Economic Alliance brings its story to Brewster City Council

Roni Holder-Diefenbach

COURTESY OF ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

Outreach Specialist Leonel Marcial

MIKE MALTAIS/WARD MEDIA

Certified Business Advisor Lewis Blakeney

COURTESY OF ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

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BREWSTER – The Economic Alliance (EA) brought its arsenal of business tools and services to the regular monthly meeting of the city council last Thursday, Oct. 17.

Executive Director Roni Holder-Diefenbach and Outreach Specialist Leonel Marcial updated council members on the array of EA’s interests and the philosophy behind their efforts.

“We are a nonprofit organization with a 25-person board of directors,” said Holder-Diefenbach. “We are non-membership-based and wanted it to be set up that way so that we can have representation from all…the five very distinct areas within the county.”

Funding sources include .09 dollars, Department of Commerce, contracts with Okanogan PUD and OCTC, and grants.

EA services and support touch on many facets of county economic health.

“We do planning, research, small business advising, training, technical assistance, and focus on public infrastructure,” said Holder-Diefenbach. “There are significant barriers and challenges that businesses and communities face including feeling remote and isolated, lack of broadband infrastructure, housing and childcare just to name a few.”

Broadband infrastructure is one among many projects EA is addressing the county through the Okanogan County and Colville Confederated Tribes Broadband Action Team (BAT). Since 2019 BAT has brought more than $84 million into the county for broadband infrastructure funding toward its goal to bring digital internet to every corner of the county.

“A lot of our work is by partnerships,” said Holder-Diefenbach. “We rely on our cities and chambers help us understand what is going on in their communities.”

Holder-Diefenbach said EA frequently receives calls from those quarters when downtown businesses are struggling, and outreach is requested to help with resources and guidance.

Among the facilities and services EA offer are: 

• Small Business Resource and Tech Center (with SDBC advisor Lewis Blakeney).
• NCW Workforce Development Council (partners with Skillsource and Worksource).
• Latino Small Business Outreach.

EA also:

• Facilitates the .09 Public Infrastructure and Community and Economic Development Prioritization Process for Okanogan County. EA allocated $1.2 million last year including $56,610 for Brewster Columbia Cove RV Park, and $100,000 to Pateros for Pateros Mall improvements.
• Facilitates the Broadband Action Team.
• Partners with Northwest Native Development Fund. 
• Hosted the March 2024 Workforce Housing Summit that brought more than 40 local, state, and federal partners together to discuss workforce housing programs.
• Hosted the 2024 Federal Funding Event that connected local groups with federal funders.

EA is currently providing administrative support to the Okanogan County Tourism Council (OCTC) for the signage kiosks that are being installed in each community. Pateros has its kiosk in the Pateros Mall. The Brewster Chamber is evaluating site for placement of its kiosk.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media