2019 Tourism and Economic Development
Grants Overview and Update

Tourism Development Cooperative Grants
Visit Bellevue and City of Kirkland as Guests

ITEM NO: 5 and 6 supp
DATE OF MEETING: July 23, 2019

Tourism Grant Programs Overview
• Tourism Partnership programs advances statewide tourism
and use of Port facilities
- Four years of Tourism Marketing Support Program
- Airport Spotlight initiated October 2017

• Programs producing good results and building effective
partnerships across Washington
- Generating visitor interest and travel
- Smaller organizations VERY appreciative
2

Statewide Impact - Driving Use of Port Gateways
King County

8

Eastern WA

7

Kitsap & Olympic
Peninsula

4

Northern WA &
Islands

4

Southwest WA

3

Pierce County

2

Statewide

1

3

Special emphasis: Eco/Sustainable Tourism
• 25 recipients engaged in
projects involving:
- Eco/Sustainable
- Cultural/Historical attractions
- Outdoor/Nature
- Promotion of public lands
and waters

Assisting in environmental, outdoor and cultural projects

4

Marketing Partnership Generates Results
• Increasing tour products and sales
through familiarization tours
• Increasing out of state attendance
at events/cultural attractions
• Generating awareness and
bookings through digital media
campaigns
• Generating earned media and
testimonial value for Washington
State travel destinations

Increasing visitors to all of Washington

5

Visit Bellevue

6

City of Kirkland

7

City Economic Development Grants Update
City of Woodinville and Startup 425 as Guests

Economic Development Partnership Program
• Commission created program
in 2016
• Provides King County cities
with per capita funding to
support economic development
projects
• Approximately $795,900 has
been awarded to 25 cities in
2019

Downtown Renton Storefront Makeovers

9

Cooperative Program
• King County cities receive funding
to advance local economic
development projects throughout
the region.
• Annual grant funding provided on a
$1 per capita formula:
- Grants capped at $65,000
- Smallest cities receive a
minimum of $5,000
• Cities contribute a 50% project
match where up to 25% of Port
match can be in-kind resources

Bellevue and Washington on-stage at Mobile World
Congress - the largest mobile device focused event in
the world.

10

Number of Projects

Categories of Economic Development Projects
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

14

13

10

9
4

Business
Recruitment

Business
Planning &
Tourism
Assistance and
Feasibility
Retention
Studies
Economic Development Project Categories

Buy Local &
Marketplace
Development

11

Woodinville: Adult Beverage Business Incubator Study
• Past City Grant-funded
Projects:
- 2017: Wine Tourism Study
- 2018: Trestle Mural Project

• 130 wineries, breweries, and
distilleries serving 800,000
visitors annually
• Goal: Support and enhance
existing adult beverage
economy
12

Woodinville: Adult Beverage Business Incubator Study
• Feasibility study to understand requirements,
resources, policies, etc. related to
establishing an adult beverage production
business incubator
• Three aspects:
- Educational partnership with a local/State
college or university
- Facilitation of production by provision of Cityowned equipment, storage space, operations
facility, etc.
- Venue/space that will allow a "behind-thescenes" look into the winemaking process
13

• Startup 425 is an alliance of 5
cities bound by an Interlocal
Agreement
- Renton
- Bellevue
- Redmond
- Issaquah
- Kirkland
• The City of Kirkland currently
administers Startup 425

"Our mission is to provide access to tools that experienced workers, and
entrepreneurs need to go from idea to working business in a successful,
sustainable manner.
We lower the barriers to entry for non-traditional and first-time
founders. This keeps our ecosystem diverse, encourages spontaneous
collaboration, and provides pathways to prosperity for our whole
community."

In 2019 assisted by an economic
development grant from the Port of
Seattle and funding from partner cities
we are engaged in the following efforts:
• Startup 425 Foundations Series (in
partnership with KCLS and SCORE)
• 3-5 Year Strategic Plan
• Advanced Fall Series (in partnership
with SCORE and CoBox, Bellevue
Coworking Space)
• Representation at numerous trade fairs
and events
• Mentoring by Duncan Milloy and SBDC

"Startup 425 Foundations" workshop series for entrepreneurs

THANK YOU
17