RAINWISE Contractor Skill-Building The RainWise program’s Contractor Skill-Building page is designed to help increase contractors’ skills and capacity so that they can build more successful RainWise installations and incorporate RainWise as a profit-making part of their business. Please email rainwise@seattle.gov with any questions. Return to the Contractor Resources page Contractor Skill-Building Series: Launch Your RainWise Business This five-module series can help prospective RainWise contractors evaluate and leverage their abilities, resources, and readiness to start, maintain, and grow a RainWise contractor business. If you haven’t formed your business yet, or are a newer business this series is for YOU! Visit the full YouTube playlist Download the full Homework & Resources document Module 1: Get Your RainWise Business Ready This module’s objective is to help you become a RainWise contractor and make a positive difference for not only your business, but also for our shared community and environment. Recording: Module 1 Get Your RainWise Business Ready PDF of presentation: Module 1 Get Your RainWise Business Ready Homework: Step-by-step guide for WA business formation: business.wa.gov/site/alias__business/877/Small-Business-Guide–Plan.aspx#BusinessPlanning Ventures program: venturesnonprofit.org/ Resources: Complete “YourSmallBusiness-Evaluation.xlsx” (6 worksheets): org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/RainWise-Business-Readiness-YourSmallBusiness-Evaluation.xlsx Take the Small Business Readiness self-evaluation: sba.gov/cams/training/business_primer/assessment.htm Forbes article about how government and other entities think about Small Businesses: com/sites/groupthink/2012/08/29/how-big-is-a-small-business-heres-why-it-matters/#3e08f5375c5d Module 2: Start Your RainWise Business This module’s objective is to help you incorporate RainWise successfully into your business. Recording: Module 2 Starting Your RainWise Business PDF of presentation: Module 2 Start Your RainWise Business Homework: How to Start your RainWise Business flow chart: org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/How-to-Start-your-Rainwise-Biz_final.pdf Small Business Guide: wa.gov/site/alias__business/876/small-business-guide–start.aspx How to get an EIN from the IRS: gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/employer-id-numbers Resources: RainWise Contractor Resources, includes in-depth webinars and resources just for contractors: /rainwise/contractor-resources Applying for a WA Business License: includes information for Contractors registering their business: wa.gov/forms-publications/F101-079-000.pdf Licensing a business in the State of Washington: wa.gov/open-business/business-licensing-and-renewals-faqs#BLA Module 3: Your Friends in Government This module’s objective will be a deep dive into the various local, state and Federal government agencies that you will be interacting with as a RainWise contractor, including tax payments and when and how to file and resources to learn more. Recording: Module 3 Your Friends in Government PDF of presentation: Module 3 Your Friends in Government Resources: WA Small Business Guide: wa.gov/site/alias__business/876/small-business-guide–start.aspx Licensing a business in the State of Washington: wa.gov/open-business/business-licensing-and-renewals-faqs#BLA Department of Revenue SAW sign in: wa.gov/open-business WA DOR guidance for landscaping horticultural services: wa.gov/education/industry-guides/landscaping-and-horticultural-services Cómo declarar los Impuestos sobre Servicios de Jardinería y Horticultura: wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/LandscapingTaxGuideSpanish.pdf WA DOR reseller permit renewal: wa.gov/manage-business/my-dor-help/reseller-permit WA LNI Verify Contractor Tool: secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/ WA LNI Contractor renewal instructions: wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/register-as-a-contractor/ WA SOS annual report tutorial: wa.gov/corps/onlinerenewal.aspx IRS Small Business Tax Workshop: gov/Business/SmallBusinessWeek/virtualworkshop IRS Tax forms: gov/forms-instructions Seattle 2020 Application for Business License Tax Certificate: gov/license-and-tax-administration/business-license-tax Seattle FileLocal online tool: filelocal-wa.gov/Default_File Local.aspx Seattle Department of Transportation homepage: gov/transportation Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections: gov/sdci Module 4: Hire