Project Title: South Sound Regional Business Incubator
Recipient: Federal Way Chamber of Commerce
Amount: $1,200,000
Location: Federal Way, WA
Purpose: This item will assist with facility acquisition, capital improvements and investments.
Importance: This funding will complete the final phase of the South Sound Regional Business Incubator, which will help support business growth and development and job creation in the region.
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Project Title: National Center for Economic Vitality
Recipient: Western Washington University
Amount: $2,200,000
Location: Bellingham, WA
Purpose: The National Center for Economic Vitality is focused on preparing and assisting start-up businesses to stabilize and grow.
Importance: This funding will help support business development and job growth by attracting new investment into local communities in Washington state.
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Project Title: Sirti Foundation Growth
Fund
Recipient: Sirti Foundation
Amount: $2,500,000
Location: Spokane, WA
Purpose: This proposal combines public and private financing in the forms of debt, grant and equity with business development coaching services for emerging companies through every aspect of starting a technology company.
Importance: The Sirti Foundation Growth Fund utilizes grant and revolving loan fund dollars in order to stimulate and create globally competitive clean energy technology products, services and jobs and will help create economic growth in eastern Washington.
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Project Title: Washington BRIC Export
Initiative
Recipient: International Trade Alliance
Amount: $750,000
Location: Tacoma, WA and Seattle, WA
Purpose: This program seeks to actively increase exports by Washington companies through direct exposure to the BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and the support services to successfully negotiate international deals.
Importance: The BRIC Export Initiative proposes to leverage the region's sustainable energy and clean technology innovators, along with more traditional manufacturers and service providers to position them to be leading exporters to BRIC countries and strengthening their global competitiveness and create economic growth in Washington state and the nation.
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Project Title: Rural Entrepreneurship
Pilot Program
Recipient: Giant Campus, Inc.
Amount: $2,500,000
Location: Dayton, Waitsburg, White Salmon,
Ritzville, Omak, Okanogan, Aberdeen and Hoquiam
Purpose: This project will support the development, implementation, and marketing of a pilot program to serve 2,500 individuals, over a one year period, within the Dayton, Waitsburg, White Salmon, Ritzville, Omak, Okanogan, Aberdeen and Hoquiam communities. All participants will have access to entrepreneurial education courses online and through mobile technology labs in addition to mentoring and job-placement assistance.
Importance: This project will provide participants technology skills that are essential entrepreneurial and business management tools enabling them to start, own and operate profitable businesses and create economic growth in these rural areas.