How We Create Value

What We Do

The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) uses its $50 million endowment from the Province of BC to contribute to stronger communities in the Southern Interior by helping build a strong and diversified economy. We work with the region’s local governments, economic development practitioners, non-profit business support organizations, post-secondary institutions, industry associations, and accelerators to grow and diversify our region’s economy. We partner with these organizations and provide grant funding throughout the year to:

  •   Help expand economic opportunity in communities
  •   Assist our partners as they support local businesses
  •   Encourage entrepreneurship and the creation of meaningful jobs
  •   Connect the region’s post-secondary institutions to industry
  •   Provide support to key sectors of our region`s economy to innovate and be more sustainable.

We have a special focus on our region`s smaller and First Nations communities. In our funding approach, we encourage collaboration, regional thinking, and sustainability.

Our Vision

We envision a future for our region in which our strategic investments in economic development projects have long-lasting and measurable benefits, whereby:

  • economic opportunities are expanded, especially in smaller and First Nations communities
  • our investments create significant positive impacts across the region
  • there is a strong and diversified economy in the Southern Interior that supports vital and sustainable communities throughout the region.

Creating Value for the Ecosystem

ETSI-BC creates value for the economic development ecosystem by facilitating meaningful connections, collaboration & sharing of best practices, and by stewarding its assets in the best interest of the region, maximizing our grant funding each year while protecting the Trust`s remaining capital for future generations.

We build and support collaborative networks throughout the Southern Interior by

  • Working with our Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) to encourage engagement in the granting process
  • Supporting regional Economic Development education
  • Hosting regional economic development practitioner, post-secondary and lender forums to ensure dialogue and connections within the region and the inclusion of First Nations Economic Development entities in those gatherings and groups.

We ensure the ETSI-BC programs are relevant to the region’s stakeholders, through

  • On-going engagement with stakeholders and RAC members
  • Conducting an annual environmental scan as part of the strategic planning process
  • Facilitating on-going engagement with grant recipients and partners, including satisfaction surveys and needs assessments.

We provide effective stewardship of the capital assets, brand, internal operations, and partnerships of ETSI-BC to ensure long-term viability and credibility, by

  • Effectively stewarding the organization and the funds in its investment portfolio
  • Creating and building a strong brand and relationships with partners and funders
  • Maximizing our commitment to partnerships through all activities.

We help build economic development capacity and knowledge, through

  • Support for regional economic development networking and dialogue
  • Support for economic development training
  • Access to relevant economic development research sources and services that can be made available for Southern Interior communities.
Request for Proposals: Economic Development Network Support

ETSI-BC is seeking proposals from qualified groups to facilitate a network of Economic Development Practitioners in each of the two regions in its service area, the Columbia-Kootenay and the Thompson-Okanagan regions. This investment supports ETSI-BC’s strategic pillar, “Creating Value for the Economic Development Ecosystem.” Up to $15,000 has been allocated per region to support these two networks of practitioners.  Click here to read the RFP.

See what we have funded since 2021