Why do business in Washington?

Small-business owners and entrepreneurs in Pierce County, Washington, will have an opportunity to connect with more than 20 business assistance organizations during a free resource event scheduled for November 20 in Edgewood.

The Pierce County Community Navigator team and the City of Edgewood are organizing the Thriving Together Resource Event, bringing together government agencies, financial institutions, nonprofit organizations, and business development professionals.

Pierce County highlighted the event in its November 10 business update.

The gathering will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Edgewood City Hall, located at 10440 Dom Calata Way East.

Registration is available through the county’s official event announcement.

More Than 20 Organizations Participating

The event is designed to help local business owners connect with organizations offering assistance in areas such as business development, financing, government services, and workforce support.

Participating organizations include Pierce County Economic Development, the Washington Small Business Development Center, Business Impact Northwest, and the Fife Milton Edgewood Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives from the Washington State Department of Revenue, Department of Labor & Industries, and Department of Enterprise Services are also listed among the participants.

Several financial institutions and community organizations will attend.

The gathering provides an opportunity for business owners to meet multiple service providers in one location rather than contacting each organization separately.

Resources for New and Established Businesses

The participating organizations serve businesses at different stages of development.

Entrepreneurs preparing to establish a company may be interested in business planning assistance, financing information, and connections with local development organizations.

Existing businesses may benefit from learning about workforce services, regulatory requirements, financing resources, and programs intended to support continued operations.

The event does not guarantee financing, grants, or other assistance to attendees.

Instead, its primary purpose is to connect business owners with organizations that can explain available services and eligibility requirements.

Additional Business Training Available in November

Pierce County’s November 10 update also identifies several upcoming training opportunities.

On November 16, the City of Tacoma and Washington’s Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises will offer a free certification class.

Participants will work with a certification analyst who can guide them through the application process.

A separate free government-contracting presentation is scheduled for November 18.

That session will explain how businesses can prepare capability statements and concise presentations describing their services to prospective government customers.

Pierce County also lists a four-week digital marketing and search engine optimization course beginning November 17.

The course addresses changes in online search, including AI-generated search summaries and search results that provide answers without requiring users to visit another website.

A Spanish-language version begins November 18.

Free On-Demand Training Also Available

Business owners unable to attend scheduled events can explore Pierce County’s Business Skills program.

The county offers free, self-paced training intended to help entrepreneurs develop practical business management skills.

Participants can also request assistance through the county’s Community Navigator program.

These services provide additional options for business owners who need information but cannot attend in-person meetings during regular business hours.

Registration for November 20 Event

The Thriving Together Resource Event is scheduled for Friday, November 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Edgewood City Hall.

Attendance is free, and the county provides an online registration form.

Business owners interested in participating should review the official announcement and register before attending.

For entrepreneurs and established businesses throughout Pierce County, the event offers a convenient opportunity to explore local assistance programs, meet business development organizations, and identify resources relevant to their operations.

Small businesses in Washington may gain additional access to financing and business assistance following a new round of state grants supporting community lending organizations.

The Washington State Department of Commerce announced October 28, 2026, that it has awarded $4,356,000 to 11 organizations through its Equitable Access to Credit Program.

The funding supports lenders that serve businesses and entrepreneurs who face barriers when seeking conventional financing.

Participating organizations can use the grants to expand access to business loans, investments, technical assistance, and financial education.

Eleven Organizations Receive Funding

The state’s latest awards support a range of community development financial institutions and specialized lending organizations.

Recipients include Business Impact NW, Craft3, Community Impact Loan Fund, Northwest Access Fund, and several organizations serving tribal communities.

Individual awards range from $81,474 to $678,949.

MoFi received the largest individual award at $678,949.

Craft3 received $640,792, while the Chehalis Tribal Loan Fund received $633,686.

The funding will support each organization’s approved lending and business assistance activities.

These grants are awarded to lending organizations rather than directly to individual small businesses.

Business owners should not interpret the announcement as an open application for $4.36 million in direct business grants.

Program Focuses on Access to Capital

Washington established the Equitable Access to Credit Program in 2022.

The initiative is intended to help businesses in communities where conventional financing may be difficult to obtain.

Participating lenders may provide loans, investments, financial education, and other services depending on their individual programs.

At least 65% of annual grant funding must support Native Community Development Financial Institutions or organizations providing services or investments in rural counties.

The requirement directs a substantial portion of program resources toward rural and tribal communities.

