SIMBA Small Business Blog: Help Protect Free Business Services for Eastern Washington
We need your help. The Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN) has been a lifeline for hundreds of small businesses and entrepreneurs across Eastern Washington. Through this program, SIMBA has provided free 1:1 technical assistance, group trainings, and critical resources to underserved and undersupported communities—at no cost. You are receiving this message because your free business support meetings with SIMBA staff have been funded in whole or in part by SBRN, a program of the Washington State Department of Commerce. SIMBA provided 1:1 support to over 200 unique businesses through just the SBRN program in 2024 spread through over a dozen Eastern Washington counties.
But now, that funding is at risk. If SBRN funding is cut, SIMBA will no longer be able to provide these services for free, as soon as July of this year. Without this support, many of our region’s small businesses, including women-owned, BIPOC-owned, and veteran-owned businesses, will lose access to the tools they need to thrive. The entire SBRN program and numerous other small-business-related state-funded programs are on the chopping block in both the Governor's, House, and Senate proposed budgets for Washington State.
If you've received great support from SIMBA or just support the small business work we're doing in Eastern Washington, we'd love it if you could reach out to your state legislator by Monday, March 31, 2025. Here's a proposed script:
Dear [Legislator's Name]:
My name is [Name] and I own [name of business] in [City]. I am your constituent. I have been fortunate to receive support from SIMBA as part of the Small Business Resiliency Network. The services I received were [describe services either type of services or quality of services]. I am concerned that both the SBRN program and other important small business development funding is proposed to be eliminated in the pending budgets. As a small business owner, I would not be able to afford to hire a paid consultant for this important work. I urge you to consider continuing to fund these important small business resources, particularly in Eastern Washington.
Thank you for your consideration,
Name
Business Name
Mailing Address
Phone
Use the link below to find your legislator. If you just want to support SIMBA's continued work to support an independent and local-first Spokane and Eastern Washington, please consider making a tax-deductible donation.
Thank you for your consideration,
Robin Haynes, Executive Director
Questions? Email robin@spokaneindependent.org.
