In the rolling hills and rugged coastlines of Oregon, small towns often echo with creativity, grit, and untapped potential. But for many entrepreneurs in these areas, good ideas alone are not enough. The lack of mentorship, funding, and infrastructure creates barriers that too often turn dreams into dead ends. That’s where the story of the Foundry Collective begins. Through its Reinventing Rural initiative, in partnership with WaFd Bank and FINSYNC, the organization is helping bring new life to rural communities across the state.
The work happening in Oregon’s rural communities goes far beyond business growth. It builds local capacity, shifts mindsets, and demonstrates that innovation can thrive anywhere, not just in urban areas.
The Beginning of Reinventing Rural
The Foundry Collective is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and small business ecosystems in underserved communities across Oregon. One of its core areas of focus is Reinventing Rural, a program created to address the specific challenges of rural business development.
Brad Attig, CEO of the Foundry Collective, helped shape the direction of Reinventing Rural after years of working with Hatch Innovation, a Portland-based nonprofit focused on social entrepreneurship. When Hatch launched Hatchlab Baker to support rural entrepreneurship, it became clear that rural areas needed a more tailored approach. As the pandemic shifted priorities, Brad launched Foundry Collective to continue and expand that work, turning Reinventing Rural into a full initiative with statewide reach.
The mission was clear: close the rural resource gap by offering technical assistance, mentorship, and access to capital in communities often overlooked by traditional economic development programs.
A Need for More Than Good Ideas
Rural entrepreneurs face a specific and stubborn set of challenges. “Lack of demand, lack of infrastructure, and isolation,” Brad explains. “It’s not that rural people aren’t innovative. It’s that the systems haven’t caught up to support that innovation.”
One of the biggest needs is access to a solid foundation: business education, mentorship, and tools. That is where the FINSYNC programs came in, thanks to Brad’s collaboration with Jose Alfaro. Misty Lambrecht, a business coach at Foundry Collective, helped bring the program to Oregon’s coast, making it more accessible to communities far from the usual support hubs. Soon, rural towns from La Grande to Baker City were seeing new energy and opportunity.
Still, for many of these businesses, a program alone was not enough. They needed the infrastructure to move from idea to income.
Power of Partnership: WaFd Bank Steps In
The real turning point came when WaFd Bank entered the picture. What started as an idea to host programs in bank branches evolved into a sponsorship model with even greater impact in the communities it was meant to serve. WaFd began funding local delivery partners such as Sisters Makers and EDCO so the cohorts could run independently with real financial backing and business banking support.
The impact was immediate. “Thanks to WaFd’s support, we nearly doubled the number of entrepreneurs we could reach in Oregon,” Brad says. The sponsorship helped cover the cost of materials, allowing participants to focus on building their businesses instead of worrying about fees.
WaFd’s involvement also provided entrepreneurs with free business checking accounts, a crucial yet simple step in legitimizing a business. With these accounts, startups began laying a more formal foundation and connecting with bankers earlier in their journey.
As Brad puts it, “It’s not just about the money. It’s about relationship-building and creating a sense of legitimacy for these rural entrepreneurs.”
Building for the Long Haul
Sustainable impact is not just about one-time support. That is why Foundry Collective takes a long-term view. Their model includes developing local facilitators who can eventually lead future cohorts. “We want graduates to become mentors,” Brad says. “That way, the support stays rooted in the community.”
This approach is already taking hold. Misty notes that there have been 11 cohorts with direct WaFd connections. The organization is also collecting data on demographics, business types, and outcomes to help tell the story of what is working and where support is still needed.
Hannah Johnson, who leads marketing and storytelling at Foundry Collective, has been instrumental in sharing these stories through podcasts and Substack posts. These real-life profiles highlight not just the businesses but the people and purpose behind them. The stories resonate far beyond Oregon, showing what is possible when communities invest in themselves and when organizations like FINSYNC help amplify those efforts.
Believing in Rural Potential
This story is about believing in people who are often overlooked by traditional programs. It is about meeting them, listening, and helping them build businesses rooted in their values and communities.
When asked what keeps them going, the team at Foundry Collective does not hesitate. “We’ve seen firsthand what can happen when someone finally gets the support they need,” Brad says. “That spark of belief changes everything.”
With continued collaboration, storytelling, and investment, that spark is catching fire across Oregon.
And the best part? This is just the beginning.