Overview

Washington C.A.S.H. client and business owner Crystal Jordan (left) with mentor Ruth Verhoff (right). [Click image to watch Crystal tell her story.]

We empower aspiring entrepreneurs with limited resources—and unlimited potential.
Washington C.A.S.H. (Community Alliance for Self-Help) provides business training, microloans and other financial services, and in-depth support.  Clients also sell their products at our two Ventures retail stores in Pike Place Market and SeaTac International Airport. We serve those in our community for whom traditional business development services are out of reach, with a focus on individuals with low incomes. Our ultimate goal is to advance individual financial self-sufficiency and community economic development through small business growth

Our Mission and Values 
Mission Statement
Washington Community Alliance for Self-Help (C.A.S.H.) provides the business training, supportive community, and capital to help enterprising individuals with limited financial resources gain self-sufficiency through small business ownership.

Ten Year Vision
Washington CASH will be a uniquely impactful leader in the microenterprise development field with a profound dedication to the needs and financial well-being of low-income entrepreneurs.Specifically,
…we envision programming that continually innovatesand responds to the emerging needs of low-income entrepreneurs and diverse communities throughout our region, and where we develop partnerships in the community to serve the needs of our clients.
…we envision an organization that is financially thriving,with a highly engaged staff, Board members, donors, funders, community partners, and client-alumni.
…we envision a reputation that is nationally well-knownand respected, that is the model for other microenterprise development organizations and business incubators around the country, and that is the ‘go to’ resource for the local business community.
We will accomplish these goals so that ALL individuals who seek to succeed as small business owners have access to the tools and resources they need to do so; so that low-income entrepreneurs have the robust and targeted resources they need to grow into thriving local businesses, and so that entrepreneurship enables low-income individuals to increase their incomes and move out of poverty.

Guiding Values
Community- We work with a spirit of teamwork and collaboration, while always supporting clients with compassion.
Client-Success- We let clients’ needs govern our decisions and interactions, with the ultimate goal of clients’ business development.
Empowerment- We trust each other’s expertise and leadership abilities, while providing clients with the tools they need to achieve their own success.
Integrity- We operate sustainably and responsibly, while promoting ethically strong small business development.
Diversity- We respect each other’s different backgrounds, strengths, and work styles, while adapting programs to serve a diversity of business types and cultural backgrounds.
Innovation-We appreciate and welcome new ideas, while encouraging clients to think outside the box.

Changing Lives Through Small Business
Washington C.A.S.H. began in 1995 after founder Peter Rose traveled to Bangladesh and observed Grameen Bank providing small loans to groups of poor women. Peter was intrigued, and was sure that a similar peer lending based microfinance model could work in the U.S. When he studied the more complex U.S. business environment, however, he added something new: in-depth business training.

Washington C.A.S.H.'s program has continued to evolve from its original microfinance inspiration, layering multiple initiatives to help low-income entrepreneurs where they need it most. Today our strategy combines:

> Business education and training
> Peer network
> One-on-one coaching
> Microloans and matched savings accounts
> Community volunteers and market access opportunities
> Other in-depth resources

Our program owes much of its success to the deep commitment and care offered by volunteer business coaches and mentors from our community. Over the past year, nearly 200 volunteers—small business owners, attorneys, marketing and finance professionals, and more—have helped guide our clients through the process of bringing a business concept to life, and ultimately, to the marketplace.

Clients and Impact 
Washington C.A.S.H. selects applicants to our program based on financial need as well as the strength of prospective business proposals. Our typical client is considered to be living at the "low" or "very low" income level by local H.U.D. guidelines. The majority are women, and 70 percent are minorities.

In fiscal year 2013, Washington C.A.S.H. served more than 648 client entrepreneurs in the Puget Sound region. Since inception, over 1,900 businesses have been started or expanded and more than $950,000 in microloans have been made by our program.

According to a recent survey by FIELD/The Aspen Institute, 18 months after receiving Washington C.A.S.H. services, two-thirds of business owners reported that their business’s performance greatly improved their financial circumstances. Despite the down economy, 51% of survey respondents experienced an increase in household income within 18 months of receiving services.  On average, survey respondents experienced a 34% increase in household income ($19,777 to $26,597).