Special Projects
FAQs
Q. Why do you charge for special projects when the business counseling is free in Whatcom County?
A. In reality, the business counseling is not free. It is actually being paid for by our funders (Port of Bellingham, City of Bellingham, City of Ferndale, City of Blaine, City of Lynden, City of Sumas, and Whatcom County) on behalf of local business owners who get our services at no cost to themselves. Special projects are done on an on-demand basis for governmental agencies and municipalities across Washington State. Since we do not have funding to offer those projects at no cost, we can only complete them on a fee-for-service basis.
Q. How much do special projects cost?
A. Special projects are estimated on a project basis, depending on the scope and resources required to complete the project. If you are interested in a bid, please contact Tom Dorr or at 360-733-4014 x 123 to discuss your needs.
Q. What services do you offer?
A. The Center for Economic Vitality offers a wide range of services on a for-fee basis through our special projects program. These include:
- Developing and writing business plans
- Developing and writing marketing plans
- Conducting a business inventory for a particular area
- Conducting a business gap analysis for a particular area
- Data mining
- Primary research services including surveys and focus groups Secondary research services to entities not eligible for free services as part of our economic gardening program (such as municipalities or non-profits)
Q. Who are these services available to
A. These services are typically available to municipalities and governmental agencies.
Q. How long do special projects usually take
A. The duration of special projects depends largely on their scope and level of difficulty, as well as the current resource demand. If you are interested in an estimated timeline for a special project, please contact Tom Dorr or at (360) 733-4014 x 123 to discuss your ideas and needs
Q. How can I use this service?
A. Special projects are designed around the needs of the client. The Center for Economic Vitality has the capability and capacity to address a wide range of business, non-profit and municipality or government needs and challenges. See past special projects for some examples.
Businesses can enlist the assistance of highly capable and skilled individuals in the development and writing of their business or marketing plans.This service can be used to gather primary research about topics that there is currently little data for. It can also be used to gather specific information about a particular city, County or region, or a particular industry that is highly specialized. Businesses, government agencies and non-profits can benefit from highly refined information about their community or consumers.
It may be used for municipalities to develop business plans for new programs or assess the economic health and needs of their communities.
Non-profits and government agencies can benefit from vast secondary research tools and resources providing insightful and actionable information.
These are just a few examples of the type of work that the Center for Economic Vitality can complete through its special projects program. If you have a need that isn’t described above, please contact Tom Dorr or at (360) 733-4014 x 123 to discuss what services we might be able to provide.
Q. What areas do you serve?
A. These services are available to any non-profit organization, municipality and governmental agency.