COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                       Item No.         6m 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting     December 10, 2019 
DATE:     November 27, 2019 
TO:        Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director 
FROM:    David McFadden, Managing Director 
SUBJECT:  2020 Economic Development Partnership Program Authorization Request 
Amount of this request:     $965,000 

ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute contract agreements
and implement the 2020 Economic Development Partnership program with King County cities in
an amount not to exceed $965,000. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Now in its fourth year, staff is requesting Commission authorization to implement the 2020 Port
of Seattle Economic Development Partnership program in an amount not to exceed $965,000. 
In June of 2016, the Port of Seattle Commission created the program to advance local economic
development in collaboration with King County cities (except Seattle). The program, funded by
the tax levy, provides cities $1 per capita with a minimum funding amount of $5,000 and a
maximum funding amount of $65,000. The Port also requires a 50% match (up to 25% monetary
match and 25% in-kind resource match) to ensure cities are also committed to project success. 
Over the past three grant cycles, cities have continued to work on projects that support economic
diversification, local business development, company attraction, planning and feasibility studies,
marketing, and tourism and wayfinding. 
In 2019 (program cycle 3), 23 out of the 38 King County cities applied for funding and entered
into a contractual agreement with the Port of Seattle. Approximately, $778,000 of the total
$965,000 in allocated funds were awarded and expended by cities (awarded funds are used to
estimate the total for cities still completing their projects). Additionally, cities have allocated
almost $571,000 in monetary and in-kind matching resources  in 2019.  Decreased city 
participation is attributed to several factors described in the next section. 


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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 2 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
2019 RESULTS AND PROGRAM HISTORY 
In 2019, more cities are using the program as seed funding for new and regional collaborations,
especially in South King County. Additionally, multiple smaller cities, like Pacific and Tukwila, are
contributing to regional collaborations using Port awarded funding. 
Projects undertaken by the 23 King County cities in 2019 are classified under five different
categories based on the type of economic development activities undertaken. Several cities are
conducting multiple projects and some projects cross over into multiple categories. The number
of economic development projects by category are: 
Business Recruitment: 14 cities, 
Business Assistance and Retention: 11 cities, 
Planning/Feasibility Studies: 10 cities, 
Tourism: 9 cities, and, 
Buy Local Initiatives & Marketplace Development: 4 cities. 
The projects highlighted in the City Project Summaries section offer a sample of the ways cities
are leveraging the program to create jobs and advance the regional economy. 
Support and feedback from the cities continue to be overwhelmingly positive for the program. In
the final project reports completed by the program recipients, several cities shared the value
they see in the program and how the program has advanced economic inclusion in their
communities. 
"This is a valuable and effective program that enables us to augment our services and assist
multiple city departments in [the City of Kenmore]." 
Nancy Ousley, Assistant City Manager, City of Kenmore 
"Aswe worked on the economic development plan, our City Council encouraged us to do 
additional and extensive outreach to the economically and socially disadvantaged communities
in Tukwila[we] feel[the research] will lead to better policies for the economic health of our
city." 
Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator, City of Tukwila 
"The City of Renton is incredibly grateful for the continued support from the Port of Seattle and 
the opportunity to build on the strategic creation of new opportunities for economic growth at 
both local and regional levels." 
Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Specialist, City of Renton 
"The program functions very well. We very much appreciate the Port Commissioners' support for
the program, and the great communication and flexibility that Port Staff displays through the
administration of the program." 
Chris Craig, Economic Development Manager, City of Burien 

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 3 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 

