Community Investment

Supporting Entrepreneurship

In 2023 Kitsap Bank partnered with the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) and Vibe Coworks on an innovative five-month business accelerator program called Matchstick Lab. Funding for the first Matchstick Lab cohort was provided by the Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA) together with Kitsap Bank, thanks to a grant made by the Washington State Department of Commerce and secured by KEDA. Entrepreneurs who have traditionally been excluded from business ownership opportunities and resources were encouraged to apply.

The inaugural cohort benefited from personalized technical assistance, business coaching, access to Kitsap Bank’s private office at Vibe Coworks, professional training workshops, marketing assets, and more. However, perhaps most importantly, the entrepreneurs had access to each other – a supportive peer community—as they grow and scale their businesses now and long into the future.

Tackling Food Insecurity

At Kitsap Bank we don’t shy away from difficult challenges, like addressing rising food insecurity in our communities. Four years ago we began our now annual Fall “From Shred to Fed” community shred events. Unlike typical shred events, Kitsap Bank pays for the cost of the mobile shred trucks and 100% of the proceeds raised from the ten shred events are donated to local food banks.

Combined with the bank’s corporate donations, Kitsap Bank generated more than $34,000 in 2023 for food banks located in Kitsap, Mason, Jefferson, Clallam and Pierce counties.

“We were very pleased to partner with our local food banks to support those in need in our communities,” stated Charles Robertson, Executive Vice President, Retail Banking. “Over the course of four years through our Shred to Fed events, Kitsap Bank has donated over $90,000 to the local food banks. We were able to not only raise vital funds, but also awareness about food insecurity right here at home.”