Resource Roundup: December 8th, 2021
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 verification of vaccination mandate, which previously covered large outdoor public events and indoor establishments, now includes King County restaurants, bars, gyms with capacity for fewer than 12 people. The COVID-19 vaccine verification policy is expected to remain in effect until March 16, 2022 and may be adjusted, extended or removed based on the status of COVID-19 in King County.

In partnership with Public Health – Seattle & King County, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce has assembled the required signage, a 20-page toolkit, and training resources to prepare for a successful implementation of the policy.

  • *NEW* Public Health – Seattle & King County has announced it is formalizing enforcement mechanisms to penalize impacted businesses that are willfully out of compliance with the vaccine verification requirement.

The process will follow a five-step flow chart escalating as needed upon complaints and lack of action:
  1. Education and outreach to the business
  2. In-person inspection by the health department
  3. Official notice warning that fines may be levied upon the business
  4. Second inspection occurs and escalating fines, starting at $250 per inspection
  5. If a business still chooses not to implement vaccination verification, the county may explore temporarily closing the business


  • As the need for COVID-19 vaccine verification increases across the state, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) wants to ensure people are prepared and know how to prove their vaccination status when it is required. Vaccine verification options now include QR code functionality through Washington’s new Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record and Verification system WA Verify.

WA Verify draws COVID-19 records from the state’s immunization system. To use the tool, people enter their name, date of birth, and an email or phone number associated with their vaccination record. If the information matches an official record, they will receive a text or email with a link to their Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record. WA Verify currently supports more than 30 languages, with additional languages available soon. For more information, visit WA Verify’s Frequently Asked Questions page.
Worker and Business Resources

  • *NEW* Public Health – Seattle & King County is offering a free webinar to provide information about Indoor Air Quality to keep customers safe. They are giving away a HEPA air cleaner for those businesses attending the webinar for the first time. If your business already received a HEPA unit, you will not be qualified to receive another unit. Please send an email at [email protected] if you have any questions. Register online by completing this form.

  • *NEW* The City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development newest recovery program is here. Apply for Shop to the Beat, a new recovery program launching this holiday season! Shop to the Beat will match small retail businesses with local musicians to host free in-store performances to help increase foot traffic and sales for retailers and provide competitive pay for musicians.

Small retail businesses interested in hosting a free performance can submit a short Shop to the Beat Application to share their contact information and music preferences by December 17th.

Local musicians interested in participating this holiday season can register on the Gigs4U website. (Please enter the following referral code: S2B). Visit the Shop to the Beat website for more information.

  • Got a small business? Neighborhood online marketplace? Add it to Shop Your Block! Seattle's Office of Economic Development (OED) is relaunching Shop Your Block to connect shoppers with local Seattle Small Businesses! Update your listing or add your small business to the the Shop Your Block map. On the map, customers can search for retailers and other small businesses nearby by business name, neighborhood name, or product keywords.

  • Treat your employees to a gift card from another neighborhood business and make your dollar go further through the "Our Pioneer Square" gift card matching program. The Alliance for Pioneer Square will spend up to $5,000 by offering a match on gift cards purchased by the community at Pioneer Square businesses. Neighborhood businesses can receive a matching reimbursement of funds spent on Pioneer Square gift cards up to 20% of the total amount spent. For example, if you purchase $100 worth of gift cards then the Alliance will match you $20 via direct reimbursement. Visit our website for more information or reach out to [email protected] with questions.

  • The Small Business Administration announced changes to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program including increasing the COVID EIDL Cap and implementation of a Deferred Payment Period.

OED is providing free technical assistance to businesses applying for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, please email [email protected] or call (206) 684-8090. The SBA Seattle District Office’s hosted a webinar on How to Navigate SBA COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Programs. The webinar covered a variety of topics including small business resources available from the City of Seattle an Overview of and recent changes to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and more. Click here to view the recorded event.

Reopening Resources


  • 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 group and connect with other neighborhood businesses. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.


Partner Efforts
  • *NEW* ORCA for Business provides your employees access to Seattle’s growing public transit system. 

This service offers flexible solutions for businesses of all sizes within any industry. Learn more about each of these options here and how they can benefit you and your employees.

This is a great opportunity for small businesses to take advantage of the ORCA Business Incentive for a chance to get 50% off a new ORCA business program.

