Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Nominations Now Open

Nominate your favorite businesses & nonprofits

August Membership Luncheon

Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 11:00 am

Join us as we close out summer with our annual New Member Showcase Luncheon on August 28th. Members who have joined the GKC in the last year are invited to have a display table at this popular luncheon for no tabling fee. Reserve your table now by contacting Tiffany at the Chamber.

Enjoy the opportunity to share your business with the greater business community, community leaders and other attendees. Members who are not new in the last year are welcome to have a display table if space is available. Contact the Chamber to reserve your spot or get on the list.

This month's luncheon will be at the Kitsap Conference Center in Downtown Bremerton. Paid parking is available on the Green Level.

Support Our Local Food Banks

Bring your donations to the August Chamber Luncheon

Most needed items include:

• Jelly/jam
• Boxed dinners (like hamburger or tuna helper style)
• Baby formula
• Size 4 diapers

Please Join Us for an Open House

Thursday, August 29, 2024, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Sarah Baric Real Estate - John L Scott

Ribbon Cutting @ Clear Choice Dermatology

Tuesday, August 27, 2024, 12:00 pm

www.westsoundyfc.org

SCORE: Google Workplace for Your Business

Thursday, August 15, 2024, 12:00 pm

During this session, we will explore key strategies, share best practices, and provide you with the tools you need to navigate the dynamic landscape of small business. Whether you're just starting your entrepreneurial journey or looking to enhance your existing business, we've tailored this workshop to meet your needs.

We will cover the following tools:

• Google Workspace Overview
• Google Drive
• Google Forms
• Google Sheets
• Google Docs
• Google Slides
• Google Sites

Workshop Fee: FREE

CMMC-PNW: From Compliance to Advantage

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Learn more about the certification your business needs to secure Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) contracts at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Billions of dollars are headed to Kitsap in the next decade as part of this contract - make sure your business is ready for it!

Lunchtime Lightning Talk @ Vibe:

The Power of the Sabbatical

Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 11:30 am

Starting and successfully operating a business is hard. Period.

Join us this month for real talk with 3 local entrepreneurs, here to share their entrepreneurial journey, including all the highs and lows, the roadblocks they’ve encountered, and the support that has made a difference.

Come ready to listen, learn, find new inspiration, and reflect on what it really means to ‘support local businesses’ in meaningful ways, including especially those that are minority-owned. Leave your ego at the door, and engage in authentic conversations from peers who are in the trenches and 'doing the thing', battle scars and all. 

Informal conversation and networking begins at 11:30am. Lightning talks begin at 12pm and end promptly at 1pm. Advanced RSVP is requested but not required.

Estate Planning Seminars

Thursday, August 22, 2024, 2:00 pm or 5:00 pm

Become familiar with estate planning processes and tools, including a will, trust, powers of attorney, and life insurance. Presented by Andrea Grosso, Financial Advisor at Edward Jones. Featuring Attorney Kevin Cure of Sanchez, Mitchell, Eastman & Cure, PSC.

Registration encouraged. Seminars are FREE and open to the public.

Cybersecurity: Business Readiness & Resiliency

Friday, September 20, 2024, 10:00 am

Washington Biz Fair Returns to Puyallup

Saturday, September 21, 2024

AWB Releases Latest Edition of

Washington Business Outlook

A look at the summer economy: AWB’s Council of Economic Advisors is out with a new edition of Washington Business Outlook with key economic insights.

Balancing risks: The Federal Reserve is working to achieve a tricky balancing act with the economy as they consider an interest rate cut this September, explains economist John Mitchell.

“If the Fed moved to reduce rates too soon, there is the risk of failing to achieve the inflation goal. If they wait too long, the risk becomes unnecessary weakness in the economy."

The energy picture: While recent data shows falling energy prices, “there are multiple conflicts in the world that could expand and disrupt energy markets,” warns Grant Forsyth, chief economist at Avista Corp.

Mixed bag for ag: Cost pressures have eased on the price of key inputs such as fertilizers and chemicals, but taxes and farm wages continue to rise faster than general inflation, writes agricultural economist Desmond O’Rourke.

Periods of intense heat have also stressed crops and water availability

Consumer demand has slowed, with retailers becoming more selective in their product choices

Housing costs: A roundup of the latest AWB Institute Vitals has detailed information on housing affordability, such as where housing has become (relatively) more affordable and where building permit applications are up and down.

Small Business Grant Opportunity

Deadline is tomorrow: August 15th

Exciting grant opportunity from the Olympic Workforce Development Council through WorkSource Kitsap:

The Olympic Workforce Development Council is proud to sponsor a new Small Business Grant with our Commerce Reinvestment Fund (CRF) Initiative through WorkSource Kitsap and WorkSource Clallam.

