Washington State Microenterprise Association Strengthening Rural Families RuFES Session, SeaTac, WA

 Founded by practitioner coalition  Membership based organization  Capacity building focus  Funding intermediary

 Business with 5 or fewer employees  Owner is an employee (self-employed)  Requires $35,000 or less in capital

 Non-profit and community based organization  Target various client populations  Structured entrepreneurial training and education  One-on-one technical assistance  Workshops and access to resources  Access to capital (loans)  Other resources.. List of members and resources

Statistics say:  486,504 Microenterprises in WA  17.4% of all employment  80,273 Rural employees  568,573 urban employees  86% of all businesses in WA  23 MDO’s serving 15 of 39 counties

 Increase in household income (78%, 2 yrs)*  Increased home ownership (14-22%, 2 yrs)**  Access to financial services  Economic literacy  Business assets and equity (250%, 2 yrs)* *FIELD **Welfare to Work

 Savings  Credit Cards  Friends and Family  Bank Loans  Investors  Other Resources ?

SBA Microloans  Up to $35,000 (Just raised to $50,000)  Average $13,000  Start-up, newly established and growing small business  Funding provided through intermediary

USDA Intermediary Relending Program  Loans to new or existing business  Saving or creating jobs  Communities with populations of 25,000 or less  Typically larger loans (average $100,000)

 $500 - $35,000  New, Existing and Growing  Typically target disadvantaged populations  Microenterprise focus: 5 or fewer employees  Training and technical assistance support WSMA is working with community groups to develop lending programs for their communities

 Matched savings for asset development (housing, education and small business)  Individuals develop an action plan and initiate savings  Access funds when reached their savings goal  Usually offers credit and budget counseling

 Work with organizations interested in pursuing microenterprise development  Provide networking and learning opportunities  Provide access to funding opportunities  Work with policy makers to increase access and capacity

over $225,000 in short-term project grant awards:  Served 1,022 clients with training and technical assistance  49 loans packaged  Over $380,000 in loans  $11,900 average loan amount  48 businesses started  38 businesses expanded  Created programs where previously not existed

 WSMA’s PRIME Program  Learning Clusters (5 new, 10 existing) ▪ Best Practice ▪ Program Development ▪ Networking ▪ Outcome and Performance Measures  Micro-Loan Platform

Washington State Microenterprise Association Teresa Lemmons, Executive Director (253)