Bottom Line Blog Office of Economic Development

Bottom Line

News from Seattle's Office of Economic Development

Small Business COVID-19 Weekly Webinar: April 22

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Image of City Hall with Covid-19 Impacts to Small Business Weekly Webinar title

OED is committed to supporting our small businesses as we work together to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19. We are holding weekly webinars 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.

A recording of each weekly webinar will automatically be sent to those who registered.

Highlights of our April 22 session included:

  • Public health updates from Public Health — Seattle & King County
  • Updates from OED on loans and loan assistance
  • Communities Rise presentation on resources for federal loan applications
  • Perkins Coie presentation on legal issues pertaining to commercial leases during COVID-19
  • Seattle Police Department – Crime Prevention Services for Businesses
  • Washington State update on unemployment benefits (deferred to next week, but slides included in the presentation link, below)

Below are links from our April 22 webinar. (Please note: you must register for the webinar in order to listen to the recording.)

Please continue to monitor this blog for updated information from the Office of Economic Development. We’re all in this together!

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Warning: Scammers Targeting Small Business Owners Applying for Loans

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Young cafe owner standing in front of counter with arms crossed.

The City of Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) is warning small businesses about scammers seeking to prey on the small business community that has already been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. OED has received numerous reports of scammers posing as either lenders or third-party providers offering to assist businesses with their federal Small Business Administration (SBA) loan applications.

It is maddening that someone would prey on small businesses during this difficult time. Anyone can be victimized by a COVID-19 scam. OED is willing and ready to support businesses through this pandemic and on the road to recovery. We urge small businesses to be vigilant in who they disclose information to and ask them to report potential scammers to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

Bobby Lee, Director of the Office of Economic Development

If you are contacted by someone promising to get approval of your SBA loan in exchange for payment up front or by someone offering a high interest rate on a small business loan, you should suspect fraud. There is no fee or charge in applying for SBA loans, including Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), SBA Express Bridge Loans, and SBA Debt Relief. Any small business has an opportunity to apply for these federal loans, free of charge.

OED offers free SBA technical assistance to all businesses looking to apply for an SBA loans, including EIDL, PPP, SBA Express Bridge Loan, and SBA Debt relief. Businesses can call OED at (206) 684-8090 from Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email OED at oed@seattle.gov anytime and receive free assistance. When you call, you can ask for an interpreter. This assistance is free.

Predatory scams tend to target immigrant- and refugee-owned businesses, taking advantage of either language barriers or misinformation.

If contacted by a scammer, OED recommends businesses report scams to the Washington State Office of Attorney General, by calling 1-800-551-4636 from Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by completing a claim at https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ComplaintForm.aspx.

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#SupportSeattleSmallBiz Feature: Nirmal’s Owner Oliver Bangera Is Committed to His Team

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Photo of front of Nirmal's restaurant with lights inside in the background.
Nirmal’s brought fine Indian dining to downtown Seattle

Oliver and Gita Bangera opened their restaurant Nirmal’s in Pioneer Square in December 2015, and Oliver explains that he “wasn’t sure at the start whether there would be a market for a fine dining-restaurant serving Indian food.” But people loved it, and the location became a popular and highly regarded lunch and dinner spot for downtown workers and the community. They earned accolades from food critics and the media and were serving, on average, 240 customers each day with the support of their excellent team led by star chef Ashish Bagul.

Chef Ashish Bagul and one of the plates he created

By January and February of 2020, they had nearly doubled their sales relative to a year earlier, and were weeks away from launching their expansion to three more locations with Executive Chef Ashish Bagul in full swing designing and developing the menu concepts.

Photo of prawns with garnish on white plate.
Chef Bagul designs food that’s both delicious and beautiful

They had already signed leases on the new locations—including a commercial kitchen in Factoria and the former California Pizza Kitchen in Bellevue near the Microsoft campus – and expected to employ a total of 200 people. “We thought we were unstoppable,” Oliver said.

Unexpected shift in direction

Photo of Oliver Bangera in yellow shirt
Oliver Bangera at a celebration for his nephew’s wedding | Photo courtesy of Gita Bangera

Their plans to open the new locations in March came to an abrupt halt with the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only has Nirmal’s suffered serious financial damage, but, Oliver says, “our plans have taken a massive hit. Now we’re just sitting here waiting.”

