The home page is where you find out what’s happening, including a calendar of business events primarily related to economic development. You will find recent economic development news, news from partners such as Kitsap County, cities and private sector members, updates about the proposed Great Northwest Speedway, news about the KEDC, and stories about local businesses. You can find out about a “spirit of community” event that brings home the real “quality of place” in which we live.

Read the Monday Morning Over Coffee (mmoc) newsletters held in archive. This weekly KEDC e-newsletter has timely information and messages from the executive director.

So, where do we go from here? Drill deeper into the highly data driven site to find all the services and resources you need.

The B2B Directory is a great place to start. This directory is exclusive to Kitsap County businesses and provides assistance in sales and services to other local businesses and individuals. Search by service, product or business name — a valuable tool and it’s free! If you haven’t signed up, make today the day!

The Site Selector page is highlighted on the left navigation bar, under B2B. A site selector is someone, typically from out of the area that is searching, on behalf of a company, for a business relocation or expansion site. Site Selectors do not have the time to contact communities individually. Therefore, what’s on the website can make or break a deal before it even gets started or before you even know they’re looking. What you’ll find on the KEDC Site Selector page is key information and quick hits to the dynamics of the county, what’s available and what we look like, and how the community can help.

KEDC Publications on the site include all quarterly reports, annual reports, and public records such as International Speedway documents. Also published are web stats, labor market studies, business studies and BRE reports. What’s BRE?

BRE is Business, Recruitment and Retention. Since BRE encompasses anywhere between 30 and 40 percent of the KEDC efforts, it deserves a mention and some education. Did you know that 70-80 percent of all new jobs are created by existing companies? The KEDC participates in the state’s BRE contract program where companies are visited to identify existing and future needs. Questions are answered with regard to doing business in Kitsap County…what’s working well, what’s not and how to improve.

The KEDC directly assists companies and/or refers them to the appropriate person or the agency that will get it done. Click on the Business Retention link on the website to find out more about the current KEDC “outreach” program, past programs and results. If you are a business in Kitsap County and have not been visited by the KEDC, call (360) 377-9499 or send an email to edckc@kitsapedc.org to set up a meeting. It’s very useful for everyone and it’s free!

The Data on the KEDC site includes precise information about population, income, geography, funding, education, taxes and incentives, and county and city services. You’ll find a business start-up kit to download and relocation information. You’ll learn about housing, recreation, culture, transportation and highways, employment and workforce, target clusters and trends and the military. You’ll also find out how Kitsap ranks among other counties, what the population looks like in terms of education and age, as well as historically. Find out where to go for healthcare, what to do for fun and who provides telecommunications and utilities. And naturally, how to do business in Kitsap County.

Beyond the housed data is a myriad of links from each page to related data that is constantly updated by other sources such as the Kitsap Regional Library, Olympic College, Puget Sound Regional Council, Office of Financial Management, Workforce Explorer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Community Trade and Economic Development for starters. There is also a “Quick Links” page that provides local, regional, state and federal links to services. If you can’t find it or link to it from www.kitsapedc.org, it probably requires a customized search, which the KEDC does as well.

The KEDC website is sponsored by the Kitsap Public Utilities District #1. The KEDC operates with funding provided by private and public members. For a complete listing of members and to learn how to become a member, go to www.kitsapedc.org and click on “about kedc/membership.”

If you would like to meet with a KEDC staff member or board member, please call the office at (360) 377-9499 to make it happen.

(Editor’s Note: The Kitsap Economic Development Council (KEDC) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(6) corporation. Founded in June 1983, our goal is to attract and retain jobs and investments in this community that generate wealth, enhance the quality of life and embrace future generations.)