The CRF initiative aims to support small businesses owned by Black, Latino, and Tribal individuals in Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties. Receive up to $10,000 to upskill employees or for growth and expansion asset purchases.

Deadline for Applications: August 15, 2024

Grant Award: Anticipated on or around October 1, 2024

New Employer Survey Data Available

Courtesy of the Association of Washington Business

Shifting outlook: Washington employers have a less optimistic view about prospects for their businesses for the rest of the year, although they aren’t necessarily expecting the state economy to dip into a recession. That’s according to results from AWB’s summer employer survey.

Key data points include:

• While two-thirds of respondents say their business is currently either growing (27%) or flat (41%), they have a less optimistic outlook compared with previous surveys.

• 19% of employers expect Washington to enter a recession in the next year and 38% do not think a recession is likely, with 43% unsure. That’s an improvement from the spring survey, when respondents were tied at 28% each on whether they expected a recession or not.

• When asked about the most important public policy issues facing the state, 60% listed Washington’s overall tax burden, 46% listed homelessness and 42% listed public safety.

Small Business Grants You Can

Apply for in August 2024

Published in the Puget Sound Business Journal

StitchCrew's Future of Women at Work grants

The Future of Women at Work Grant from StitchCrew is offering non-dilutive funding of up to $10,000 for female entrepreneurs and companies that are at least 50% women-owned.

The grants are geared toward businesses in the care economy — including child care, elder care and long-term care, as well as businesses that focus on emerging technology.

The deadline is Aug. 24. You can apply and find more details here.

TD Ready Challenge $1 million grants

TD Bank is aiming to award 10 grants of $1 million each to nonprofit organizations as part of its 2024 TD Ready Challenge. It's targeting nonprofit and charitable organizations that are coming up with innovative ways to support underserved small-business owners. That includes creating new businesses and growing existing ones with novel strategies, technologies or partnerships, especially in industries hard-hit by the pandemic.

The grants will be paid out in three annual installments. Winners will be required to submit progress reports on how the money was spent.

Nonprofits can apply until September 5.

$5,000 Faire Small Business Grant

The Faire Small Business Grant program is operated by the namesake online wholesale marketplace and available to U.S.-based retailers who started their business in 2023 or earlier this year, or who are still planning to open their business this year. 

The $5,000 grant can be used on the platform to help stock the business owner's retail store. Owners need to provide basic info and financial details as well as short video about their business. 

Applications are due August 31. Winners are scheduled to be announced at the end of September. 

LegalZoom offers $3 million small-business grant program with NBA, WNBA

LegalZoom’s Fast Break for Small Business grant program, in partnership with the NBA and WNBA, will be awarding $1.5 million in grants to 150 small-business owners and $1.5 million in products and services to 3,000 entrepreneurs looking to start their own business.

Small businesses that have been in operation for at least three months are eligible to apply for the individual $10,000 grants or up to $500 in LegalZoom products and services. Winners will be announced on social media. Action Opportunity Fund will administer the small-business grant awards.

The window to apply for the Fast Break for Small Business grant closes September 13.

Wells Fargo offers “boost camp” for small businesses

Banking giant Wells Fargo & Co. is putting together expert learning sessions, mentorship, peer-support networks and education for up to 500 business owners interested in growing their companies.

Over the course of 12 weeks, small-business owners of for-profit companies can participate in one of four virtual accelerator programs as part of the Wells Fargo Equitable Access Boost Camp. 

Applications are due August 16.

$10,000 grants from the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund

Small-business owners who have been hit by a natural disaster are eligible for a $10,000 grant made possible by a partnership between DoorDash and small-business platform Hello Alice. 

To be eligible, a business must operate in the restaurant space and have a brick-and-mortar location, three or fewer total locations, $3 million or less in revenue per location, and fewer than 50 employees per location.

Businesses also must be experiencing hardship because of a state or federally declared natural disaster. 

Applications close September 3. Recipients will be announced later that month. 

Additional opportunities for small businesses

Entrepreneurs and business owners looking for assistance have other resources available to them as well. We've compiled a rundown of some of the other grant opportunities and types of training and technical assistance available to companies throughout 2024.