He explains that as they anticipated the expansion, they created spreadsheets modeling every potential business scenario they could think of, such as experiencing a 15-25 percent loss in business due to economic recession or unforeseen circumstances. “We ran all the numbers, to make sure” future revenue models and projections were viable. However, he says wryly, “you don’t ever expect it to be zero. There’s no way to prepare for the current situation created by COVID-19.” He isn’t sure they will be able to open the new locations by August as originally planned but he intends to keep pushing forward.

For now, Oliver is focused on taking care of their 22 employees and finding ways to help the community during this time of crisis. While they’ve temporarily suspended lunch service, they are doing 25-30 takeout dinners a day. Nirmal’s is open for curbside pick-up daily from 5:30-9:30, and people can order by calling the restaurant (206) 683-9701 or ordering through DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Postmates.

In the last two weeks, they’ve also started delivering food to sustain hospital employees who are working long hours in partnership with the nonprofit, Off Their Plate.

Commitment to the team

Oliver and Gita Bangera with some of their staff, all wearing facemasks.
Oliver and Gita with some of the Nirmal’s team, who are now preparing hospital deliveries

No matter what happens, Oliver says, they are maintaining core principles and priorities. First and foremost, they’re totally dedicated to caring for the employees, who are “family.” He says he’ll continue “doing what I can. You have to do that. You can never lose your values. I’m only as good as my team.” He’s planning to stay open as long as possible, share all income, and provide whatever wages he can, along with health insurance for everyone, which is a key commitment.

He’s proud of the fact that from the day they launched their business – long before they became profitable and years before he was paying himself a salary – they were providing health benefits for the team. This must continue, he says, because “lives are at stake.” He explains, “in the middle of a pandemic, there’s no way I can stop. I have to keep paying [health care] premiums.” Whereas he usually pays 80 percent and the employees pay the balance, now, he reports, “I am paying 100 percent. They are victims of this situation due to no fault of their own.”

Challenges for our immigrant neighbors

USA permanent resident card (Green Card) with Employment Authorization card next to passports and fingerprints
The COVID-19 pandemic has created particular hardships for some immigrants

Oliver immigrated to the United States from India over 30 years ago. Like most restaurant owners he knows, a high percentage of his staff also are immigrants. He estimates that in restaurant work around the country, 60-70 percent of workers were born outside of the United States. The COVID-19 crisis has created unique dilemmas for those in varying stages of the immigration and naturalization process, which Oliver says, “is something people just don’t talk about” publicly.

Those who have work permits and have paid into unemployment are being told by their immigration lawyers not to apply for the unemployment benefits they are legally entitled to because “it will go against you when your immigration case comes up.” Several of his employees are in this situation.

[NOTE: According to the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA), as an earned benefit, Unemployment Insurance is not a benefit that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services considers when determining green card eligibility under the March 2020 public charge rule. You can learn more at OIRA’s public charge page here.] 

Oliver worries that across the country, people are “slipping through the cracks. They have no voice, and there is no discussion in social media of these people who – through no fault of their own – are in an absolutely desperate situation. It’s not just one or two. It’s many.” These are the kind of employees, the “most vulnerable,” that Oliver is committed to helping. He says simply, “I need enough revenue and cash to take care of them.” He’s continued to explore all options and opportunities, including applying for every available state and federal loan.

Finding a path forward

Instagram image from Off Their Plate
The nonprofit Off Their Plate is helping restaurants and health care workers simultaneously

Oliver was encouraged last week when Nirmal’s was approached to start providing nutritious meals for hospital workers in the King County area through a program called Off Their Plate. This grassroots organization helps connect restaurants and health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 response. A Nirmal’s customer who is the Seattle coordinator for Off Their Plate contacted Oliver, and he jumped at the opportunity to contribute.

Oliver and Gita Bangera delivering food to one of the hospitals.
Oliver and Gita delivering food at one of the hospitals

Last week, Nirmal’s served 150 meals to the hospitals and they plan to serve 200 more this week. They are serving “proper meals,” Oliver says, that are “protein rich, healthy, and mild – the kind of food you’d eat after fasting.” Served in compostable containers, the hospital staff get a starter, a main course, and a dessert at no cost to them. Off Their Plate helps offset some of the cost through the generous donors who support the participating local restaurants. To help support this effort, donate here.