In 2019 (program cycle 3), 23 out of 38 King County cities applied for funding and entered into a
contractual agreement with the Port of Seattle. In 2017 (grant cycle 2), 30 of the 38 King County
cities applied for funding and entered into a contractual agreement with the Port. 
The decreased number of cities participating in the 2019 program is partly due to a variety of 
causes including: 
Limited city funds to offer as a funding match: Mercer Island; 
Changes in city management: Sammamish; 
Changes in city elected officials: Newcastle; 
Limited city staff capacity (example: staff needed to manage permitting ): Lake Forest
Park; and 
Finishing projects from the 2017-2018 program cycle: Carnation and Enumclaw. 
Port economic development staff has already begun meeting with different cities to explore
solutions and projects that address these constraints. Additionally, staff is working to encourage
all cities to participate in the 2020 cycle. 
PROGRAM REFINEMENTS 
1.  Longer Contracting Options 
In 2019, several cities implementing collaborative or longer-duration projects had difficulty
finishing projects in the typical 8-month period (March to October). To make the program more
flexible, staff is seeking Commission support to allow cities longer contracting options. Longer
contracting options will help cities executing new multi-city collaborative partnerships like the 5-
city Kent Valley real estate marketing project. Flexible contracting options, beyond the typical 8-
months, will also help cities that are implementing fourth quarter projects like Renton's
downtown winter shopping events or cities doing longer-duration projects like the Kent-Pacific
Intermodal Trail Study. 
2.  Additional Technical Assistance 
Many smaller cities in King County do not have dedicated economic development staff. Smaller
cities with fewer staff may need help identifying and managing economic development projects
that are a good fit for their community. Port staff have and will continue to offer technical
assistance to help cities, especially smaller cities, manage and deliver effective economic
development projects. 
3.  Additional Outreach and Engagement 
Quarterly meetings and more engagement with cities on economic development topics will be a
main part of the program. The Port hosted four quarterly roundtable events with cities on
different economic development topics in 2019 including a "Panel Discussion on Business
Resources" with the U.S. Small Business Administration and "Tools for Economic Development"

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 4 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce OutREACH program. In 2020, staff will
continue hosting quarterly roundtables on economic development topics and continue to engage
with cities across King County. 
CITY PROJECT SUMMARIES 
Regional Partnerships 
Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland 
The Innovation Triangle updated business district market snapshots for 3 Bellevue, 2
Kirkland, and 2 Redmond locations on their website. 
Innovationtriangle.org showed "[921] users are viewing significantly more [content]"
(7,900 pageviews or a 9.9% increase from October 2018 to 2019) and the search engine
optimization (SEO) work is yielding a higher ranking in Google and other search engines 
(500 sessions from organic search). 
Represented the Innovation Triangle at SelectUSA 2019 (met with 35 businesses), D.I.C.E. 
(19 meetings), New Space (10 new contacts), Space Foundation Space Symposium,
Embassy of India Business Reception, London & Partners International Business
Reception, and briefing with a delegation from Nagoya, Japan. 
Added a business retention component and worked with two technology companies, 1 
automotive retailer, and 1 arts organization identified as at-risk of leaving the region. 
Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, and Renton (Bellevue participated using separate funds) 
As part of Startup425, a partnership with Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, and
Renton, the partnership: 
o  Offered a  Foundation Learning Series  composed of 2-hour classes covering
different business topics in King County Libraries taught by SCORE volunteers. 
370 attendees, 51% of attendees self-identified as non-white and 54%
identified as women, and 43% of respondents reported being age 44 or
younger. 
79% of respondents found the workshop content to be "very" or
"extremely helpful." 
o  Offered a 12-hour Small Business Essentials advanced workshop series covering
business planning, finance, and marketing. 
25 attendees, 45% of attendees self-identified as non-white, 61%
identified as women, 46% of respondents reported being age 44 or
younger. 
100% of respondents found the workshop to be "very" or "extremely
helpful." 
o  Co-organized the "Women in Business Conference" (150 attendees) where the
Port of Seattle spoke about Diversity in Contracting opportunities. 


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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 5 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
o  Participated in the Bellevue Tech Expo, Eastside Regional Business Summit,
BizDirectory Community Expo, "We're in Business" Empowering Latino Small
Businesses & Entrepreneurs, and Investor Sharks Northwest. 
Startup425.org had 3,765 users and 5,218 sessions from October 2018 to 2019. 
One-on-one technical support referrals were made to SCORE Mentors and the SBDC
Eastside Technology Advisory. 
In a new 5-year strategic plan, the partnership plans to enrich the curriculum with tiered 
tracks (100, 200, and 300 series); investigate creating a collaborative workspace to offer
training; grow the number of SCORE mentors; and expand activities to include job fairs,
pitch sessions, and hackathons. According to the plan, "[a]t its core, [the plan] reiterates
the most important gap to be addressed for Eastside businesses is the same as the 2018
UW Bothell Livable Cities Report finding; that the most important predictor of business
success is the availability of business education." 
Duvall and Snoqualmie 
The "Savor Snoqualmie Valley" tourism promotion initiative, coordinated  by the
Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust in partnership with the business community,
facilitated tourism marketing activities for participating cities in the Snoqualmie Valley to
cooperatively encourage tourism and outdoor recreation in the region. See results under
Individual City Projects. 
Kent, Tukwila, and Pacific (Renton and Auburn participated using separate funds) 
Created the KentValleyWa.com website, with real-time property and demographic data,
to market the Kent Valley as a real estate sub-market. 
Increasing the visibility of the Kent Valley using regional and national media and defining
the Kent Valley as a center of aerospace innovation and high-tech manufacturing. 
Kent and Pacific 
The "Interurban Trail Intermodal Opportunity Study" will identify new Kent-Pacific area
trail connections, trail improvements, and connections to other transit options. The study
looks to expand multi-modal transportation networks and improve transportation
choices in the industrialized areas of South King County. The study will be completed in
early 2020. 
Individual City Projects 
Auburn - $65,000 
Buy Local Auburn is connecting citizens to digital content about how local spending
contributes to improvements in local services like roads through local taxes. Early results
show stories have generated 2,000 views. 

