Rossland NewsCommunity Futures Greater Trail Offering Emergency Loans and a Virtual Forum to Local Businesses.

March 26, 2020

TRAIL, BC   Community  Futures Greater Trail (CFGT), serving Rossland, Warfield, Trail, Montrose, Fruitvale and RDKB Areas A and B, is taking steps to help small businesses and entrepreneurs deal with the impacts of this pandemic. 

A new emergency business loan program is now being offered by CFGT for the next four months.  Loans at a reduced interest rate of 2.5% are available for existing businesses currently operating in the Greater Trail / South Kootenay region.  Loans up to $10,000 receive faster approval, and flexible payment terms are also available.  Loans applications require businesses to submit their most recent financial statements.  Complete details on the application process can be found here:  https://www.communityfutures.com/financing/applying-for-loans/

Please email CFGT’s Loan Manager, Tamara Rotach for more information tamara@communityfutures.com

In partnership with Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation (LCIC) and the Trail and District Chamber of Commerce, CFGT is hosting a,

weekly South Kootenay COVID-19 Business Virtual Roundtable via Zoom video conference during this COVID-19 pandemic to support businesses and residents.  Local businesses and stakeholders are invited to join this weekly virtual round table. This forum will allow the three organizations to hear local business concerns to understand and communicate what is happening in our region, as well as share relevant information, facilitate dialog, explore collaboration opportunities and tactics for recovery.

The first weekly Zoom meeting will take place on Tuesday Mar 31, 2020 01:00 PM Pacific Time.  Participants are required to register in advance for this meeting:  https://bit.ly/2ycGprh

After registering, a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting will be forwarded.

With the sudden arrival of this pandemic and resulting closures, business owners are grappling with difficult HR decisions, cash flow challenges, and moving their business online. The Basin Business Advisors, a team of knowledgeable business advisors located throughout the Columbia Basin, are available for free one-to-one business advice. Business owners can consult with an advisor and develop a plan specific to their business that will help them weather this pandemic.   For more, please visit https://bbaprogram.ca/

Community Futures is a community driven organization with a team of business savvy individuals guided by a volunteer board of directors. We work with entrepreneurs, businesses and community partners. We help our communities become more entrepreneurial by providing access to capital through business loans, advisory and training services, and through community economic development initiatives. We serve the residents of Trail, Rossland, Warfield, Genelle, Montrose, Fruitvale and Areas A & B of Kootenay Boundary Regional District, and partner with various provincial, federal, and local agencies to deliver socioeconomic services.