Business and Economic Development Programs
Washington State is well known for its Fortune 500 companies like Costco, Boeing, Amazon and Starbucks. We are also known for nurturing and growing small business ventures. In fact, the Evergreen State is among the top in the nation for entrepreneurship and innovation. Our company’s successes did not happen by accident but rather by a can-do spirit and hard work. The Washington State Department of Commerce is committed to providing you with the tools and resources you need to achieve your business goals faster.
To fulfill its mission to grow and improve jobs in Washington State, Commerce and its partners offer a variety of workforce training programs and financing options. Whether you are an employer, start up, or a business seeking alternative financing, there are a variety of programs to assist you in growing and improving your bottom line. If you don’t see what you need or you have questions, call us at 206- 256-6100.
- IMPACT Washington will help you develop your people, be more sustainable and start your business. It is a statewide program that assists businesses in becoming more competitive and profitable. IMPACT Washington is staffed with seasoned industry professionals with expertise in a diverse range of products. From lean manufacturing to marketing, the program provides one-on-one consultations, customized training and educational seminars.
- Workforce Development Council (WDC) helps residents become employed, re-enter the workforce or move ahead in their careers. The WDC is a statewide network of offices established to collaborate with community leaders, employers, job seekers and unions. Their mission is to create healthy and stable economies and identify workforce gaps. The results include employer-driven job training, job seeker services, and strategic planning.
- Job Skills Program is a customized training program initiated by you, the employer, and fulfilled by your local community college. The program is diverse – whether you have training needs for welders, clean tech manufacturing or soft skills – community colleges and technical centers will assist you in fulfilling your training needs. The program focuses on creating employment opportunities in communities with high unemployment rates, high rates of poverty and communities impacted by large-scale job loss.
- Washington Customized Training Program also provides employer-driven training delivered by a local community college or technical center. Just like a Job Skills Program, you can receive customized training to meet your needs. The difference is the Customized Training Program allows you to pay for the training, in part, with a B&O tax credit. Your company must be a Washington business paying B&O taxes to be eligible.
- Labor Shed Analysis – WorkSource, a division of Washington State Employment Security Department, is an invaluable resource for employers and employees. Whether you need to understand your region’s industry trends or you need assistance with writing a resume, this website provides in-depth labor information as well as tools for job seekers.
- Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRB) – are low-interest, tax-free bonds that can be used to build or expand manufacturing facilities, processing facilities and wholesale distribution centers. Contact either your local ADO or the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority for more information.
- Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) – Washington State understands that healthy economies need public infrastructure to attract new businesses and assist existing businesses grow and expand. CERB provides low interest loans with favorable terms to municipalities for the purpose of building public infrastructure. The infrastructure must be tied to a new or existing business and create new, family-wage jobs.
- Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund - Developers and private businesses have a resource for cleaning up contaminated property for future development. Through the collaboration of the state Department of Commerce, King County/Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and the Department of Ecology, property owners can apply for low interest loans to assess clean ups and reclamation.