brought together local organizations, residents, and service providers to discuss emergency preparedness and sustainable living. 🌿

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table to connect with Ron LeBlanc and Paul Kelly. We enjoyed sharing information about Community Futures programs and our free Business Continuity Planning resources, which can help businesses prepare for disruptions and recover more quickly when unexpected events occur.

Everyone who visited our table could enter to win our draw prize of a two-person ALLSET Evac-Pack filled with emergency preparedness essentials. Congratulations to Gregoire, the lucky winner! 🙌

Preparing your household is important, but so is preparing your business. Our free Business Continuity Planning tools can help you identify risks, plan for disruptions, and build resilience before an emergency happens.

Learn more here → https://futures.bc.ca/disaster-preparedness-recovery/

Lisa Engdahl, a life-long dog person, built her own dream job. ✨ She recently started The Parkside Pup, a dog daycare an...
06/04/2026

Lisa Engdahl, a life-long dog person, built her own dream job. ✨ She recently started The Parkside Pup, a dog daycare and boarding retreat. 🐶

“I have always loved dogs and find it very rewarding to have them in my life,” Lisa says.

Based out of Lisa’s peaceful 1.25-acre fully fenced property in Slocan Park, The Parkside Pup offers daytime care and overnight stays to a small number of dogs.

“To keep things quiet and stress-free, we take only up to four overnight boarding guests,” Lisa explains. “Each dog has its own comfortable sleeping area and receives loving, individual care throughout their stay.”

Prior to opening her business, Lisa reached out to Community Futures Central Kootenay for financing and met with Loans Manager Paul Kelly.

“We had a very positive conversation. He was helpful, encouraging and supportive of my business idea,” Lisa says. “I felt comfortable asking questions and getting helpful answers.”

Community Futures is a non-formula lender, which means that we examine and approve loans through the lens of owner experience, business potential, and local realities. We also help business owners prepare for financing and position their businesses for long-term success.

Lisa’s business is brand new, but she already loves being her own boss, and is very enthusiastic about the future.

“I enjoy being able to create and organize things the way I feel works best, while providing a calm and caring environment for the dogs in my care,” she says. “I look forward to building a loyal clientele and having a regular, steady schedule of canine guests!”

Learn more about The Parkside Pup here → https://parksidepup.ca/

Need financing for your business? Find out more at www.futures.bc.ca/business-loans

06/04/2026

The Kootenay Wellness Festival (formerly the Kootenay Yoga Festival) returns to the Vallican Whole from June 12–14, bringing together wellness practitioners, artists, and community members for a weekend of workshops, movement, music, creativity, and connection. 🌿

Learn more and get tickets:
https://www.kootenaywellnessfestival.com/

Tomorrow! We're hosting an Open House and business networking event in Nakusp, and we'd love to see you there.📌 Communit...
06/03/2026

Tomorrow! We're hosting an Open House and business networking event in Nakusp, and we'd love to see you there.

📌 Community Futures Open House
📅 June 4 | 5:00–7:00 PM
📍 Nakusp Seniors Hall (210 8 Ave NW)
🔗 RSVP: https://www.mycfck.ca/workshops/227/nakusp-open-house/

Whether you're running a business, thinking about starting one, or simply curious about what we do, we'd love to meet you. Stop by to learn about Community Futures programs, services, and financing available to support your business. There will be appetizers, refreshments, and a door prize giveaway.

We hope to see you there!

It was great to attend a housing event in Cranbrook last week where Community Futures East Kootenay and Vancity Communit...
06/02/2026

It was great to attend a housing event in Cranbrook last week where Community Futures East Kootenay and Vancity Community Foundation announced a new partnership to support affordable housing projects in the region.

Through the partnership, Community Futures East Kootenay has invested $500,000 into the Vancity Affordable Community Housing Loan Fund, which will be matched to create up to $1 million in capital available to East Kootenay non-profit housing providers over the next three years. The funding will help organizations access pre-construction financing and advance affordable housing projects from concept to construction.

