King County Region – The Communities of Opportunity Initiative is a neighborhood-focused initiative that King County government and The Seattle Foundation are developing in partnership with community residents and groups, city governments, policymakers, and other funders and partners. The intent is to support community-identified goals that increase equity – health, social, racial and economic – and positively influence policies, systems and practices within and across these communities. The common umbrella for Communities of Opportunity will allow for more impact, prevent duplicative efforts, and create a foundation to engage other partners in the work. If successful, we will see a measurable closing of the gap in a cross-section of highly significant economic, social and health indicators, such as improving housing affordability and quality; improving education and economic opportunity (including living wage jobs, wealth-building opportunity); and improving community safety, reducing health risk factors and improving access to physical and behavioral health services.
The initiative will have two funding rounds:
- Grants to support existing community-engaged or led efforts to transform systems, policies and practices in the intersections between health, housing and/or economic opportunity that will decrease and/or prevent continued inequity in low-income communities and communities of color in King County. Health is defined broadly to include physical, mental and behavioral health.
- Multi-year investments in specific geographic areas (neighborhoods or cities) within King County to increase health, social, racial, and economic equity. The intent is to partner with those communities in support of their change agendas, building on current assets and strengthening capacities. These place-based investments will support emerging multi-sector, multi-issue efforts. We plan to have the geographic areas identified in December 2014, through a selection process in partnership with communities. Please see the LOI for more information.
A design committee is working in the spring and summer of 2014 to help develop the larger initiative framework, identify potential outcomes, and design a process for identifying neighborhoods. The focus will be on communities that currently experience the greatest inequities.
For more information about Communities of Opportunity, please contact Kirsten Wysen at Kirsten.Wysen@kingcounty.gov.
(Grant guidelines change frequently, please contact the appropriate funding source prior to applying)
City of Kent – Neighborhood Grant Program
The City of Kent Neighborhood Grant Program offers matching funds on a competitivebasis to recognized neighborhood councils in Kent that organize themselves to develop and implement projects which will enhance the livability of their communities. Recognized neighborhood councils must elect officers, create bylaws, set boundaries, and formally recognized by Kent City Council.
The City of Kent Neighborhood Grant Program seeks projects that facilitate residential networking, create a physical improvement that encompasses and benefits a larger area of a neighborhood in the community, and highlight at least one of the Kent City Council’s Strategic Goals, such as: creating connections for people and places, creating neighborhood urban centers, and fostering inclusiveness.
Contact: Toni Azzola at 253-856-5708 or tazzola@kentwa.gov
City of Seattle – Department of Neighborhoods
The Neighborhood Matching Fund provides money to groups for community-initiated projects that build community. All projects must provide a public benefit, emphasize self-help, demonstrate community match, and occur within the City of Seattle. Projects require a community match consisting of volunteer labor, cash, donated professional services or donated materials.
The Neighborhood Matching Fund supports projects in City of Seattle only. Priority for outreach is to traditionally underserved populations including youth and immigrant/refugee populations.
- Large Projects Fund (LFP) – can apply for up to $100,000
- Small and Simple Projects (SAS) Fund – can apply for up to $20,000
- Small Sparks – can apply for up to $1,000
Contact: Laurie Ames at 206-684-0320 or laurie.ames@seattle.gov
City of Seattle – Office of Economic Development
The Office of Economic Development (OED)’s Neighborhood Business District Program is designed to help neighborhood business districts and business organizations to develop and attain their goals of growing and strengthening their local business communities. Non-profit organizations interested in completing projects and/or providing services that benefit a Seattle neighborhood business district may submit eligible proposals to OED.
OED seeks projects that focus on, but are not solely limited to organizational development of neighborhood business district groups, marketing, and physical improvements in neighborhood business districts.
Awards are typically within a range of $5,000 through $20,000.
Contact: Theresa Barerras at 206-684-4505 or theresa.barerras@seattle.gov
Community Center for Education Results – Road Map Project Small Grants Fund
The Small Grants Fund is a community engagement tool used to boost community groups, organizations and institutions that are committed to achieving the Road Map goal of improving education results from cradle to college and career. Subject to fund availability, applications are accepted year-around and considered on a monthly basis.
