Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Important News for You

GKC Business Awards Gala

Nominations Are Open!

Nominations for the 2026 Business Awards Gala are now open! Help us celebrate the stars of our local business community and nominate a standout business, nonprofit, or festival.

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Chamber News

Check out and like the

Greater Kitsap Chamber Facebook pages!

August Membership Luncheon

Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 11:00am

Bring your business cards and get ready to network - you won't want to miss!

Paid parking is available on the Green Level underneath

the Kitsap Conference Center.

Chamber: Off the Clock

Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 5:05pm

Eggs & Issues

September 15 - October 27, 2026, 8:00am

Join us for the Chamber’s Eggs & Issues Candidate Forums at Cloverleaf Bar and Grill, a long-standing tradition started by the Bremerton Chamber over 25 years ago.

Secure You Spot in the Greater Kitsap

Chamber's Destination Guide

We are pleased to announce our continued partnership with Lunar Cow Publishing, a firm specializing in destination marketing for the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center Destination Guide. We are excited about the opportunities this new publication will offer you.

The Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center Destination Guide is our premier promotional piece. The guide is the first resource visitors will use when looking for attractions and planning trips to the area. Participation in the Destination Guide has terrific advantages. Distribution includes 7,500 printed copies placed in prime locations to assist in driving traffic to our advertisers. Our digital GoGuide® allows your business exposure potential to reach thousands more customers. Your advertisement in the digital GoGuide® will be linked to your website, giving readers one-click access to your business.

Please note: Chamber members may be contacted by phone or email by Lunar Cow Publishing.

LEARN MORE

Ribbon Cutting & Grand Reopening: Hwy 420

Saturday, August 29, 2026, 12:00pm

RECAP: August Off the Clock

GKC was excited to partner with the Greater Kingston Community Chamber of Commerce and Ameriprise Financial Services - The Latitude 48 Group to host Chamber: Off the Clock on Tuesday, August 18.

Partnership is at the heart of the work we do, and it was especially rewarding to collaborate with our fellow chamber to bring together professionals from across Kitsap County for an evening of connection and conversation.

Accessible Healthcare with NICE

Business Health Trust Has You Covered

Less downtime is a benefits strategy.

When care is slow, employees wait. They miss work. They delay treatment. They head to urgent care because it feels like the only available option.

Business Health Trust helps chamber members offer benefits that are built for real life. Members can access broad plan choice and the buying power of a statewide association health plan, helping small and mid-sized employers compete with stronger benefits.

Many BHT medical plans also include Nice Healthcare at $0, with no copays or deductibles for Nice visits. Employees can use Nice for common illnesses, minor injuries, stress, physical therapy needs, and ongoing concerns. Faster access means people can get help sooner, ask questions earlier, and spend less time navigating the system.

🔗 Webpage Link: https://businesshealthtrust.com/products/nice-healthcare/

Questions? Contact BHT!

(425) 201-1972

nice@businesshealthtrust.com

Not a BHT member? Are you ready to build a better benefits package?

Visit bhtquote.com to learn more and get a free quote.

Renew your membership today to ensure your benefits as a member of the Greater Kitsap Chamber! Questions about when to renew or how to upgrade your membership? Need a new membership window cling or digital badge? Contact us now!

Missed a previous edition of the Chamber's Community Connections?

View all the past issues on our website HERE.

Member News

New Members - Welcome to the Chamber!

Servpro: Calling All Real Estate Professionals

Understanding Mold in the Restoration Industry

Thursday, September 3, 2026, 9:00am

Want to earn FREE CE CREDITS from the comfort of your desk?

Join SERVPRO for:

Understanding Mold in the Restoration Industry

📅 September 3, 2026

⏰ 9:00 AM–12:00 PM

💻 Virtual via Zoom

💰 FREE CE COURSE

This course is compliant with RCW 18.85 and is designed specifically to help Real Estate professionals better understand mold and the restoration process.

What will you learn?

🦠 How mold affects people and properties

🛠️ The mold remediation process

🏡 How mold impacts the Real Estate industry

💰 Costs and considerations associated with mold remediation

📋 What Real Estate professionals should know when mold is discovered

No commute. No cost. Just valuable education you can use in your business.

⚠️ Participants will be required to show identification and provide their Realtor number.

Chamber Night Out at Ocean5

Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 5:00pm

Join the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce for Chamber Night Out at Ocean 5 for a fun night of bowling and brunch bites from Table 47's new brunch menu! Chamber members from across the region will be in attendance, making this a great opportunity to expand your network and build new connections.

Tickets are $10 for Chamber members and $20 for non-members. Space is limited, so register today!

*For GKC Members, use the promo code "GKCmember" when registering to get the member rate.

