Updated October 5, 2017 Supporting small and diverse businesses in state contracting is a priority for Gov. Jay Inslee and the state of Washington. In July 2015, Gov. Inslee chose 12 of his cabinet agencies including the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs to form a Business Diversity Subcabinet. The subcabinet is tasked with increasing ways for small and diverse businesses to participate in Washington state contracting opportunities. In October 2015, Gov. Inslee announced that the state of Washington will undertake a disparity study. Following a competitive proposal process, the contract for this study was awarded to Colette Holt & Associates (CHA), a nationally recognized expert team on disparity studies and [...]

Opening a restaurant is often the first step on the economic ladder for recent immigrants and refugees. A new resource, called Restaurant Success, has launched to help aspiring restaurant entrepreneurs navigate the regulations and requirements needed to plan and start a restaurant. “Restaurant Success is an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to improve the regulatory environment for startups and existing businesses across the state,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “Our partnership with Seattle, King County, and the restaurant industry has made it easier for prospective local restaurateurs to navigate the permitting and licensing requirements so they can do what they do best: cook delicious food and create jobs. This is an [...]