People for Your Business This module’s objective is to help you become a successful RainWise contractor and figure out what the labor pool of your business looks like. Recording: Module 4 Hire People for Your Business PDF of presentation: Module 4 Hire People for Your Business Homework: Watch this Contractor Overview webinar: apps-public.lni.wa.gov/training/contractor-overview Review: Hiring People in WA: wa.gov/site/alias__business/876/small-business-guide—start.aspx – HireEmployees References: US DOL. “Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act” gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/71-flsa-internships, published January 2018, accessed March 2022. Day Laborer info for WA State: dol.gov/agencies/whd/workers/day-laborers Apply for a WA Business License: includes information for General Contractors registering their business: wa.gov/agency/small-business Module 5: Estimating and Invoicing This module’s objective is to help you work with clients on the process of your business being hired to put in their RainWise installation, and how to estimate and deliver a mutually beneficial product. Recording: Module 5 Estimating and Invoice PDF of presentation: Module 5 Estimating and Invoicing Homework: Review the RainWise invoicing process for cisterns purchased through Seattle Conservation Corps: org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/RainWise-Cistern-Invoice-Process-Final.pdf Learn about how to calculate your overhead costs: intuit.com/r/expenses/how-to-calculate-and-track-overhead-costs/ Resources: Learn more about the five main types of contracts: levelset.com/blog/construction-contracts-5-main-types/ Contract templates with different construction focuses: levelset.com/contract/construction-contract-template/ Invoice templates: smartsheet.com/free-invoice-templates-blank Plumbing vendors in Seattle: /wp-content/uploads/2022/04/RainWise_Plumbing-Supply-Vendors.pdf How to calculate yardage measurements for soil and mulch: dirtexchange.us/blogs/dirt-exchange/yardage-measurements-and-automobiles Small Business Loans are available through your bank, or with Craft3, Contact Craft3 directly: craft3.org Scope Of Work: discussed in less than three minutes: youtu.be/TzZS7T6Uzkc Document retention: levelset.com/blog/construction-document-retention/ Contractor Skill-Building Series: Educational Webinars These webinars are for current and prospective RainWise contractors and are held virtually using the Zoom Webinar platform. Recording are located on YouTube. Building a RainWise Rain Garden Watch the recording to learn the basics of Building a RainWise Rain Garden with Kat with a K Landscaping. You will learn the basics of preliminary planning and design, excavation best practices, and how to complete the installation for a rain garden. BONUS: How to connect a cistern to a rain garden! Recording: Building a RainWise Rain Garden PDF of presentation: Building a RainWise Rain Garden PDF of RainWise design specs: Design Details for Rain Gardens and Cisterns Getting Your RainWise Business Online Watch this recording of the Contractor Skill-Building Webinar to learn strategies to getting your RainWise business online. Join RainWise outreach team members to go through useful platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook Business, Yelp, Houzz, and more! Recording: Getting Your RainWise Business Online PDF of presentation: Getting Your RainWise Business Online One-pager of useful tips: Getting Your RainWise Business Online Design Challenges – How do you make it work? Watch this webinar with RainWise contractor Roseann Barnhill of Dirt Corps to learn more about the challenges when installing a RainWise project. Also, you will learn how to complete an initial site design for a RainWise project. Recording: Design Challenges – How do you make it work? PDF of presentation: Design Challenges – How do you make it work? Cistern Installation Basics – Dry fit and Pipe Gluing Watch this webinar where you will join Jake Harris of Stone Soup Gardens to learn about the basics of installing a cistern system. At this webinar, you will learn how to dry-fit a cistern installation, pipe-gluing techniques, and more! Recording: Cistern Installation Basics – Dry fit and Pipe Gluing Sign up for future GRiP meetings here: /about/green-infrastructure-partnership-grip/ For more resources, check out venturesnonprofit.org which is a Seattle-based nonprofit that empowers aspiring entrepreneurs with limited resources and unlimited potential.
