When the Port of Shelton Commission approved a $1.75 million loan to renovate a warehouse for Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, the financing came from a state program that most Mason County business owners have never heard of — but probably should know about.
The Community Economic Revitalization Board, or CERB, is one of Washington State’s primary tools for funding the kind of infrastructure investment that keeps local manufacturers in rural communities instead of relocating to cheaper or better-served markets.
What Is CERB?
CERB is a Washington State program administered by the Department of Commerce. It provides low-interest loans and grants to public entities — port districts, counties, cities, public development authorities — for infrastructure projects tied to private sector job creation.
The key word is “public entities.” CERB does not lend money directly to private businesses. Instead, a public partner (like the Port of Shelton) takes on the CERB debt, builds or improves an asset, and then makes that asset available to a private company under lease terms designed to be economically accessible. The private company commits to creating a specified number of jobs in exchange.
It’s a leveraged model: $1.75 million in state money, paired with at least $1 million in private investment from Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, creates a $2.75 million project that the company likely couldn’t finance on its own — and that the private capital markets wouldn’t fund in a rural county without a public partner at the table.
Why the Port of Shelton Was the Right Vehicle
The Port of Shelton, established in 1948, is a public port district with statutory authority to promote economic development. Its assets include Sanderson Field, a general aviation airport and 1,200-acre industrial park, and the Johns Prairie Industrial Park. The Port can issue CERB applications on behalf of projects that meet the program’s job-creation and public benefit criteria.
In the Olympic Mountain Ice Cream case, the mechanics are straightforward: the Port received the CERB loan, renovated its warehouse building at 130 West Corporate Drive to meet the company’s production and retail requirements, and executed a lease with Olympic Mountain Ice Cream. The lease terms are structured to be affordable for the company while generating revenue that helps the Port service the CERB debt.
The 17-job commitment is not goodwill — it’s a contract obligation tied to the CERB financing. The state tracks job creation outcomes for CERB-funded projects, and the Port is responsible for ensuring the commitments are met.
What This Means for Other Mason County Businesses
The CERB program exists throughout Washington State, and Mason County has public partners — the Port of Shelton, Mason County government, Mason County Economic Development Council — that can sponsor applications for eligible projects.
If you run a Mason County business that needs facility improvements, infrastructure investment, or expanded production capacity that would create jobs, the path to CERB financing runs through those public entities, not through a bank. The Mason County EDC at masonedc.org is the right starting point for businesses exploring whether their project could qualify.
CERB is not the only state economic development tool available — the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority (WEDFA), the Rural Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund, and various USDA programs also operate in Mason County. But CERB is specifically well-suited to the kind of port-anchored industrial development the Olympic Mountain Ice Cream project represents.
The Bigger Picture: Mason County’s Economic Development Momentum
The Olympic Mountain Ice Cream expansion is happening in the same year that the SR-3 Belfair Bypass received $48.3 million in state transportation funding and PUD 3 is completing fiber buildouts reaching hundreds of additional homes. The three investments are unrelated but collectively signal a county that is attracting public capital investment at a rate that will shape its economic trajectory for years.
For businesses considering a Mason County location or expansion, that infrastructure context — roads, fiber, industrial space at public ports — is worth paying attention to.
Full expansion details: Olympic Mountain Ice Cream’s New Port of Shelton Facility — Complete Coverage
Related infrastructure: PUD 3 fiber is reaching 680+ Cloquallum homes — what gigabit internet means for Mason County businesses
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CERB stand for and who administers it in Washington State?
CERB stands for Community Economic Revitalization Board. It is administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce and provides low-interest financing to public entities for economic development infrastructure projects that create private-sector jobs.
Can a private Mason County business apply for CERB funding directly?
No. CERB loans and grants go to public entities — port districts, cities, counties, and similar government bodies — not directly to private businesses. A private business benefits from CERB through a partnership with a public entity that sponsors the project and owns the improved facility, which it then makes available to the business through a lease.
How do I find out if my Mason County business project could qualify for CERB-backed financing?
Contact the Mason County Economic Development Council at masonedc.org or the Port of Shelton directly. These organizations work with the Washington State Department of Commerce on CERB applications and can help determine whether your project meets the program criteria — particularly the job-creation requirements that anchor CERB eligibility.
How much was the CERB loan for the Olympic Mountain Ice Cream project?
The Port of Shelton received a $1.75 million CERB loan for the warehouse renovation. Olympic Mountain Ice Cream committed to at least $1 million in private investment alongside the state financing, for a total project investment of approximately $2.75 million.
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