This multi-pronged project will enable Auburn’s residents and local businesses to connect with each other. Students will develop a website and mobile application to gain information about local businesses and buy products and services. The project will also include a marketing component, helping local businesses to better advertise to a wider audience.
In the fall of 2016, the City of Auburn and University of Washington collaborated
together to work on the Buy Local Project. The Buy Local project was developed
in order to respond to the loss of sales tax revenue and to stimulate the local
economy of Auburn. The overall goal of the Buy Local Project is to create a robust,
searchable online database, known as the Auburn Business Collaboration (ABC)
database. The database will essentially consist of a catalogue of local businesses
in Auburn. This will allow businesses to search for local suppliers in Auburn rather
than taking their business outside of Auburn, generating more sales tax revenue
for the City of Auburn to put towards city projects as needed.
To assist in achieving this goal, the City of Auburn utilized student assistance for
two separate projects. The first project asked students to survey a sample of local
businesses in order to populate data to allow for testing of the database’s coding
and framework, while the second project asked students to aid in developing the
website design.
This report will provide a clear and concise description of the work that both
student teams did. Each section is dedicated to one of the two main projects. Each
section includes a description of the teams’ work, the results of their work, and
further recommendations and considerations for the City of Auburn.
Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.
Livable City Year Contact Info
Teri Thomson Randall
Program Manager
terir@uw.edu
206.221.9240
University Faculty Contact
Ashley Blazina
Environment Studies
Professor
ajblazin@uw.edu
360-440-4065
Local Government / Community Contact
Douglas Lein
Mayor