Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Tickets on Sale Now

Business Awards Gala tickets & sponsorships available

Interested in elevating your business' exposure in the community? Looking to put your name on this year's Gala? Looking to bring a table-full of attendees? We have sponsorships available for all sizes of businesses across all industries that will provide a level of elevation in the Greater Kitsap business community like no other event. Interested in sponsoring or purchasing an ad in the Gala program? Contact Events Coordinator, Tiffany Diamond, to secure your sponsorship or ad space today!

Do you know of an amazing business or nonprofit in the Greater Kitsap Region that should be recognized for the awesome work they are doing? Then nominate them now to be considered for one of five awards at the 2024 Business Awards Gala. Nominations are open until midnight tonight, and finalists will be announced on October 2nd.

August Membership Luncheon

Today! August 28, 2024, 11:00 am

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 Our Open House

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

Tacoma Rainiers Host Chamber Mix & Mingle

Wednesday, September 4, 2024, 4:00 pm

Are you looking to expand your business network to Gig Harbor, Tacoma and other Pierce County businesses? Join area Chambers and their members for a night of networking and baseball as the Tacoma Rainiers take on the Albuquerque Isotopes. Let us know if you plan to attend and someone from the Greater Kitsap Chamber leadership team will be happy to join you!

Chamber launches new benefit in partnership with Crunch Fitness!

We are so excited to announce this new wellness opportunity for our business community: beginning August 2024, members of the Greater Kitsap Chamber and their employees can now enjoy discounted gym memberships at Crunch Fitness in Silverdale. For more information on how to redeem this benefit, contact Irene at the Chamber. Special thanks to General Manager, Haaken Larsen, for bringing this opportunity to our membership!

Exciting news for all Greater Kitsap Chamber members!

We're thrilled to announce that our partner, Business Health Trust (BHT) is now offering discounted pet insurance through PetPartners to all our valued members! 🐾🐶🐱

You don’t need to have a medical plan with BHT to take advantage of this great benefit. Sign up today and ensure the health and well-being of your furry family members while reducing costly veterinary bills. Plans feature comprehensive coverage for accidents, illnesses and injuries including cancer coverage.

🔗 Download a flyer to get started: https://businesshealthtrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/bht-pet-insurance-flyer.pdf

This is just one of the ways you get more with BHT. Are you ready to build a better benefits package? Visit bhtquote.com to learn more and get a free quote.

RECAP: Clear Choice Dermatology

Congratulations to one of our newest members, Clear Choice Dermatology in Silverdale on their opening and ribbon cutting! The Greater Kitsap Chamber was excited to celebrate this day with Dr. Leigh Ann Hatch and her team who just opened their doors last week. If you are looking for a dermatology provider in Kitsap, they are currently accepting new patients. Visit their website to learn more and schedule an appointment!

Member Businesses Looking to Partner and Expand with Meal Program

We are excited to introduce Fit By Fork, a new meal prepping service designed to make

nutritious eating easier and more convenient for you. Running parallel with the nutritional

experience from Brett Clark at BC Fitness Studio and the culinary expertise of Sam Spiva from Spiva Cooking, Fit By Fork is all about making healthy, macronutrient dense, delicious meals accessible to everyone, for at home, at work, or on the go busy professionals.

To ensure we provide the best possible service, we're conducting some market research and would greatly appreciate your input. Your feedback will help us fine-tune our offerings, including pricing and meal options, to better meet the needs of our community.

Please take a few moments to fill out our brief survey. Your insights are invaluable, and as a thank you, all participants will be entered into a drawing to win a Fit By Fork 5 Pack (5 meal entrees of your choice of either Chili Lime Chicken or Chicken Al Pastor).

Best regards,

Brett Clark & Sam Spiva

Fit By Fork

BC Fitness Studio & Spiva Cooking

OC Shops Building Grand Opening

Friday, September 13, 2024, 12:00 pm

Register Now for LK Peer Coaching

Program begins September 19th

www.westsoundyfc.org

Advocacy Committee

Eggs & Issues Returns

Annual election forum beginning Sept 17th

Business & Professional Development Committee

Thinking of Starting Your Own Business?

Thursday, August 29, 2024, 1:00 pm

Thinking of starting your own business? Learn what it might take to get your new business off of the ground during this information session led by Jon King, the Business Education Support & Training (BE$T) Instructor.

