Initiatives
The following initiatives are the result of a six-month effort by leaders participating the Lab to research, refine, and document a collection of initiatives that meet our values and principles and strategically advance an economy with community at the center. They fall into three main categories: Building Capacity, Democratizing Land and Development, and Creating Community Capital and Ownership.
Good Businesses and Good Jobs

Build Minority Business Accelerators
Build network of small-business incubators and accelerators that provide culturally appropriate training, market development, capital, peer mentoring, and support.

Harness the Silver Tsunami of Local Businesses
Boomer business owners will be retiring by the 1000s. Let’s support the businesses transfer to a new generation of local entrepreneurs.

Create a Good Business Certification
Provide resources, training, and business development to help local owners grow their businesses for maximum community benefit.

Directly Fund Local Businesses
Help Seattle-area residents invest their nearly $70B of long-term savings into our local economy.
Democratize Capital and Real Estate

Establish a Community Loan Fund
Fill the financing gap for high-risk + high-community-benefit enterprises with a loan fund that any local resident, foundation, and others can invest in.

Support Direct Investment in Real Estate Projects
Create a vehicle for residents to invest in local development projects, making those projects responsive to the community’s vision.

Expand the Commercial Tenant Ownership Model
Enable commercial tenants to build ownership in the company that owns the building and land they occupy.
Community Responsive Anchor Institutions

Create a Community Development Authority
Establish a citywide Community Development Authority that can acquire and improve commercial properties, and transfer them toneighborhood land trusts to secure their use in perpetuity.

Use Anchor Power
Organize large institutions to leverage their incredible spending power for our local businesses.

Support Community Benefits Commissions
Build a network of neighborhood commissions that institutionalizes Community Benefits Agreements, ensuring those most impacted are always at the table.