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.
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:
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- 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/
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- Resources:
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- 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
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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:
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- 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
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- Resources:
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- RainWise Contractor Resources, includes in-depth webinars and resources just for contractors: 700milliongallons.org/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
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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:
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- 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
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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:
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- 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
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- References:
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- 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
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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:
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- 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/
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- Resources:
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- 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: 700milliongallons.org/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/
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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: 700milliongallons.org/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.