Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Associate development organization" means a local economic development nonprofit corporation that is broadly representative of community interests.

(2) "Department" means the department of commerce.

(3) "Director" means the director of the department of commerce.

(4) "Family resource center" means a unified single point of entry where families, individuals, children, and youth in communities can obtain information, an assessment of needs, referral to, or direct delivery of family services in a manner that is welcoming and strength-based.

(a) A family resource center is designed to meet the needs, cultures, and interests of the communities that the family resource center serves.

(b) Family services may be delivered directly to a family at the family resource center by family resource center staff or by providers who contract with or have provider agreements with the family resource center. Any family resource center that provides family services shall comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations regarding the delivery of such family services, unless required waivers or exemptions have been granted by the appropriate governing body.

(c) Each family resource center shall have one or more family advocates who screen and assess a family's needs and strengths. If requested by the family, the family advocate shall assist the family with setting its own goals and, together with the family, develop a written plan to pursue the family's goals in working towards a greater level of self-reliance or in attaining self-sufficiency.

(5) "Financial institution" means a bank, trust company, mutual savings bank, savings and loan association, or credit union authorized to do business in this state under state or federal law.

(6) "Frontier county" means a county with a population density of fewer than 50 persons per square mile as determined by the office of financial management and published each year by the department. A county with a population density of 21 or fewer persons per square mile is a "frontier one" county. A county with a population density of more than 21 but fewer than 50 persons per square mile is a "frontier two" county. Every frontier county is also a rural county under this chapter and eligible for all benefits, services, and programs of a rural county unless a frontier county is specifically excluded in the authorizing statute.

(7) "Small business" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 39.26.010.

Intent—Findings—2021 c 39: See note following RCW 74.14C.010.

Findings—Purpose—Intent—2007 c 322: "(1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Microenterprises are an important portion of Washington's economy, providing approximately twenty percent of the employment in Washington and playing a vital role in job creation.

(b) While community-based microenterprise development organizations have expanded their assistance to their microentrepreneur customers in recent years, there remains a lack of access to capital, training, and technical assistance for low-income microentrepreneurs.

(c) Support for microenterprise development offers a means to expand business and job creation in low-income communities in both rural and urban areas of the state.

(d) Local and state charitable foundation support, federal program funding, and private sector support can be leveraged by a statewide program for development of microenterprises.

(2) It is the purpose of this act to assist microenterprises in job creation by increasing the training, technical assistance, and financial resources available to microenterprises. It is the intention of the legislature to carry out this purpose by enabling the *department of community, trade, and economic development to contract with a statewide microenterprise association with the potential to provide organizational support and administer grants to local microenterprise development organizations, subject to the requirements of this act, and to leverage additional funds from sources other than moneys appropriated from the general fund." [ 2007 c 322 s 1.]

*Reviser's note: The "department of community, trade, and economic development" was renamed the "department of commerce" by 2009 c 565.