CRP’s economic development program is repairing wealth disparities. This includes creating opportunities for individuals and families to buy homes, save money, receive financial education, training and grants for small businesses.
CRP is investing $35.2 million into a comprehensive set of economic development strategies.
Workforce strategies
CRP is investing $14.5 million through a partnership with the Employment Security Department to expand career and business support across all 12 regions. This includes:
- Earning up to $1,000/month incentives for underemployed or justice-involved individuals working toward better jobs
- Matched savings accounts (up to $10,000) for education, housing or business
- Financial coaching, career navigation and paid work experience
- Business support and wraparound services delivered by local workforce board
Small business technical assistance
CRP is investing $2.5 million through the Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN) —a group of 29 trusted community organizations across Washington that provide personalized, culturally and linguistically relevant support to historically excluded small business owners. This includes:
- Help applying for grants, loans and capital
- One-on-one business coaching, planning and digital tools training
- In-language business support
- Navigation of government relief and support programs
Housing and assets strategies
CRP is estimating to invest $17.6 million to help more households—especially those historically excluded—move from renting to owning, while supporting BIPOC-led housing development. This will fund:
- Land acquisition to help developers of color build starter homes
- Capacity-building for emerging homeownership-focused developers
- Debt reduction support to help buyers become mortgage-ready faster
- Expansion of flexible mortgage products that lower monthly costs and improve access
- Culturally responsive financial coaching to support long-term success and stability
A competitive funding opportunity will be released in early 2026.