However, individual borrowers must satisfy the eligibility and underwriting requirements established by their chosen lender.

The state announcement does not establish a universal loan amount or interest rate for businesses seeking assistance.

Businesses Can Also Participate Through Tax Credits

The program includes a separate opportunity for businesses that pay Washington’s business and occupation tax.

Qualifying taxpayers can contribute to the Equitable Access to Credit Program and receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit.

Individual contributors may receive credits of up to $1 million annually.

The overall program has an annual contribution cap of $8 million.

Credits cannot exceed the taxpayer’s applicable business and occupation tax liability.

Unused credits may be carried forward for up to two succeeding years under program rules.

The deadline for contributions during 2026 is December 31.

Businesses interested in contributing should review the state’s requirements before transferring funds.

Program Has Supported Previous Lending Activity

Washington’s first Equitable Access to Credit awards were issued in 2024.

That initial round provided $1 million to eight community development financial institutions.

According to the Department of Commerce, the funding supported 36 investments across 16 Washington counties.

In 2025, the program awarded approximately $5.6 million to 11 lending organizations.

The latest awards continue that financing initiative.

What Business Owners Should Know

Entrepreneurs interested in financing can contact participating lending organizations to learn about their available products and requirements.

Businesses should confirm service areas, eligibility, financing costs, and application procedures directly with each organization.

The state has not announced a single application process for individual borrowers seeking assistance through all 11 recipients.

For Washington’s business community, the new awards provide additional resources to organizations that help entrepreneurs and established businesses obtain financing.

Small businesses operating in Seattle, Washington, have a new financing option following changes to the city’s Small Business Capital Access Program.

The Seattle Office of Economic Development announced October 29, 2026, that eligible businesses can obtain loans of up to $350,000 at a fixed 4% interest rate through participating community lenders.

The revised program is intended to make financing more affordable for established businesses, particularly those that have experienced difficulty obtaining traditional commercial loans.

Six participating community lenders will provide financing through the program.

Loans Offer Fixed 4% Interest

Under the updated Capital Access Program, qualifying businesses can receive a fixed interest rate of 4% for the life of an eligible loan.

The fixed rate allows borrowers to calculate financing costs without exposure to changes in variable interest rates.

Loans can reach $350,000, although individual amounts depend on lender approval and applicable program requirements.

The program is designed to help businesses obtain financing for operating expenses and other qualifying commercial needs.

Eligible uses can include payroll, rent, utilities, supplies, and ordinary business expenses.

Specific loan terms and permitted uses should be confirmed with the participating lender.

These are repayable loans, not grants.

Who Qualifies?

Seattle’s published Capital Access Program requirements establish several eligibility conditions.

Businesses must be independently owned, operated for profit, and located within Seattle city limits.

Applicants must have been operating for more than 12 months.

Businesses must also maintain an active Seattle business license and satisfy applicable city tax filing requirements.

The program generally limits eligibility to businesses with no more than 50 full-time-equivalent employees and annual gross revenue of $2 million or less.

Additional restrictions apply to certain business activities and nonprofit organizations.

Businesses should confirm current eligibility requirements directly with participating lenders before applying.

No Separate Application for the Reduced Rate

One important feature of the revised program is its application process.

Business owners do not need to submit a separate application to the city to request the special interest rate.

Instead, participating lenders evaluate borrowers for Capital Access Program eligibility during the loan approval process.

If an approved borrower meets the program’s requirements, the lender handles the additional program procedures.

Businesses must still satisfy the lender’s ordinary underwriting and documentation requirements.

Approval for financing is not automatic.

Program Has Supported Hundreds of Businesses

Seattle originally launched its Capital Access Program in 2021.

According to the Office of Economic Development, the program has distributed nearly $7 million in financial assistance to 331 businesses.

That assistance helped facilitate more than $27.8 million in affordable business financing.

An earlier version of the program provided principal reductions of up to $30,000.

The October 29 announcement instead emphasizes the revised fixed-interest financing model.

Business owners should confirm the currently available benefits rather than assuming earlier program terms remain unchanged.

Where Businesses Can Apply

Interested businesses can review participating lenders and program requirements through Seattle’s Office of Economic Development.

The city works with community development financial institutions and credit unions to provide financing.

These organizations may consider applicants who have encountered barriers when seeking traditional business loans.

However, each lender determines whether an applicant qualifies for financing.

For Seattle business owners considering expansion, operating capital, or other commercial financing needs, the revised program provides an additional option with a published fixed interest rate.