Your monthly news & updates |
|
Upcoming Events, Industry News, and more! |
|
August 4th
Brewster King Salmon Derby, starts at 5 AM, for more details and registration information click here.
August 10th-13th
Omak Stampede & Suicide Race, carnival opens at 5 PM. For tickets and more details click here.
August 19th
Pateros Hydro Classic starts at 11 AM at the Pateros Memorial Park, more details here.
August Workshop Schedule:
L&I Fundamentals For
Your Business in Spanish
August 8th, 2023
6:00 PM
Register to attend this online webinar. Learn what you need to know to take care of your business and your employees.
Grow Your Business in WA
No registration required
Watch this webinar recording at your convenience, for any established businesses that are actively seeking opportunities to grow their business from beyond it's current model- new markets, products, locations, staffing, and financing.
|
Small Business Resources & Requirements Free Workshops
Are you considering starting a business, or
did you recently start one and still have questions?
This is a free, one-hour webinar that will provide a strong foundation for starting a business in Washington. It goes over planning, registration, and licensing, and other regulatory requirements.
You'll be connected with business liaisons from the Governor's Office of Regulatory Innovation and Assistance, the Secretary of State's Office, and the Department of Revenue, Employment Security, and L&I, who will provide information about free or low-cost assistance programs.
If you would like to attend August 8th from 2-3 PM please register here.
|
QUICKBOOKS &
BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS
1 ON 1 SESSIONS AVAILABLE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Contact the Economic Alliance for more information at 509-826-5107
|
We want to hear about your ideas for the future of Washington’s economy. We are partnering with AWB Institute and the Washington Roundtable to participate in Washington in the Making 2040.
Your input will help to shape a vision for the Washington we want. Your voice matters.
Forjemos juntos el futuro de Washington.
El Instituto AWB y Washington Roundtable de Washington han lanzado Washington in the Making 2040, una iniciativa crear una visión cautivadora del futuro de la economía de nuestro estado.
Le estamos preguntando a miles de habitantes de Washington cuáles son sus deseos para nuestro futuro común. Utilizaremos esta información para crear una visión y un plan sobre cómo nos gustaría que fuera Washington en el año 2040. ¡Queremos escuchar sus ideas!
|
Housing Affordability In Washington
Introducing Washington State’s
Housing Affordability Index
Background
The Housing Affordability Index is a new Washington-based resource for understanding the extent to which county-level housing markets are providing a range of choices that are affordable – and thus, attainable – to the state’s workforce.
Originally, the home building industry has always relied upon the National Association of Home Builders “Priced-Out Report” to communicate the health of local housing markets. With construction costs escalating at record-high levels due to an aging workforce and supply chain shocks, the number of families priced-out with each $1,000 of added cost of building a new home is less important to the industry in a market that seems to be getting expensive at every level – from building materials to the regulatory landscape.
Read the full Building Association of Washington Executive Summary Here:
|
Attention Owners
of Commercial Buildings or Lots!
The Economic Alliance is compiling a list of vacant properties that are for sale, lease or rent throughout Okanogan County. We receive several inquires throughout the year from individuals who are looking for a locations to start/move their business to. We would love to add yours to our list!
Location-Physical Address
Lot/Building size
Utility- Information-electrical load capacity, AC/Heat pump etc.
Ceiling Height
Rooms, Restrooms, amenities etc
Asking price
Are you ready to SELL your business? Do you have a succession plan in place? Please let us help you through the process as we want to keep our businesses moving forward during the process! Contact us at 509-826-5107 to schedule an appointment!
|
|
"Okanogan County now accepting Lodging Tax Fund Applications"
The 2024 request applications for Okanogan County Lodging Tax Funds are due to the county by close of business August 22.
What are “Lodging Tax Funds? Lodging taxes are paid when people purchase lodging, such as renting a room at a hotel, B&B, nightly rental or staying in an RV park within the unincorporated areas of the county.
How can those funds be used? Washington State law (RCW 67.28.1815) requires that funds be expended “…solely for the purpose of paying all or part of the cost of tourism promotion, acquisition of tourism-related facilities, or operation of tourism-related facilities”
Who can apply for funds? Any non-profit organization or municipally owned VIC that will use the funds for the purposes of promoting tourism in Okanogan County with the goal of increasing the number of overnight stays at lodging facilities.
Who decides which applications get funded? All applications are reviewed by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), which is charged with making recommendations for funding to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), who approve or disapprove the recommendation.