Oliver and Gita Bangera delivering food to staff at Swedish Hospital's Cherry Hill location.
Medical workers at Swedish Hospital’s Cherry Hill campus receiving nutritious lunches

Oliver explains that in India when there’s a war, natural disaster, or some other kind of community crisis, people get together and cook for the soldiers or whomever is affected by the events. He says, “every school kid who grows up in India” is familiar with this social norm and “knows this is what you do.” He asserts, “this pandemic is akin to that.” Oliver was profoundly touched when each of his employees volunteered to work without pay to help prepare and deliver the large hospital orders. It was inspiring, he says, that even as they were going through difficult times themselves, “everyone on the team said, ‘let’s do this!’”

Sources of hope

Medical staff at Swedish Hospital First Hill celebrate with Oliver and Gita

Reflecting on his team’s attitude, Oliver notes, “it’s one thing to be generous when you have a lot, but another when you are struggling yourself. Our Nirmal’s team members don’t know how long [the pandemic] will go on and yet each one offered to do that cooking for free. These kids are going through very tough times but can think beyond their own misery and think about our community.” Oliver believes there’s a “real silver lining” in all this. “It’s brought out the best in our team, and I’ve learned a lot as it’s gone on.”

He particularly compliments his chef, Ashish Bagul, for keeping in touch with everyone and helping keep their spirits up. When Oliver questioned whether it was feasible to start work at 5 a.m. in order to meet one hospital’s requested delivery time, the chef simply said, “we’ve agreed to support this, so we will do it.”

Chef Ashish Bagul and Oliver Bangera with prepared delivery bags

For the time being, Oliver is drawing from personal savings to help pay for daily supplies, which he picks up personally from Costco and Restaurant Depot. He’s also helping to pay rent and buy groceries, medicine, and other essentials for some of his staff. He explains, “You have to make a decision: ‘yes, we’ll take a beating. Let’s take a beating together. Let’s stand by our team, our family, and let’s go through this together.’” He hopes they’ll all come out the other side, but regardless, he says, “it feels good to know you’re not alone, you have others with you. There’s comfort in that. We will see it through together.”

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Resources Roundup: 4/20/20

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The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) 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 new policies and resources available from the City of Seattle, the State of Washington, the federal government, and our philanthropic partners.

City of Seattle Resources

Bag with food fruits and vegetables spilling out.

Food assistance

Early on in this crisis, Mayor Durkan and the City of Seattle created a program to provide 6,250 Seattle families grocery vouchers. This program to provide $800 in grocery vouchers has been critical as individuals and families wait for financial assistance from the state and federal government.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Oak View Group and NHL Seattle, that program has been expanded for an additional 1,000 workers impacted by COVID-19. Vouchers can immediately be used at any Washington State Safeway store to purchase food and household goods. For more information on this program, click here.

OED Webinars

We’re providing a variety of webinars to help keep you informed and in touch during this challenging time, including:

Weekly Small Business Webinars

We’re hosting informational webinars for small businesses 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 here.

Only in Seattle (OIS) Webinars

OIS holds webinars for our neighborhood business district organizations. The first covered one covered the small business resources available for COVID impacts and unemployment technical assistance support that we are offering through Seattle Jobs Initiative. The second webinar focused on the SBA resources and connecting businesses to OED’s resource line. More information on the OIS’ Neighborhood Business District Webinar can be found in OED’s Bottom Line Blog. 

In Case You Missed It: The New OED Online Resource Hub

Image of OED's new webpage

OED has created a new comprehensive resource page that’s a one-stop-shop for workers and small businesses impacted by COVID-19. You can find out more about available loans, grants, and other local, state, and federal resources on our new site.

Securing Your Small Business and Property

Old closed padlock hanging on a loop

Many small businesses and property owners are securing their businesses while following the Governor’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order. The following documents provide information and tips on how to do this:

King County Resources

Map of King County

King County Cultural Relief Fund

4Culture, the cultural funding agency for King County, is helping respond to COVID-19 impacts by distributing $1 million through the Cultural Relief Fund. The first round of funding is open through May 15. Find more information here.

Public Health — Seattle & King County

Guidance for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfection of meal programs and food distribution operations

Although they are not held to the same standards as permitted food businesses, food donors and Donated Food Distribution Organizations are required to comply with state food safety rules. Learn more about Washington State Department of Health’s food code and regulations on Charity Food Donations here.

