our organizational framework

The long-established but cyclically challenged commercial kitchen business incubator, most recently known as Kitchen Ponderay, has been given new life!  Originally established as part of the Sandpoint Business Incubator, the equipment was stored and the program mothballed until a 2018 joint effort of Bonner County Economic Development, under Paul Kusche’s leadership, along with Bonner County Commissioners, City of Ponderay and Panhandle Area Council, and the community at large, revived the operation under the name Kitchen Ponderay, and under the management of another existing nonprofit commercial kitchen/business incubator, Kitchen Spokane.  A new nonprofit 501(c)(6) has since been formed to take over and restore local control. Named Pend Oreille Specialty Foods Incubator Inc., it re-opened for operations in October, 2023.

PEP (formerly BCEDC) created, launched and executed Economic Response & Recovery (ERR) Funds to local businesses impacted by COVID-19. After a successful first round, PEP received a charitable incentive through the Margaret F. Galbraith Fund via Innovia Foundation to match contributions, doubling the value.  Matched donations came from the City of Sandpoint, Kochava, Percussionaire, Ting, North Idaho Title, and Washington Trust Bank.