Washington State Public Works Board

What Washington State Public Works Board does

The Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) is a state government financing authority established in 1985 and operating under the Washington State Department of Commerce. The PWB administers infrastructure loan and grant programs for cities, counties, and other local jurisdictions across Washington State, with a stated mandate to promote public health and safety, environmental protection, community and economic development, and broadband connectivity. Since its founding, the Board has awarded more than $3.8 billion in loans and grants to over 2,300 infrastructure projects statewide. Recent activity includes a $5.1 million broadband grant round (June 25, 2026) and a $6.4 million pre-construction planning round (June 3, 2026).

The PWB operates three core program lines: (1) PWB Traditional Financing, which provides loans and grants for general infrastructure projects in public health, safety, environment, and economic development; (2) PWB Broadband Financing, a specialized funding track targeting underserved and unserved broadband areas; and (3) Assistance, Coordination and Sync, a planning coordination service that helps local governments align infrastructure projects with state-level funding opportunities. Funds are awarded following public board approval at hybrid meetings (in-person and Zoom), and the applicant pipeline is supported through annual webinars (e.g., the FY27 cycle on May 26, 2026) and GovDelivery email subscriptions.

The PWB's business model is non-commercial: as a state government entity, it channels public and federal capital to local infrastructure projects rather than generating revenue from products or services. Stakeholder engagement is conducted through the commerce.wa.gov/pwb website (published in 12 languages including English, Spanish, Arabic, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, and Japanese), the GovDelivery email service, and social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. The organization maintains no proprietary technology platform, mobile application, or AI/ML capabilities, and faces no commercial competitive dynamics — its role is defined and protected by state mandate within Washington.

Name

Washington State Public Works Board

Legal name

Public Works Board

Website

https://pwb.wa.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Washington State Public Works Board, a state financing authority since 1985 under the Department of Commerce, administers loans and grants for Washington local governments, having disbursed over $3.8 billion to more than 2,300 infrastructure projects in public health, environment, community development, and broadband.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Infrastructure Financing

NAICS

Public Finance Activities (92113)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Results-Based Financing (RBF) & Performance-Based Grants (BPADAOAF)

Keywords

• Infrastructure financing
• Government loans grants
• Public works funding
• Broadband infrastructure
• Local government financing

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) is a state government financing authority that awards loans and grants to Washington local governments for infrastructure projects. It operates three core programs: PWB Traditional Financing for general infrastructure (water, sewer, roads, bridges, public health and safety, environmental protection, community and economic development); PWB Broadband Financing to expand connectivity in underserved and unserved areas; and Assistance, Coordination and Sync (ACS) to help local governments plan and coordinate infrastructure investments with state-level initiatives.

Product overview

The Public Works Board (PWB) is a Washington State government agency established in 1985 that administers a portfolio of infrastructure financing programs. The organization operates as a platform offering three main products: PWB Traditional Financing for general infrastructure projects (public health, safety, environmental, and economic development), PWB Broadband Financing specifically for expanding broadband connectivity in underserved areas, and Assistance, Coordination and Sync services for helping local governments coordinate planning and funding. Since founding, PWB has awarded over $3.8 billion in loans and grants to more than 2,300 infrastructure projects across the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PWB Traditional Financing Loans and grants program funding local government infrastructure projects including water, sewer, roads, bridges, public health and safety improvements, environmental protection, and community and economic development. Awarded through public board meetings following a formal application process.
• PWB Broadband Financing Specialized financing program offering loans and grants to expand broadband infrastructure and connectivity in underserved and unserved areas of Washington State. Funds awarded following board approval at public meetings.
• Assistance, Coordination and Sync (ACS) Coordination service assisting local governments with infrastructure project planning and syncing with state-level initiatives, funding opportunities, and the PWB application cycle.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,300 infrastructure projects funded since 1985

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Washington State Department of Commerce: Parent agency of PWB and broader state economic development administrator. Comparable as the umbrella state entity that channels various federal and state infrastructure/development funding streams.

Direct peers

• Texas Water Development Board: Texas state agency financing water and wastewater infrastructure for local governments through loans and grants. Closely comparable as a state-level infrastructure funder with a similar mission and target borrowers.
• New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation: New York's state environmental infrastructure financing corporation administering low-cost loans and grants to municipalities for water quality and related projects. Directly comparable as a state infrastructure finance authority.
• California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank): California's state-level infrastructure financing authority offering loans and guarantees for public infrastructure and economic development projects. Directly comparable as a sister state infrastructure finance entity serving local governments within a single U.S. state.
• Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority: Oregon's state agency that provides loans and grants to municipalities for drinking water, wastewater, and other public infrastructure. Directly comparable in function, scale, and target customer (local governments) to Washington PWB.
• Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority: Colorado's state authority that finances water and power infrastructure for local governments. Comparable as a state-level public infrastructure lender with overlapping project categories.

Broad incumbents

• NTIA Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program: Federal broadband infrastructure grant program ($42.5B) channeled in part through state mechanisms including Washington's. Directly comparable in broadband expansion mandate, and a key source of the federal funds PWB helps administer.
• U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Public Works program: Federal program awarding grants to distressed communities for infrastructure that supports economic development. Overlaps with PWB's economic development and community infrastructure financing function at the federal level.
• USDA Rural Utilities Service: Federal agency providing loans and grants for rural water, wastewater, and broadband infrastructure. Comparable as a larger federal funder with overlapping infrastructure mandates and rural/underserved-area focus.
• EPA Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds: Federal-state partnership providing low-cost financing for water quality and drinking water infrastructure through state-administered funds. Comparable as a public infrastructure finance mechanism for municipal water and sewer projects.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WAPublicWorksBoard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/washington-state-public-works-board
• Instagraminstagram.com/wastatepwb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Washington State Public Works Board