The purpose of the Road Map Project Small Grants Fund is to fund activities, events, and projects that build the capacity and leadership of local grassroots organizations and community stakeholders (i.e., residents, informal or formal organizations) to participate in improving education results within South Seattle and South King County.
Awards will range from $500 to $5,000.
Contact: Anthony Shoecraft at 206-838-6615 or ashoecraft@ccedresults.org
Kent Community Foundation
The Kent Community Foundation accepts proposals from local community groups and Kent schools each spring and fall for projects that promote or enhance the cultural arts or education.
Contact: 253-854-1770 or Info@KentCF.com
King County Organizing Program
The King County Community Organizing Program supports grassroots efforts by community members to act on solving their own problems – people pooling their resources to increase the quality of life for young people, families and the community at large.
The King County Community Organizing Program Mini-Grants support drug, alcohol and violence prevention activities. These funds have been made available through the Washington State Department of Commerce.
The average Mini-Grant is $250-$300 and there are limited funds available.
Contact: Laura Quinnat 206-263-8938 or laura.quinn@kingcounty.gov
Latino Community Fund
Latino Community Fund supports issues ranging from direct services to advocacy by Latino–led/Latino-accountable organizations. LCF supportsorganizations that conduct successful culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate services and efforts with and on behalf of Latinos in Washington. Nominations for grants come from community members and self nominations are also welcome.
Contact: 206-525-4801 ext. 25
Potlatch Fund
Potlatch Fund grants are open to any Tribe and Native nonprofit located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or Montana. Native groups, operating in their service area, may apply for funding as long as they are fiscally sponsored by a Tribe or Native nonprofit. Artists residing in their service area may apply to our Native Arts grant program as individuals.
Grants are made in the following areas:
- InterTribal Canoe Journey – once a year: up to $1,500.
- Community Building – once a year: up to $5,000.
- Native Arts – once a year: up to $5,000.
Contact: Mary Kummer (Makah) at 206-624-6076 x 10 or mary@potlatchfund.org
Seattle Peoples Fund
Seattle Peoples Fund seeks to expand mutual understanding and respect between the many diverse cultures in the Seattle area and provides grants to assist communities in expressing and invigorating their cultural traditions, arts, languages, and in building relationships with wider mainstream audiences.
Grants are made within the Puget Sound region. Organizations that may not have access to traditional sources of funding receive prioritization.
Grant awards range from $500 to $3,000.
Contact: Aaliyah Gupta at 206-919-0142 or seattlepeoplesfund@gmail.com
Social Justice Fund
Social Justice Fund supports long-term social justice organizing, led by communities most affected by the issues.
Funding is available to marginalized communities—these are communities of color, immigrants, women, LGBTQ people, disabled, etc. located in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
Grants range from $10,000 and $20,000 and both one-year and multi-year grants are awarded.
- Criminal Justice Giving Project
- Economic Justice Giving Project
- Environmental Justice Giving Project
- LGBTQ Giving Project
- Montana Giving Project
- Next Generation Giving Project
- Social Justice Giving Project, based in Portland
Contact: 206-624-4081 or info@socialjusticefund.org
United Way of King County – New Solutions Impact Council
New Solutions is focused on innovative strategies that organizations and communities use to meet the emerging needs of community members and build the strengths and resources (or resiliency) of individuals, communities and systems.
Grants are available in King County, with a focus on communities with the least access to opportunities, including South Seattle (east and west), South King County, Cross Roads/Lake Hills communities in Bellevue and rural east King County. Grants focus on low income communities and those that have persistent racial inequities that result in poorer outcomes for health, employment, education, and other indicators of well-being.
Grants range from $5,000 – $30,000.
Contact: Lori Guilfoyle at 206-461-5056 or LGuilfoyle@uwkc.org
Women’s Funding Alliance
WFA grants address root causes of issues disproportionately impacting women and girls in the Puget Sound region. Grants focus in the areas of access to health services and information, civic participation and leadership, economic opportunity, and freedom from violence.
Grants are available to organizations operating in the Puget Sound region of Washington State including organizations doing work with state-wide impact. Organizations providing both direct services and advocacy are eligible for grants.
Grants typically range from $7,500 to $25,000.
Contact: Sara Reyerson at 206-467-6733 or sara@wfalliance.org