Department of Commerce
| Average Annual FTEs | Near General Fund State | Other Funds | Total Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in Thousands) | ||||
| Current Budget | 491.2 | 1,198,961 | 1,670,020 | 2,868,981 |
| 2023-25 Maintenance Level | 492.2 | 1,209,068 | 1,963,979 | 3,173,047 |
| Difference from 2023-25 Original | 1.0 | 10,107 | 293,959 | 304,066 |
| % Change from 2023-25 Original | 0.20% | 0.84% | 17.6% | 10.6% |
2024 Policy Other Changes |
||||
| Housing Emergency Fund | 0.0 | 2,500 | 0 | 2,500 |
| Housing: Human Trafficking Victims | 0.40 | 1,500 | 0 | 1,500 |
| Local Housing Program Support | 0.0 | 10,000 | 0 | 10,000 |
| Transit Oriented Development | 0.0 | 2,524 | 0 | 2,524 |
| Housing Support | 0.0 | 3,400 | 0 | 3,400 |
| Solar Resilience Hubs Transfer | 0.0 | (74,000) | 0 | (74,000) |
| Community Solar Transfer | 0.0 | (40,000) | 0 | (40,000) |
| Human Services Contracts Study | 0.0 | 600 | 0 | 600 |
| Cannabis Revenue Distributions | 0.0 | 0 | (644) | (644) |
| Blue Wind Collaborative | 0.0 | 0 | 250 | 250 |
| Local Project Review | 1.2 | 510 | 0 | 510 |
| Green Hydrogen Technical Assistance | 0.0 | 0 | 1,077 | 1,077 |
| Strengthening Tribal Relations | 1.6 | 643 | 0 | 643 |
| Small Business Resiliency Network | 0.0 | 1,000 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Implement Reentry Strategic Plan | 1.0 | 216 | 0 | 216 |
| Clean Energy Decarbonization | 0.0 | 0 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| C-Pacer Technical Assistance | 0.0 | 0 | 534 | 534 |
| City of Seattle: Solar EV Chargers | 0.0 | 0 | 360 | 360 |
| Tribal Grants for Electric Boats | 0.0 | 0 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Digital Equity-focused Navigation | 0.0 | 5,500 | 0 | 5,500 |
| Circular Economy Acceleration | 1.0 | 0 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Clean Water Rapid Response | 0.0 | 0 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| ICAP Funding | 1.0 | 0 | 2,678 | 2,678 |
| Communities of Concern Commission | 0.0 | 150 | 150 | 300 |
| Contract Equity/Data Management | 3.5 | 2,192 | 0 | 2,192 |
| Buy Clean Buy Fair | 0.0 | 0 | 1,112 | 1,112 |
| Federal Clean Energy Fund | 2.9 | 0 | 3,860 | 3,860 |
| Equitable Recovery & Reconciliation | 0.0 | 750 | 0 | 750 |
| Reducing Barriers to Grants | 0.0 | 0 | 253 | 253 |
| Retrofit and Heat Pump Installation | 0.0 | 0 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Green Bank Staffing | 0.0 | 0 | 800 | 800 |
| Tacoma Power Feasibility Analysis | 0.0 | 0 | 350 | 350 |
| Low-income Energy Vouchers | 0.0 | 0 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
| Clean Energy Navigators | 0.0 | 0 | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| Tribal Clean Energy Training Center | 0.0 | 0 | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Emergency Rapid Response | 0.0 | 1,500 | 0 | 1,500 |
| EV Charging Transfer | 0.0 | (138,000) | 0 | (138,000) |
| Grant Writing Support | 0.0 | 0 | 8,140 | 8,140 |
| Design Youth Direct Cash Program | 0.0 | 550 | 0 | 550 |
| Multijurisdictional Task Forces | 0.0 | 2,700 | 0 | 2,700 |
| Nonprofit Security Grant Program | 0.0 | 1,500 | 0 | 1,500 |
| Public Safety Personnel | 0.0 | 10,000 | 0 | 10,000 |
| Shift Sector Lead Funding | 0.0 | 630 | 0 | 630 |
| Offshore Wind Supply Chain Study | 0.0 | 0 | 500 | 500 |
| Website Portal Marketing Outreach | 0.0 | 0 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| 2024 Policy Other Changes Total | 12.6 | (203,635) | 303,420 | 99,785 |
2024 Policy Comp Changes |
||||
| State Employee Benefits | 0.0 | 21 | 17 | 38 |
| Pension Rate Month of Death Bill | 0.0 | 12 | 8 | 20 |
| 2024 Policy Comp Changes Total | 0.0 | 33 | 25 | 58 |
2024 Policy Central Services Changes |
||||
| Audit Services | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Legal Services | 0.0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| CTS Central Services | 0.0 | 18 | 28 | 46 |
| OFM Central Services | 0.0 | 213 | 376 | 589 |
| GOV Central Services | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2024 Policy Central Services Changes Total | 0.0 | 236 | 409 | 645 |
| Total Policy Changes | 12.6 | (203,366) | 303,854 | 100,488 |
| 2024 Policy Level | 504.8 | 1,005,702 | 2,267,833 | 3,273,535 |
| Difference from 2023-25 Original | 13.6 | (193,259) | 597,813 | 404,554 |
| % Change from 2023-25 Original | 2.8% | (16.1%) | 35.8% | 14.1% |
Policy Changes
Audit Services
Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of audits performed by the State Auditor's Office. (General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal)
CTS Central Services
Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from Consolidated Technology Services (CTS) for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Cybersecurity, state network, enterprise and small agency IT services, enterprise architecture and data management, Microsoft 365 licenses, and other items. (General Fund - Local, General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal, other funds)
OFM Central Services
Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from the Office of Financial Management for existing statewide applications, the One Washington program, and other central services. See Chapter 11 of the 2023-25 OFM Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (General Fund - Federal, General Fund - State, Washington Housing Trust Fund - State, other funds)
Housing Emergency Fund