State Resources

Two men working, cutting metal

Unemployment Benefits Expanded

Unemployment benefits now cover Washingtonians who are:

  • Self-employed; and,
  • Independent contractors.

Find more information on the Washington State Employment Security Department’s website, here.

Protections for Renters

On April 16, Governor Jay Inslee expanded protections for renters and extended the moratorium on evictions to help Washington residents deal with the financial impacts of COVID-19.

The governor first proclaimed a moratorium on evictions in mid-March. The original moratorium did not offer as many protections as the new order. His new proclamation extends and expands the original order through June 4.

Federal Resources

SBA 7a loan Small Business agreement

CARES Act funding for both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan programs is currently exhausted. Congress is working to approve more small business relief for these programs. In the meantime, the SBA is unable to accept new applications for the PPP or the EIDL COVID-19 related assistance program (including EIDL Advances).

Contingent on available funding, applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis for both EIDL and PPP loans.  

Businesses still interested in applying for EIDL and PPP loans should plan ahead and have application information ready for when the next round of funding becomes available. For more information, see our OED webpage.

Got questions for the SBA? The SBA Deputy District Director will be available tomorrow to answer questions from business owners . Find out more and tune into this meeting, which is hosted by Seattle’s Greater Seattle Business Association, here.

Private and Philanthropic Resources

Bike mechanic at work

Below are new and/or ongoing grant opportunities provided by private and philanthropic organizations, in alphabetical order. See the links for more information.

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Resources Roundup: 4/15/20

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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.

Latest news

Mayor Durkan Announces Initial 250 Grant Awards through City’s Small Business Stabilization Fund

Yesterday, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced the initial 250 grantees of the City’s $2.5 million Small Business Stabilization Fund. The fund provides $10,000 grants to small businesses financially impacted by COVID-19. You can find out more about the Stabilization Fund here, including a complete list of businesses that received Stabilization Fund awards.

Nearly 9,000 small businesses applied for the first round of the City’s Small Business Stabilization Fund, which underscores that the need goes far beyond what the City can provide without further support from the private sector, philanthropic partners, and economic relief from the federal government.

Comcast has donated $50,000 to address the urgent need for future rounds of the Stabilization Fund. This investment will help ensure we can continue providing direct capital assistance to small business owners struggling to support their employees and stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interested individuals and organizations can donate to the Stabilization Fund by emailing covidpledge@seattle.gov.

We’re here to help

Downtown Seattle with empty roads at twilight
Downtown Seattle During the Stay Home, Stay Healthy era | Photo by Howard Wu

We know many people have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and are struggling to keep up with rent and other basic costs of living. Here are a few steps the City of Seattle has taken to ease these burdens, and links to resources that can help.

Rental assistance for King County residents

On Friday, April 10, Mayor Durkan joined with King County Executive Constantine and United Way of King County to announce an expanded rental assistance program. Thanks to generous donations to the Community Relief Fund and a variety of community partners, one month of rental assistance is being offered to people in King County struggling to pay rent due to the coronavirus. If you’re a King County resident who has been impacted financially by COVID-19 and are behind on your rent, you may qualify for assistance. If you meet these requirements, please fill out the online application at www.uwkc.org/renthelp.

Food assistance

Emergency Food Vouchers: Seattle expanded our emergency grocery voucher program to provide $800 in vouchers to 1,000 working people who have recently lost their job or experienced a significant reduction in hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These vouchers can be used to purchase food, cleaning supplies, and other household goods at any Safeway store in Washington State. Learn more here. 

Food Support for Seattle Public School Students: Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is distributing lunches from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every weekday at 26 school sites throughout the city. All SPS students can participate. These 26 sites will become central locations for family and student resource distribution. Find a site here. 

The City of Seattle also has a comprehensive COVID-19 website to help you navigate food, child care, small business, and other resources. To find a breakdown of all city, state, and nonprofit food resources, visit our website now: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19#foodsupport. 

A new guide for local, state and federal resources

Snapshot of new OED landing page with COVID-19 resources
Our new OED webpage provides the latest information about resources and programs

We’ve got a new OED COVID-19 website!

