Port districts are authorized to utilize the services of a nonprofit corporation for the purposes of providing training, education, and general improvement to the public sector management skills necessary to implement the economic development programs of port districts. Actions taken under this section must be implemented pursuant to the powers granted in chapter 39.84 RCW. Any nonprofit corporation utilized pursuant to this section must be a tax exempt nonprofit corporation, may be a nonprofit corporation created by the Washington public ports association, and must be created for the sole purposes of education and training for port district officials and employees. Port districts are authorized to transfer to a qualified nonprofit corporation utilized pursuant to this section any funds received from an industrial development corporation created by a port district under RCW 39.84.130.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the receipt of additional public or private funds by a nonprofit corporation established under this section. The coordination of these programs and the transfers and expenditures of funds shall be deemed to be for industrial development and trade promotion as provided for in Article VIII, section 8 of the Washington state Constitution.