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* COVID transmission is at a “high” level in King County, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which now recommends masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. The public health department in King Count has said it is considering reinstating a mask mandate. Learn more here. 

• *NEW* The King County Regional Homelessness Authority has launched it's Systems Advocates team in Seattle's Downtown core. A Systems Advocate is a peer agent and resource connector who identifies gaps in support and the changes necessary to improve the systems that impact individuals experiencing homelessness in this area. 

System Advocates engage in long-term relationships with people experiencing homelessness, using learnings from their own lived expertise, along with empathy, dignity and support for full self-determination in order to house and improve the health and wellbeing of those served, particularly Black/Brown, Indigenous, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, LGTBQIA, and neighbors who have historically not had a voice.

Currently, the team is working on building relationships with service providers and businesses in surrounding neighborhoods, and developing a singular (person-centered) county-wide By-Name list over the next two months. Find more information on their work here or contact the Systems Advocates Team directly at [email protected].

Worker and Business Resources

• *NEW* 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. The Department of Commerce, working with ArtsWA, will award $45 million to businesses and organizations in the arts, heritage, and science sectors this summer. This includes those that operate live entertainment venues. Commerce will direct an additional $25 million to most other sectors, including hospitality, fitness, and personal services.

The grant will open this summer. Learn more below and at commercegrants.com.

• *NEW* The Artist Trust (AT) Endurance Grants (END) is a new grant program designed to meet Washington State artists’ emergency needs. The program's goal is to support artists’ livelihood during this on-going phase of pandemic recovery and resilience by providing 40 need-based grants of $2,500 to artists working in all disciplines across Washington State, a total of $100,000. Applications opened July 11 and will close August 1 at 11:59 p.m. PST, with funding allocated in October. 

This grant will fund artists who identify with one or more of the following communities: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and/or Native, LGBTQIA+, immunocompromised, with immigrant status, have or are living with a disability, residing outside King County, and/or low income. Click here to learn more about the Endurance Grants and apply. 

• Kay Tita has partnered with the Seattle Office of Economic Development and Comcast to create the Digital Sales Access Program (DSAP) to support small businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The program aims to address the digital divide and leverage Kay Tita’s passion for empowering entrepreneurs through providing access to quality resources.

The digital sales access program will support and equip fifty small businesses with:

• Receive Point of Sales System + Quickbooks online subscription
• Marketing, Branding, and Financial Management Training

For eligibility criteria and to apply, click through this link.

• The Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) program, a tuition-free leadership training program that helps small business owners build capacity for long-term sustainable growth as well as navigate the continued economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is now open for new applicants.

ICCC is currently accepting applications, and we strongly encourage eligible business owners to apply here. The 2022 ICCC Pacific Northwest Cohort begins on Tuesday, August 23rd & Thursday, August 25th, and so apply by Friday, July 29th to be considered. Learn more about the ICCC program and submit your application here. If you have any questions about the program, please reach out to Indhira Taveras, Lead Program Coordinator or call (617) 238-3030. 

• Interested in doing business with the City of Seattle? Do you want to learn more about how City purchasing and contracting works? Join the City of Seattle for the “First Fridays” online Doing Business webinar on Friday, August 5th, from 9 to11am, to meet Purchasing and Contracting staff who are part of the city's purchasing, consultant contracting and construction/public works teams.

Visit here to attend. 

• The Seattle Seahawks have announced their 2022-2023 season which includes 11 home games at Lumen Field this season. View all home games as well as the full schedule here. 

• With the Sounders FC, OL Reign, and Mariners seasons underway and the upcoming Seahawks preseason, August will see plenty of foot traffic coming and going from the south end of the district. To better inform business operations on game and event days, follow this link to the Lumen Field and Event Center, WAMU Theater, and T-Mobile Park event calendar for August.

• *NEW* Summer is here and shoppers are ready to get out and make the most of the sunny days ahead. AmEx Shop Small Studio is now open here. The Shop Small Studio is an online resource that small business owners can use to create and download a suite of complimentary custom marketing materials – in just two minutes or less. From a variety of engaging social media posts to a fun poster that comes in two sizes, use these free materials to encourage your community to support local businesses this summer. Download ready-to-use marketing materials here.       

• *NEW* Seattle Art Fair, presented by AIG, returns to the Lumen Field Event Center on July 21st to the 24th. The fair's celebrated weekend will bring 85 top local, national and international galleries together with the region's strong collector base.

Please enjoy Complimentary 1-Day Passes here, providing entry to the fair for one day during public fair hours. The pass allows for up to FOUR downloads per unique email address, so enjoy the fair with family, friends and loved ones. Visit the Seattle Art Fair website to learn more about this year's event.

• *NEW* After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Seafair will be returning in full this summer. That means that the full slate of Seafair events and activities will be coming back, including fleetweek programming on Pier 62. Businesses, residents and visitors are advised to be aware of traffic impacts beginning August 1st affecting commutes along the waterfront. 

For the full schedule of 2022’s events you can head to Seafair’s website.

• This summer will be full of exciting events happening in Pioneer Square and across downtown to encourage our residential and business communities to get reacquainted with shops, bars and restaurants in downtown. Programming will include live musical performances, games, rotating food trucks, and more. 

Visit www.loveseatown.com for the latest details on programming, artists and special appearances and click here for upcoming food truck schedules and menus in Occidental Square Park. 

• *NEW* Earlier this week, local artist Ryan Henry Ward painted a new mural on an electrical box in Occidental Park in Pioneer Square. This permanent mural was made possible through funding from the Pioneer Square Residents Council.

Check out the mural in Occidental Park and look out for the artist's other works in the neighborhood the next time you visit Flat Stick Pub in Pioneer Square. 

• *NEW* Luigi's Italian Eatery is now open at its new location at 211 1st Ave S. For the best, most authentic Italian food in the city, visit the restaurant, open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30-9p.

• *NEW* Pottery Northwest, located in the Foster / White Building, is hiring for three positions: Development Director, Marketing & Communications Director, and Co-Studio Manager. Applications for the positions are due August 5. Learn more here.

• 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 2 pm 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.

• The Alliance for Pioneer Square is excited to announce the release of its annual Neighborhood Map and Guide for the year 2022-2023. The newly designed Pioneer Square Map and Guide brochure is now available in print form at various local Pioneer Square establishments and online on the Alliance website.

Want to get some copies of the new brochures for your business? Contact us today to request delivery of print guides by or emailing [email protected]. Alliance staff will also be doing distribution over the coming weeks. 

The 2022-2023 Pioneer Square Neighborhood Map and Guide is published by the Alliance for Pioneer Square, with financial support from 4Culture. 

• 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 .

• With several larger employers bringing back their workforce to Pioneer Square, we want to give them a warm welcome! In addition to providing returning workers with information about how to engage with the neighborhood and shop local, we are seeking information on retailers’ discounts or specials for upper floor folks. Pioneer Square businesses offering neighborhood specific promotions and deals are invited to email them to [email protected]. All deals will be compiled and shared with upper floor businesses on this resource page. Visit here to learn more.