About Us

Welcome to the Office of Economic Development's Website

Welcome to the Office of Economic Development (OED). Our office works to maximize Seattle's potential as a thriving hub for businesses, jobs, robust neighborhoods and economic opportunity for everyone in our city.

We are committed to creating a vibrant economy which benefits the whole city by promoting access to economic opportunities for all of Seattle's diverse communities.

Our business development efforts seek to create jobs and foster a diverse array of industry sectors. Our "Business Advocate" helps individual businesses get their projects done. Our community development programs are revitalizing Seattle's distinctive and diverse neighborhoods. Our workforce development initiatives meet the needs of low-income job seekers and employers.

We wish you success and hope our website will support your work.

Susan Shannon
Director
206-684-8090
susan.shannon@seattle.gov
Office of Economic Development

Department Mission

To create a robust economy and broadly shared prosperity, the City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development is committed to balancing economic growth with the pursuit of economic and social justice.

We help create a vibrant economy which benefits the whole city by promoting access to economic opportunities for all of Seattle's diverse communities.

We support economic development that is financially, environmentally and socially sustainable. To achieve these ends, we are innovative and action-oriented, and work effectively with our partners to ensure maximum impact.

Click here to read OED's Strategic Action Plan 2004-2009 that guides OED's work.

Connecting Business, Community and People

The City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development (OED) is an executive office of City of Seattle municipal government.

OED works chiefly through partnerships with community-based organizations, community lending institutions, community colleges, individual businesses, and industry associations and business organizations. By providing support to local organizations serving Seattle's diverse communities, OED leverages its resources and accesses the talents of many people to maintain and enhance our city's economic health.

OED invests money from a variety of sources -- the City general fund, federal dollars, foundation grants -- into economic development activities. Our staff provides program management, policy planning and other services to assist specific enterprises or groups of firms, neighborhoods and individual Seattle residents.

Goals

Goal #1: Support Business Growth

Grow Seattle's Economy Through Business Development, Retention and Expansion Activities Focused on Key Industry Sectors and Small Business

1. Develop and implement sector strategies to facilitate growth in eight strategically chosen sectors, which are Biotech, Film, Healthcare, Information & Communications Technology, Manufacturing and Maritime, Music, Smart Energy, and Sustainable Building.
2. Support the creation and sustainability of Seattle's small businesses.
3. Strengthen Neighborhood Business Districts through our Neighborhood Business District Grant Program and by supporting our neighborhood business district organizations.
4. Assist Seattle's underserved small business owners, with a focus on immigrant entrepreneurs.

Goal #2: Catalyze Community Revitalization

Develop and Execute Revitalization Strategies to Drive Growth and Investment in the City's Economically Distressed Neighborhoods

1. Market and utilize federal financing tools for direct investment in community revitalization projects in economically distressed neighborhoods.
2. Stimulate private investment in targeted neighborhood business districts (University District and Broadway).
3. Design and implement a revitalization strategy for Rainier Valley.
4. Lead and coordinate a revitalization strategy that creates dynamic residential neighborhoods in South Downtown.

Goal #3: Facilitate Connections Between People and Jobs

Develop Workforce Training Resources for Underemployed and Unemployed Seattle Residents, Benefiting Individuals and Industry, Supporting Key Sectors and Diversifying and Strengthening Seattle's Economy

1. Invest in the apprenticeship preparation system, with specific geographic focus on the Rainier Valley and industry focus on the building trades.
2. Invest in the Seattle Jobs Initiative to place 500 low income individuals per year in jobs that pay at minimum $9.00 per hour with benefits, achieving at least 50% retention one year after placement.

OED supports Mayor's Priorities

Create Jobs and Opportunities For All

The Office of Economic Development (OED) works to strengthen Seattle's key industries and to facilitate access to economic opportunities for all of Seattle's residents. The creation of a vibrant, balanced and diversified economy benefits individuals across all income levels.

The three key areas of OED's focus are:

• Support business growth
• Catalyze community revitalization ; and
• Facilitate connections between people and jobs.

Build Strong Families and Healthy Communities

OED's community development programs are revitalizing Seattle's distinctive and diverse neighborhoods and strengthening the neighborhood business districts, which serve as gathering places for people throughout the city.

Keep Our Neighborhoods Safe

OED's community development programs develop and execute revitalization strategies to drive growth and investment in the city's economically distressed neighborhoods. Creating more access for all citizens to opportunities and services creates safer neighborhoods.

Get Seattle Moving

OED's industry sector work focuses on the critical need of our local industries to be able to move goods and services smoothly throughout the city and region. OED helps identify potential business impacts of transportation projects and works to develop mitigation strategies to assist the businesses impacted.