Courtesy of FastCompany.com

• What do good bosses have in common?
• 3 ways to make difficult conversations less challenging, according to research
• The do's and don'ts of working with 5 different types of communicators

Courtesy of entrepreneur.com

• 3 smart ways entrepreneurs can make tax-efficient investment decisions
• Building a fulfilling workplace - how to create an environment where your team thrives

Early Return to Work Consultation Webinars Being Offered in Spanish

A work injury can cost your company $10,000 or more. You can prepare for the unexpected and even recover some money in the process. Join our session to learn how to develop a back-to-work plan for your business. We will educate you on how to identify light-duty jobs, prepare formal job offers, share information on how to qualify for the reimbursement program, and provide an overview of L&I programs and services. Let us help you create a back-to-work culture. 

Join an upcoming webinar offered in Spanish:

• Aug. 27, 2024, 9-10 a.m.
• Sept. 24, 2024, 9-10 a.m.
• Oct 29, 2024, 9-10 a.m.

Visit our workshop & training center for more information or to sign up. Contact 425-990-1410 for assistance.

An Inside Look at Nonprofit Texting Programs

Published on NonProfitPRO.com, August 13, 2024

Photo: Getty Images by Hinterhaus Productions

Following our presentation on text messaging metrics at the Bridge Conference earlier this month, I had the opportunity to do a deep dive into nonprofit texting programs with Harper Grubbs, vice president of digital fundraising and transformation of Feed the Children; Hannah Litman, senior digital fundraising manager at Brady United; and Aneesh Gowri, associate vice president at MissionWired. 

In this article, we will highlight some of their top takeaways on using text messaging to enhance donor engagement and fundraising efforts.

Read Mike Snusz's full article here

USS Ronald Reagan Arrives in Bremerton

Published in the Kitsap Sun, August 13, 2024

Photo: Kitsap Sun

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) arrived in Bremerton Tuesday afternoon, becoming the second Nimitz-class aircraft carrier now based in at Naval Base Kitsap, joining the USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

The last time Ronald Reagan came to Puget Sound was in 2012 when the warship conducted a 12-month planned docking incremental availability at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The ship finished the maintenance and returned to San Diego in 2013. Since 2015, the carrier had been forward deployed to Japan and served as the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, operating in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

Read the full article here

Poulsbo Weighs Options to Address Parking Shortage in Downtown District

Published in the Kitsap Sun, August 12, 2024

Photo: Meegan M. Reid/Kitsap Sun

It's a conversation that's been unfolding in Poulsbo for more than a decade: How can the city improve downtown parking?

This year, efforts to answer that question ramped up — which means change may be coming for Poulsbo drivers.

Finding parking in downtown Poulsbo — a network of streets tucked between Highway 305 and Liberty Bay — has always been difficult, but the problem has only grown as Poulsbo's population has increased by nearly a third since 2010.

"The overall issue is there just isn't enough parking for all the people that want to be downtown," said Denver Smyth, the president of the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association (HDPA).

Read more here

KidVantage Collects School Clothes & Supplies

Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Still Time to Stuff the Bus in Silverdale

Now thru August 15th @ Silverdale Staples

Bikes for All

Friday, September 13, 2024

Masks Still Available

Free at the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center

The Greater Kitsap Chamber still has some supplies available if your local business is in need of KN95 masks. Pick up your supply at both GKC locations today. Available while supplies last.

Silverdale @ Sunset: Victims of Love

Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 6:30 pm

Clearwater Casino Resort:

Dr Crue - Motley Crue Tribute

Friday, August 16, 2024, 8:30 pm

Mas Tequila - Sammy Hagar Tribute

Saturday, August 17, 2024, 8:30 pm

Bremerton Airshow

August 17th & 18th, 2024

Rock the Dock

August 17 & 18, 2024

BCT Presents: Run for Your Wife

August 30 - Sept. 22, 2024

Run for Your Wife by Ray Cooney

Imagine being a London cab driver with a life so compartmentalized that you've got two wives, two homes, and a schedule tighter than a drum. That's the life of John Smith, our protagonist who's been doubling down on matrimonial bliss without a hitch. That is until an incident sends him to hospital and his double life starts to unravel faster than a ball of yarn in a cat cafe. Cue the chaos as John, with the 'help' of his upstairs neighbor, tries to keep the wool over everyone's eyes. It's a whirlwind of close calls and mistaken identities that'll have you wondering if bigamy is just twice the trouble or double the fun.

Content Advisory: Adult situations, some humor based on outdated standards and mores. Features humorous and sometimes suggestive dialogue, but no strong or offensive language; deals with themes of bigamy, deception, and mistaken identity, all presented in a comedic and farcical manner; primarily situational and physical humor, with elements of slapstick and farce; mature themes related to bigamy and infidelity, handled with a light-hearted and comedic touch; comedic accidents and physical humor; some suggestive situations and innuendos—nothing explicit.

Tiffany Diamond

Events Coordinator

tiffany@greaterkitsapchamber.com