Unincorporated King County Economic Alliance
Unincorporated King County Economic Alliance
King County Local Services seeks to tangibly support the local economic recovery in unincorporated King County by working with community leaders to reduce barriers to economic growth experienced by those most vulnerable to the economic impacts of COVID-19.
After King County received a COVID-19 Recovery Fund distribution directly from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the County Council dedicated $5.25 million of this funding to create an Economic Alliance in the county’s unincorporated areas. Its purpose is to help businesses in the region recover from the economic impacts of the COVID public health emergency—which it will do by coordinating the region’s resources and providing three recovery programs (Career Connector, Business Builder, and Community Innovator, described below).
United for a Community-Led Economy, a partnership of the White Center Community Development Association, Comunidad Latina De Vashon, and the Skyway Coalition, has been chosen to operate these programs.
The programs aim to provide community-based, low-barrier, and high-support entrepreneurial and career training, microbusiness incubation, small business technical assistance, and consultation for individuals and businesses most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19 in unincorporated King County. They will use on-the-ground outreach, community resource navigation, and accessible economic engagement strategies to identify and support the businesses and individuals in the county’s unincorporated areas that have been hardest hit by the pandemic. They will especially target businesses and areas that have been historically marginalized, such as those owned by or serving people who are black or indigenous, people of color, women, LGBTQ+, veterans, immigrants or refugees, and those with low incomes, limited English, or disabilities.
The Economic Alliance’s programs will help businesses and individuals as they strategize for growth, obtain relevant industry training, and get connected to capacity-building tools—creating community resilience against future economic impacts and COVID variants.
Economic Alliance Programs
Career Connector
- Living wage career and entrepreneurial training
- Individualized career navigation
- Subsidized employment and job training opportunities
Community Innovator
- Small-business incubation, including skills training, mentorship, coaching, and financial support
Business Builder
- Small business coaching and mentorship in accounting, tax, legal, real estate, business administration, information technology, human resources,marketing, and more.
Contact us
Learn more, ask questions, offer comments, or get involved by contacting Program Manager Anjilee Dodge at 206-477-3800 or AskLocalServices@kingcounty.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Alliance is for any small business entity under 15 employees or individual interested in seeing the economic and business activities in King County’s unincorporated areas thrive. Specific resources and technical expertise are geared toward disproportionatly impacted businesses or individuals living or doing business in unincorporated areas.
Bi-monthly Economic Alliance meetings are held the second Tuesday of every other month at 11am. Please email AskLocalServices@kingcounty.gov to learn more or get involved.
This website (publicinput.com/ukcalliance) is your central hub to stay connected and learn more.
Send email to AskLocalServices@kingcounty.gov.