The Office of Economic Development (OED) has created a new comprehensive resource page that’s a one-stop-shop for workers and small businesses impacted by COVID-19. You can find out more about loans, grants, and other resources available at the city, state, and federal levels.

Join the weekly webinars with OED

OED hosts weekly webinars for small businesses to share new developments, hear about the impacts you are experiencing, and answer your questions. Please join us Wednesdays, from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

We will be rescheduling our next webinar for April 22, and you can register for that webinar here. Please share this with anyone you think might be interested in attending. We look forward to seeing you next week!

Find our April 9 webinar notes and information here.

Seattle & King County resources

Photos of the posters available for businesses to post
Public Health — Seattle & King County (PHSKC) has a new resource for business owners

Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) now has downloadable signs to print and post to help minimize risk of COVID-19. They’re available in multiple languages and are useful resources for grocery stores, restaurants, childcare facilities, and apartment buildings.

These signs can help establishments communicate with their customers and staff the steps they are taking to minimize the risk of COVID-19. Find the downloadable posters here.

Puget Sound Energy assistance

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) will make funds available to help customers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through its Crisis-Affected Customer Assistance Program (CACAP). This includes customers who recently became unemployed, partially unemployed, or cannot work.

Funds are also available in PSE’s other assistance programs. For more information on this program and other PSE COVID-related program offerings, see here.

Washington State resources

The closure of so many businesses in our state has created record-high unemployment rates. If you or your employees are seeking help with unemployment, the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) has some excellent new resources.

They have compiled an FAQ for businesses, as well as an FAQ for workers that contains lots of links to other resources. Also, ESD has a new eligibility checker that makes it easier to figure out whether you qualify for unemployment benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wait times for help from the ESD can be long. If you need help but aren’t able to wait on hold, you can now schedule a call back.

Federal resources

The federal government has created several new loan programs to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a variety of SBA loan options and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. To find out more about these and other resources, see our OED COVID-19 Resources for Businesses page.

To find out more about SBA loan resources and to access support, visit our SBA Disaster Loan Technical Assistance webpage.

OED is continuing to offer technical assistance with SBA loan applications and is also helping small businesses understand the federal Coronavirus Aids, Relief & Security (CARES) Act. OED has assisted more than 60 small businesses so far. For assistance, please email OED@seattle.gov or call 206-684-8090.

For more information on applying for SBA and PPP loans, see our website.

Support for completing PPP applications

Announcement about NDC's upcoming webinar Friday April 17 3-4:30 PM

The community and economic development non-profit NDC is offering a free webinar this Friday (12-1:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time) to help businesses applying for a PPP loan. This webinar will provide a line by line overview of the PPP application process. Webinar participants will walk through the PPP application requirements live with a NDC GAF Loan Officer, and thereby gain a strong understanding of the steps needed to put together a successful PPP application.

Register for the webinar here.

SBA debt relief

If you are a small business owner with an existing SBA loan, the SBA is now providing financial relief for loan payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of these debt-relief efforts, the SBA will automatically pay the principal, interest, and fees of current 7(a), 504, and microloans for a period of six months. You can find more information about this important program here.

Phishing alert

Beware of scams, frauds and phishing—the SBA will not initiate contact with you about either 7(a) or Disaster loans or grants. If someone unexpectedly contacts you claiming to be from the SBA, suspect fraud. Learn more here.

Mayor Jenny Durkan Announces Initial 250 Grantees of the Small Business Stabilization Fund

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“At the City, we’re doing everything we can locally to support our small businesses and workers during this unprecedented moment in history. Working together in the early days of this crisis, we quickly created this $2.5 million Small Business Stabilization Fund, which has become a model for cities across our country.”

Mayor Jenny Durkan

Earlier today, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced the initial 250 grantees of the City’s $2.5 million Small Business Stabilization Fund.

The fund provides $10,000 grants to small businesses financially impacted by COVID-19. Nearly 9,000 small businesses applied for the first round of the City’s Small Business Stabilization Fund, demonstrating that the need goes far beyond what the City can provide without further support from the private sector, philanthropic partners, and economic relief from the federal government.

With loans and grants available at the state and federal level, OED has also created a comprehensive resource page for workers and small businesses impacted by COVID-19 and is providing technical assistance to support our small businesses

Find a complete list of grantees for the initial round of the Small Business Stabilization Fund here.

