Washington Workforce Association

What Washington Workforce Association does

Washington Workforce Association (WWA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Olympia, Washington. It serves as the umbrella association for the state's 12 Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs), coordinating workforce investments and policy across urban and rural regions including Seattle, Spokane, Yakima, and surrounding areas. WWA's portfolio centers on three interconnected initiatives: the Economic Security for All (EcSA) poverty-reduction program (launched 2019 and later codified into state law), the Community Reinvestment Program (CRP) with equity-focused funding for Black, Latine, and Tribal communities, and supporting modules including Career Accelerator Incentives, Matched Individual Savings Accounts (MISA), and Business Investment Grants. The organization also delivers Business Solutions services for employers and hosts an annual Fall Conference.

The underlying technology stack is administrative rather than product-driven: virtual service delivery is conducted through the WorkSource WA platform and Zoom-based webinars, with no proprietary software products, APIs, or AI/ML components disclosed. Service delivery relies on a distributed human network of LWDB staff, community-based organizations (e.g., Economic Justice Alliance, Washington Build Back Black Alliance), and state agency partners (Employment Security Department, Department of Commerce, WorkSource offices).

WWA's business model is that of a publicly funded nonprofit association: revenue is derived from membership dues paid by LWDBs and from state and federal workforce appropriations, not commercial contracts. There is no disclosed pricing for end services because job seekers, small businesses, and employers access programs through publicly funded channels. Leadership comprises Executive Director John Traugott (appointed October 2023) and Board Chair Amy Martinez (CEO of South Central Workforce). The organization employs 251–500 people across the WWA central body and its affiliated boards.

Name

Washington Workforce Association

Legal name

Washington Workforce Association

Website

https://washingtonworkforce.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Washington Workforce Association is a nonprofit membership organization that coordinates Washington's 12 Local Workforce Development Boards, administering workforce training, poverty-reduction, and community reinvestment programs for job seekers, small businesses, and employers statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dislocated Worker & Rapid Response / Reemployment Programs (EDAAAOAF)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Poverty reduction programs
• Community reinvestment
• Workforce training
• Employment support

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership dues and state funding: WWA operates as a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization of the Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDB) of Washington State, funded through membership dues and public sector appropriations for workforce development initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Washington Workforce Association (WWA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization of Washington's 12 Local Workforce Development Boards that coordinates statewide workforce development investments and administers programs such as Economic Security for All (EcSA) and the Community Reinvestment Program (CRP). It provides advocacy, training coordination, business solutions for employers, and direct financial supports (Career Accelerator Incentives, Matched Individual Savings Accounts, Business Investment Grants) to job seekers and small businesses, with a priority focus on Black, Latine, and Tribal communities.

Product overview

Washington Workforce Association (WWA) is a nonprofit membership organization of Local Workforce Development Boards that provides a portfolio of interconnected workforce development programs. The core offerings include the Community Reinvestment Program (CRP) for equity-focused economic development and the Economic Security for All (EcSA) poverty reduction initiative. Supporting modules include Career Accelerator Incentives for direct participant financial support, Matched Individual Savings Accounts (MISA) for financial empowerment, and Business Support/Business Investment Grants for small business development. The organization also offers Business Solutions services for employers and hosts an annual Fall Conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Reinvestment Program (CRP) Statewide equity-focused workforce and economic development program providing small business grants, Business Investment Grants, Matched Investment Savings Accounts, and direct participant financial supports. Administered in partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce and delivered through local workforce development boards.
• Economic Security for All (EcSA) Poverty reduction initiative of the Washington Employment Security Department, administered in coordination with WWA and local workforce boards, providing Career Accelerator Incentive payments, training, and career pathway support to help individuals move from poverty to economic self-sufficiency.
• Business Solutions Strategic solutions and services provided through WWA and local workforce development boards to assist employers with workforce needs, including hiring support, training program coordination, and business development resources.
• Washington Workforce Association Membership Membership organization of Washington's 12 Local Workforce Development Boards providing statewide coordination of workforce investments, policy advocacy before the Governor and state legislature, convening opportunities, and collective voice for the state's business-led workforce boards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Program completers move from under $10,000 annually to nearly $48,000 upon completion
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• Employment Security DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024Critical state agency partner integral to administering and boosting EcSA program resources statewide. ESD works with WWA and local workforce boards to deliver workforce services and unemployment benefits.
• Washington State Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner instrumental in administering CRP funding and supporting workforce development initiatives across Washington through the Community Reinvestment Project.
• Economic Justice AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition that guided the building of the EcSA program since its inception in 2019, playing a pivotal role in designing the poverty reduction initiative.
• WorkSourcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide system of affiliated offices providing free workforce services to employers and job seekers, coordinated through local workforce development boards.
• Umpqua BanknotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner offering Matched Savings Accounts and financial coaching to WWA customers through local workforce boards, supporting Individual Development Accounts and matched savings programs.
• Financial BeginningsnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner providing financial education and coaching classes as part of the MISA program, supporting long-term financial empowerment for workforce participants.
• Washington State Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministering the Community Reinvestment Project, including Business Investment Grants (BIG Opportunity) distributed through local workforce councils.
• Washington Build Back Black AlliancenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition led by Paula Fillmore-Sardinas of FMS Global Strategies that served as chief advocate for the community coalition advancing the CRP policy framework for reinvestment.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP): Statewide membership organization for New York's workforce development boards and partners. Same nonprofit-membership structure as WWA, with policy advocacy and professional development for LWDBs as core functions.
• Michigan Works! Association: Membership association representing Michigan's workforce development system, including Michigan Works! Agencies. Direct state-level peer coordinating LWDBs and providing advocacy, training, and convening services.
• National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB): National membership association for the country's 600+ local workforce development boards. Most directly comparable to WWA's role as the state-level umbrella for Washington's 12 LWDBs, with analogous advocacy, training, and convening functions.
• California Workforce Association: Statewide membership association for California's Local Workforce Development Boards, providing policy advocacy, training, and convening. Same organizational archetype as WWA at state scale, operating a parallel policy and program-coordination model.
• Oregon Workforce Partnership: Membership association of Oregon's Local Workforce Development Boards. Closely comparable regional peer with the same model of coordinating LWDBs, advocating for state workforce policy, and supporting workforce training and equity programs.

Broad incumbents

• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit driving workforce and education system transformation, including workforce development board support and equity-focused initiatives. Comparable mission around economic mobility, with broader national scope than WWA.
• National Skills Coalition: National policy and advocacy organization focused on skills training, workforce development, and equity. Broader incumbent operating at federal/state level with overlapping priorities around workforce policy and serving underrepresented communities.

Regional players

• Workforce Southwest Washington: One of Washington's 12 LWDBs and a WWA member board, serving the Southwest Washington region. Operates the same workforce training, employer engagement, and equity-focused programs that WWA coordinates at the statewide level.
• Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council: A Local Workforce Development Council serving Washington's Pacific Mountain region and a WWA member board. Directly comparable operational peer delivering WorkSource-aligned services within a sub-state geography.

Emerging players

• Corporation for a Skilled Workforce: National nonprofit focused on workforce system innovation, equity, and employer engagement. Smaller-scale peer with comparable focus on improving workforce development outcomes for underserved populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WAWorkforce
• YouTubeyoutube.com/Waworkforce
• Facebookfacebook.com/WAWorkforce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waworkforce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Washington Workforce Association