Community Futures is part of a network of business service providers that can help you start and grow your business.
Here are some organizations and resources that we recommend:
Resources
BBA Program provides free, one-to-one business advisement for existing businesses and social enterprises in the Columbia Basin region. It also offers free business workshops.
Imagine Kooenay is an investment attraction resource for the Kootenays. It includes listings of businesses for sale and available commercial space.
Venture Connect provides business advisory supports for buying and selling a business, as well as listings of businesses for sale in Western Canada.
BC Business Match, led by Community Futures, helps entrepreneurs and their families find the right business for their skills and interests and relocate from urban centers, supporting the growth of non-metropolitan BC economies.
West Kootenay Boundary Community Investment Co-op provides business capital and support.
Small Business BC offers training and resources for business owners in British Columbia. Check their webinar schedule for sessions on business planning, marketing, and more.
Futurpreneur Canada provides business support to entrepreneurs under the age of 39.
WeBC has a lending program and provides mentorship for women in business.
Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency provides business supports to First Nations, Inuit and Metis people living in the Kootenay region.
This is BC’s Francophone Economic Development Organization (FEDO). FEDOs enhance the vitality of minority language communities in Western Canada and assist in their economic development.
The PRIDE in Entrepreneurship program provides inclusive training, resources, and support to empower 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs across British Columbia to successfully build and grow their businesses.
Rise provides business support and loans to entrepreneurs with a history of mental health and addiction.
A how-to business guide for artists and performers in the Kootenays.
Business Resource Library
The business resource library at Community Futures houses a wide variety of business resources. Books can be borrowed from the lending library two at a time for two weeks. We also have a reference section for in-house research.
Library memberships are $5 and enables you to check resources out of the library.
Book topics include:
- Business planning
- Marketing
- Personal development
- Legal
- Finance & accounting
