SMART Association

What SMART Association does

SMART Association is a non-profit trade association serving Washington State employers with workplace safety and workers' compensation cost-management services. Its core offering is sponsorship of three Retrospective Rating (Retro) groups under Washington L&I — A-Team for construction, Dream Team (invitation-only) for large construction employers, and Advantage for retail, wholesale, and professional services — which allow member employers to share risk and earn refunds on workers' comp premiums. Complementary services include scheduled and on-site safety training (CPR, OSHA, fall protection), the monthly Puget Sound Area Safety Summit, Brain Trust forums, weekly safety newsletters and Toolbox Talks, and the annual Safety Geeks Golf Tournament and Retro Awards events.

The technology footprint is modest and web-based: an Approach Management Services (AMS) client portal for safety and claims management templates, plus two free self-serve tools — the Employer Job Description Wizard and the Job Offer Letter Wizard (available in English, Spanish, and Russian) — for generating light-duty job descriptions and offer letters for injured employees. No proprietary AI, API, or SDK offerings are disclosed. Member distribution is delivered through a direct channel (membership, in-person training in Seattle) and a third-party administrator (AMS) handling claims adjudication and Retro administration.

Revenue is generated through membership dues (recurring subscription), training class fees, event registrations and sponsorships (e.g., Safety Geeks Golf Tournament), and sale of annual all-in-one federal and Washington State workplace posters, supplemented by member services administered via AMS. The customer base is segmented by industry vertical and is geographically concentrated entirely in Washington State, with no disclosed headcount growth, funding, M&A, or out-of-state expansion signals.

Name

SMART Association

Legal name

SMART Association

Website

https://smartwa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SMART Association is a Washington State non-profit trade association that sponsors L&I Retrospective Rating groups and provides workplace safety training, events, and compliance resources to member employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workplace Safety Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

EHS Management Systems & ISO Consulting (ISO 14001/45001) (BPAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Workplace safety association
• Retrospective rating program
• Workers compensation refunds
• OSHA safety training
• Employer compliance resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Lacey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Association membership enabling participation in Retro programs, access to safety training, resources, and member services including the client portal and newsletters.
2. Safety Training Classes: Scheduled and onsite safety training including CPR, OSHA, and fall protection courses. Fees charged per class or course.
3. Event Registration: Revenue from event registrations including the Safety Geeks Golf Tournament (Single Golfer $150, Four-Some $600) and sponsorship opportunities.
4. Workplace Posters: Sale of all-in-one workplace posters containing required federal and Washington State posters.
5. Retro Program Administration: Through partnership with Approach Management Services, administers Retro groups allowing employers to earn refunds on workers' compensation premiums through collective risk-sharing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SMART Association is a non-profit trade association that sponsors three Washington L&I Retrospective Rating (Retro) program groups (A-Team, Dream Team, Advantage) so member employers can share workers' compensation risk and earn premium refunds. It complements those groups with CPR/OSHA/fall-protection safety training, the monthly Puget Sound Area Safety Summit, Brain Trust forums, weekly safety newsletters, annual all-in-one workplace posters, and free online tools (Job Description Wizard, Job Offer Letter Wizard).

Product overview

SMART Association is a trade association offering a multi-product service portfolio centered on workplace safety and compliance for Washington State employers. The core offerings include three Retrospective Rating Program groups (A-Team for construction, Dream Team for large construction employers, and Advantage for retail/professional services) that help employers earn refunds on workers' comp premiums. Complementary services include safety training (CPR, OSHA, fall protection), the monthly Puget Sound Area Safety Summit, Brain Trust forums, and safety newsletters. The association also provides digital tools including the Employer Job Description Wizard, Job Offer Letter Wizard, and an Approach Management Services Client Portal. Annual events include the Safety Geeks Golf Tournament and Retro Awards ceremonies, with annual workplace poster compliance packages also offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retro Programs (A-Team, Dream Team, Advantage) Three industry-organized Retrospective Rating groups sponsored by SMART Association: A-Team (construction and related services), Dream Team (invitation-only large construction employers), and Advantage (retail, wholesale, and professional services). Designed for Washington State employers to earn refunds on workers' compensation premiums and lower experience modification ratings.
• Safety Training Scheduled and onsite safety training courses including CPR, OSHA, and fall protection certifications, conducted in the Seattle training room or customized at member jobsites. For Washington State employers seeking workplace safety compliance.
• Puget Sound Area Safety Summit Monthly virtual safety summit featuring industry experts covering the latest safety topics, designed to form a networked alliance of government, management, and labor to improve workplace safety. Open to all at no cost.
• Federal & State Workplace Posters Annual all-in-one collection of required Federal and Washington State workplace posters distributed to members for workplace compliance.
• Safety Geeks Golf Tournament Annual charity golf tournament supporting Kids Chance of Washington, providing scholarships for dependents of workers who have lost their lives or experienced a catastrophic on-the-job incident. Brings together the Washington safety community for networking and fundraising.
• Brain Trust Monthly virtual forum on relevant safety and claims best practices for SMART members, providing peer learning and expert guidance.
• Safety Newsletters Weekly newsletter and Toolbox Talks providing safety updates and resources to members of SMART Association.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Approach Management Services (AMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party claims and Retro administrator hired by SMART to serve its members. AMS provides professional claims management services working directly with L&I to adjudicate claims, assigns dedicated claims analysts, and provides safety and risk management resources to help members control costs and earn Retro refunds.
• Kids Chance of WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable beneficiary of the Safety Geeks Golf Tournament. The tournament raises funds providing scholarships for dependents of workers who have lost their lives or experienced a catastrophic on-the-job incident. Last year raised $12,000.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Washington Retail Association: State-level trade association for Washington retail employers. Comparable in serving Washington employers with compliance, training, and member services - overlapping with SMART's Advantage Retro group.
• Association of Washington Business: Statewide business association serving Washington employers across industries. Comparable as a membership-based trade association delivering compliance, training, and advocacy services to Washington employers.
• Washington Self-Insurers Association: Washington-based association focused on self-insured workers' compensation. Highly comparable as a state-specific workers' comp membership organization serving employer needs around L&I regulations.
• Washington Hospitality Association: Washington-based trade association for hospitality employers. Comparable as a state-specific employer membership organization offering training, compliance resources, and member services.
• Oregon Construction Contractors Board: Oregon state agency regulating construction contractors and providing compliance resources. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest regulatory/safety body serving construction employers adjacent to SMART's market.

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP): Global professional society for occupational safety and health practitioners. Comparable as a safety-focused membership organization offering training, certifications, and member resources.
• National Safety Council: National nonprofit focused on workplace and roadway safety, offering training, certification, and advocacy. Comparable in delivering workplace safety training and resources to employers, but at much broader geographic scale.

Emerging players

• Workers Compensation Fund (Utah): Utah-based workers' compensation insurer offering safety services and group rating programs. Comparable as a workers' comp organization that bundles insurance/safety services for employers in a single state.

Direct peers

• Associated General Contractors of Washington: Trade association for construction contractors in Washington. Directly comparable as a construction-focused association delivering safety training, workers' comp support, and member services to Washington-based construction employers.
• Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties: Local construction trade association serving King and Snohomish county builders. Comparable as a membership organization delivering safety training, workers' comp resources, and advocacy to Washington construction employers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SMART Association