Economic development Grant
Our Community Economic Development (CED) Grant provides up to $2,000 in funding to non-profit and Indigenous organizations within the East Kootenays for projects that support the economic vibrancy and sustainability of communities within the region.
Most organizations will receive funding of up to $1,000, but funding of up to $2,000 is available for:
o Indigenous organizations
o Projects outcomes that affect multiple communities or a region
o Projects that have matching cash funding of at least $2,000
Applications are on a continuous intake, but only $20,000 is available from 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024, so once that money is funded the grant will close
* Have broad community benefit (ie. a large portion of the community’s population will feel or recognize the project’s impact)
* Be led by a non-profit or Indigenous organization. We are unable to fund for-profit businesses or local and regional governments through this funding.
* Take place within communities within the CFEK service area
For full assessment criteria and eligibility make sure to review the CED Funding Policy document below.
* CED outcomes of the project including specific economic and social impacts on the community
* Scope of impact
* Viability of project
* Who benefits from the project
* Number of partners / collaborators
* Number of communities affected
- Columbia Valley Food & Farm, Market Trail Project Food. This guide promoted food businesses and farmers’ markets from Canal Flats to Golden, with the aim to promote the food sector within the Columbia Valley region more widely and act as a tourism tool to promote food opportunities to visitors.
- Tourism Fernie, Work in Fernie website. This funding helped enhance the social media, content, website and digital marketing efforts of the Work in Fernie website in preparation for the summer 2021 season. The aim of the project was to help increase employment opportunities and address workforce shortages with Fernie.
- Wasa Lions Club, Wasa Community Map. This funding helped produce a map of the community to help increase traffic to local businesses and increase visitor’s awareness of services and activities available in the area.
- Columbia Valley Community Foundation, Vital Signs project. This report provides the Columbia Valley with relevant and digestible data that can be used to spur action to address the challenges and opportunities facing the local communities. It measures the vitality of the Columbia Valley communities and looks at trends related to quality of life for full- and part-time residents.
- Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce, Business Walks. Business Walks are a great opportunity to engage with businesses in person and get valuable information about the barriers and challenges facing businesses within a community. They provide everyone with a better understanding of the advocacy, programming and supports that are needed for businesses. View the report here.