Washington State Microenterprise Association - Community and Economic Development Committee (January 19, 2022)

Summary

Document of Lisa Smith, Executive Director of the Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA), for the Washington State House of Representatives Community and Economic Development Committee, January 19, 2022. It describes WSMA as having a 17-year history supporting nonprofit microenterprise development organizations (MDOs) in collaboration with the Department of Commerce, and states that microbusinesses comprise over 85% of all Washington Businesses. The 2022 legislative priorities include support for a budget request for WSMA in the Supplemental Budget, MBDA funding requests of $400,000, and HB 1015, the Washington equitable access to credit act.

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“Washington State Microenterprise Association - Community and Economic Development Committee (January 19, 2022).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2022-01-19-a29507-d237891-wa-state-microenterprise-association-dce98b488a/, SHA-256 9339576e67a5ebbfb13ca317a42870125aaee49e3136ea8c44c1ff2380b31497.

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Washington State House of Representatives
 Community and Economic Development
              Committee

           January 19, 2022
                10:00 am
               Lisa Smith
       Executive Director, WSMA
Washington State
Microenterprise Association
(WSMA)
  WSMA and Our Partners are Helping the
Smallest Businesses Thrive in Washington State
WSMA Supports Microenterprise
Development Organizations (MDOs)
 WSMA has a 17-year history in Washington State supporting nonprofit MDOs in collaboration with
the Department of Commerce (DOC) – WSMA has strong connection with over 70 emerging and existing
MDOs throughout WA, including:
    ▪   Seattle Urban Impact, El Centro de la Raza, Ventures, Business Impact NW, TwispWorks, SIMBA, Tabor 100,
        Women of Wisdom, MercyCorps NW, Refugee Artisans Initiative, Economic Alliance, RCDR and many more.


 MDOs Focus Business Support for the Smallest Businesses in Washington
    ▪   Businesses with < 5 Employees, < $50K in startup costs with very limited access to traditional credit
    ▪   Microbusinesses comprise over 85% of all Washington Businesses
    ▪   Many of these businesses are owned by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs, veterans,
        woman-owned enterprises, entrepreneurs with disabilities, justice involved entrepreneurs and others historically
        shut out from funding, training programs, financing and business opportunities
    ▪   These businesses often lack access to training and support resources

 MDOs Provide Comprehensive Business Training, Technical Assistance and Access to Financing
through CDFIs, Microloans, etc.
 WSMA Strengthens the Business Services
 Ecosystem – More Support is Needed

• Small Business Resiliency Network
• WSMA - Emerging / Existing MDOs/CDFIs
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)
• Associate Development Orgs (ADOs or EDCs)
• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
Why Support WSMA?
• Training, Technical Assistance and Support to Nonprofit
  MDOs (To Build Capacity and Reach of MDOs)

• Networking and Resource Coordination (Strengthen
  Connections / Statewide SourceLink Affiliate)

• Small Grants to MDOs (To Expand Business Training,
  Technical Assistance and/or Microloans)
Why Support WSMA?
WSMA Training, Technical Assistance and Support
Programs for Non-profit MDOs throughout WA in 2021:
• Clean Materials: Micro Businesses, Macro Opportunity: Building
  Community, Prosperity and a Healthy Planet from the Ground Up
• The Power of Cooperatives to Build Community Wealth
• Free Health Care Coverage for Child Care Workers: Understanding The
  New State Program
• Serving Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
• What Does Supplier Diversity Have to Do with Business Development?
• Resources for Rural Entrepreneurs and Opportunities for Investment
Why Support WSMA?
Networking & Resource Coordination: Washington State
SourceLink Affiliate (in collaboration with Department of Commerce,
Washington Economic Development Association (WEDA), WA Main Street, WA State
SBDCs and other partners.)

• Robust online navigator tool to provide trusted referrals for businesses (especially
  microbusinesses) to a variety of business resources, based on their specific needs.

• This central hub will also help link all these partners to entrepreneurs and to each
  other, building a cohesive community to support new business growth.

• This free, accessible platform will be searchable 24/7 by business owners and
  providers throughout WA to find the right business technical assistance resources in
  WA.
Why Support WSMA?
WSMA Provides Small Grants to Grow Capacity and Reach of
MDOs. The Need Consistently Outpaces Available Funds:

• 2020 Rural & Urban Grants: $242,180

• 2021 Relief & Recovery Grants: $1.6M ($3M in requests)
   (Of the 43 grants, 52% supported BIPOC led non-profits )


• 2022 Statewide & Urban Grants: $450,000
                -WSMA tracks numbers of businesses served, business services provided, jobs created, etc.
WSMA 2022 Legislative Priorities
• Support $3M Budget Request for WSMA in the Supplemental Budget (To support MDOs
  that serve businesses with <5 employees, especially Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), veterans, woman-
  owned enterprises, entrepreneurs with disabilities, justice involved entrepreneurs and others historically shut out
  from business training programs, technical assistance and financing opportunities.)


• Support Current SBDCs ($1M) and MBDA ($400,000) Funding Requests.

• Support Washington Communities Investment Coalition - HB 1015 creating the
  Washington equitable access to credit act.

• Support Clean Economy Initiatives, especially those that strengthen capacity of the
  smallest businesses to grow in this new economy.

• Support Initiatives that bridge the digital equity divide by increasing the accessibility
  and affordability of telecommunications services, devices, and training.
      Thank You!
     Lisa Smith - lisa@wamicrobiz.org
Washington State Microenterprise Association
                  WSMA
                 wamicrobiz.org

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