Washington’s Child Care Collaborative Task Force releases strategy that builds on historic Fair Start for Kids Act investments, calls for focus on growing the child care workforce. OLYMPIA, WA – Washington state’s Child Care Collaborative Task Force released a comprehensive new strategy that emphasizes the urgency of bolstering the child care workforce amidst a staggering turnover rate of 43 percent. The new Washington State Child Care Access Strategy makes clear…
Program works with and through trusted local lending institutions to support historically underserved businesses OLYMPIA, WA — Small business owners and nonprofits across Washington can start applying today for low interest loans of up to $150,000 through the newly-launched Small Business Flex Fund. The Fund is a public-private partnership aimed at helping small businesses and nonprofits – particularly those in low-income communities – recover and grow as communities across the…
Nonprofit Community Recovery grants assist organizations that provide gathering places and services to veterans and their families throughout the state. OLYMPIA, Wash. –The Washington State Department of Commerce and Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) have awarded $2.2 million in Nonprofit Community Recovery Grants to assist nonprofit Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) as they continue supporting veterans during the pandemic. VSOs provide vital services in communities throughout the state for…
More than 350 growth-oriented small businesses helped during pandemic OLYMPIA, WA – “ScaleUp: The Rebuild Edition,” an education and training partnership between the Washington State Department of Commerce and Thurston Economic Development Council, has scheduled three new eight-week course tracks for small businesses interested in achieving exponential growth as the economy reopens. Each interactive course is two hours long and held once a week for eight weeks. The ideal participant…
OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce is partnering with the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) to administer $1.25 million in Nonprofit Community Recovery (NCR) grant funding to nonprofit veteran service organizations (VSOs). The grant focuses on statewide VSOs with networks of local chapters. Additional information and application forms are available at dva.wa.gov/ncrgrant. All applications received by 11:59 p.m. on May 24, 2021 will be considered. “As we look…
Last week, I joined Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Hilary Franz, Congressman Dan Newhouse, Reps. Tom Dent and Judy Warnick and several other local leaders in Moses Lake for a demonstration of the Global Supertanker. Once a commercial aircraft, it’s now the world’s largest firefighting airtanker. Our state is hoping to make a home for it at Moses Lake where it can not only be readily deployed to combat increasingly…
Commerce now has in-country representation in 10 countries helping our state’s small businesses grow through exporting and international business partnerships The math speaks for itself. Export opportunities are a winning opportunity for Washington businesses. Jobs: At least one in four jobs in Washington state is connected to exports. The state’s economy is more closely aligned with international trade than any other state. Markets: More than 80% of the world’s purchasing…
It seems so long ago and yet just like yesterday when countries around the world began initiating shutdowns in response to a deadly virus we knew almost nothing about. Companies shifted millions of employees to telework. Schools closed. Offices and storefronts were shuttered. In-person events were canceled. For a while we wondered if these changes would be temporary. They were not. One year later, in this historic economic downturn, we’re…
While the 2020-2021 school year looks really different, sexual violence primary prevention in K-12 schools must remain a priority for school staff, advocates, parents, caregivers, and all community members. Over the past couple of years, the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy has supported the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) as they implement Erin’s Law (House Bill 1539). Erin’s Law was passed unanimously in both the House and…
I am proud of the way our Commerce team is embracing the immense challenges of COVID-19. The pandemic forced our staff into a new world of remote work, but each team member prioritized their work, and we continue to advance important projects that are strengthening communities throughout the state because of their dedication to helping others. For example, in our Housing Finance Unit, the pandemic hit at a time when…