RISE-WA: Rural Investment for Small-Business Empowerment in Washington State

In January 2023, the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) received a Small Business Innovation Fund (SBIF) Grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to launch the RISE-WA (Rural Investment for Small-business Empowerment) Accelerator. The aim of RISE-WA was to connect rural Small, Women, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color-owned businesses (S/W/BIPOC) in Washington State with solution providers and subject matter experts. This initiative intended to harness the innovation and technology of the urban tech sector to bolster these businesses' success and enhance their resilience against future challenges.
Throughout the program, cohort businesses engaged in a series of Accelerator program sessions and numerous one-on-one meetings with solution providers and mentors. These interactions provided the businesses with valuable services and insights in areas such as marketing and communications strategies, business financing, and logistics planning. The program was designed to equip these entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in an evolving business landscape.

Learn more here: www.risewa.org/

Meet the Team

Who Makes Up the RISE-WA Accelerator Team? Learn more about them below!
Donald Williams
CEO/Lead Consultant
From the Light Consulting LLC
Eric Fitzgerald
Director, Business Support and Development
WOW Tri-Cities
Katherine Cortes
Senior Associate
BERK Consulting
Steve Myers
Senior Program Manager
PNWER
Tara Edens
Program Manager
PNWER
José Vasquez
CEO
Growing Contigo
Nate Weigel
Program Manager
PNWER
Brigette Burwell
Program Coordinator
PNWER
Sabrina Santos
Associate
BERK Consulting
About PNWER
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) is a public/private non-profit organization created by statute in 1991. Member jurisdictions include Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington, and the Canadian provinces and territories of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon. PNWER's mission is to increase thef economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region, identify and promote "models of success," and serve as a conduit to exchange information.

​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.