Shoreline is a home to many small businesses. An estimated 80% of employment in Shoreline is in businesses with fewer than 20 employees and half of these businesses are locally owned. The City of Shoreline is committed to helping to retain, support and grow these businesses.

Financial Resources
City resources for small businesses include a privately-managed loan fund at Community Capital Development (CCD).  When a small business needs additional help, this fund can make loans from as little as $1,500 for things like signage improvements to loans of $250,000 or more for debt restructuring, working capital, tenant improvements and more.  Loans are subject to credit approval.

What distinguishes this program is a greater reliance on the relationship between the program and borrower, more flexibility in the consideration of how collateral will be valued and a stronger knowledge of the character and business experience of the borrower.  If local banks can offer better loan terms, CCD will help to prepare application information and facilitate the referral. 

Fees and interest rates are associated with the loans, but the financial counseling and referral assistance is offered as a free and confidential service.  For more information, contact Rhonda DeVito at CCD at (206) 696-1108.

Business Management and Planning 
Community Capital Development provides free one-on-one business counseling, business mentoring and business plan development. CCD tailors assistance to the business owner’s individual needs and makes referrals to the Small Business Administration or outside experts as appropriate.  Programs under the CCD umbrella include the Seattle Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Small Business Administration programs and the Women’s Business Centers.

CCD also offers classes on popular topics that can help improve businesses with topics such as “Finding Your Competitive Niche,” “Making More Effective Use of Your Web Site to Find Customers and Increase Sales” and “Fundamentals of Starting a Business.”  There is a small fee for each class.  Find out about these classes by contacting Rhonda DeVito at (206) 696-1108 or check this Web site for periodic updates.

The Small Business Administration offers help through the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) program.  SCORE counseling sessions are available a few days each month at the Shoreline Public Library at 175th and 5th Ave NE.  For information, go to www.seattlescore.org  or http://www.kcls.org/shoreline/services.cfm.  Call the Library at (206) 362-7550 for an appointment. There is no cost for individual counseling.

Environmental Issues
Businesses are learning that they can save money by better managing energy use, waste practices, and other environmental issues.  However, this is a special area of expertise that few small businesses can afford to have staff for. 

The City of Shoreline, through ECOSS, one of its City-sponsored partners, provides this expertise to Shoreline businesses on a free and confidential basis.  For more information, contact Kevin Burrell at ECOSS at (206) 767-0432.

Relocation and Real Estate Services
To assist businesses interested in finding space to rent or property to buy in Shoreline, the City of Shoreline has partnered with other local area governments in creating a new Web site that consolidates the commercial property databases of different brokerage firms and adds valuable new capabilities to research things like population characteristics.  To access this Web site, please see www.NWProperty.net  

Property Development Services
Shoreline’s Planning and Development Services Department is responsible for long-range planning efforts and land use and building permit services.  The mission of this department is to ensure that Shoreline’s natural and built environments are healthy, safe and reflect the community's vision. The Economic Development Program offers assistance to the permits and development processes where an understanding of the goals and market context of a business can better define the intent and challenges of a development idea.

For information about permits, building and zoning regulations or to find out about any commercial area plans, please call the permit desk at the Planning and Development Services Department at (206) 546-1811. For market studies and related development information, see the page on Information Resources.