SCORE: LinkedIn Essentials

Wednesday, September 4, 2024, 1:00 pm

As one of the most important B2B social media platforms, LinkedIn can help you attract more eyes on your business. The biggest advantage of LinkedIn is that it is frequented by many senior-level influencers, decision-makers, and thought leaders. If you want to grab the attention of top-level executives, then you should work on your LinkedIn marketing strategy. Unlike other social networking sites, LinkedIn offers a goldmine of opportunities for B2B marketers. You’ll be better informed about what’s going on in your industry and the industry of your ideal, favorite and most profitable clients.

What You Will Learn:

• Why LinkedIn
• LinkedIn Profile Musts
• How and Why to Create Your Company Page
• Finding LinkedIn Groups
• Making Connections
• LinkedIn Posts, Articles and Newsletters
• Content Calendar (complimentary content calendar provided to all attendees)

Workshop Fee: FREE

Cybersecurity: Business Readiness & Resiliency

Friday, September 20, 2024, 10:00 am

Washington Biz Fair Returns to Puyallup

Saturday, September 21, 2024

State Tax Collections Fall Short of Forecast

Courtesy of the Washington Retail Association

The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) reported a $33.1 million shortfall in general fund revenue for July, totaling $2.28 billion. This represents a 1.4% decrease from the forecasted amount and a $22.8 million shortfall over the past two months. Key Revenue Act taxes, including sales, use, utility, and business and occupation taxes, fell short by $52.9 million (2.5%), with retail sales tax and B&O tax collections down by 2.9% and 2.8%, respectively. The decline was partly due to disruptions in the auto sector from a cyber-attack and fewer weekdays in June 2024 compared to the previous year.

However, Non-Revenue Act taxes, such as real estate excise taxes, exceeded forecasts by $19.8 million, with a notable 27.7% increase attributed to sales of controlling interests in corporations. Despite recent revenue shortfalls, inflation rates have decreased from last year’s highs, and a potential Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September could improve the state’s revenue outlook.

Full ERFC report

Per Diem Rate Increased for Federal Employees

Courtesy of the Washington Hospitality Association

The General Services Administration has announced that, starting Oct. 1, it will increase the per diem lodging, meals and incidental expenses rates for federal employees.

The standard daily lodging allowance for most of the continental United States will increase by $3, from $107 to $110 per day, an increase estimated to be worth approximately $100 million to the hotel industry. The standard meals and incidental expenses allowance will increase by $9, from $59 to $68 per day, the first increase for this expense category in three years. Read more from the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

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

• Write better, faster with these 6 free AI tools
• How resumes have shifted over the past 5 years
• Research suggests these are the 3 most underrated leadership habits
• Millennial and Gen Z small-business leaders aren't just embracing AI, they're using it differently

Courtesy of entrepreneur.com

• GoDaddy's 3 best tips for small business marketing success
• Are 2 CEOs better than 1? Here are the benefits and drawbacks you must consider

Courtesy of Puget Sound Business Journal

• The post-COVID workplace is dominated by hybrid work. Here's how to make it work.

Workplace Safety & Health Matters

Every employer in Washington State is required to create a written Accident Prevention Program (APP) to address the safety and health hazards found in their workplace. Many employers consider their APP as their cornerstone safety program.

Identifying hazards is the first step to creating an APP. Resources, like the Job Hazard Analysis or the Workplace Hazard Basics course, are available to help you with that task. Other tools include program templates that require customizing in order to meet requirements.

Depending on the hazards in your workplace, you may also need to create additional safety programs.

An APP will help you prevent costly workplace injuries and keep workers working.

Nonprofits & the 2024 Election

Nonpartisan resources for voter engagement

Courtesy of the Nonprofit Association of Washington

The 2024 primaries are behind us and the general election is in sight. Nonprofits are trusted sources of nonpartisan resources. Our upcoming Voter Engagement Guide provides a roadmap of how charitable nonprofits can effectively engage in elections on a nonpartisan basis, leverage their networks for greater impact, and build relationships with elected officials. Voting is something we can’t take for granted. Nonprofit organizations have a critical role to play in promoting voting as a safe and accessible activity to strengthen our communities.  

Have you ever wondered how your nonprofit can be involved in the election? Join NAWA and Nonprofit Vote to explore the new voter engagement guide and get all your questions answered at Nonprofits & the 2024 Election: Nonpartisan Resources for Voter Engagement on September 18 at 11 am.  

