COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
DATE:
April 1, 2025
TO:
Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM:
A Boungjaktha, Managing Director
Annie Tran, Economic Development Manager
10c
April 8, 2025
SUBJECT: Economic Development Partnership Program and 2025-2026 Authorization Request
Amount of this request:
$1,900,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute contract agreements
and implement the 2025-2026 Economic Development Partnership program with King County
cities in an amount not to exceed $1,900,000. Commission also authorizes Executive Director to
execute contracts using unutilized program funding to advance regional initiatives to further
equitable and innovative economic development initiatives.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Economic Development City Partnership program builds alliances with King County cities to
advance economic development broadly across the region. Currently, the program is funded by
the Port property tax levy, which provides cities $10,000 - $60,000 of funding to implement
economic development projects that supported economic development recovery and tied to the
Port's interests. The Port requires a 50% match (up to 25% monetary match and 25% in-kind
resources match) to ensure cities are also committed to project success.
The Port of Seattle Commission created the program in 2016 to advance local economic
development in partnership with cities in King County. Over the past eight funding cycles (2016
- 2024), city partners have implemented projects that advanced economic diversification, local
business development, business attraction, planning/feasibility studies, tourism, and workforce
development.
For 2025-2026, staff are requesting the Commission to authorize funding not to exceed
$1,900,000 to implement the program. These funds will be used to support two-year contracts
with participating cities. Our municipal partners recommended we move to two-year contract
to better align with their biennial budget timelines.
Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
2024 YEAR IN REVIEW: CITY PARTNERS FOCUS ON RELIEF/RECOVERY EFFORTS
In 2024, 27 cities used Port funding to advance economic relief and recovery initiatives. More
than 70% of investments were dedicated towards small business support, buy local/placemaking
campaigns, and business attraction efforts.
In 2024, we implemented standardized metrics to assess impacts to businesses and included
metrics to include participation from women-and-minority-owned-businesses (WMBE).
Additionally, we increased the minimum of funding to $10,000 from $5,000 for the small cities.
Small cities could supplement their 50% match from in-kind resources rather than requiring city
monetary funds. This reduced barriers for smaller cities with limited budgets to be able to
participate and receive the funding.
2024 Economic Development Partnership Awards by Project Category
Project Type
Small Business Technical
Assistance
Buy Local/ Placemaking
Business Attraction
Plans/Custom Projects
Tourism
Workforce Development
Business
Retention/Expansion
Total
Port Funding
% of Port
Funding
City Match
Total
Investment
(Port Funding
+ Match)
$282,227
36.5%
$ 184,398
$466,625
$201,055
$83,237
$75,100
$ 63,263
$60,000
26%
10%
9%
8%
8%
$ 169,679
$52,797
$33,670
$ 65,041
$91,000
$ 370,734
$136,034
$108,770
$ 128,305
$115,700
$ 9,169
1%
$ 4,584
$ 13,754
$ 804,052
100%
$637,211
$1,441,263
Participating cities contributed $637,211 in matching resources. One-third of the funds
supported small business assistance programs. One-quarter of the funds supported Buy Local
and placemaking programs. Altogether, $1.4 million of Port funds and city funds were invested
towards economic development initiatives in our region.
During 2024, the Port convened two (virtual and in-person) meetings with cities to share
resources to support small businesses, best practices, and developed regional partnerships
between Greater Seattle Partners, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and Local
Organizing Committee for FIFA.
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS (Organized by % of Funding Awarded)
Participating cities had the discretion to select their projects and initiatives with the advice and
review from Port staff. The 27 cities implemented economic relief and recovery initiatives.
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
Below represents the aggregated data for cumulative impacts for reach of the project categories
for one-year.
Small Business Assistance:
 900+ businesses assisted and 600 WMBE businesses assisted
 413 one-on-one business consultation hours provided
 75 events hosted to support small businesses
 400 businesses surveyed
 $1.1 million of funding secured for businesses in the form of grants, loans, etc.
Buy Local/Placemaking:
 27,000+ attendees to local events
 1,000+ businesses participated in Buy Local Campaigns
 160 WMBE businesses participated in Buy Local Campaigns
 ~$33,000 in revenue generated from events
 15 events hosted
 62,000 marketing impressions from marketing campaigns
Business Attraction
 200,000+ impressions for Burien's Hotel Attraction Marketing Program
 8 businesses recruited in Burien and Issaquah
 ~16,000 video views for Maple Valley's Business Attraction video
 Photo library of 264 photos for marketing Federal Way as a location to attract businesses
Plans/Custom Projects:



Des Moines - Economic Development Element of the Comprehensive Plan - Identified
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for three defined economic
opportunity zones including the Marina District, North Central, and Pacific Ridge areas.
Maple Valley - Summit Place Market Analysis completed to assess potential for how best
to zone 122-acre property for best uses cases for attracting businesses.
Woodinville - Creative District Plan - Analysis uncovered opportunity areas for rezoning
and redeveloping underutilized and neglected areas to encourage a creative economy
and creative district in Woodinville.
Tourism:
 200,000+ attendees to tourism events
 ~300 businesses and ~40 WMBE businesses participated in tourism events
 9 million marketing impressions from tourism marketing campaigns
 Visitors came from 6+ countries and 36 states
 $3,000+ increase in admission ticket sales
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
Workforce Development:
 Hosted 3-part professional development series with AJAC, including Apprenticeships in
Manufacturing as a Career Pathway for high school Kent School District staff and
administrators to support new student learning experiences and opportunities.
Business Retention/Expansion:

Normandy Park hosted two industry roundtables with 252 attendees in total. 165 WMBEs
participated.
BENEFITS
As a result of the funding opportunities for cities, this program has furthered positive
relationships with cities throughout King County over the last seven years. During COVID-19,
funding provided key and critical resources to cities during the pandemic and funding often
helped anchor assistance to local businesses during challenging times.
Additionally, this program convenes our city partners several times a year around local and
regional economic development initiatives to foster ongoing collaborative efforts. All in all, the
program has led to tangible small business development, tourism, and placemaking outcomes
across King County.
LOOKING FORWARD
For the 2025-2026 cycle, there will be a stronger emphasis and encouragement for cities to use
the funds to support Port related industries. Port industries include aviation, maritime,
construction trades, and green jobs that encourage utilization of the Port's infrastructure such as
SEA Airport, cruise terminals, and cargo terminals.
The future of the program relies on being able to tell a collective story about the regional
economic development initiatives conducted in collaboration with our city partners. Port staff
will encourage cities to continue using similar reporting metrics to allow for data to be easily
aggregated to understand the impacts and outcomes of these initiatives.
DETAILED INFORMATION ON CITY PROJECTS
Projects Descriptions by City and Regional Partnership
Regional Partnerships
Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond and Renton
 Startup 425 Revamped the Startup425 Program with Bellevue serving as the
administrator for the program and partnership. (startup425.org)
- Hosted 10 events on the Eastside with 216 cumulative attendees. Topics included:
Eastside Venture Capital Panel during Seattle Tech Week, CoWorking, and a "How to Start
a Business" resource specific to each participating city.
- Hired 2 entrepreneurs in residence to help run the program and trainings.
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
Individual City Projects
Auburn - $60,000
 Small Business Assistance - Support SBDC and APEX Accelerator (formerly Washington
PTAC). Guide businesses on exporting, permitting, and assist in data-driven decisionmaking.
 Business Recruitment - consultant to conduct a Recruitment Marketing Strategy,
placemaking content strategy, and target audience design brief to market and attract
appropriate target audiences to improve how the City recruits and reaches businesses
that may have an interest in opening a new business in our region.
Bellevue - $60,000
 StartUp425 Pre-Seed Accelerator - Pilot an accelerator program for small businesses and
startups to target idea stage small businesses and pre-seed venture-scalable startups with
14 weeks of educational programming.
Bothell - $29,280
 Small Business Expo - Partner with Bothell Kenmore Chamber of Commerce to produce
a street-fair business expo. Event will provide small businesses a venue and tools to
market their goods and services. Small Business Advisors will also be on site and market
their technical services to entrepreneurs.
Burien - $52,560
 Hotel Attraction Marketing Program - Market Burien to developers, hotel brands,
brokers, and investors as a prime location for hotel development.
 SBDC Highline College and Soundside Alliance Support - Support Burien's membership
in the Soundside Alliance to coordinate and collaborate on small business assistance and
attraction. Additionally, funding the Small Business Development Center at Highline
College to provide small business technical assistance.
 Town Square Holiday Shopping Attraction - Support small businesses, retail shops and
restaurants during the shopping season in Town Square Park Plaza. Draw visitors through
winter lighting, public activation installations and events. There will also be planned
provisions for marketplace development for entrepreneurs through pop-up retail
opportunities.
 Tax Increment Finance Area Feasibility Study - Evaluate opportunities and feasibility for
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to support infrastructure investment and incentivize
commercial development in Burien.
Carnation - $10,000
 Summer Events - Promote Carnation summer events to engage local community and
draw people into the downtown core. Events include community movie nights, youth
concerts, and family friendly experiences. Funding will promote local events through
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
marketing efforts including the creation of a main calendar, social media flyers, cross
promotion with businesses and nonprofits.
Covington - $21,600
 Town Center Activation - Activate the vacant "Town Center" property to get the
community to recognize it as a landmark. Promote the area for redevelopment and
potentially new businesses along the way.
Des Moines - $33,260
 Economic Development Element/City's Comprehensive Plan - This element will provide
framework for growing the Des Moines' economy. The new light rail station, fastest
growing union of construction workers, Why Not You Academy, Bezos Montessori School,
and Highline Public Schools all offer opportunities to grow and develop Des Moines
further.
Duvall - $10,000
 Duvall Winter Train Depot Celebration - Sponsor event to showcase historic Duvall Train
Depot with interactive activities for all ages, promote local businesses on Mainstreet, food
trucks, and opportunity for community to explore Duvall's History.
 Movie Night at the Farm - Sponsor end of the summer movie night at historical
Dougherty farmstead or partner with a local farm to promote local businesses and create
a community opportunity to explore the historical farmstead.
Enumclaw - $13,090
 Enumclaw Expo and Event Association - Target SeaTac Airport with specific geofencing
social media for tourism media campaign to market many long-standing events such as
King County Fair, Scottish Highland Games, Olympic Kennel Club Dog Show and Enumclaw
Pro Rodeo.
Federal Way - $24,908
 Outreach and Survey - Reaching out annually to businesses in order to verify and update
contact data enables the City to support small businesses, provide resources and address
their critical needs. City will use this feedback to create programs that directly and
immediately address surveyed business needs.
 Business Attraction - Create a comprehensive media repository to market the City of
Federal Way, focusing on capturing and documenting visual assets of the City. Updated
imagery will cover tourism landmarks, commercial enterprises, and promotional
materials designed to stimulate developer and investor interest in commercial tourism
for the downtown core.
Issaquah - $41,290
 StartUp425 - Continue to help aspiring entrepreneurs learn about launching a firm on the
Eastside and provide resources and information to assist startups in their entrepreneurial
journeys.
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025



Industry/Small Business Retention/Expansion - Funding will support the one-day
Regional Business Summit, emerging creative industries, welcoming week, eastside
virtual job fair, and a business survey.
Business Recruitment - Subscription to Co-Star allows city to identify available properties
for relocating or existing businesses.
Issaquah Loyal - Buy Local campaign promoting local businesses. This year, integrated
promotions with Small Business Saturday promotions, highlighting underserved
businesses.
Kenmore - $24,230
 Marketing Photography - Great visuals of the city help to promote a stop in Kenmore to
draw visitors who would otherwise pass through by car, biking or walking on the Burke
Gilman Trail, or via boat on Lake Washington. Support local businesses by offering free
photography and marketing assets.
 Tourism Website - Promote visitation to Kenmore using the FindKenmore.org website by
expanding it beyond the current business directory website to a tourism website that
utilizes blogs to spotlight businesses unique to Kenmore, provides a calendar of events
available to visitors, and highlights reasons to visit and spend time and money in
Kenmore.
 Oktoberfest - Event will celebrate Kenmore's unique breweries, distilleries, and historic
hotel, and connect visitors to different areas and businesses around Kenmore through a
fun passport activity/experience that highlights all the participating businesses.
Kent - $60,000
 Aerospace Machinists Joint Training Committee (AJAC) Advanced Manufacturing
Apprenticeships - The City of Kent and the Kent School District will build capacity for the
development of an Automation Technician Youth Apprenticeship to be based in the Kent
SD. The project will begin with informing and educating school faculty about AJAC's youth
apprenticeship through events, employer tours, and industry roundtables.
Kirkland - $60,000
 Eastside Made Market Attendance/Pop-Up Market - SPARK's Eastside Made Program is
focused on building more inclusive support for makers and creative entrepreneurs across
WA state. A dedicated pop-up market is targeted to occur in tandem with Kirkland's
annual City Hall event for All Event, which attracts more than 3,000 attendees in the Fall.