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 6 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
The Auburn Innovation Partnership Zone Business Incubator doubled the number of
participating businesses to 20 members and graduated 1 women-owned business. The
incubator offers in-person and virtual business support classes. 
Bellevue - $49,253 
The Bellwether Arts Festival marketing generated 1,200 event visitors, 4,600 website
visits, paid advertisements in 4+ regional publications, and earned media in 3+ regional
publications. 
The Bellevue Grand Connection summer pilot, a pedestrian street activation along a
growing commercial corridor, saw strong positive responses in survey data. Additionally,
the pilot maintenance was "straight forward" resulting in more "confidence" for future
public and private sector investments. 
Participated in the Innovation Triangle using Port funds and Startup425 using other funds.
See results under the Regional Partnerships section. 
Bothell - $18,000 
Completed a feasibility study and market analysis of a small piece of the former Wayne
Golf Course indicating market demand for a stand-alone destination, boutique hotel with
meeting space and distillery or brewery component to complement outdoor recreation
on the Snohomish River Trail. 
Burien - $36,575 (1 of 8 cities finishing projects) 
Hosted Opportunity Zone workshops connecting 15 property owners and 25 investors.
Two properties are under contract for redevelopment due to the workshops. 
20+ businesses attended English and Spanish language small business workshops. 
Hosted 15 area hotel concierges at 6 Burien restaurants to increase dining referrals to
hotel guests. Prior to engagement, 50% of concierges said they had never recommended
dining options in Burien. 
Organizing winter events and pop-up retail to promote shopping and commerce in
downtown Burien. 
Covington - $7,250 
The Green River College Small Business Development Center advised 10 Covington based
businesses and hosted 4 workshops on "starting a business" and "digital marketing
fundamentals." 
Des Moines - $31,140 (1 of 8 cities finishing projects) 
Developing a request for qualifications (RFQ) to engage private sector investment in the
Des Moines Marina redevelopment plan. The RFQ process has "generated significant
developer interest" according to the city. 

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 7 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
The RFQ will seek private investment to develop the Des Moines Marina Steps
incorporating  an  environmentally-based  water  feature  to  enhance  water  quality
discharge into Puget Sound, mixed-use retail or office spaces, a maker-space, and a hotel.
"The design approach [for the Marina Steps] will increase connectivity between the
downtown and the waterfront through sustainable design and improvements to create a
welcoming and lively destinationwithin the community." 
Duvall - $7,655 
As part of Savor Snoqualmie Valley, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust designed
and distributed 10,000 2019 event guides, printed 5,000 arts and culture maps, and
printed 15,000 local food and farm brochures. Digital versions of the materials received
90,000 views. 
Federal Way - $58,564 
Created the "Discover Downtown Federal Way" opportunity website and report - a three-
part report that examined the business and redevelopment opportunities in Downtown 
Federal Way. The report  was promoted by the city's use of direct mail and digital
campaign. 
Marketed the 35th Korean-American National Sports Festival. 10,000 visitors attended,
including about 5,000 athletes from around the nation that utilized Sea-Tac International
Airport. The estimated economic impact for the region was $10 million. 
Hosted nearly 50 representatives from foreign countries at the Foreign Consulate Forum
Tour and Lunch in Federal Way exploring international trade and business development
topics. Executive Director Metruck spoke at the event. 
Issaquah - $34,992 
Offered marketing support to grow the Issaquah Sports Medicine Combine event and
highlight the Issaquah Sports Medicine Innovation Partnership Zone. Funding was also
used to update the city's economic development webpage. 
Supported the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce Regional Business Summit (110
attendees) covering topics like workforce training, cybersecurity, and transportation and
Chamber University (33 attendees). 
Hosted "Cultural Conversations" (20 attendees), a workshop series supporting immigrant
workers and their spouses as they enter the United States workforce. 
Participated in the Startup425 regional partnership. See results under the Regional
Partnerships section. 
Kenmore - $22,920 
The Kenmore Business Acceleration Training class worked with 16 businesses (average
revenue of $537,700 per business) in 2019 and has trained a total of 54 businesses since
2016. 

