A feature of Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. (GGHI) is to provide business assistance and resource referral. This monthly Business Assistance Briefing is to share relevant and timely resources to support your business, regardless of size.

In today’s world it can be hard to navigate the waters when it comes to running your business, gaining access to capital, permitting, marketing woes, workforce needs, or just getting started – GGHI is here to assist.

This month we want to celebrate Spanish Heritage month. We are adding in some resources that we hope Spanish/Hispanic owned small businesses will take advantage of.

SCORE

Hispanic-owned small businesses have grown 34% and contributed $500B to the U.S. economy over the last 10 years. Even with the growth and accelerating impact, Hispanic business owners face very real challenges. SCORE has many resources for our Hispanic owned businesses in Grays Harbor, including mentorship that is designed for you. SCORE has Spanish speaking volunteers that work to assist you and give back to their communities. Please check out all the testimonies on the page to see that there are businesses out there just like you.

Click here to learn more about SCORE.

Business Impact NW

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th – October 15th every year. The month is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the contributions of Hispanics and Latinxs throughout the world.

At Business Impact NW, we’d like to celebrate our local Pacific Northwest Hispanic and Latinx populations by showcasing small businesses that identify as Latinx-owned, offering free resources, support, and more.

Click here to find out more and search all the resources offered.

Small Business Association Wednesday Webinars

Tune in Weekly to Learn about SBA Programs and Resources
Wednesday Webinars feature a new topic each week, including technical assistance, loan programs, government contracting, and resources for small business exporting. Check out our upcoming September topics:

Wednesday, September 6 | Meet the Washington Center for Women in Business

The WCWB offers entrepreneurial training programs, workshops, one-on-one counseling, coaching and special events to women in all stages of business development. We will hear from the center Director and a current WCWB client on how they utilized these services to grow their business.

Wednesday, September 13 | SBA Loans 101

Join staff from the Seattle SBA office to learn valuable information on borrowing money to start or grow your small business. The SBA offers a wide range of loan programs whether your business needs $500 or $5 million, our network is here to help.

Wednesday, September 27 | Are You Ready to Export? Meet the SBA Office of International Trade

Join us this week for a conversation with John Brislin, Export Finance Manager for SBA’s Office of International Trade. As SBA’s office for the support of small business international trade development, the Office of International Trade works in cooperation with other federal agencies and public- and private-sector groups to encourage small business exports and to assist small businesses seeking to export.

View the full calendar.

Visit the SBA Seattle District Calendar to view the full lineup of events, workshops, and trainings from the SBA and partners including SCORESmall Business Development Center (SBDC)Women’s Business CentersVeterans Business Outreach CenterCommunity Navigators, and more!

View the full calendar.

Small Business Resiliency Network

Partners of the Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN) provide culturally and linguistically relevant assistance and other business support services at no cost to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits – with an emphasis on those owned by historically marginalized and underserved persons – throughout Washington.

Click here to check out WA State Department of Commerce Resiliency Network.

ORIA

The Governor’s Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) helps people navigate Washington’s environmental and business regulatory systems. Our information center provides citizens and businesses with information and understanding about local, state, and federal regulatory requirements. Our office collaborates with agencies and stakeholders on ways to improve regulatory systems for more effective services, including for small businesses. Our office is in Olympia, Washington and our services are free.

Below are a few examples of customer requests.

  • Connecting a small business owner wanting to start biodiesel production with regulators and safety officials.
  • Helping an entrepreneur understand the requirements for owning and operating an auto body business.
  • Putting a farmer in touch with the correct regulatory staff to determine if a piece of property has water rights.
  • Explaining the permitting process for dock or mooring buoy construction to a homeowner.

Click here to check out all ORIA has to offer.

Greater Grays Harbor hosts a Business Assistance page on our website that provides a lengthy list of resources related to startups and other business support.

We are happy to conduct a meeting with you to discuss business needs and how to navigate the vast resource network. Please reach out to Loretta Thomas, Program Manager for Business Development at GGHI if you have questions or need some guidance along your business journey.