The Office of Economic Development (OED) was created in 1972 as part of the Department of Community Development to provide information to businesses expanding or relocating in Seattle. Its main efforts consisted of business development and capital investment, business assistance and advisory services, business liaison, special projects, and research.
In 1992 the City Council reorganized the functions of the Department of Community Development and established the Economic Development Transition Project. This project was assigned responsibility to contract for services to manage the City's business loan programs and to develop and recommend a strategy for the City's economic development programs.
OED was reorganized into the Executive Department in 1993. Its assigned functions included coordination of programs and policies related to the support of a diversified economy, livable wage jobs, access to education, job training and self-employment opportunities, and increased capacity for local neighborhood revitalization. OED administered the City's business loan programs, including loans funded by Urban Development Action Grants, the Neighborhood Business Development Loan Program, Washington State Development Loan Funds, the Seattle Small Business Lenders Association, and Community Development Block Grants.
The Office negotiated and administered contracts with organizations engaged in the provision of economic development services. Additional functions included the implementation of Community Development Block Grant contracts, as well as administration of federal, state, and local grants such as Central Seattle Neighborhood Special Purpose Grants, Economic Development Administration Planning Grants, the Southeast Opportunity Fund, and the Southeast Good Neighbor Fund. OED provided staff support to the City's Industrial Development Corporation, which issued industrial revenue bonds to provide low-interest financing for private business investment in Seattle. The Office also assumed responsibility for staffing the Mayor's Small Business Task Force and administering certain contracts. The director was appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council.
In 2000, the Office of Economic Development provided funding for a task force to develop a business plan for Seattle's neighborhood farmers markets. In 2001, OED supported the establishment and operations of the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance (NFMA). The NFMA consolidated the management and operations of the existing Columbia City, West Seattle, and University District farmers markets and had plans to establish four new markets over nine years with the ultimate goal of financial self-sufficiency. Records in this series contain correspondence, the initial proposal and business plan, agendas, reports, statistics, and other material regarding the establishment and management of the NFMA, the existing markets at the time of its establishment, and the new markets created under its management, including the Lake City and Magnolia markets.
Records are open to the public.
[Item and date], Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance Records, Record Series 2105-01. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.