 |
City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels (former Mayor)
|
NEWS ADVISORY
|
| SUBJECT: Mayor Announces Grants to Help 22 Neighborhood Business Districts
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
6/29/2005 10:00:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 233-9257
Karin Zaugg Black (206)733-9810
|
Mayor Announces Grants to Help
22 Neighborhood Business Districts
Grants will increase City investments in Seattle neighborhoods
Seattle -- Mayor Greg Nickels awarded grants today to 22 Neighborhood
Business District Associations throughout Seattle to continue the City’s
investments in building healthy communities.
“Investing in our neighborhood business districts is a big step towards
ensuring a thriving economy,” said Mayor Nickels, who awarded the grants
at a community event in South Park. “Small businesses are economic engines
at the heart of every neighborhood -- our local restaurants, coffee houses
and grocery stores are how we define ‘home’.”
The Office of Economic Development received proposals totaling more than
three times the amount of money available. Grants totaling $164,034 were given
to 22 neighborhood business organizations.
“This grant will provide important funding for the South Park businesses
to create a stronger coalition of merchants, residents and industrial leaders,
and better promote our business district,” said Jason McKinney, Environmental
Extension Agent/Industrial Engineer, Environmental Coalition of South Seattle
(ECOSS). “It will help us to create a thriving local economy.”
The Environmental Coalition of South Seattle (ECOSS) and South Park Merchants
Association are receiving a $10,000.00 award that will fund projects to help
strengthen their business district, including the creation of a sustainable
Merchant-Resident-Industrial Coalition and the creation of a promotion map
of the business district to drive more customers to shop in South Park.
“One of my priorities is to make City government a better partner with
business, and today we’re celebrating the work by some of those partners -- the
non-profit business associations that work side by side with small businesses
to improve our neighborhoods,” said Nickels.
“The Office of Economic Development is focused on helping neighborhood
businesses city-wide grow and thrive,” stated Jill Nishi, Director of
the Office of Economic Development. “The grants we give out today will
be used for a wide range of projects, from the creation of marketing materials
to installing banners and lighting, all designed to help strengthen and grow
these local business communities.”
Some examples of the projects funded include: business district promotion
(brochures, maps, signage), physical improvement and enhancement projects (trees,
benches) and neighborhood business district assessment and analysis.
The following organizations are recipients of the 2005 Neighborhood Business
District Grants:
- Arts Ballard $1,738.00
- Ballard Chamber of Commerce $6,000.00
- Broadway Business Improvement Area $7,861.00
- Central Area Community Festival Association $10,000.00
- Chinatown -International District BIA $5,000.00
- Columbia City Business Association $11,100.00
- Environmental Coalition of South Seattle & South Park Merchant’s
Assn $10,000.00
- Genesee Merchants Association $5,000.00
- Greater Seattle Business Association $4,625.00
- Greater University Chamber of Commerce $9,210.00
- Lake City Chamber of Commerce $11,000.00
- Madison Park Community Council $10,000.00
- Montlake Community Club $7,500.00
- Northgate Chamber of Commerce $6,000.00
- Picture Perfect Queen Anne $8,000.00
- Pioneer Square Community Association $10,000.00
- Rainier Beach Merchants Association $5,000.00
- SODO Business Association $5,000.00
- SouthEast Effective Development $5,000.00
- Vietnamese American Economic Development $10,000.00
- West Seattle Junction Association $6,000.00
- White Center Community Development Association $10,000.00
Total Amount of Grants: $164,034.00
To learn more about the 2005 Neighborhood Business District Grants, please
visit the Mayor’s website at: www.seattle.gov/mayor.
- 30 -
Office of the Mayor
|