Vandalism at Construction Site on

Newberry Hill Under Investigation

Published in the Kitsap Sun, August 23, 2024

Photo: Kitsap County Sheriff's Office

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident of malicious mischief after a culvert construction site along Newberry Hill Road was vandalized overnight Thursday.

In a social media post Friday afternoon, the sheriff’s office said a suspect allegedly gained access to heavy equipment at the site, near the Sesame Street intersection, and caused extensive structural damage to a retaining wall. 

The damaged wall will delay the reopening of Newberry Hill Road, which has been closed for construction since June. Public works crews will need to dig down under the wall to assess the full extent of the damage and determine how to repair it, the sheriff's office said. 

The delay means the road will not be finished before Klahowya Secondary School students return from summer break on Sept. 4. Kitsap Public Works crews are coordinating with school officials, the sheriff’s office said. 

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Det. Dekorte at 360-337-5614.

Labor Day Service

Kitsap Transit will operate Holiday Service

Effective Monday, Sept. 2nd

On Labor Day, Sept. 2, Routed buses will operate Holiday Schedules or may not operate. Please see your online route schedule for availability and times of service or use our route lookup tool at kitsaptransit.com/holiday-schedule.

• Kitsap Fast Ferries and the Port Orchard Ferry will operate normal weekday service.
• The Annapolis Ferry will NOT operate.
• BI Ride will operate from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Trips after 4:00 PM must be booked through the app.
• Kingston Ride Fast Ferry Commuter and Southworth Ride Fast Ferry Commuter will operate regular weekday service.
• Kingston Ride, SK Ride, Nollwood Dial-A-Ride and Purdy Ride will NOT operate.
• ACCESS service will operate holiday service hours. Any recurring or subscription trips on Labor Day will be canceled. Call ACCESS at 1.800.422.2877 to rebook your ride.
• There will be no Worker/Driver service. Some Vanpools may not operate; call your Vanpool driver for information.
• Kitsap Transit's Customer Service Office and call center will be open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Administrative Office and ORCA call center will be closed. Call 1.800.501.7433 with any questions before the holiday.

Old Town Volunteers Work to Beautify

with Daffodil Plantings

In June of 2023, Gay McCray of the Old Town Silverdale Historic District organized the first volunteer weed pulling party to clean up and prep Old Town and Bayshore Drive in Silverdale. It took about four more weed pulling parties to get it all done, and in October of 2023, ninety-three volunteers gathered to plant a little over 4,400 daffodil bulbs throughout all of Old Town. They bloomed beautifully this spring.

On October 19, 2024 there will be another huge “volunteer day” to support our beautification efforts in Old Town. This year we have 6,720 bulbs to be planted. This will take us to well over 10,000 bulbs that meander down Bayshore, Washington Ave and up Byron Street. They will give a huge splash of color by the boat launch as well. Then our new slogan will be “Old Town - home to over 10,000 Daffodil Flowers every Spring!”

Old Town could use HELP! We will need volunteers to plant and mulch. All bulbs have been paid for by individuals and businesses, the County and the Port of Silverdale.

We will need to prepare Bayshore (light weeding) for the 1,200 bulbs that will be planted in October. Currently we have 40 bulbs around each light pole and 300 at the front of Bayshore for a total of over 1,200. The next 1,200 will go between the poles this year. You will be able to stand at one end and enjoy the trail of the beautiful yellow daffodils.

How can you help?

• Weed
• Plant Bulbs and help mulch
• Donated snacks and drinks for the volunteers
• Sweep the sidewalks after the mulch goes down

For more information and to get involved, contact:

Gay McCray at gaymccray@gmail.com or call 253 432-3754.

Old Town Silverdale volunteers along with the community are joined by Kitsap County Commissioner, Katie Walters, for the 2023 daffodil plantings. This year's event will be on October 19, 2024.

Kitsap Humane Society

Choose your own adoption fees through end of August

Beautify Bremerton

Saturday, September 14, 2024

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: Navy Band

Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 6:30 pm

Clearwater Casino Resort:

Lucky Town - Springsteen Tribute

Friday, August 30, 2024, 8:30 pm

TribU2 - U2 Tribute

Saturday, August 31, 2024, 8:30 pm

Kitsap Blues Music Festival

August 30 - September 1, 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.

2024 Blackberry Festival

August 31 - September 2, 2024

Tiffany Diamond

Events Coordinator

tiffany@greaterkitsapchamber.com