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Resources Roundup: 4/6/2020

The City of Seattle is committed to keeping you updated through these challenging and unprecedented times. In this weekly blog, we’ll provide you with news and information about resources available and policies from the City of Seattle, the State of Washington, the federal government, and our philanthropic partners.

The City also has created a comprehensive resource page for residents and small businesses impacted by COVID-19. This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

Latest News

Mayor Durkan’s New Executive Order to Align City of Seattle with Governor’s Extended ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ Order

Empty playground in Maple Leaf Park.
Like all City parks, Maple Leaf Park will remain closed at least through May 4 | Image courtesy of SDOT Flickr

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan today issued an Executive Order to align the City of Seattle’s policies on facility closures and permit suspensions with Governor Inslee’s statewide ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order, which is extended until at least May 4, 2020.

The Mayor’s Executive Order extends the following policies to align with Governor Inslee’s order:

The Mayor’s Executive Order extends the following policies until May 4:

Policies including deferred B&O payments, rent relief for tenants of City facilities, and the moratoriums on residential, nonprofit, and small business evictions follow timelines that extend beyond May 4. For more information, read the Mayor’s press release.

Small Business Stabilization Update

Photo of the Seattle Waterfront
The Seattle Waterfront | Image courtesy of SDOT Flickr

Mayor Durkan and OED launched our Small Business Stabilization Fund COVID-19 Response so that Seattle-based, low and moderate-income small business owners with five or fewer employees could apply for a grant award of $10,000. March 25 was the deadline to apply. We received nearly 9,000 applications, and the City had available funds to award 250 grants.

We’ll announce the recipients of these awards soon. Please keep your eye out for updates at #SupportSeattleSmallBiz as well as on our website.

While the deadline to apply for the initial round of the Small Business Stabilization Fund has passed, we’re are also working to secure funding for another round of Stabilization Fund grants. All those who are interested and able can donate to the Stabilization Fund by emailing covidpledge@seattle.gov. We will have more details to share soon!

SBA Loan Assistance Available

The federal Small Business Association (SBA) received billions of dollars in funding via the CARES Act to support small businesses with special grants and loans. Assistance opportunities range between $10k – $10M depending on the product. Find more information about loans available through the SBA here. Additional details about these loans were included in our April 2 Resources Roundup blog.

OED is here to help small businesses navigate this loan application process. To request this service please email us at oed@seattle.gov. If you prefer to inquire by phone, call (206) 684-8090.

OED Weekly Webinars

PowerPoint slide image from weekly webinar.
Get weekly updates by attending our webinars

OED is committed to responding to and supporting our small businesses to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19. We are holding weekly webinar calls to share new developments, hear about the impacts you are experiencing, and answer your questions. Please join us every Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Register for the webinars here. 

The webinars are packed with updated information and if you can’t attend, you can find links to recordings, notes, PowerPoint slides on our Bottom Line Blog. Find out about our April 1 and March 25 webinars here.

Our upcoming April 8 OED Small Business Weekly COVID Resource Webinar will focus on the Creative Industries.

Expanded State Unemployment Benefits

OED’s Workforce Development Team continues to connect businesses and workers with resources to help answer questions about state unemployment benefits and navigating that system. Unemployment benefits were expanded with the recently passed CARES Act, and our staff are monitoring and sharing the latest information to help people access these benefits, including:

Resources from the Office of Film + Music

The Office of Film and Music (OFM) is providing updated information about COVID-19 for businesses and workers in the creative industries. To find out more, visit their COVID-19 Film Guidance and Updates page.

The non-profit Washington Filmworks also has compiled information about new unemployment benefits available to gig workers under the CARES Act and you can find it here. They’ve also created two surveys about how creative workers in the film industry are faring through this challenging period.

Private Philanthropic Resources

The Plate Fund

We’re seeing more and more local businesses step up to support struggling workers and businesses in the greater Seattle area. Today, Starbucks announced The Plate Fund, an initiative to provide immediate financial assistance to those who work in the restaurant industry. For more information or to donate, find them on Twitter at #theplatefund or visit their website.

All in Seattle

All in Seattle provides resources to non-profits who are supporting our community in a variety of ways through the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find out more about this important initiative or donate to it here.

Federal Resource Spotlight: Paycheck Protection Program Loans

The CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provides small businesses with 500 employees or fewer up to $10 million in forgivable loans to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. All loan terms will be the same for everyone and are provided through financial institutions/lenders. 

For more information about PPP loans:

Community Teamwork in Ballard

Artists painting boarded over storefronts in Ballard.
Creating art for businesses in Ballard | Image courtesy of Stevie Shao

The Ballard Alliance had a creative response to seeing boarded up neighborhood businesses! They retained several local artists to paint a total of 13 business storefronts, thereby instilling a sense of community spirit and hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’d like to be involved in the Ballard initiative, contact Devin Reynolds (devin@ballardalliance.com) or Kiana (kiana@ballardalliance.com).

Similar projects are underway elsewhere around the Seattle, and we are hoping this effort will spur others to take similar steps and expand this kind of artwork throughout our community. If you’d like to be involved in the Lake City area, contact Chris.Leverson@chs-wa.org.