A new grant fund is created at the department, in coordination with the Governor's Office, for cities, counties or nonprofit organizations to support individuals in need of emergency housing assistance such as short-term rental assistance, moving costs, other one-time costs to obtain housing, or temporary shelter in an emergency. Priority will be given to entities that can demonstrate that the population served includes families with children, pregnant individuals or other medically vulnerable individuals. (General Fund - State)
Housing: Human Trafficking Victims
The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy funds programs that serve people who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and other types of crimes. Funding is provided to increase housing support services, including rental assistance and other help provided by advocates to reduce barriers to housing experienced by victims of labor and sex trafficking. This doubles the existing housing support funding for human trafficking victims. (General Fund - State)
Local Housing Program Support
A fee assessed on documents recorded by counties, mainly on home sales and refinances, supplies one of the main sources of revenue for affordable housing and homeless programs for the state and for local governments. This fee revenue has declined significantly in recent years, and funding was provided in the 2023-25 budget to address this shortfall. However, as costs increase and federal funds lapse, counties are experiencing resource constraints. Funding is provided for grants to local governments to prevent the closure of affordable housing and homelessness programs. The department will prioritize grants for local emergency shelter and transitional housing programs at imminent risk of closure. (General Fund - State)
Transit Oriented Development
Funding is provided to support Governor-request legislation promoting high-density housing near transit services. (General Fund - State)
Housing Support
Funding is provided for transitional and long-term housing supports for individuals residing in a Tukwila encampment. (General Fund - State)
Solar Resilience Hubs Transfer
Funding is shifted from the operating budget to the capital budget. (General Fund - State)
Community Solar Transfer
Funding is shifted from the operating budget to the capital budget. (General Fund - State)
Human Services Contracts Study
In the 2023-25 biennial budget, funding was provided to the Department to convene a work group to examine allowable expenses in human service provider contracts in Washington's contracting processes. However, sufficient funding was not provided to complete this work. This appropriation provides the Department with the resources required to convene the work group and complete the study. (General Fund - State)
Cannabis Revenue Distributions
Appropriations from the Dedicated Cannabis Account are adjusted pursuant to Chapter 169, Laws of 2022 (E2SSB 5796) and the November 2023 revenue forecast. (Dedicated Cannabis Account - State)
Blue Wind Collaborative
Funding is provided for the administration, operations and offshore wind-related studies of a coalition in Seattle that supports the strategic development and activation of Washington's participation in the west coast wide-floating offshore wind supply chain. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Local Project Review
Enacted in 2023, Second Substitute Senate Bill 5290 created new programs aimed at modernizing local residential building permit processes and accelerating permit review times for residential housing permits. Adequate funding was not provided in the enacted 2023-25 budget to implement these programs. Funding is provided for task force facilitation, administration and product development (including a reporting template), a local project review act guidebook, and rulemaking. (General Fund - State)
Green Hydrogen Technical Assistance
Funds are provided for a nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions pilot and study of hydrogen combustion, technical assistance for strategic end uses of hydrogen, and an environmental justice toolkit for hydrogen projects. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Strengthening Tribal Relations
Funds are provided to expand the Office of Tribal Relations to better serve Washington tribal partners and agency staff. The additional staffing capacity will enable the department to adequately respond to internal and external requests for support, engagement and consultation. It also will enable the department to meet its obligations under the Centennial Accord, provide consultation required under Executive Order 21-02, and provide more equitable access to Commerce programs and funding opportunities through targeted Tribal technical assistance. (General Fund - State)
Small Business Resiliency Network
To increase generational wealth in historically excluded communities, small business owners often require business assistance from credible community messengers. Mainstream organizations are less equipped to provide this culturally relevant support. The 30 BIPOC-serving community partners of Commerce’s Small Business Resiliency Network serve as trusted advisors, providing education and assistance to thousands of businesses annually. One-time federal funds that are supporting current service levels will expire in December 2024. Additional state resources are provided to continue to fully support the Network. (General Fund - State)
Implement Reentry Strategic Plan
Reentry 2030 is a national initiative aimed at dramatically improving reentry success for people leaving prison and those under supervision. Additional staff resources are provided to the Statewide Reentry Council to meet the goals of its strategic plan and work toward making Washington a Reentry 2030 state. (General Fund - State)