Cities across the country — including San Francisco, Atlanta, and New York City — have reached out to learn more about the Stabilization Fund and try to replicate this model in their own communities. On April 1, Mayor Durkan signed into law her legislation to ensure the City of Seattle can accept donations, including for initiatives like supporting small businesses through stabilization funding and for families via food vouchers.

Comcast donates $50,000 to support next round of Small Business Stabilization Fund

“I am grateful to Comcast for their commitment to help fund further rounds of the Stabilization Fund and support the small businesses that make Seattle the best city in the country.”

Mayor Jenny Durkan

Comcast has donated $50,000 to address the urgent need for future rounds of the Stabilization Fund. This investment will help ensure the Office of Economic Development (OED) can continue providing direct capital assistance to small business owners struggling to support their employees and stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interested individuals and organizations can donate to the Stabilization Fund by emailing covidpledge@seattle.gov.

Rodrigo Lopez, Regional Senior Vice President of the Comcast Washington region, said “We recognize the important role that small businesses play in our economy and our community. Now more than ever they need our support and we are pleased to do our part. We also know that internet service is essential and are working hard every day to ensure that our network is helping both businesses and residents across of our community keep connected.”

The Mayor explained, “With nearly 9,000 small businesses applying to the first round of the Stabilization Fund, it’s clear that the need far outweighs what the City can provide to our small businesses.

“I urge all those who are able to support future rounds of this fund, and also support our small businesses by ordering pickup, delivery, or shopping online during this unprecedented time. While we to do everything we can at the City level to support small businesses, I will continue to advocate at the state and federal level to ensure our region receives the economic relief we need, both now and as we recover.”

City of Seattle actions and the critical role of state and federal resources

The City also recently launched the #SupportSeattleSmallBiz map, which helps residents find small businesses providing takeout or delivery in their neighborhood. The map allows users to search for open small businesses in their neighborhood and navigate directly to a business’ website or third-party delivery service page. As of April 8, 1,198 small businesses are included in the map, which has been viewed 185,000 times. If you’re a business owner interested in adding your information to the #SupportSeattleSmallBiz map, please contact the City at supportsmallbiz@seattle.gov.  

Mayor Durkan and the City of Seattle have worked to implement a series of actions that support artists, nonprofits, small businesses, and workers, including:  

As the City does everything it can to support small businesses, Mayor Durkan and the City of Seattle continue to advocate at the state and federal level to ensure our region receives the economic relief we need, both now and as we recover.

Resources Roundup: 4/6/2020

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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.

Small Business COVID-19 Weekly Webinars: March 25 and April 1

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The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development is committed to responding to and supporting our small businesses to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19. As this is a rapidly developing issue, we are holding weekly calls to share new developments, hear about the impacts you are experiencing, and answer your questions. Please join us every Wednesday, from 11:00am- 12:00pm. Register for the webinars here. 

A recording of the webinar will automatically be sent to those who registered. OED will post notes and a link to the recording on our Bottom Line blog shortly after (https://bottomline.seattle.gov/).

We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this stressful time. Please continue to monitor the Bottom Line blog for evolving information from the Office of Economic Development.

This blog provides links from both our April 1 webinar and our March 25 webinar.

April 1 Webinar Resources

Topics covered included:

  • Update from Seattle King County Public Health
  • The new federal CARES Act
  • SBA loan products
  • Worker and unemployment-related issues
  • Resources for creative professionals and gig economy workers

Find all the details here:

March 25 Webinar Resources

Topics covered included:

  • Recap of relief for small businesses
  • Web links to centralized City resources for businesses and workers
  • The City’s Small Business Stabilization Fund

Find all the details here:

Resources Roundup: 4/2/2020

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Flowers at the Pike Place Market
Adaptive marketing strategies at the Pike Place Market

Following is information highlighting new and current resources available from the City of Seattle, the State of Washington, and the Federal government.

There’s lots of new information coming out for small business owners and workers, and we’ll try to keep you updated each week about what’s going on and the resources you can access for help during this challenging time. 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.

City Resources

Seattle skyline with buildings and Mt. Rainier in background
Our city is strong and resilient

“At the City, we’re doing everything we can locally to support our small businesses during this unprecedented moment in history. We’ve identified millions of dollars to invest directly in our most vulnerable small businesses and are working with our partners across government and in the private sector to help many who are struggling. With many of our neighborhood restaurants still open, we can support our small businesses by ordering pickup or delivery during this time.

