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  • Home
  • Our Work
    • Working Groups
    • Center for Regional Disaster Resilience
    • Congregate
    • Future Borders Coalition (Beyond Preclearance)
    • Pandemic Resilience Roadmap
    • PNWER RIA Program
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • 2023 Annual Summit
    • 2023 Economic Leadership Forum
    • Past Events >
      • 2022 Economic Leadership Forum
      • 2022 Annual Summit
      • 2021 Economic Leadership Forum
      • 2021 Summit
      • 2020 Economic Leadership Forum-Rising Economy Week
      • 2019 Economic Leadership Forum
      • 2019 Summit
  • Webinars
    • Past Webinars
    • COVID-19 Recovery Call
  • Energy Institute
  • Sponsorship
    • Current Sponsors
  • About Us
    • Accomplishments
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Governance Structure
    • History
    • PNWER Staff
  • Resources
    • Action Items
    • Annual Reports
    • Blog
    • Leadership Awards
    • Media
    • Newsletter Archives
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RISE-WA: Rural Investment for Small-Business Empowerment

Are you an owner of a Small*, Women, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color-owned business (S/W/BIPOC) in rural Washington?
If you answered yes, then we encourage you to learn more about our RISE-WA Accelerator!


Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) is proud to announce that we have been awarded a Washington State Department of Commerce Small Business Innovation Fund (SBIF) grant. PNWER will leverage the success of the recently completed Congregate Solutions Accelerator project and begin a new phase focused on underserved rural communities. PNWER will focus on assisting rural Small, Women, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color-owned businesses (S/W/BIPOC) in Washington State. Through this project, PNWER will facilitate new business relationships between technical assistance solution providers and small under-resourced businesses to provide direct financial support, mentorship, and industry expertise. The purpose is to accelerate post-pandemic recovery in these under-resourced businesses and communities and provide needed guidance and services to help them expand and grow their businesses. Connecting S/W/BIPOC businesses with technology and technical assistance providers based on their needs will help to increase revenue and jobs for participating small businesses and increase tax revenue in rural areas.

Request for Proposals (RFP)
​

PNWER is looking for qualified consultants to serve in a project coordination role. The consultant shall have experience working with Small, Women, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color-Owned (S/W/BIPOC) Businesses in urban and/or rural
communities, have technical knowledge of the innovation economy, experience in the corporate innovation space, and experience working with the government to implement innovative solutions. 

View the Full RFP

Interested in Applying for the Accelerator?

What is the RISE-WA Accelerator?
The Accelerator is a project funded by a Small Business Innovation Fund grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. 

The goal of the project is to 
bring technical solution providers and technology entrepreneurs together with rural Small, Women, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color-owned businesses (S/W/BIPOC) in Washington State to utilize innovation and technology of the urban tech sector to improve pandemic resilience and business recovery. The project will facilitate new business relationships between technical assistance solution providers and under-resourced businesses to provide direct financial support, mentorship, and industry expertise to small business owners and entrepreneurs and accelerate the post-pandemic recovery in these under-resourced businesses and communities.

The Accelerator is a challenge-based accelerator. A "challenge-based” accelerator means that we will work with businesses on the main challenges that are currently barriers to growing and expanding their businesses.

​We want to hear from you, the business owner, about the challenges that you are facing! 
Who Should Apply?
Our project is aimed at helping Small*, Women, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color-owned businesses (S/W/BIPOC) in rural Washington. If you are a S/W/BIPOC business owner in Washington State and your business operates in any of the following counties, then we encourage you to apply!

Washington Rural Counties:
  • Adams
  • Asotin
  • Chelan
  • Clallam
  • Columbia
  • Cowlitz
  • Douglas
  • Ferry
  • Franklin
  • Garfield​
  • Grant
  • Grays Harbor
  • Island
  • Jefferson
  • Kittitas
  • Klickitat
  • Lewis
  • Lincoln
  • Mason
  • Okanogan​
  • ​​Pacific
  • Pend Oreille
  • San Juan
  • Skagit
  • Skamania
  • Stevens
  • Wahkiakum
  • Walla Walla
  • Whitman
  • Yakima

View Map of Rural Washington Counties

Has your business experienced any of the following challenges?​
  • Finance Management
  • Workforce Management 
  • Supply Chain Management 
  • Human Resources
  • Healthcare
  • Point of Sale
  • Inventory Systems Management 
  • Marketing Assistance 

​Running a business is challenging especially in rural communities where access to helpful resources might be scarce.
We want to help!

*"Small business" as defined by State of Washington RCQ 39.26.010 (22):
          "Small business" means an in-state business, including a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity, that:
                     (a) Certifies, under penalty of perjury, that it is owned and operated independently from all other businesses and has either:

                               (i) Fifty or fewer employees; or
                               (ii) A gross revenue of less than seven million dollars annually as reported on its federal income tax return or its return   
                                     filed with the department of revenue over the previous three consecutive years; or
                    
(b) Is certified with the office of women and minority business enterprises under chapter 39.19 RCW.
​Why Should You Apply?​
Benefits:
  • Direct Financial Support
    • S/W/BIPOC businesses can receive up to $20,000 in technical assistance.
    • S/W/BIPOC businesses can receive up to $10,000 for time spent in the 8-week accelerator.
  • Mentorship
  • ​Industry & Subject Matter Expertise
  • Technical Assistance
  • Pilot Project with Solution Provider
How to Apply?
Applying for the Accelerator is simple! 
Click on the button below or visit the link here: 

Fill out the form and hit submit.
Apply Here
When does the Accelerator take place?
The Accelerator is an 8-week program starting on March 15 and running until May 10. The program will include weekly  sessions and workshops on a range of topics based on feedback we receive from you as well as one-on-one sessions with your mentor and/or innovative partner. 

Remember, you can reimbursed for your time up to $10,000!

Participation is remote and will take place over Zoom or by phone. In-person meetings can arranged if needed. 

​Additional Resources and Programs

View and Download the Informational Flyer
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This project was supported by Grant No. SLFRO0002 awarded by US Dept. of Treasury. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Dept. of Treasury. Grant funds are administered by the Small Business Innovation Fund, Washington State Department of Commerce.
Phone: (206) 443-7723 
Fax: (206) 443-7703
Email: info@pnwer.org
World Trade Center West
2200 Alaskan Way, Suite 460
Seattle, WA 98121