Clean Energy Decarbonization
Funding is provided to support clean energy community decarbonization ambassadors. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
C-Pacer Technical Assistance
Funding is provided for the Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy and Resilience (C-PACER) program. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
City of Seattle: Solar EV Chargers
Funding is provided for Seattle City Light to install solar electric vehicle chargers in its service area.
Tribal Grants for Electric Boats
Funds are provided for grants to federally recognized tribes to purchase electric boats and motors and to pay costs in administering the program.
Digital Equity-focused Navigation
The department's Digital Navigator Grant Program provides funding to community organizations statewide that assist individuals, groups or households with internet adoption and the use of computing devices. This includes real-time assistance and the provision of laptops, computers, hot spot devices and other digital supportive devices to better access governmental services, telehealth, social connectivity and education. Funding is provided to increase the number of grants available. (General Fund - State)
Circular Economy Acceleration
Industrial symbiosis is a system where the unused or residual resources of one company (such as waste, by-products, residues, energy, equipment or materials) are used by another. Increased funding for Commerce's Industrial Symbiosis program is provided to increase the number of grants available to advance the reuse of industrial waste products. Additionally, a new circular economy market development program will be established to help achieve statewide waste and emissions-reduction targets while investing in equitable social outcomes. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Clean Water Rapid Response
A new emergency clean water rapid response program is created to support drinking water testing and provide emergency water supplies. Funding will be directed toward overburdened communities or areas where vulnerable populations face combined, multiple environmental harms and health impacts. (Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State)
ICAP Funding
The Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program (ICAP) is a pilot program operated by the department that provides a series of workshops, technical assistance and grants to assist the development of industry ecosystems and new and emerging innovation clusters in rural and underserved areas of the state. Until now, ICAP has been supported by the federal Economic Development Administration through a Safe Start grant. Funding is provided to continue the program so that Washington can make strategic and focused investments to grow key clean technology and climate sectors. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Communities of Concern Commission
The Department of Commerce currently supports Communities of Concern Commission operations with a one-time biennial appropriation utilizing Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Because these funds will lapse before the end of the biennium, additional state resources are provided to ensure support can continue through the end of fiscal year 2025. (Coronavirus St Fiscal Recovery Fund - Federal, General Fund - State)
Contract Equity/Data Management
This funding will enable the department to meet its equity commitments by improving data management and standardizing demographic and geographic data collection from organizations that receive direct or indirect grants from Commerce. The department will report on equity impacts at the agency level, analyze data to identify opportunities and direct investments equitably, and collaborate more effectively with other Washington agencies and partners. (General Fund - State)
Buy Clean Buy Fair
The department will use this funding to develop and maintain a publicly accessible database for covered projects to submit environmental and labor conditions data. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Federal Clean Energy Fund
Funds are provided to support entities in Washington in applying for and administering federal funds and pursuing clean energy tax credits. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Equitable Recovery & Reconciliation
The COVID-19 pandemic compounded the struggle of local small businesses across Washington with disproportionate impacts falling significantly on Black, Indigenous and People of Color-owned businesses and the communities they serve. Small businesses from historically underserved communities need relevant outreach, education and assistance from reliable sources. Trusted community-based organizations can provide culturally relevant support to the constituents they serve. State funding for the Equitable Recovery and Reconciliation Alliance (ERRA) will match federal Small Business Administration funding to strengthen organizational capacity and provide more services to communities. (General Fund - State)
Reducing Barriers to Grants
In the adoption of state Environmental Justice Council 2024 budget recommendations, community members and Tribes voiced the need for changes in the ways that state grant programs are administered. Funding is provided to the department to recommend, design, and lead changes to address institutional inequities that create barriers to accessing grant funding. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Retrofit and Heat Pump Installation
