Port of Pend Oreille

06/03/2026

Running a small business means wearing every hat. These free one-hour trainings from Washington SBDC are built for people like you. No fluff, just practical guidance you can actually use, easy to attend, and focused in on one thing to move the needle for you.

June 11 | 1-2 p.m. — Profit-Driven Pricing: Mastering the Essentials for Small Business Owners

June 16 | 1-2 p.m. — Ready for Takeoff: Strategies for Export Success, Session 4: Export Logistics and Payment

June 18 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. — SBIR Fundamentals and 2026 Updates

June 25 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. — Active Listening: The Key to Better Communication and Understanding

All sessions are free, held online, and one hour long. Register and see the full training calendar at:

05/18/2026

Our next Quarterly Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting is just around the corner, and we would love to see you there!

As a designated Associate Development Organization through the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Port of Pend Oreille is actively working on behalf of our region on everything from economic planning and grant opportunities to state-level initiatives that directly impact Pend Oreille County. These meetings are one of the best ways to stay informed and connected to that work.

This quarter we will be featuring Country Lane Inc. and taking a closer look at Opportunity Zones -- a federal program that uses tax incentives to attract private investment into rural communities like ours. With a new round of zone designations on the horizon, now is the time to understand what this could mean for local businesses and landowners in Pend Oreille County. Newport Hospital and Health Services will also be presenting on their expansion plans.

Coffee and networking start at 8:30 AM, so come early and make some connections before the meeting kicks off. Refreshments will be provided.

See the flyer for full details and RSVP information. We hope to see you on May 20th!

05/14/2026

New Grant Opportunities Now on Our Website!

Running a nonprofit or small business is a lot. Finding funding shouldn't add to the stress. We've rounded up the latest grants and added them to the Port of Pend Oreille website, so everything is in one place... ready for you to browse when you have a moment.

Here's a quick look at what's available:

Environment & Sustainability

USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (Deadline: 6/5/26)
U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities - Forest Technology Solutions (Deadline: 6/4/26)
WA Dept. of Commerce - Clean Buildings Performance Standard Grants (Deadline: 6/1/26)
WM Community Impact Grants

Education & Youth

NSF STEM K-12 Program
DanPaul Foundation - up to $15,000 for youth health, education and welfare
EDUinnovate Grants - innovative classroom programs
Emeril Lagasse Foundation - Culinary Garden and Teaching Kitchen (K-8)
Omron Foundation Education Grants - STEM focus

Community and Human Services

Employee Community Foundation - WA nonprofits (Deadline: 5/15/26)
WaFd Bank Foundation - micro grants ($1K-$5K) and community impact grants ($5K-$20K)
Tulalip Cares Charitable Contributions (Deadline: 6/1/26)
Cowlitz Indian Tribe Giving Program (Deadline: 6/1/26)
Conagra Brands Community Impact Grants
Wells Fargo / Wheeler Charitable Trust - WA education, arts and health (Deadline: 7/1/26)

Infrastructure and Safety

USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All (Deadline: 5/26/26)

Women and Grassroots Organizations

WA Women's Foundation Collective Grants - up to $50K/year

Youth-Led Projects

Karma for Cara Foundation Microgrants - students 18 and under, up to $1,000 (Deadline: 7/1/26)

A few deadlines are coming up soon, so don't wait too long. Visit our website to learn more and find the links to apply. Know someone who could use this? Pass it along.

Welcome to the Port of Pend Oreille Move Here Grow Here Live Here Visit us on Social Media: Facebook The Port of Pend Oreille, dba Pend Oreille Valley Railroad (POVA) is a non-taxing government entity…

05/04/2026

Are you leaving money on the table by not selling internationally? May is Global Trade Month, and the Washington State Department of Commerce is offering four free webinars this month to help Washington businesses grow their exports, navigate trade internationally, and tap into online marketplaces to reach customers around the world.

As your local Area Development Organization, the Port is passing this along because these resources are too good to miss.

May 5, 10-11:30 AM
Doing Business with Canada and Mexico: How USMCA Benefits Businesses

May 12, 10 AM-12 PM
HTS and Schedule B - A Must-Know for Import and Export

May 19, 1-2 PM
Export Marketing and Meeting Strategy (led by WA Small Business Development Center)

May 26, 10-11 AM
eCommerce: Tap into the Online Marketplace and Grow Your International Sales

Send us a message or email [email protected] and we will send you the flyer with registration links.

04/17/2026

Coming up quickly, Tri County Economic Development District and Washington APEX Accelerator are hosting these workshops to assist businesses pursuing government contracting.

