Farm Kitchen, a community space in Cranbrook, offers a large commercial kitchen that is rentable by area entrepreneurs, community groups and non-profit organizations. At Farm Kitchen, food based businesses can access the space and equipment they need—from a six-range gas burner to dry storage—to develop, operate and grow successful food-based businesses. Launched by the Community Connections Society of Southeast BC, with a $25,000 grant from ETSI-BC, the Farm Kitchen has been utilized by 19 entrepreneurs to-date.
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Accelerate Okanagan, Kelowna BC, RevUp Program
To assist in the creation of the next phase in the business accelerator program, Accelerate Okanagan approached the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC, formerly Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust) to secure $25,000 in grant funding. As regional economic development trust, ETSI-BC saw the opportunity to support an emerging sector and support business growth and new job creation.
Fields Forward Society, Creston BC, Kootenay Mobile Press Project
With a $25,000 grant from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), and additional funders including the Regional District of Central Kootenay, the provincial government, and the Kootenay Employments Services Society, a mobile press was purchased and began to turn agricultural waste into profit.