Central Area Collaborative

Mission

The mission of the Central Area Collaborative is to create and sustain a framework for commercial vitality, leadership development and cultural legacy preservation that inspires and attracts investments in high-quality strategies and tools, resulting in wealth creation for historical, present, and future residents, reflective of the brilliance of a culturally diverse and respectful community.

Description

The Central Area Collaborative started from the goal of Seattle's Office of Economic Development to allow the constituents to direct the path of economic change that rapidly engulfed the historically redlined neighborhoods it encompassed. Our organization was born out of a culmination of over 30 different neighborhood community businesses and organizations with approximately 180 participants who spent an average of 20 hours each came together with the same desire - to find a way to enhance the livability of the Central Area in a self-determined fashion. Eight volunteers took to task to bring to life the five goals that were established by the community.

The Central Area Collaborative focuses on ensuring that small and micro businesses owned and operated by African-Americans at large and BIPOC peoples are provided equitable resources to remain in place, create a place/space and thrive in the historically redlined neighborhoods they've called home for generations. The CAC serves as a neutral, honest broker between the community's businesses and the City/State policy-making entities.

Recognition

Seattle Office of Economic Development - Only in Seattle Grant (2016 - 2021); Seattle Foundation - Partnership Mobilization Grant (2017) - This grant enabled the CAC to bring together 5 organizations, which not only created the Central Area Design Guidelines, but enabled the City to establish a Central Area Design Review Board, which allowed the community to address development concerns directly with the City and Development Community.