Create a Thriving Business District

THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Overview

This section covers funding opportunities with the Office of Economic Development; funding opportunities with the Department of Neighborhoods; steps for forming a Business Improvement Area (BIA); other grant programs citywide (see Grant Programs matrix on pages 29-30); and free services to businesses (see Services to Businesses matrix on pages 31-34).

OED’s Neighborhood Business District Program

The Office of Economic Development (OED)’s Neighborhood Business District Program is designed to help neighborhood business districts and business organizations to develop and attain their goals of growing and strengthening their local business communities. Each year, usually in March, OED issues a Request for Proposals (RFP). Non-profit organizations interested in completing projects and/or providing services that benefit a Seattle neighborhood business district may submit eligible proposals to OED. Awards are typically within a range of $5,000 through $20,000.

Organizations must have a federal tax ID number, and must provide services in a Seattle neighborhood business district (such as chambers of commerce, merchant’s organizations, and business improvement associations). Applicants should have an explicitly stated mission or goal of strengthening the business community in the neighborhood.

What types of projects are eligible?

OED seeks projects that focus on, but are not solely limited to organizational development of neighborhood business district groups, marketing, and physical improvements in neighborhood business districts. Specifically, in 2006, OED encouraged the following types of projects:

• Projects that support immigrant and refugee business development;
• Projects that improve pedestrian safety in neighborhood business districts;
• Projects that help to remove graffiti in neighborhood business districts.