As the city's Community Development Director, I am proud to have grown up in Marysville and honored to serve this community and especially our local businesses. I have worked in the land use field for over 10 years and especially pride myself on offering flexible measures and creative solutions for businesses to succeed here.

The Community Development (CD) Department strives to guide applicants through the land development and permitting processes. New businesses often start with CD to find a suitable location in the city. Locating a business may involve a design-and-build project on vacant land, tenant improvements in a new space, or a simple move into a building space that is prepped and ready to go.

Our staff cares about new and existing businesses. We have streamlined our business license and permit processes. We have converted licensing and permit processes to paper-free and are continuously making improvements to reduce review times and provide the best customer experience. We understand that time is money, and that consistency, transparency and predictability are key.

Our department also looks well into the future to plan population and job growth in the city. Most recently, CD staff updated our long-range plans that envision a thriving mixed-use center in downtown Marysville. Our recent economic development focus has been to assist applicants locating within the City’s Cascade Industrial Center. To date we have seen an exciting mix of industrial businesses from indoor agriculture (hydroponics), construction of living units in spaceships, distribution centers, food production and more. We have also helped local businesses move into existing structures for a variety of uses including breweries, professional offices, retail, and other goods and services.

Our dream for this city is to help create a thriving economy and provide good-paying jobs for our residents. Please let me know how we can assist in your business efforts. Find contact information and more at Community Development | Marysville, WA - Official Website (marysvillewa.gov).

Thank you,

Workshop Opportunity:

Strategies to Identify and Reach Your Target Customers

Part of SCORE's Small Business Essentials Workshops series, this virtual workshop focuses on hands-on exercises to help attendees create a target market, value proposition and promotion plan for their businesses. 

In this workshop, attendees will learn how to:

• Finalize product/service design and ensure that it matches a target market
• Create a value proposition that captures the unique value that customers receive from a product/service
• Build a marketing plan

More details can be found here. The virtual workshop will take place on Nov. 7, 9:00 a.m. PST. There is a $40 registration fee. 

This free workshop, led by Mo Smith of I Love it When, will focus on the importance of authenticity on social media and creating more traction online. Other local business owners will be in attendance to share how they have developed their own social media voice and style. A professional photographer will be in attendance to offer each attendee a free headshot photo. 

This workshop is part of the Downtown Everett Association's monthly Entrepreneur Education series.  

Funding Opportunity:

Rick Steves' Europe Fund - Capacity Grants

The Rick Steves' Europe capacity grant program works to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Snohomish County nonprofits' fundraising, finances, leadership, and sustainability by investing in infrastructure. 

For example, capacity grants could support the following:

• Technology, Marketing or Business infrastructure
• Volunteer management
• Fundraising software or planning
• Data evaluation and collection
• Websites, computer networks or database development
• Internal systems: accounting and human resources
• Training for new systems (i.e. IT, database)

Organizations with budgets of less than $500,000 and/or have been overlooked by grant opportunities in the past are encouraged to apply. BIPOC, refugee, immigrant, migrant and nonprofit leaders with lived experience are encouraged to apply. 

For grant contact info and application, click the button below:

Funding Opportunity:

Department of Commerce Export Vouchers Program

The Washington State Department of Commerce’s Export Voucher Program provides direct cash assistance to qualifying small businesses to help them expand their international sales.

Export Vouchers, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), reimburses eligible export expenses up to $10,000, depending on the expense. If your business qualifies, you may receive up to the maximum allowed for that activity, or a lesser amount. Awards are granted based on committee review of your application. 

Qualifying export expenses include:

• Digital-related fees for tools used for international sales, such as e-commerce platforms, website design and marketing
• International shipment of product samples
• Costs association with international IP protection
• International business travel costs, such as airfare or trade show fees

To be eligible, qualifying companies must:

• Be organized or incorporating and operating in the U.S.
• Be a registered business in Washington State
• Meet certain small business size standards as specified in the Small Business Act (details in the website link below)
• Be in good standing with the Washington State Department of Revenue
• Have a Federal Identification Number tied to a Washington address

For the full list of qualifying export expenses and eligibility requirement, and to apply, click the button below:

Funding Opportunity:

WomensNet Amber Grant

The Amber Grant is a monthly $10,000 grant awarded women entrepreneurs and businesses that are at least 50% women-owned. The application process is simple and straightforward, with a $15 application fee.

The application is also automatically used for consideration for WomensNet's various other grants:

• $25,000 Amber Grant
• Grant for marketing services
• $10,000 non-profit grant
• $10,000 monthly business category grant
• Examples include health & business, food & beverage, creative arts, fashion designers and more
• Mini grants up to $2,000

WomensNet is an online organization focused on helping women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses succeed. The Amber Grant was founded in 1998 to honor the memory of Amber Wigdahl, a young woman who passed away before realizing her business dreams. The organization funds $450,000 worth of grants every year. 

Welcome: Premier Martial Arts

On Sept. 29, Mayor Jon Nehring joined City Councilmembers Tom King and Mark James and the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce in celebrating the grand opening of Premier Martial Arts at 6618 64th St. N.E., Suite A.

Premier Martial Arts is one of the largest martial arts franchises in the country, and the Marysville location is the first to open in Washington state. The studio primarily provides martial arts and self-discipline lessons to children, though there are lessons for teens and adults as well. 

Visit their website to learn more. 

Welcome: Largo Tents

On Oct. 10, Mayor Jon Nehring joined City Councilmember Tom King and the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce in celebrating the grand opening of Largo Tents, located at 1217 1st St.

Founded in March 2021, the family-owned business offers customer design, manufacturing and installation services for tents, canopies, awnings, restaurant enclosures and more. Largo Tents is one of the few companies in the Pacific Northwest that manufactures all of their own products. Visit their website to learn more.