  • *NEW* Crosscut news is asking business owners to take this survey about the future of Downtown Seattle. With new city leadership in the Mayor's office, the city attorney’s office and two at-large seats on council, what does the future hold for downtown? What reporting would be most useful to you, and your business? Your answers to this survey will help lay the foundation for Crosscut’s upcoming reporting. 

  • *NEW* The Downtown Seattle Association is offering a $25 credit toward a trip with Lyft or Uber to one of four downtown Seattle locations. If your ride is less than $25, the remaining amount stays in your account and can be used for a second qualified ride. If your ride is more than $25, you are responsible for paying the difference. One voucher per account.

For Lyft, learn more and get your code here or you can also enter LIGHTSDELIGHTS in the Lyft Pass section of the ‘Payment’ tab in the app menu. For Uber, learn more and get your code here. Voucher name is Downtown Seattle Holiday Lights & Delights. This program runs until midnight Dec. 31, 2021.

  • Now in its seventh year managing Occidental Square and Westlake Park, The Downtown Seattle Association is continuing to seek input on what’s working and ideas for improvement. Take this parks survey and you can be entered to win a $150 Intentionalist gift card. Please share your feedback by Friday, January 7th at 5 p.m.

  • *NEW* Since JustCARE finished its most recent work at Pioneer Park (also referred to as the Pergola), its team has been working with individuals in JustCARE lodgings in order to administer appropriate services and support. A small number of people chose not to move indoors from this site, and the JustCARE team is continuing to outreach these folks. Although no specific information about future sites is available at this time, JustCARE’s next focus will be in the CID.

JustCARE’s model of service, which entails weeks of relationship building, client-centered services, and desirable lodging placements, boasts the highest placement rate of any hoteling program in the region. This model is crucial to restoring public spaces in a way that does not displace or leave behind those living there. JustCARE is currently funded through June 2022. Because the average time spent in JustCARE lodging before moving onto a permanent housing solution is 5 months, placements will likely end in February-March of 2022, unless JustCARE receives ongoing funding.
Other Neighborhood Updates
  • *NEW* Application for the Pastry Project's Spring 2022 cohort that will begin in February is now open. This opportunity is open to anyone in the community with barriers to opportunity that would benefit from a 14-week free baking and pastry job skills training. The Pastry Project also offers a program stipend, transit stipends, childcare stipends, a student uniform, lunch on class days, and lots of free pastries on top of other benefits to help ensure students can attend the whole program and graduate so that we can help them find good jobs in the industry. Apply here. Applications are due by Monday December 20th.

  • From Wednesday, December 1st to Tuesday, December 14th, the Alliance for Pioneer Square and the Pioneer Square Residents’ Council will host a coat and supply drive benefiting the Purpose Dignity Action’s JustCare program.

All you need to do is drop off a (clean) gently used or new supplies at the following retail locations:
  • Cone & Steiner (135 . King Street, open M-F 8a-7p Sat-Sun 9a-7p)
  • Shawn O'Donnell's American Grill and Irish Pub (508 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98104, open every day 11a-9p)
  • Caffe Umbria (320 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104, open M-Sat 7a-4p, Sunday 8a-4p)
  • If you are a Pioneer Square resident, the following residential building will have boxes located in their lobbies: Corona, Florentine, Gridiron, NOLO/Wave, Terry Denny.

Purpose Dignity Action’s JustCare team is also accepting virtual supply donations through their Amazon Wishlist. Make your purchase have a greater impact by using Amazon Smile and donating a portion to the Alliance for Pioneer Square. If purchasing gifts or dropping off supplies is not ideal for you, consider a tax-deductible direct monetary donation to the Purpose Dignity Action’s JustCare program. Your donation will further the JustCare program’s mission to engage in outreach, service provision, and temporary housing to the unhoused individuals in Pioneer Square. 

  • In Partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps reserve in Fort Lewis and Toys for Tots, Courtyard Marriott Seattle-Pioneer Square is hosting a toy drive until December 13th. Please donate new unwrapped toys at their location at 612 Second Avenue.
Additional Resources


  • The Alliance is coordinating with the Butler Garage on 114 James Street, to provide free parking on Saturdays throughout the year. Park for free every Saturday with a dated proof of purchase from a Pioneer Square business. Free parking is available from 11am to 8pm each Saturday in 2021.

  • Driving to Pioneer Square? Check out mobile-friendly DowntownSeattleParking.com for parking locations throughout the neighborhood. 

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

The Alliance Team

ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE