Pioneer Square Business Stakeholders-

The Alliance for Pioneer Square team is working diligently to keep the Pioneer Square community informed regarding new resources and opportunities available to them. This roundup is part of a series of weekly messages capturing new resources and opportunities. Find each weekly email to date on our website.

*Please see this roundup's new resources and opportunities highlighted in RED*

What's Happening

• *NEW* The Washington State Department of Health is taking steps to prevent and control the spread of Monkey Pox in the state. People in Washington can call 1-833-829-HELP (4357) to ask about risk factors, vaccines, testing and treatment. Please note, call takers are not able to schedule vaccine appointments.

If you have symptoms of Monkey Pox or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with Monkey Pox in the last 21 days, contact a health care provider to see if you should be tested. The Washington State Public Health Laboratory is currently testing every suspect case that medical providers in the state have reported to their local health departments. In addition, commercial labs are now able to test for Monkey Pox. If you don't have a provider you can find one here. Visit the department of health's website for more information.

• The Alliance for Pioneer Square is excited to announce open applications for the Façade Improvement Fund, a financial support program for businesses and properties in the district. The Façade Improvement Fund is intended to provide financial support to Pioneer Square business and property owners who embark on projects to improve the overall appearance of their building facades and storefronts.

Only properties and businesses within the Pioneer Square District boundaries will be eligible to apply. Funding awards will be capped at $5,000 and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Funds will be awarded on a first come first serve basis. The deadline to apply for funding is August 31, 2022. For program eligibility, frequently asked questions and how to apply, visit the Alliance for Pioneer Square website. If you have any questions about this program, please reach out to [email protected]. 

Funding for the Façade Improvement Fund is made possible by Historic South Downtown and the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development.

Worker and Business Resources

• *NEW* Are you a small business interested in receiving up to $100,000 to improve your commercial space? The City of Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) 2022 Commercial Tenant Improvement Fund provides up to $100,000 to eligible small businesses to make commercial improvements more affordable for projects located within Seattle city limits. Review and learn more about eligibility requirements and the selection process here.  Applications are due on September 8th at 5p via the online grant portal. The OED is also hosting information sessions to describe the intent of this funding opportunity and answer questions. Visit here to register and view recordings of the virtual sessions.

• *NEW* Pillar is powering an equitable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic through direct grants of $20K to $75K to the small legacy businesses at the heart of local communities. Since launching in early 2021, Pillar has supported small, women- and BIPOC-owned businesses recovering from the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pillar's current grant round is open to the Greater Seattle region until 11:59p, Friday August 26th. Visit their website here for eligibility and for more information.

• *NEW* SEARTNOW.COM an inclusive online portal of Seattle area art galleries, museums, exhibition spaces, and upcoming events is now live! SEARTNOW highlights monthly gallery and museum exhibitions. To submit materials for September exhibitions (Deadline is August 19th) or enquire about membership, monthly special promotions email [email protected].

• The Washington State Legislature has allocated a new round of grant funding for small businesses affected by the pandemic. $70 million was appropriated by the legislature for the next round of Working Washington Grants: Round 5. Eligible for-profit and non-profit businesses may apply.

The application portal is now open and will remain open for 24 days until September 9th. Learn more here. 

• Seattle Department of Transportation's (SDOT) Safe Start is the temporary program that supports Seattle businesses by allowing them to use streets and sidewalks for outdoor dining, merchandise and retail display, vending/food trucks and street and sidewalk activities/closures.

SDOT has developed a draft proposal that includes long-term changes and updates to the permit requirements, including proposed permit fees. These changes, if approved, are expected early next year when Safe Start expires. For more on this proposal, along with specific details on the program, visit here. 

• 4 Culture's 2022 Landmarks Capital grant is now open. Landmark Capital funding is specifically for stewards of designated historic landmark properties in King County who are working to rehabilitate them. The grant supports projects focusing on the stabilization or restoration of historic building fabric, repair or replacement of essential building systems, or the restoration of historically significant landscapes.