Mayor Jenny Durkan

New #SupportSeattleSmallBiz map of restaurants, bars, cafes, and breweries providing services

Map showing businesses that are doing delivery, to-go, and drive-through
Map of businesses providing delivery, to go, and drive-through services

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced on March 30 the City of Seattle’s new #SupportSeattleSmallBiz map, which helps residents find small businesses providing takeout or delivery in their neighborhood. The map allows users to search for open small businesses in their neighborhood and navigate directly to a business’ website or third-party delivery service page. For more details about what this map provides, see the Mayor’s press release.

The map is part of the City’s #SupportSeattleSmallBiz campaign, which asks residents to post pictures and videos from their favorite Seattle restaurants, bars, and cafes that are doing delivery, to-go, and drive-through with #SupportSeattleSmallBiz and #WeGotThisSeattle, and tag @SeattleEconomy. City staff are working to add these locations to the map as quickly as possible.

To use the map, residents can enter their location or drop a pin and find all the available restaurants near them. Once they select their restaurant, they can place a takeout or delivery order directly through the app or can receive directions to the restaurant. The map also connects users directly to third-party delivery services like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Caviar to easily patronize a restaurant.

If you’re a business owner interested in adding your information to the #SupportSeattleSmallBiz map, please contact the City at supportsmallbiz@seattle.gov. 

Stabilization Funds for Small Businesses

Round 1

To help relieve financial challenges for Seattle’s most vulnerable businesses, the City of Seattle committed approximately $2.5 million in Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the first round of the Small Business Stabilization Fund. Applications for this first round of the Stabilization Fund were due Wednesday, March 25 at midnight. The application period for these grants is now closed.

We received over 8,500 applications, and are currently in the process of reviewing them. If you applied for one of these grants, you can expect to hear whether or not your application will be funded by April 10.

Round 2

While the application period for Round One of the Stabilization Fund has closed, small businesses will have a chance to apply for a second round of Stabilization Fund grants. We’ll be announcing additional information soon. Please keep your eye out for updates at #SupportSeattleSmallBiz as well as on our website.

Residents who would like to donate to the Small Business Stabilization Fund may do so by emailing covidpledge@seattle.gov. We appreciate your support and partnership as we work to help our small businesses during this unprecedented time.

Additional resources from the City of Seattle

Local musicians Eva and Cedrick on their music show "Video BeBop" on the Seattle Channel
Local musicians Eva and Cedrick on their music show “Video BeBop” on the Seattle Channel

Mayor Durkan and the City of Seattle have worked to implement a series of other actions that support artists, nonprofits, small businesses, and workers, including:

State of Washington Resources

Washington State Legislative Building
Washington State Legislative Building

Find the most recent state-level resources and information regarding COVID-19 at Governor Jay Inslee’s site.

The Washington State Department of Commerce has direct links to the SBA loan programs and will soon have information about the Governor’s state-wide small business grant program. You can find Washington State resources for businesses outside the City of Seattle here.

Federal Resources for Businesses and Workers

U.S. Capitol Building
U.S. Capitol Building | Photo by Chris Grafton on Unsplash

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (or “CARES”) Act  was passed by Congress and signed by the President on Friday, March 27. This legislation provides businesses and individuals with new forms of relief during this period of economic hardship. For a summary of its provisions, see our website.

Resources for Small Business

NEW! CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans

For Small Businesses (500 Employees or less) the CARES Act provides 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. The loan amounts will be forgiven as long as:

  • The loan proceeds are used to cover payroll costs, and most mortgage interest, rent, and utility costs over an 8-week period between February 16th and June 30th, 2020; and
  • Employee and compensation levels are maintained.

PPP loans are available to Small businesses with 500 or fewer employees—including nonprofits, veterans organizations, tribal concerns, self-employed individuals, sole proprietorships, and independent contractors. B

For more information about PPP loans:

How and where to apply for a PPP loan:

  • These loans are provided through a financial institution or lender, and not the SBA.
  • Find the Application Form for PPP loans here.
  • For more details about application, please visit an approved SBA lender/financial institution. The full list of lenders has not yet been finalized. We recommend you start by contacting your current personal lender. As a backup, please refer to this list.