This funding will provide retrofit and heat pump installation for low-income multifamily homes. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Green Bank Staffing
Administrative funding is provided for a Green Bank executive director and additional staff. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Tacoma Power Feasibility Analysis
Funding is provided to study pumped storage feasibility at Tacoma Power's Mossyrock Dam. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Low-income Energy Vouchers
This item provides energy vouchers for low-income residents. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Clean Energy Navigators
Funding is provided for the Clean Energy Navigator program. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Tribal Clean Energy Training Center
Funding is provided for the tribal clean energy workforce training center. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Emergency Rapid Response
The Emergency Rapid Response program addresses immediate community needs - such as food, water, sewer, power, communication, shelter and hazardous waste mitigation - in the aftermath of natural and manmade disasters. Additional funding is provided to meet increased demand. (General Fund - State)
EV Charging Transfer
Funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging is shifted from the operating budget to the capital budget. (General Fund - State)
Grant Writing Support
This item will increase the state's capacity to apply for federal grants. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Design Youth Direct Cash Program
Youth direct cash programs are a proven model to reduce housing instability, boost savings, increase school attendance, and contribute to improved mental health. These programs are more cost-effective than traditional youth homelessness interventions, require low overhead, and are easily accessible. This model has been successfully piloted in Oregon. Funding is provided for the department to collaborate with people with lived experience of homelessness and other stakeholders to design a direct cash program in Washington. (General Fund - State)
Multijurisdictional Task Forces
Funding is provided for the department to issue grants to support the work of multijurisdictional task forces that previously received federal Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funding. Grants will be used consistent with the requirements of Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants and with national best practices for law enforcement. (General Fund - State)
Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Funding is added to an appropriation made in the 2023-25 budget to provide grants to religious nonprofits, By and For organizations (which serve historically marginalized communities), or cultural community centers to fund physical security or repair needs. (General Fund - State)
Public Safety Personnel
Funding is provided for grants to local governments for public safety personnel, including recruitment and retention. (General Fund - State)
Shift Sector Lead Funding
The biennial operating budget requires the department to employ staff who will focus on the advancement of specific industries in Washingon, including the aerospace and military business sectors. These two sector lead positions have resided in the Office of the Governor's budget, though funding has historically been provided to the department through an interagency agreement. This appropriation shifts the funding to the correct agency. (General Fund - State)
Offshore Wind Supply Chain Study
Funding is provided for a study to assess strategies necessary for Washington to engage in the offshore wind supply chain. The study may address public infrastructure needed for the manufacturing, assembly and transport of supply chain components, as well as an assessment of workforce needs and community benefits. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Website Portal Marketing Outreach
Funding is provided for a website portal and for marketing and outreach. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
State Employee Benefits
Funding is provided to increase the retiree health insurance subsidy, adjusting the cap from $183 to $193 per month and raising the base subsidy percentage from 50 percent to 60 percent. The insurance funding rates are set at $1,145 per month for fiscal year 2024 and $1,158 per month for fiscal year 2025. (Public Works Assistance Account - State, General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal, other funds)
Pension Rate Month of Death Bill
Funding is provided for contribution rate impacts associated with proposed legislation that ensures the continuation of benefit payments through the end of the month in which a retiree or beneficiary dies. (General Fund - State, Public Works Assistance Account - State, General Fund - Federal, other funds)
Legal Services
Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of legal services provided by the Attorney General's Office. Because legal services expenditures are based on consumption, funding provided in the central service model is not all inclusive. The methodology to estimate consumption is a two-year average and allows for analysis to incorporate unique agency circumstances. (General Fund - Federal, General Fund - Local, General Fund - State, other funds)
GOV Central Services
Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from the Office of the Governor for the Office of Equity. (General Fund - Local, General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal, other funds)