Changing Faces, Changing Places

Share your business news today

Has your team recently welcomed a new hire, celebrated a promotion, or marked a retirement? Kitsap Business magazine's Changing Faces, Changing Places section highlights the people powering our local business community. Chamber members are invited to share their staff updates for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

Send your announcements to news@kitsapbusiness.com and let us help you recognize the faces behind your success.

Business & Professional Development Committee

Member Education & Training Resources

SCORE: Social Media & Online Marketing

Content Asset Creating Strategies

Thursday, August 27, 2026, 8:00am

In this comprehensive webinar, you will learn how to create exciting and useful content for your digital marketing and social media. Discover the many tools available to make content creation easier including tools for visual, written, video and audio production. Develop a good content creation strategy that saves you time and fosters consistency without stress.

Faculty: Kim Beer. Kim is a national speaker and advocate for entrepreneurship and small business marketing. She has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years, soon to celebrate her 20th year as president of the small business marketing firm Midnight Productions, Inc. Her seminars on marketing are honest, enlightening and packed with great action steps and technical instruction.

Registration Fee: $10

SBDC: How Local Economies Work

Thursday, August 27, 2026, 11:00am

If you want a stronger local economy, you need to understand what truly drives one. In this workshop, you’ll see how jobs, wages, primary industries, and community decisions all tie together – and what it takes to build a resilient, higher-quality economy over time.

Presented by:

Steve McCaslin is a Washington SBDC Certified Business Advisor and is located in Coupeville, WA. Steve is a retired Naval Flight Officer and has spent 20+ years in the corporate world in sales, strategy and business development, business consulting, corporate training, and leadership development training, mentoring, and coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a BS in Agriculture, where he majored in Poultry Science.

Registration Fee: FREE

SCORE: Managing Conflict

for Small Business Success

Monday, August 31, 2026, 10:00am

Conflict is inevitable. Left unmanaged, it can damage relationships, waste time, and cost money. This interactive program gives you practical, real-world conflict resolution and communication tools to move beyond a mere “settlement” (where everyone leaves unhappy) toward a true resolution that strengthens relationships and drives business and personal success.

In this results-focused course, you’ll learn how to:

Disagree without being disagreeable
Uncover and address hidden agendas
Build relationships, not cases
Solve problems without assigning blame

No “touchy-feely” fluff. No “incomprehensible legalese.” Just straight talk, proven tools, and strategies you can use immediately to get conflict resolved and your business moving forward.

Presentation and free downloadable resources will be provided to all attendees.

Registration Fee: $10

Business News & Resources

Executive Job Titles: What Do They Mean?

Published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, August 5, 2026

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

CEO, Director, Vice President, Managing Partner: These job titles all signify some degree of leadership, but it can often be hard to discern the hierarchy and levels of responsibility underpinning each title. The same job can have different titles depending on the company, industry, location, and organization size.

Executive job titles help delineate an organization's structure and the reporting workflows of its staff. They also help teams understand who is in charge of what. The CMO, for instance, is the head of marketing; the CFO is responsible for finance.

Read the article here

L&I Resources

The Greater Kitsap Chamber is proud to serve as a resource partner with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Stay tuned to this section quarterly for education, resources and more from L&I.

What an Accident Prevention Program Is

and Why Every Employer Needs One

Every employer in Washington state is required to create and maintain a written Accident Prevention Program (APP) to address safety and health hazards in the workplace. Many employers consider their APP to be the cornerstone of their overall safety program, but what exactly is an APP, and why is it so essential?

What Is an Accident Prevention Program?

An Accident Prevention Program is a plan of action that involves both workers and management in maintaining a safe workplace. An effective APP identifies and controls workplace hazards and clearly outlines procedures for responding to injuries, unsafe conditions, and workplace emergencies. By proactively addressing risks, employers can prevent accidents before they occur and ensure that, when incidents do happen, they are handled consistently and appropriately. You must establish, supervise, and enforce your accident prevention program in a manner that is effective in practice.

Why Do You Need an APP?

Under the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) every employer is required to have an APP. During a DOSH inspection, employers may face citations and monetary penalties if serious hazards are identified and no APP exists or if the APP has major deficiencies.

Beyond regulatory compliance, an APP plays a critical role in improving workplace safety. A well-designed program helps prevent costly injuries and keeps employees healthy and working. APPs can also help control industrial insurance (workers’ compensation) costs. Since an employer’s premium rates are influenced by injury claims, preventing accidents can directly benefit a business’s bottom line.

What Should Be Included in an APP?

For many employers, a General Industry or Small Business APP template will meet basic requirements. However, because every workplace is different, APPs must be tailored to the specific hazards and operations of each business, and additional elements may be required depending on the industry.