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 8 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
o  A 2-person, civil engineering company that participated in a previous year now
employees 20 people with an annual revenue of $2.3 million. 
Updated professional photos for the City website and economic development materials. 
Hired a consultant to evaluate potential incentives and strategies to promote commercial
office development. 
Kent - $65,000 (1 of 8 cities finishing projects) 
Conducted a regional employment analysis as part of the "Rally the Valley" long-range
planning study. The analysis is being used to develop and advance land use and economic
development policies for city council consideration. 
Leading the "Interurban Trail Intermodal Opportunity Study" and the Kent Valley
marketing, media positioning, and website project. See results under the Regional
Partnerships. 
Kirkland - $65,000 (1 of 8 cities finishing projects) 
Led the research and drafting of a new 5-year strategic plan for Startup 425. 
Participated in the Startup425 and the Innovation Triangle regional partnerships. See
results under the Regional Partnerships section. 
Maple Valley - $25,280 
The Green River College Small Business Development Center advised 20 companies in
Maple Valley. 
Added a streamlined business portal and real-time economic development data to the
city's website. 
Hosted a site selection tour of developable sites for the FAIBCI Seattle Chapter and 
advertised tourism and business opportunities in regional publications. 
Normandy Park - $5,706 
Developed a hotel feasibility study and market collateral. The study showed demand for
"boutique, longer-stay style accommodation" complemented by Normandy Park's
location. 
North Bend - $6,000 
Created city economic development marketing materials and parcel-specific marketing
materials targeted at attracting niche companies that enhance the livability and outdoor
recreation potential of North Bend. 
Pacific - $6,875 (1 of 8 cities finishing projects) 
Participated in the Interurban Trail Intermodal Opportunity Study and the Kent Valley
marketing, media positioning, and website project. 

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                  Page 9 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 

Redmond - $64,000 
To help address the businesses impacted by Link Light Rail Development, the city hosted
5 business community events (684 attendees) and outreached to 200+ small businesses
impacted by future Light Rail development. Businesses were offered technical assistance
services like planning assistance. 
Created a digital "Change the World from Redmond" story map showing developable sites
in Redmond. 
Participated in the Startup425 and the Innovation Triangle regional partnerships. See
results under the Regional Partnerships section. 
Renton - $65,000 (1 of 8 cities finishing projects) 
Continuing a multi-year retail business attraction campaign, the city secured 65 retail/
restaurant prospects and is selecting sites for 4 prospects. 
Conducted a food incubator feasibility study focused on providing tools to help residents
who are disadvantaged, unemployed, or underemployed develop skills that move them 
toward economic self-sufficiency. The city is currently looking at different models to
finance the Renton Food Service Center. 
Held multiple events contributing to increased visitation and commerce in downtown
Renton including a new concert series, rooftop dragon art-installation/ scavenger hunt
(1,000 attendees), "Summerfest" summer block party, Wine Walks (1,236 tickets sold),
Small Business Saturday celebration, and winter downtown shopping events. 
A mobile application highlighting downtown Renton will roll out at the holiday event and
will include a digital holiday shopping guide, public art, history walking tours, and a guide
to dining and entertainment to keep visitors coming back to downtown Renton. 
A small faade grants program supported the creation of a pilot "parklet" project in
Downtown Renton, resulted in improved storefront signage and window displays in three
businesses and will result in the construction of a street caf on a busy corner in the heart
of the city. 
Small Business support: 
o  The Startup425 Renton class enrollment significantly grew over 2018 with the
majority of Renton attendees self-identifying as minority- or women-owned
businesses. Wyldwood Creative, an independent women-owned creative studio
who attended the Spring 2018 Startup425, celebrated the grand opening of her
fabric store and creative studio space in downtown Renton on November 10. See
more Startup425 results under the Regional Partnerships section. 
o  Hosted a "We're in Business" Spanish language entrepreneurship expo featuring
panel discussions, a practice pitch competition, and vendor hall connected Latino
entrepreneurs to small business service providers and nonprofits (65 attendees). 
o  Hosted the "Creating Stellar Storefronts" seminar (26 business owners) and
offered ongoing one-on-one merchandising/storefront coaching (6 businesses),