We can't wait to see the impact this partnership will have in helping non-profit housing providers move projects forward and create more affordable housing opportunities in their communities.

📷 Pictured: Andrea Wilkey, Community Futures Central Kootenay; Kerstin Renner, General Manager, Community Futures East Kootenay; and Trevor Koch, Program Analyst, Affordable Community Housing Program, Vancity Community Foundation.

Looking to build new skills and grow your business? 💡 Our upcoming myCommunityFutures webinars cover marketing, sales, f...
06/01/2026

Looking to build new skills and grow your business? 💡 Our upcoming myCommunityFutures webinars cover marketing, sales, finance, networking, and tax information to help you build skills and confidence in your business.

Upcoming sessions:
🔹 June 2: Instagram Ads
🔹 June 3: Sales / Client Acquisition
🔹 June 4: Credit Counseling
🔹 June 10: Networking for Introverts
🔹 June 11: CRA Information for Corporations
🔹 June 12: SEO & Analytics: Enhancing Online Visibility

✨ All myCommunityFutures webinars are delivered online and free to attend for anyone living in the Kootenays and most of rural BC.

Learn more and register at myCommunityFuturesBC.ca

🏳️‍🌈 June is Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈 This is a time to celebrate diversity and recognize the importance of creating welcoming ...
06/01/2026

🏳️‍🌈 June is Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈 This is a time to celebrate diversity and recognize the importance of creating welcoming communities where everyone can belong and succeed.

Here at Community Futures Central Kootenay, we are committed to making our programs and services inclusive and accessible to all. Members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community may face unique barriers on their path to entrepreneurship. That’s why we are dedicated to creating a supportive environment where all folks can feel empowered, flourish and succeed. ✨

If you have a business idea or are looking for support on your entrepreneurial journey, we'd love to connect and explore how we can help.

Happy Pride Month from all of us at Community Futures Central Kootenay. 🌈

The Kootenay region is full of ambitious entrepreneurs who want to expand their businesses beyond BC! In 2025-26, Micha...
05/29/2026

The Kootenay region is full of ambitious entrepreneurs who want to expand their businesses beyond BC!

In 2025-26, Michael Hoher, an advisor for the Export Navigator BC program, supported a total of 46 active clients across the Kootenay Boundary region, including 13 new registrations, 6 re-registrations, and 27 continuing clients from previous years.

Export Navigator is a free program that assists local business owners in understanding the ins and outs of exporting their goods and services to other provinces or internationally.

Michael offers one-on-one support to help you do market research, build a realistic export plan, accompany you as you enter a new market and even help you solidify your presence on the international stage.

A key component of the Export Navigator program is to connect business owners with export assistance partners who provide practical and targeted guidance on their export journeys.

In 2025-26 alone, Michael made 107 of such referrals between clients and partners such as various BC Ministries, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Global Affairs Canada, regional resources, and more. He also attended 22 community and industry events.

Learn more about Export Navigator here → https://futures.bc.ca/export-navigator/

Ready to grow your business? Learn how to find grants and build stronger proposals. 💡This three-part workshop series wil...
05/27/2026

Ready to grow your business? Learn how to find grants and build stronger proposals. 💡

This three-part workshop series will help you to understand the grant landscape and develop practical grant writing skills.

📌 Granted! The Art & Science of Grant Writing
🗓 June 8, 15 & 22 at 12:00–1:00 PM PST
🔗 Register: https://mycommunityfuturesbc.ca/webinars/1189/granted_the_art_n_science_of_grant_writing_3_part_series/

Throughout the series, you will learn how to identify relevant funding opportunities, build compelling proposals, and better understand reporting and financial requirements.

✨ All myCommunityFutures webinars are delivered online. They're free to attend for anyone living in the Kootenays and most of rural BC. Check eligibility at mycommunityfuturesbc.ca

Address

203, 514 Vernon Street
Nelson, BC
V1L4E7

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

250-352-1933

Website

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