 Explore Kirkland Content and Promotion - Curate informative content, which will include
articles, videos that illustrate Kirkland's natural beauty and unique offerings. Targeted
marketing campaigns leverage the City's lodging Tax Advisory Committee digital
marketing resources to drive traffic to Explore Kirkland's website.
 SBDC/StartUp425 - Partner with OneEastside to offer a small business advisor program
through the SBDC. Program will offer expert guidance and support through 1:1 advising
sessions conducted by seasoned business professionals.
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
Maple Valley - $28,000
 Digital Cash Campaign - More than 70,000 visitors attend Maple Valley's events per year.
In order to generate more revenue for local businesses, the City will work with the Maple
Valley Chamber of Commerce to enlist businesses into program and creative incentives
to shop at the local businesses.
 Marketing Consultant - In 2023, the City produced a business video that provided
information on doing business in the City. This project would engage a marketing
consultant to help the City market our business video to developers, businesses, and
investors.
 Summit Place Predevelopment Market Analysis - The project would provide for a
predevelopment analysis of the Summit Place site (a 122-acre property in Maple Valley
currently zoned as Regional Learning and Technology Center) to address unknowns such
as permitting requirements, allowed uses, traffic, critical areas, encumbrances, utilities,
and frontage improvements. The analysis would include a study to evaluate the real
estate market potential and timing of development.
Mercer Island - $25,790
 Buy Local Campaign - Encourage local businesses to participate in community events like:
Summer Celebration, Mostly Music in the Park, Town Center Trick or Treating, Illuminate
MI and Island Lanterns. These events serve as platforms for showcasing partnerships and
encouraging our community to invest in their local economy. Activities will include
running social media campaigns promoting businesses, their support of community
events, and enhanced partnerships.
Normandy Park - $10,000
 Business Mixers - Conduct in-person and online business engagement through local
business-focused mixers held at local business locations. Two mixers planned for 2024
will be preceded by a pre-mixer technical assistance workshop training.
 Business Workshops - The first workshop will be on Minority and Women Owned
business certification opportunities (featuring Walter Acuna With Chase Bank). The
second workshop will feature Highline Small Business Development Center (SBDC) staff
teaching the how-to of home occupation business startups, focusing on operational and
marketing tools. Both workshops will require registration.
North Bend - $10,000
 Recreational and Responsible Tourism - Contract with a writer/content developer to
develop written and visual content for a cycling story map to be used by both residents
and visitors to North Bend. Story maps combine maps, 3D scenes, embedded content,
multimedia, and more into an interactive map that can be used by cyclists to access
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
cycling trails safely and responsibly and then find restaurants, stores, and amenities after
their ride to support local businesses.
Pacific - $1,000
 Business Directory on Website - Develop business directory feature on the City's website
to promote local businesses and increase web presence.
Redmond - $60,000
 StartUp425 - Startup425 is collaborative of five Eastside cities to support
entrepreneurship. The program will pilot an accelerator of Founder Institute Curriculum.
While the standard track is designed to accelerate venture scale companies, the City
would like to invest in the creation of tailored curriculum for small businesses and nonventure scale start-ups.
 Overlake Intercultural District Marketing Campaign - Highlight the Overlake Intercultural
District through a passport challenge. This marketing campaign will help to brand and
encourage visitations to the neighborhood to discover a world of restaurants, spas,
shopping and experiences at the epicenter of the Eastside. Additionally, the City will work
with OneEastside SPARK to host Redmond's first Eastside Made Pop-up Market in
Overlake.
 Innovation Triangle - Support of the Innovation Triangle Website upgrades and
promotion and the Greater Seattle Partners hosted SelectUSA spin off event programing
on the Eastside.
Renton - $60,000
 World Cup Legacy Square Initiative - Leveraging the momentum of the world's largest
sporting event, the project aims to establish the World Cup Legacy Square as a focal point
in downtown Renton. Alongside a soccer pitch committed by the Seattle Sounders' RAVE
Foundation, key components include a jumbo screen for year-round public viewing of
events, a stage for live entertainment, and a business incubator to support local
entrepreneurs and enhance economic activity.
 StartUp425 - Increase event attendance and scale outreach efforts by implementing
targeted strategies to engage entrepreneurs and small business owners in Renton.
Specifically, achieve a 30% increase in event attendance by the end of 2024 compared to
the previous year, with a focus on diversity in business leadership and industry
representation.
