Community Reinvestment Project: Small Business Resiliency Network
Community Reinvestment Project: Small Business Resiliency Network
In April 2025, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation (GTCF) contracted with the Washington State Department of Commerce to support delivery of $900,000 in Community Reinvestment Project funds to Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN) Members.
The Department of Commerce’s Community Reinvestment Project (CRP) is a community-designed plan to uplift Black, Latine, and Indigenous communities disproportionately harmed by the historical design/enforcement of criminal laws and penalties for drug possession (otherwise known as the war on drugs).
CRP SMALL BUSINESS RESILIENCY NETWORK FUNDING PROCESS
The SBRN is a network of community organizations across Washington State that provide culturally and linguistically relevant assistance to historically underserved small businesses. In April 2025, Commerce staff introduced GTCF and SBRN members. Commerce staff worked with SBRN members to ensure project and funding readiness.
SBRN Members planned to use the funding for a range of services to increase access to capital, including:
- Supporting small businesses by contributing at least 50% of the capital toward asset acquisition or debt payoff
- Assisting small businesses with equipment and commercial property acquisition
- Delivering monthly small business meetings and educational workshops, creating eligibility for debt reduction and/or purchase of essential assets that drive growth and long-term sustainability
- Supporting entrepreneurs in making capital investments that strengthen their businesses
- Enhancing business stability through strategic asset acquisition and debt reduction
- Facilitating financial literacy by advising participants in making sustainable investment decisions
Upon direction from Commerce, GTCF delivered grants to each of the 24 funded SBRN Members. GTCF made grant acceptance processes as adaptable and flexible as possible so organizations could stay focused on delivering critical services in their communities across the state. This process included the following steps:
- Participating in a virtual meeting with Commerce and SBRN members to establish relationships and provide information about the funding process
- Developing a simple, pre-populated form that allowed members to confirm or update information rather than having to complete a traditional grant application
- Offering both ACH and check payment options as well as easy access to any required tax documentation to ensure flexibility for SBRN funding recipients
- Consulting with each recipient organization to confirm acceptance of funds, preferred delivery method, and all necessary paperwork for grant processing
CRP SMALL BUSINESS RESILIENCY NETWORK FUNDING IN ACTION
“When we show up with the resources, trust, and strong commitment our communities deserve, we help stabilize the business – which in turn stabilizes the home and family. The impact runs deep, and the potential is generational wealth” – Jessica Camacho, Director, Small Business Resiliency Network
For Jessica Camacho, Director of Washington State Department of Commerce’s Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN), “this funding is about more than just dollars – it’s about power, stability, and belief. It’s for businesses who’ve been told “no” over and over again, not because they’re not ready, but because the system was never built for them in the first place. For too long our communities have been told they’re ‘too risky,’ ‘not ready,’ or ‘not the right fit’ for funding. What this program does is flip that script. It says: You are worthy. You are capable. We see your value. And we believe in you. And that belief – backed by real capital – has power.”
Nazzy (left) of Compassion Catering
Jessica shared Nazzy’s experience as an example, “Nazzy is a young Black woman from Spokane running Compassion Catering. When SBRN Partner, Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance (SIMBA), first met Nazzy, she was struggling to keep her catering business afloat while dealing with the financial fallout caused by a former business partner. With support from SIMBA in accessing multiple funding sources, including CRP blended capital, Nazzy gained full control of her business, purchased essential equipment, hired a staff of four, and embraced her true worth. Nazzy has since been named Caterer of the Year in Spokane, growing her brand, charging what she deserves, and creating jobs in a city where Black women-owned businesses are rarely centered.”
Masuma Khan, SBRN Program Director at Muslim Association of Puget Sound explained how, “CRP funding was instrumental in helping 20 small businesses in our network build long-term resiliency.” One example is Hana’s Naturals, a small business creating handmade self-care products. Hana’s used CRP funding to purchase a bath bomb press and soap-making equipment, allowing them to shift from time-intensive, small-batch production to a more efficient, scalable operation. The new equipment helped the business expand its product line and set the foundation for long-term growth, including plans to enter new retail and wholesale channels.
Products from Hana’s Naturals
Another example is Transcend, a sustainable fashion brand that used CRP funding to purchase industrial embroidery and sewing equipment. The brand focuses on building a hyper-local, circular supply chain in Washington by employing refugee and immigrant seamstresses to create small-batch garments from upcycled textiles. Bringing embroidery in-house significantly increased production capacity, speed, and profit margins while enabling the team to fulfill both retail and wholesale orders that require custom embroidery. Masuma observed, “This investment has not only unlocked new revenue streams, but also created dignified, community-based work opportunities.
Masuma offered a big picture view of the partnership, “By supporting the purchase of essential tools—from POS systems and commercial kitchen equipment to laser cutters and accessibility technology—these businesses were able to streamline operations, expand their offerings, and better serve their communities. One of the most rewarding outcomes has been seeing entrepreneurs gain the capacity to scale, move from idea to execution faster, and grow in ways that were previously out of reach. This program didn’t just provide resources—it created real, measurable impact for local businesses ready to take the next step”.
While Commerce and their SBRN partners are the ones who sit across from business owners every day and help them take the next steps to fulfill their potential, Jessica explained how partnering with GTCF to deliver CRP funding to SBRN partners, “made the difference between this program being just an idea and it becoming real support in the hands of real people. What GTCF did was help us activate funds within [the SBRN] network. GTCF passed the funds directly to our SBRN partners, cutting through red tape and delays, so partners could do what they do best: show up for their communities.
“This really isn’t about getting funds out. It’s about doing it in a way that respects the relationships and the real-life barriers our communities face. Without GTCF, we wouldn’t have been able to move this quickly or this equitably. They helped us move money with trust and purpose – and that’s what made it work.”