Financial resources to help your small business grow.

Having ready access to capital is essential for business success these days. Whether it’s short- or long-term loans, crowdfunding or even funding to clean up once polluted and unusable lands, Washington State has several funding strategies to help you grow and expand. At the Washington State Department of Commerce, our goal is to strengthen communities and one part of that is to fuel economic development in every region of the state.

Grant and loan programs

Whether through grants or loans, the cash infused into an organization can make a pivotal difference – in the long-term success of a business or in a specific project. Grant funds are one way that the Washington State Department of commerce fuels ideas and projects to grow jobs and stimulate economic development. Grants support a range of activities, whether specific initiatives, business expansion efforts, innovative research, or many other programs. Unlike grants, business loans must be re-paid and small business owners often feel like they are in a catch-22 dilemma. It takes money – and collateral – to secure a business loan, but you need a loan to get that money. The Washington State Department of Commerce has developed several programs to serve the needs of small businesses across the state. This funding is provided through the U.S. Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). These loan programs aim to promote entrepreneurship, support small business ownership, and increase the flow of capital in underserved communities.

You can learn more about the grant and loan programs administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce by visiting Start Up Washington’s Access to Capital section.

Education and training resources

The Washington State Department of Commerce administers Startup Washington, Washington’s Small Business Training & Education Center.  Through the on demand training and more, entrepreneurs and small business owners gain the skills, knowledge and acumen to guide a business all the way through its various stages — Think – Plan – Launch – Grow – Optimize. There is no standard formula for figuring out your startup costs. Every business is different. The mistake many first-time entrepreneurs make is not being honest about what these costs will be. 

Whether you participate in one of our On Demand Training Academies, or our follow-on, training and mentorship programs for  established businesses, Scale Up, or Thrive!, Start Up Washington helps you gain a unique understanding of the strategies available small businesses use to fund their enterprises.

Small Business Loan Programs

Washington State has created five new loan programs targeted to small businesses, backed by $163 million from the U.S. Treasury. These innovative programs will help small businesses grow and expand through low-interest loans designed specifically for them.

Startup Wisdom

Startup Wisdom offers 27 different strategies for funding a business, from the fairly straightforward to the very out-of-the-box. Each strategy in the book offers up the pros and cons and many have case studies using real-world examples. Best of all, it’s free with a quick click on the link above.

Industrial Revenue Bonds

These bonds are ideal for businesses building or expanding manufacturing and processing facilities as they usually offer companies lower interest loans than are otherwise available on the open market.