SeaTac - $31,740
 Pop-Up Events - Host four engaging and diverse pop-up events at SeaTac's Sound Transit
Kiss and Ride Site and Angle Lake Station (potential TIB station area) to increase
community involvement, promote the use of public transit facilities, and support small
businesses.
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
Shoreline - $60,000
 Music Industry & Tourism - The Sixth Annual Shoreline Music Summit will be paired with
a same-day music showcase that will once again be a companion to the Summit event
with the additional goal of serving as an after-hours social outlet for music professionals
and community leaders in addition to the economic recovery and tourism function that
the second-year of the event will be designed to provide.
 Cultivating Creatives - The project's key components include the Glass & Glaze program,
professional development summits, and strategic partnerships with local businesses and
events. The initiative aims to generate income for artists, equip them with practical skills,
and foster collaboration within the artistic community.
 Juneteenth Black-owned Business Marketplace - Project involves the development and
operation of a dedicated marketplace that exclusively features small and micro blackowned businesses.
 Shoreline Pride Festival Marketplace - The City of Shoreline will partner with the
Shoreline Farmers Market and host the second annual Shoreline PRIDE Festival
Marketplace. This celebration is organized with a focus on inclusivity, advocacy, and
education for the LGBTQIA+ communities.
Skykomish - $10,000
 Tourism Promotion and Website - Partner with Skykomish Chamber of Commerce,
develop a visually appealing and informative website hosted by the Chamber that
highlights Skykomish's attractions, activities, and amenities. Include high-quality photos,
engaging content, and user-friendly navigation. Optimize the website for search engines
to improve its visibility online.
 Small Business Assistance - Digital Literacy Workshops - Provide Internet and technology
classes tailored for both small businesses including artisans and community organizers in
Skykomish fostering digital literacy, enhancing their online presence, and driving
economic growth.
Snoqualmie - $9,000
 Tourism Website Update - Enhance the tourism webpage and experience for
users/visitors. This website will support all businesses, events, and experiences, in
Snoqualmie. The main website was enhanced (overhauled) in 2023 and the homepage
branding and graphics will be used to create con nuity to the tourism page, and "call out"
the opportuni es for visitors.
 Hello Summer Campaign - Create a marketing campaign, specifically designed to promote
summer events coordinated by the City of Snoqualmie, Arts Commission, and community
event partners. The campaign will provide multiple collateral pieces (social media,
posters, postcards, and 425 social media ads).
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
Tukwila - $22,780
 Kent Valley Wa Business Recruitment - Promote Tukwila and other cities in Kent Valley
as a place to attract aerospace and advanced manufacturing businesses by updating the
Kent Valley Washington website and promoting new content on social media and
LinkedIn. Funding will support GIS Planning and Business Directory Intelligence and a
Property Viewer on the website for potential investors in our region to map businesses
by industry sector.
 Small Business Pop-up Events - Host two "pop-up" events to promote small businesses
in Tukwila. Support more than a dozen small businesses plus food and entertainment.
Focus will be on supporting African and Latinx businesses.
Woodinville - $13,830
 Creative Economy Development Initiative - The City of Woodinville is currently in the
development stage of becoming a Washington State Creative District designee through
ArtsWA. The City has identified the former rail corridor (and future home to the Eastrail
Regional Trail) and surrounding area, as the tentative future home for a creative economic
catalyst. The City of Woodinville will be rezoning and redeveloping this underutilized and
neglected area and is seeking to embed a creative economy into the built environment of
this specific plan.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
The Port of Seattle Economic Development Partnership program is an initiative that will cost
approximately $1,900,000 to implement in 2025-2026. The Port property tax levy will be used to
support this program.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1)
Presentation
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
February 13, 2024 - The Commission authorized the Executive Director to execute contracts
supporting the 2024 Port of Seattle Economic Development Partnership Program in an
amount not to exceed $900,000.
February 8, 2022 - The Commission authorized the Executive Director to execute contracts
supporting the 2022-23 Port of Seattle Economic Development Partnership Program in an
amount not to exceed $1,860,000.
February 9, 2021 - The Commission authorized the Executive Director to execute contract
agreements and implement the 2021 Economic Development Partnership program with
King County cities in an amount not to exceed $930,000.
July 10, 2020 - The Commission heard a briefing on how the 2020 Economic Development
Partnership Program funding was being used to respond to COVID-19.
COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 10c
Meeting Date: April 8, 2025
December 10, 2019 - The Commission authorized 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.
July 23, 2019 - The Commission heard a 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.