At a minimum, all Accident Prevention Programs must be:

• Written and available to employees

• Customized to the specific worksite and tasks performed

• Inclusive of employee safety orientation and ongoing training

• Supported by safety meetings or a safety committee, as required

• Actively implemented, supervised, and enforced

How Do You Know If Your APP Is Effective?

An APP is considered effective when regular and predictable hazards are

identified and addressed, and when serious or recurring injuries are not

occurring. L&I offers a wide range of tools and support to help employers build

and maintain effective APPs.

To learn more and access L&I’s resources, visit: Lni.wa.gov/safety-health/preventing-injuries-illnesses/create-a-safetyprogram/accident-prevention-program

Got a question or issue to be solved?

Call L&I's Small Business Liaisons for assistance.

Phone: 1-800-987-0145

Email: SmallBusiness@Lni.wa.go v | Negocios@Lni.wa.gov

Online: Lni.wa.gov/SmallBusiness

Nonprofit News & Resources

NAWA: Potential Federal Grantmaking Updates

Thursday, September 3, 2026, 10:00am

After receiving an update from our federal partner, this convening is designed as a space for Washington nonprofit leaders to talk candidly with one another about what these changes could mean for their organizations, funding, programs, and communities. Join us for a candid conversation with nonprofit leaders about the latest developments, what organizations are seeing and preparing for, the questions and concerns emerging across the sector, and how nonprofits can navigate what comes next.

Why the Future of Fundraising Depends on Identifying Donors Before They Give

Published by the NonprofitPro, August 18, 2026

Photo: Compassionate Eye Foundation/David Oxberry/Getty Images

Fundraising has always been about building relationships. But in today’s fundraising landscape, waiting for a donor to make the first move is no longer enough.

Nonprofits are competing for attention in an increasingly crowded and resource-constrained environment. Economic uncertainty has made households more selective about where they spend and how they give, while nonprofits are being asked to deliver greater impact with tighter budgets and leaner teams. The latest M+R “Benchmarks” study found that nonprofits increased email volume while fundraising email revenue also continued to grow, underscoring both the importance and the competitiveness of digital fundraising. Meanwhile, the Fundraising Effectiveness Project reported that although charitable giving revenue increased in 2025, the number of donors declined for the fourth consecutive year, with growth driven primarily by larger gifts from fewer supporters.

Against that backdrop, the ability to identify future supporters before they raise their hands is becoming a defining competitive advantage. The organizations that thrive over the next decade won’t simply become better at stewarding existing donors. They’ll become better at recognizing future donors long before the first contribution arrives.

Read the article here

Greater Kitsap News

Bremerton Council Approves Boosting

Vehicle License Fee to $40

Published in the Kitsap Sun, August 21, 2026

Photo courtesy of the Kitsap Sun

Bremerton's annual vehicle license fee will double from $20 to $40 per year, after the Bremerton City Council voted 5–2 to approve a change aim at raising revenue for street repairs on Wednesday night. Fee collection could begin early 2027, though an exact date has yet to be confirmed.

"Things have gotten more expensive," Jane Rebelowski, city council president, said during the Aug. 19 meeting. "Money isn’t the same as it was."

The $20 annual fee on license tabs had remained unchanged since 2009, and currently brings in about $600,000 annually, with $533,000 of that going towards labor costs for the city's 14-person streets crew. Approving the increase will add dedicated revenue for streets work, which now depends on extra funding from the city's general fund. That could potentially allow crews to focus on smaller maintenance projects across residential areas of Bremerton without having to hire an external contractor, as one example of saving money long-term, according to a Public Works analysis.

Read the article here

New Hilton Hotel Proposed for

Growing Part of Poulsbo

Published in the Kitsap Sun, August 24, 2026

Photo courtesy of the City of Poulsbo

A three-story Hilton hotel complex has been proposed for Poulsbo’s College Marketplace area, a planned addition with the potential to accommodate hundreds of long-term visitors.

Developer BCI Pacific recently submitted plans with the City of Poulsbo for a new-build Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel on the northeast corner of Olympic College Way and Dauntless Drive. Intended for guests with extended stays, the development is proposed to house 102 guest rooms and span approximately 67,000 square feet. Amenities would include an indoor pool, fitness room, breakfast area, a meeting space and outdoor seating as well as parking for vehicles and bikes.

Plans for a new hotel in Poulsbo arrive at a time when Kitsap County is seeing over 3 million visitors annually, according to Visit Kitsap Peninsula. In particular, the city itself has added thousands of residents over the last 20 years and is projected to welcome thousands more in the next 20 years. The city is required to plan for over 5,500 new residents predicted by 2044 though building thousands of new housing units and creating thousands of new jobs.

Read the article here