In 2022, the Legislature created the Community Reinvestment Account, setting aside $200 million to address racial, economic, and social disparities created by the historic design and enforcement of state and federal criminal laws and penalties for drug possession (the war on drugs). The Legislature directed that the Department of Commerce (Commerce) invest the funds in four program areas: economic development, civil and criminal legal assistance, community-based violence intervention and prevention services, and reentry services.

Commerce – in partnership with the WA Office of Equity – worked with communities across the state to develop a Community Reinvestment Plan laying out recommendations for how these funds will be invested over the next biennium (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025).

The Community Reinvestment Plan recommended Commerce distribute $200 million across the state through more than 17 individual grant programs in the four program areas. Subject matter experts are currently administering the grant programs across several Commerce units and divisions and in other state agencies. Some of the grant programs included in the Community Reinvestment Plan are expansions of existing programs – implementation will be relatively quick and easy. Some of the programs represent new ideas, requiring more time and collaboration to implement. 

To learn more about the plan, please read the full breakdown of the proposed programs (PDF). To read the full plan, download the Community Reinvestment Plan (PDF).

The harm from unjust practices requires healing and action. Structural racism was, and still is, directly embedded in past and present criminal laws and penalties for drug possession – both in WA and across the nation. We also must be honest that these policies targeted and inversely impacted Black, Latine, and tribal residents of Washington. As a result, CRP funding must prioritize those communities in order to begin undo harm and building a better Washington state for all.

We also must recognize the harm that carries over between generations within families and support steps toward intergenerational healing – recognizing the mental, spiritual and embodied impacts of the war on drugs. Harm does not just include physical detention and incarceration, but also over-surveillance, over-policing, over-incarceration, and over-sentencing present throughout the criminal legal process.

We must connect community-level harm with community-level listening and consider harm from not just an individual level, but a community-level perspective. We must acknowledge that existing public datasets might not adequately capture the kinds of harm and impacts that communities have experienced and continue to experience.

With funding distributed through Commerce, the Community Reinvestment Project will support 17 different grant programs. Each of the program managers will distribute the funds in accordance with the Community Reinvestment Plan, with several inter-agency and external partners.

• Employment Security Department – $25 million to provide workforce and small business services.
• Office of Civil Legal Aid – $8 million to fund legal representation and vacating criminal records and legal financial obligation relief.
• Department of Commerce – $167 million to support violence prevention, reentry services, and economic development.

The Community Reinvestment Plan (PDF) set out a strategy to invest in communities disproportionately harmed by ‘the War on Drugs’ in WA. For CRP, this means being explicit that these policies have historically targeted Black, Latine, and tribal residents in Washington state.

How CRP defines a “By-and-For” Organization

As a result, CRP prioritizes funding to “By-and-For” organizations that are led by-and-for Black, Latine, and tribal communities in Washington state. CRP also emphasizes working with nonprofit, faith-based, and grassroots organizations.

As defined by the Office of Equity, to qualify as “By-and-For” for purposes of the Community Reinvestment project, an organization must:

• • Be part of, rooted in, and defined by the identity of the Black, Latine, tribal community;
  • Have leadership and staff who belong to the Black, Latine or tribal community; and
  • Have roots in their communities as change agents and providers of mitigating systems of community service;
  • Invest in and work with community members to improve their quality of life.

Geographic Consideration

As dictated by the Community Reinvestment Plan (PDF), approximately 64% of CRP funding will be directed towards communities in counties that experienced disproportional harm during “the War on Drugs.” Our analysis of crime, incarceration, and economic data revealed that Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane and Yakima are the state’s top six counties in need. Remaining funding will be distribution across other counties throughout WA. 

For questions about this registration, please contact the Community Reinvestment Project Team by filling out our contact form.

The Community Reinvestment Project must demonstrate significant long-term economic benefits to the state, a region, or a specific community within the state. Measuring outcomes involves carefully assessing and tracking the economic impact of various investments over time. This will include factors such as new job creation, job retention, increased personal wealth, and higher incomes for individuals and families. Impacts on wealth disparities will be realized by actions designed to promote asset building, such as home ownership, and expanding access to financial resources, including but not limited to grants and loans for small businesses and entrepreneurs, financial literacy training, and other small business training and support activities.

The success and effectiveness of the Community Reinvestment Program will be determined by the geographic and demographic impact of the distribution of the funds to individuals and families harmed by the war on drugs.

Each grant program will have Key Performance Indicators reported out using a consolidated accountable and transparent reporting mechanism. Data points unique to each grant program will measure and allow us to understand outcomes. The Community Reinvestment Plan implementation will integrate racial equity considerations in all outreach and contractual programs and practices, and be a catalyst for change to traditional Commerce practices and systems. To be successful, the Community Reinvestment Plan implementation will require intentional, regular and transparent communication internally within Commerce and externally with other state agencies, grantees, potential grantees, and community partners.

To learn about the CRP plan, download the PDF.