Community Futures celebrates 30 years

The non-profit offers services that help entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses.

Community Futures Central Kootenay staff are celebrating the organization’s 30th anniversary during Small Business Week. — Photo courtesy www.futures.bc.ca

Community Futures is celebrating 30 years of supporting small business in the Central Kootenay.

The non-profit offers services that help entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses. Some of Community Futures Central Kootenay’s most popular offerings include flexible small business loans, free business counselling and the Self Employment Program. They also manage the Basin Business Advisors Program and Invest Kootenay, while supporting initiatives like the Nelson and Area Economic Development Partnership and Junior Dragons Den.

“Most local small business owners have been through our door at one time or another,” said Community Futures Central Kootenay Executive Director Andrea Wilkey. “We have a range of programs to support entrepreneurs in all phases of business development, from start up to succession planning or selling their business.”

One of the first programs to be established when Community Futures first opened its doors three decades ago was a small business loans program. Since its inception, it has dispersed $32 Million in loans to more than 800 businesses in the Central Kootenay. These loans helped create or maintain around 2,800 local jobs.

“Many businesses that would be ineligible for loans from traditional lenders are able to access funds through Community Futures,” Wilkey explained. “We aren’t a formula lender, so when we look at a loan application, we’re interested to see if our funds will have a positive community impact and create jobs.”

Another long-time program of Community Futures is the Self-Employment Program, which teaches entrepreneurial skills to residents who are unemployed or facing barriers to employment. Around 1,600 local businesses have started through that program, many of which are still in operation today.

“I’m always amazed by the range of business ideas we see coming through the Self Employment Program,” said Wilkey. “We’ve had everything from people starting restaurants and retail stores, to inventing products, or selling their creative/professional services.”

Over the years, Community Futures Central Kootenay has added new programs and services to respond to community need. Ten years ago, it launched Invest Kootenay to market businesses opportunities. Three years ago it began delivering the Basin Business Advisors Program on behalf of Columbia Basin Trust, offering free expert advice to established businesses. And just this year, it announced the Youth Mean Business Program for people under 30 who want to start a business.

“We run more programs than a lot of people realize,” Wilkey said. “Chances are if you have a business, we have a program that can help you.”

To learn more about Community Futures, visit the website www.futures.bc.ca, call 250-352-1933 or visit their office at 201-514 Vernon Street (above the Canada Post).