Please note: the PPP SBA policy is still being finalized. More details will be forthcoming soon. For the latest news and updates, subscribe for email alertsat www.sba.gov/updates. You can also follow SBA on Twitter at @SBAgov, @SBAPacificNW or @SBASeattle

SBA Loans

Small Business Administration logo

On Monday March 16, the SBA announced a disaster declaration regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides low-interest loan assistance to businesses in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories that have suffered substantial economic injury as result of COVID-19. These loans provide small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

These loans can help small businesses meet financial obligations and cover operating expenses. For more information, click here. Additionally, this slide deck can guide you through the disaster loan program and includes step-by-step instructions on completing the application.

Applicants for the federal SBA Economic Injury Disaster loans may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 (interpretation provided) or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For information about all SBA loans and resources, visit the SBA’s Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources page.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance

Businesses that have applied for a disaster assistance loan due to COVID-19 can also request a $10,000 advance to help cover costs. The link to the SBA EIDL application gets you through the application process.  At the end of that you can submit and check the box to receive a $10,000 advance. 

You should get an email confirmation of application submission.  Once the application is submitted you will get the $10,000 auto deposited within 3 days of submitting your application, regardless of whether it is a successful application or not.  By simply applying you are eligible for the $10,000.  Applicants are not required to repay the advance, even if they are subsequently denied an EIDL. To apply for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan,click here.

Support for SBA Loan Application Process

The Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) is also offering technical assistance to help small businesses apply for these SBA Economic Injury Disaster loans. To request this service please fill out this intake survey and someone will respond within 1 business day. 

If you prefer to inquire by phone or if you have an issue with the
survey, call (206) 684-8090. We’re here to help!

Deferment of Existing SBA Loans

If you have existing business loan through SBA, The SBA Debt Relief program provides a reprieve to small businesses as they overcome the challenges created by this health crisis. If you have an existing loan with SBA, under the SBA Debt Relief program:

  • The SBA will also pay the principal and interest of new 7(a) loans issued prior to September 27, 2020.
  • The SBA will pay the principal and interest of current 7(a) loans for a period of six months.

If you have questions about this, please call the lender that provided your SBA loan

New Resources for Individuals and Workers

Two men doing street work
Many workers find their jobs on hold during the “Stay Home Stay Healthy” order

Cash payments and tax relief

  • Most individuals earning less than $75,000 can expect a one-time cash payment of $1,200. Married couples would each receive a check and families would get $500 per child. That means a family of four earning less than $150,000 can expect $3,400. Checks to be deposited mid-April.
  • The cash payments are based on either your 2018 or 2019 tax filings. People who receive Social Security benefits but don’t file tax return are still eligible, too. They don’t need to file taxes; their checks will be based on information provided by the Social Security Administration.
  • Tax returns: Some people have not filed their 2019 tax returns, but that’s OK. The filing deadline has been extended to July 15. The IRS also says that people who have filed or plan to can still expect to receive a refund if they are owed one.

Unemployment benefits

  • This bill adds $600 per week from the federal government on top of whatever base amount a worker receives from the state. That boosted payment will last for four months.
  • The legislation also adds 13 weeks of unemployment insurance. People nearing the maximum number of weeks allowed by their state would get an extension. New filers would also be allowed to collect the benefits for the longer period.
  • Gig workers and freelancers: Typically, self-employed people, freelancers and contractors can’t apply for unemployment. This bill creates a new, temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program through the end of this year to help people who lose work as a direct result of the public health emergency.

You can find more details about what the CARES Act provides on our website. More detailed information about how to apply for these benefits will be forthcoming from the Federal government in the near future.

Make Sure You’re Counted!

Census 2020 logo

We’re urging residents to fill out their Census form NOW – this is one of the most critical things we can do as a community to ensure Seattle gets the resources we need. The #2020Census will shape our City’s access to hard-earned federal benefits and political representation. If there’s an undercount, our communities’ lives could be impacted for an entire decade.

Please take a few minutes to complete the Census and say, “We’re here, and we count.” If you haven’t already, head to https://2020census.gov/ to fill out your Census form and help our region access critical federal resources. It is your right to complete the Census and your privacy and confidentiality is protected by law. #2020Census #WeCount.