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    Learn more about CRP’s financial investments on the Community Dashboard.

    CRP Community Dashboard

    The Community Reinvestment Project (CRP) is a community-designed plan to uplift communities disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs. The goal is to create lasting economic benefits, build wealth and ensure everyone has a fair chance at success.

    Collection of photos showing people of color

    CRP partners with organizations across the state to support economic development, reentry services, legal assistance, and violence prevention. It is expected to generate up to $1.6 billion in economic benefits for targeted communities over the next decade. With $200 million already contracted across the state, CRP remains on track to make a significant impact in the lives of Washingtonians.

    In collaboration with community partners, CRP’s impact includes:

    • Creating jobs in partnership with diverse small businesses
    • Offering training programs to meet workforce needs
    • Higher self-sufficient incomes for people to support their families
    • Helping people acquire homes and start new businesses
    • Increasing safety of our neighborhoods through community-led projects

    Funding categories

    Economic development with CRP

    CRP’s economic development program is repairing wealth disparities in communities disproportionally harmed by the war on drugs. This includes creating opportunities for individuals and families to buy homes, save money, receive financial education, training and grants for small businesses.

    Legal Assistance with CRP

    CRP is funding civil and criminal legal assistance to provide post-conviction relief and case assistance for communities disproportionally harmed by the war on drugs.

    Reentry Services with CRP

    Reentry services are proven to increase the likelihood of successful reentry for individuals who are transitioning from incarceration back into their communities.

    Violence prevention with CRP

    The Legislature identified violence reduction as one program area to focus Community Reinvestment funding, specifically focusing on “community-based violence intervention and prevention services.”

    Resources

    Financial Coaching and Mentoring

    Reentry Support

    • Central and Eastern WA
      • People for People

    Legal assistance

    Violence Prevention and Intervention

    Barber and Beauty Shop Community of Practice

    Led by Northwest Credible Messengers

    The Barber and Beauty Shop Community of Practice aims to train barber and beauty ​shops to provide peer support services while ​facilitating transformative engagement processes ​with the customers they serve. Participants will go through accelerated ​training in order to learn to provide behavioral ​health support services. Barbers and beauticians will be compensated $2,000 per completed training (up to $4,000) with the aim of supporting barbers and beauticians with more sustainable funding streams.

    Now accepting applications. Click to learn more.

    Career Accelerator program 

    The Economic Security for All (EcSA) Career Accelerator program provides opportunities for under/unemployed folks in Black, Latine and tribal communities to pursue their dreams and build collective power. If you or your family has been impacted by the war on drugs, you may have access to career training, financial coaching, support payments, and financial incentives of up to $1000.

    If you are interested in learning more, please contact your local workforce agency.

    Business Support

    The Economic Security for All (EcSA) Business Support supports small businesses led or owned by communities impacted by the war on drugs. It provides opportunities for small businesses in workforce development, skill enhancement, organizational growth, and economic mobility.

    If you are interested in learning more, please contact your local workforce agency.

    In 2022, the WA Legislature created the Community Reinvestment Account that set aside $200 million to address racial, economic, and social disparities created by the historic design and enforcement of state and federal criminal laws and penalties for drug possession (the war on drugs). The Legislature directed that the Department of Commerce (Commerce) invest the funds into four program areas:

    • Economic development
    • Civil and criminal legal assistance
    • Community-based violence intervention and prevention
    • Reentry services

    Commerce, in partnership with the WA Office of Equity, worked with communities across the state to develop a Community Reinvestment Plan laying out recommendations for how these funds will be invested over the next biennium (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025).

    The Community Reinvestment Plan recommended Commerce distribute the $200 million across the state through more than 17 individual grant programs. Subject matter experts are currently administering the grant programs. Some of the grant programs are expansions of existing programs. Some of the programs represent new ideas, requiring more time and collaboration to implement. 

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    Community Dashboard

    Learn more about CRP’s financial investments on the Community Dashboard.

    CRP Community Dashboard

    Community Reinvestment Project (CRP)

    Contact

    Please use the Community Reinvestment Project contact form to connect with the CRP Team. We will get back to you within 2-5 business days.