 Projects that contribute to the diversity of property types and histories represented in King County’s built environment, and that are centered on underrepresented communities, will receive additional consideration. Visit here for guidelines and to apply. Deadline for applications is September 21st at 5p.

• *NEW* Annually, on the third Friday of September, people around the world join forces to temporarily transform parking spaces into “people spaces”. PARK(ing) Day is an initiative started as a grassroots movement meant to repurpose public space, especially in areas where access to parks and open space is limited. This year, PARK(ing) Day falls on Friday, September 16th.

Due to limited staff and resource constraints, The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will not be hosting a formal PARK(ing) Day event this year. However, SDOT invites anyone interested in participating in the event to apply for a free Street and Sidewalk Activities permit. The permit allows for curb side space installations and activations. Please note that while the permit is free, there may be additional costs associated with materials required to set up your pop-up park.  

Apply by August 26th to get the permit in time! Please place the following in the Project Name on your application when applying: "Parking Day - (name of your business, organization, group)." Additionally, SDOT has prepared a site plan template you can use to design your pop-up park and submit along with your application. Visit here to learn more about PARK(ing) Day and email SDOT  at [email protected] if you have any questions. 

• *NEW* Donate blood while it’s hot! Donate in August and enter to win a Tonor karaoke machine and an iPad Mini! Summer is a difficult time to maintain an ample blood supply for our community, with lower supply but higher demand.

Giving blood takes just an hour of your time and your help is greatly needed. A blood donation opportunity is coming up in the Amazon Van Vorst building on Aug 18, 19, 25 & 26. Please sign up.

Masks and appointments are required. For more about the safety of donating blood during the pandemic, eligibility, help booking your appointment, and other info, please visit www.bloodworksnw.org. 

• *NEW* The Alliance welcomes the newest member of our team, Erica Bush, to Pioneer Square. Erica has joined the Alliance as Public Realm Manager as of August 2022.

Erica Bush is an urban designer and artist who has worked on many public-realm projects in the Pacific Northwest, as well as in the San Francisco and Hawaii. She holds a BA in Art, Political Science and Sociology from The New School as well as dual Master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture from the University of Washington. 

Erica is passionate about creating beautiful, healthy, and sustainable environments that inspire spending more time outdoors. Welcome to the team, Erica!

• *NEW* Creative Hiatus Productions is thrilled to partner with Beneath the Streets underground tour to present the world premiere of an original new musical revue from August 2nd to 27th.The musical, running from Wednesday to Saturday each week at 8 pm is a cabaret-style musical revue which gives the audience a glimpse into the many different inhabitants, past and present, of Pioneer Square.

A four member cast and three piece band bring to life this musical history lesson through time. This musical ranges in time from the original inhabitants of the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes, early pioneers and gold miners, fast-forwarding to those who frequent Pioneer Square today.

Tickets to the musical are available here. People in the Square is made possible by generous support from Trial & Error Productions, the Alliance for Pioneer Square's Inspiration Fund and The Good Arts Building.

• The Klondike's Trail to Treasure tours return this summer, from July 1st to September 2nd. The one-hour Trail to Treasure guided walks will be offered at 2p on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Groups will be limited to 12 people and a sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk on the day of each tour.

The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

Additional Resources

• Save $5 with code PIONEERSQ on First Thursday Artwalk with Veo, one of Seattle's new bikeshare providers. Learn more about their class II e-bikes in Seattle here. Driving to Pioneer Square? Check out mobile-friendly DowntownSeattleParking.com for parking locations throughout the neighborhood. 

• Each Friday, we give neighborhood businesses and organizations the opportunity to share a series of photo and video content to the Alliance for Pioneer Square’s social media channels via stories, feed posts and live video updates, for the entire day. Fill out the Google Form to get started with the process or email our Marketing Manager, Thembela Mavuso at [email protected] if you have any questions.

• The Pioneer Square Business Owners & Managers Facebook group is an opportunity for business owners and retailers to participate in an online forum and share resources, support and stories. We invite you to join the group and connect with other neighborhood businesses. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.

Please let us know how we might best support you. Feel free to contact any of us with comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns.