America’s top state for aerospace design, manufacturing and assembly brings the best in innovation and workforce to the largest aerospace industrial market in Asia.
Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) raises per-project funding limits to $3 million for core construction, $2 million for rural broadband projects The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) has increased the maximum amount local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes may apply for to fund infrastructure projects in their communities, including rural broadband projects. The new limits are $3 million per project for CERB core construction funds and $2…
Commerce’s Low-Income Weatherization Assistance program has helped struggling families around the state for 39 years. As available funding continues to lag the significant need for help in keeping housing for low-income Washingtonians affordable, energy efficient and healthy, we’re experimenting with new ways to attack the most pressing problems. One vexing problem is a “catch-22” issue: many low-income houses, particularly in rural areas, are not eligible for some existing weatherization assistance…
News this month of housing prices and rents beginning to stabilize or even soften is welcome, given the overheated markets that had priced out many potential homeowners. Even so, there’s still a long way to go when we look at affordable housing for opportunities for workers in lower wage groups and people on fixed incomes. Options for adequate housing, let alone home ownership, for many remain few and far between…
Christopher Poulos marked his first year as executive director of Gov. Inslee’s Statewide Reentry Council this month. Poulos recently visited the Paul. G. Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, where an innovative program is using virtual reality to help individuals prepare for new lives outside of incarceration. Poulos, an attorney and celebrated advocate for criminal justice reforms, was himself formerly incarcerated. Learn more about the Statewide Reentry Council’s…
Chris Green, head of Commerce’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, attended the China International Import Summit in Shanghai earlier this month. We continue to address intellectual property and other challenges while also working to maintain and grow international relationships that are so vital to our state’s economy, even as more uncertainty emerges from the Trump administration. Here’s an update on recent trade news stories from around the world: The…
Washington life science delegation taps global growth opportunities in Dusseldorf, Germany this week
Commerce promoting small businesses to potential foreign partners and customers, including arranged meetings with delegations from Belgium, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Wales at world’s largest medical industry event. OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce kicked off several days of international business-to-business meetings today to showcase the state’s life sciences industry at MEDICA, the world’s largest trade show for the medical technology sector. Product categories…
Early commitment to the council’s workforce strategy will help market the state’s extensive training system to local and global employers – a key factor in company siting decisions. OLYMPIA, WA – Today, the Choose Washington New Mid-Market Airplane (NMA) Council released an innovative and comprehensive strategy to strengthen the state’s talent pool in aerospace and related high-demand industries. “Washington’s continued leadership in aerospace – and many other sectors – depends on…
Our Community Action Council – Lewis, Mason, Thurston County local weatherization agency was awarded $700,000 in its second three-year grant from the Community Weatherization Fund to provide low-income weatherization in Lewis and South Thurston counties. The competitive grant is part of a $55 million package of transition assistance to the Centralia area to help in the transition to the closing of the TransAlta coal plant. Read the TransAlta press release and…
Gov. Inslee has recognized the work of the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program for the past 39 years in Washington State with an Oct. 30 proclamation of Weatherization Day 2018. New innovations and program expansions were made this year including: Weatherization Plus Health was expanded to include 15 local agencies around the state with plans for service to 220 households. Home Rehabilitation Loan Program was created to provide low-income rural residents…