The bonus is you don’t have to drive to Spokane, they’re hosting one in Colville and one in Loon Lake!

04/07/2026

Washington State Department of Commerce is now accepting applications for manufacturing grants through the BEST Act program, with $1 million available in individual awards of $100,000 to $200,000. These grants support manufacturing job growth, R&D, and workforce development with a focus on rural communities, exactly the kind of opportunity that can make a real difference in Pend Oreille County.

If your business is interested in applying, we want to hear from you! As your local Associate Development Organization, the Port of Pend Oreille is the designated ADO for our county, meaning local business applications must be submitted through us. Proposals are due May 14, 2026, and we encourage interested businesses to reach out soon. There is also a free virtual pre-proposal conference on April 14 at 12:30 p.m. Contact us to learn more and get started.

Opportunity Type: Request for Application (RFA) Close Date: May 14, 2026 Important Dates: Issue request for proposals: April, 2, 2026Question and answer period: April 2-April 16, 2026Pre-proposal conference: April 14, 2026, 12:30 p.m.Proposals due: May 14, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Commerce is now accepting a...

04/03/2026

Great news for outdoor recreation in Pend Oreille County! Pend Oreille County Parks & Recreation has been awarded $20,000 in grants from Polaris and Yamaha to improve the Batey-Bould facility near Cusick.

As the county's Associate Development Organization, supporting projects like this is with grant research is part of our mission, and we're glad to see it pay off. Funds will go toward signage, picnic tables, bear-proof trash receptacles, parking lot stabilization, and designated overnight camping areas. Read the full story here:

Cusick, WA - The Port of Pend Oreille, acting in its role as the county’s Associate Development Organization, helped Pend Oreille County Parks & Recreation secure $20,000 in grants for improvements to the Batey-Bould recreation facility near Cusick, Washington

03/30/2026

Looking for funding opportunities? The Port regularly researches and shares grant resources to support our local businesses, nonprofits, farmers, and community organizations. Check our website homepage for the latest opportunities.

If you're a nonprofit leader, farmer, rancher, small business owner, or community organization looking for funding, take a look at what's currently available.

Native American Agriculture Fund supports projects that benefit Native farmers and ranchers across a wide range of programmatic areas. Deadline is May 1st.

Five Star Grant Program helps local partnerships improve water quality, watersheds, and habitat through projects like community tree planting, gardens, and wildlife restoration. Deadline is May 14th.

Ameriprise Financial Community Grants funds nonprofits working on basic needs like hunger and shelter, community development, cultural enrichment, and disaster relief. Deadline is May 15th.

U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities supports projects that develop sustainable uses for wood products and byproducts. Deadline is May 22nd.

Lots of Compassion Grant helps organizations transform vacant lots into community gardens. Deadline is June 15th.

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust offers grants for capital projects, equipment, technology, and program expansion for nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest. Letter of intent due April 30th, full application due August 1st.

USDA SEARCH Grant helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with feasibility studies and technical assistance for water and waste disposal projects. Applications accepted year round.

Visit our website athttps://portofpendoreille.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/grants-030626.pdf to see details and direct links.

For past lists of grant opportunities check the homepage on the right side under the "Latest Updates" section.

03/27/2026

Tri County Economic Development District is putting on a training alongside Washington APEX Accelerator focused on Government Contracting 101, with two locations in north and south Stevens County. The invitation is open to those in Pend Oreille County as well. See the post below for more information.

03/24/2026

Great news for the Port of Pend Oreille and our employees! 🎉 HB 2179 has been signed into law, ensuring that impacted ports like ours can continue making contributions to employee pension plans without facing large unexpected obligations.

A huge thank you to our 7th District legislators, Sen. Shelly Short and Rep. Hunter Abell, for their leadership on this bill. And thank you to the Washington Public Ports Association for working to make it happen. We’re grateful for advocates who go to bat for our ports and our people!

Yesterday, the Governor signed HB 2179 which will allow a small number of impacted ports to continue to make contributions to employee pension plans that are outside of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). WPPA worked with Sen. Shelly Short and Rep. Hunter Abell on this legislative proposal after being alerted to the situation by the Port of Pend Oreille and Port of Vancouver USA. Their leadership and guidance was essential to navigate the complex implications of this bill and ensure that both the impacted ports and their employees were not faced with large unexpected pension obligations. We also appreciate the WPPA members and labor stakeholders who helped ensure this bill reached the Governor's desk.