How do you apply? Applications can be requested by email from Crystal Hawley at chawley@co.okanogan.wa.us or picked-up in the Okanogan County Commissioners’ Reception Office, 123 5th Avenue, Okanogan, WA 98840.
Call the County Commissioners’ office at 509 422-7100 for more information or if you have questions.
|
The First cohort in new program will test potential for developing innovation clusters to drive growth and jobs in rural Washington.
Olympia, WA – Can small rural communities successfully mobilize public-private coalitions in target industries to create innovation clusters that will drive economic growth and jobs for the future?
The Washington State Department of Commerce aims to find out with a new version of its
Innovation clusters are formalized, industry-led organizations working together to drive innovation, overcome industry-wide barriers, access new market opportunities and attract talent and capital.
Clusters are often geographically-concentrated and include industry, entrepreneurs, academic partners, investors, and government agencies.
Established in 2022, Washington’s ICAP program was instrumental in launching nine innovation cluster organizations in industries such as clean energy technology, quantum computing, bioscience, and sustainable aviation and maritime.
With ICAP Launch, Commerce is partnering with four core teams of industry and community leaders, economic development organizations, research institutions and non-profit organizations to explore preparation and readiness to pursue an innovation cluster strategy in rural communities.
|
Save the Date! 2023 Biz Fair
The Washington
Small Business
Fair will be September 23rd, 2023. Biz Fair is the event that all current and aspiring small business owners should attend. Learn about free resources and technical assistance to help you start or grow your business. You'll be able to attend educational seminars led by industry experts and meet representatives from state and federal agencies. Biz Fair will be an in-person event, hosted on the same day in both Pierce and Spokane counties.
Location, program schedule, keynote speakers, and registration details coming soon at bizfair.org
|
Are you interested in making a difference in Okanogan County??
The Economic Alliance is now recruiting for new Board Members! We recently added new positions to our board, and we would love to have additional small business representatives join us from throughout the county! Please email Roni or call 509-826-5107 to learn more!
We have also facilitated the CCT and Okanogan County Broadband Action Team since 2019! If you are interested in participating in this great group of people who are committed to bringing broadband infrastructure to all the residents in Okanogan County, please email Roni today!
We have 2 other active sub committees that you can join!
- Vacant/Abandoned Building Committee
- Business Education Committee
If you are interested in participating or learning more about these committees, give us a call at 509-826-5107
|
Building Permit Reports
View a report of the most recent applied and granted Building Permits in the region.
|
DID YOU KNOW??
You can now watch all of the Economic Alliance Workshops and Training Videos on demand on our YouTube channel.
|
|
Do you need help starting, growing, or funding sources for your business?
Our SBDC Advisor is here to help entrepreneurs or small business owners start, grow or buy/sell a business.
The Economic Alliance’s SBDC advisor Lew Blakeney provides one-on-one, confidential, no-cost advising on all phases of small business development throughout Okanogan County and Colville Reservation.
To schedule an appointment, give us a call at: (509) 826 5107
|
|
|
Worker Training Resources
for Small Businesses!
Attention Employers! Worksource Okanogan has several different programs for employers:
They can assist with:
- Free job posting
- No fees to post jobs or search for talent
- More than a job board
- Local recruiters with relationships listen and deliver real solutions
- Recruit. Retain. Resolve.
- Hiring events, training, tax credits, and more
- Workers for every type of job
- WorkSource connects you to specialized and general talent—all in one place
They can help! Give them a call at 509-826-7310 or stop by and see them at their office located at 126 S. Main in Omak.
To learn more about their small business services and programs offered go to:
|
|
Change to Outdoor Heat Exposure
Permanent Changes to Outdoor Heat Exposure Rules, available here. Working in heat increases the risk for heat-related illness, including heat exhaustion, and life-threatening heat stroke in addition to acute kidney damage.
L&I Outdoor Heat Exposure rules were updated and include:
-
Lowering the temperature at which action is required to 80°F for the most outdoor work
-
Temperature-based action levels apply to specific portions of the rule such as drinking water and shade, and include specifics on when and how much shade must be provided.
- Workers must be allowed to take preventative cool-down periods as needed to prevent overheating.
- Employers must follow high-heat procedures that require close observation of workers and mandatory cool-down periods of 10 minutes every two hours when the temperature reaches 90°F, and 15 minutes every hour at 100°F.
Under these, which address the need to adapt to working in the heat over time, employers must closely observe all workers during heat waves and any worker who is newly assigned to working in the heat or returning from an absence of up to 14 days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