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                 Page 10 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
launched a regular Downtown Business Forum, and offered on-going e-commerce
and retail trends business coaching. 
SeaTac - $29,130 
Expanded the "Business Synergy" supply chain mapping and local buyer-seller matchmaking
program by visiting 200 businesses in new industries like hospitality and tourism,
aerospace, and logistics. Specific recommendations from businesses have led to better
communication of future city capital construction that may impact businesses. 
The city expanded stakeholder engagement for businesses and property owners within
the City's Central Airport Business Services District. 
Shoreline - $55,000 
The Shoreline Place Farmer's Market reported an increase of 9,000 visitors in 2019
(24,000 total), a 15% increase in self-reported vendor sales, a 9% increase in vendor fees,
and a 4.7% increase in EBT/ SNAP Fresh Bucks spending. The grant supported marketing
and live activities at the market. 
The Northwest Filmmaking Accelerator positioned area short-film makers in a highvisibility
Hollywood short-film festival. The Mayor of Shoreline also spoke at the event
promoting the city as a film destination. 
The city is organizing and inventorying music industry and night-life assets to grow and
promote a local music and tourism scene. The city is planning to create a stakeholder
group to advise on industry development. 
Snoqualmie - $13,000 (1 of 8 cities finishing projects) 
Converted the digital Historic Snoqualmie Walking Tour into displays for downtown
kiosks. Created reusable heritage display boards highlighting attractions to encourage
event visitors to explore other Snoqualmie Valley attractions. 
Grew and supported the Savor Snoqualmie Valley social media channels and website. 
Updated and printed the Snoqualmie Valley Trail Brochure and the Arts and Culture Map. 
Tukwila - $19,800 (1 of 8 cities finishing project) 
Created an economic conditions report, which included robust business outreach and
engagement, for the City Council. The report will help inform the creation of a new
economic development plan in 2020. 
Participated in the Kent Valley marketing, media positioning, and website project. See
results under the Regional Partnerships section. 
Woodinville - $11,830 
The initial adult beverage incubator study was broadened to explore the adult beverage
industry challenges. The final study explores 2 projects: a Visitor Hub that will act as "a
gateway to the region" offering programming for tourists and exploring the development 

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COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6m                                 Page 11 of 11 
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019 
of an industry cooperative to expand the distribution of beverages by the area's small
producers. 
Awarded funds expended  are  calculated  based on the final project reports  provided by
participating cities. The grant award amount is used when calculating total expended funds for
some projects that are still being completed. 
2020 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP GRANT TIMELINE 
Port staff is starting to implement the 2020 Economic Development Partnership program. The
Port is meeting with participating cities on December 12, 2019, to kick off the 2020 program
funding cycle. After the meeting, the Port will make the program application for funds available 
to cities until the application deadline of February 27, 2020. As participating cities finalize their
work plans, the associated contracts will be approved by the Port. Staff is working to encourage
all cities to participate in the 2020 cycle. 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds 
The Port of Seattle Economic Development Partnership program is an initiative that will cost
approximately $965,000 to implement in 2020. The Port property tax levy will be used to support
the 2020 grant program. 
Future Revenues and Expenses (Total cost of ownership) 
The program is anticipated to operate annually. It will likely cost between $700,000 and
$1,000,000 per year unless the Port of Seattle Commission changes or eliminates the program. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
(1)   2019 Economic Development Partnership Program PowerPoint Presentation 
(2) "Growing the Regional Economy"  Story Map of 2019 Projects  (bit.ly/economicdevelopment-2019
) 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
July 23, 2019  Commission briefing on the 2019 Economic Development Partnership
program. 
January 8, 2019  The Commission authorized the Executive Director to execute contracts
supporting the 2019 Port of Seattle Economic Development Partnership Program in an
amount not to exceed $960,000. 
December 11, 2018  Presentation to the Commission on the results of the 2017-2018
Economic Development Partnership Program and the findings of a draft program
evaluation report completed by Community Attributes Inc. 
June 12, 2018  The Commission approved a specific city grant contract with the city of
Enumclaw. 

Template revised September 22, 2016.