City of Seattle’s Neighborhood Matching Fund invests $990,533 in 23 projects led by community

The City of Seattle has awarded $990,533 to support 23 community-initiated projects through Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF). Twenty-three community groups received awards ranging from $18,440 to $50,000 and have pledged $946,164 to match their award through local cash donations, volunteer hours, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.

“Our vision for One Seattle centers and celebrates our diverse communities, and these investments will help us achieve that vision by supporting local projects, programs, and improvements,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “These organizations are doing critical work to learn the needs of Seattle communities and act on them, and I’m excited we are able to partner to build a more equitable, inclusive, and activated Seattle.”

The Neighborhood Matching Fund offers grants to organizations committed to fostering and building our community. It has two funds: the Community Partnership Fund, which is currently offered twice a year with awards of up to $50,000; and the Small Sparks Fund, which is offered on a rolling basis throughout most of the year with awards of up to $5,000.

Over its 34-year history, more than 5,000 projects have been funded in partnership with the NMF Program, and its investment in neighborhoods can be seen across the city. For information about NMF, visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/.

What Grantees are Saying

“The Music of the Americas: Hearts & Homes project will present four Latino arts & culture events in 2024, without charge, featuring Latinx guest musicians performing music by Latinx composers from Latin and Central America. said Elisabeth Roberts, a Friends of Music of the Americas member. “The NMF funding makes this project possible, by supporting the cost of professional musicians, artists, outreach activities, and project management. It will serve both the mainstream community and the Latino community in Seattle by attracting and informing them about the rich arts and cultural contributions of South and Central America. Community partnerships, intercultural understanding, and shared enjoyment of the arts are essential to Seattle’s health and well-being.”

2023 Community Partnership Fund Awards – Round Two

$50,000 to 17^th of May Seattle for the 17^th of May Seattle Celebration honoring the signing of Norway’s constitution by hosting its 50th annual `Syttende Mai` celebration throughout the Ballard neighborhood which includes the historic `Syttende Mai` parade, marching bands, drill teams, and community groups representing our diverse region. (Community match: $38,590)

$50,000 to Brothers United in Leadership Development for BUILD 2024 Community Collaborations, a series of community-building events that create leadership opportunities for the Black community that impact, heal, unite, inspire, celebrate, and engage them to BUILD community. Planned events include Black Creative Collaborations, Mother’s and Father’s Day Celebrations, a Block Party, Open Mic Nights, Back to School Community Bash, and the BUILD 11-Year Community Celebration. (Community match: $34,075)

$50,000 to Friends of Music of the Americas for Music of the Americas: Hearts and Homes to offer a series of four free and inclusive arts and culture events in 2024 at accessible and welcoming Seattle venues, including Town Hall. The events will feature special South and Central American guest artists and composers and will celebrate their diverse cultures with orchestra, choral, and dance performances as well as poetry readings and original art. (Community match: $26,625)

$50,000 to Friends of Woodland Park Avenue for Woodland Park Ave Traffic Calming Phase 2 to make Seattle Department of Transportation approved street modifications for improving safety and calming traffic on the stretch of Woodland Park Avenue North between 41st and 42nd streets in the Fremont/Wallingford neighborhoods. (Community match: $25,526)

$50,000 to Heart of the Dragon for Heart of the Dragon project to tell the stories that bring history, life, and compassion to the everyday citizens that have shaped Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID). The organization’s media team will focus on businesses and events that have been a long part of the CID and will educate underserved populations in the neighborhood on the art of visual content creation. (Community match: $145,300)

$50,000 to Interlm CDA for Humbows Not Hotdogs! Art, History, Bob Santos CID to create public art, interpretive installations, a new community gathering place, and neighborhood walking tours to honor beloved and legendary community leader, Bob Santos at Uncle Bob’s Place, InterIm’s newest low-income housing project. Many elements of the public art and installations will be on the outside of the building aiming to enhance the sense of place, culture, history, purpose, and community in the CID. (Community match: $128,000)

$50,000 to SouthEast Effective Development for KVRU Media Mentorship Program, a pilot mentorship program to help Southeast Seattle youth learn media skills and gain job readiness. After completing twelve hours of workshops over two months, participating youth will specialize in one of three tracks: podcasting, radio broadcasting, or storytelling, and will work with a mentor to script, produce, and record content for broadcast on the station. (Community match: $32,184)

$50,000 to Tasveer for Himalayan Winter Cultural Festival, a one-day cultural celebration at the Seattle Opera Center celebrating the people and cultures of the Himalayas. The event will be free and open to the public and will showcase food, music, and performances that celebrate the rich and diverse cultures of the Himalayan region. (Community match: $28,500)

$50,000 to The Rhapsody Project for Free Rhapsody Programming at King Street Station to support new, free programs that teach participants music and how to connect with personal or cultural heritage. The funds will also help organize regular learning opportunities for youth ages 12-21 in preparation for performances at celebrations for Black History Month, Northwest Folklife Festival, Refuge Outdoor Fest, and a King Street Station one year anniversary party. (Community match: $50,000)

$50,000 to Volunteer Park Trust for Volunteer Park Summer Concert Series a free, outdoor public performance series in Volunteer Park to take place on Thursday evenings in July and August 2024. The series will feature multicultural music and dance and will promote Volunteer Park as a city-wide destination for all. (Community match: $62,360)

$50,000 to Wing Luke Museum for Confronting Hate in Seattle, a partnership of African American, Asian American, and Jewish community-led organizations, to bring the exhibit, “Confronting Hate, 1937-1952” to Seattle and host related programs, tours, and podcasts to explore the many ways that our communities have endured hate, bias, and bigotry. (Community match: $66,684)

$49,970 to Seattle Griot Project for Business Winter Festival featuring Kwanzaa, a free, 3-day public event prioritizing unity, self-determination, and cooperative economics within the Black community. Activities will encompass small business showcases, enlightening financial literacy workshops, valuable tech training, cultural performances, and interviews for marketing. The event aims to empower, encourage entrepreneurship, bridge education gaps, and promote collaboration. (Community match: $34,740)

$49,950 for Center for Linguistic and Cultural Democracy for Pan-Caribbean Seafest 2024, a family oriented, arts and cultural event with the message of restoring and strengthening the ocean. The project will engage local Caribbean communities as well as the greater community in culturally responsive, art-based storytelling. (Community match: $32,675)

$48,243 for Multimedia Resources and Training Institute (MMRTI) for Celebrate and Strengthen Community Partnerships to organize an event celebrating the success and accomplishment of the group’s partner organizations that have been made in the past decade. It will celebrate past achievements but will also lay the foundation for continued partnerships and positive change in Yesler Terrace. (Community match: $25,020)

$47,600 to Friends of the Ferdinand Festival Street for The Ferdinand Festival Street in Columbia City to create a community space in the heart of the Columbia City neighborhood. During the pandemic, business owners and neighbors came together to create an outdoor space known as The Patio. The festival street project reflects the community’s desire for a designated space for community connections in the heart of the neighborhood. (Community match: $0)

$46,000 to Senior Center of West Seattle for Center for Aging Well to expand offerings and programming within their current building in the Alaska Junction and expand services to Delridge, Arbor Heights, Morgan Junction, and Roxbury. The funding will also help with re-branding efforts by hiring a communications consultant and graphic designer to help with a name change, new website, and creation of a mural on the exterior of their Senior Center building. (Community match: $23,055)

$44,930 to Morgan Junction All Wheels Association for Morgan Junction All Wheels Area Feasibility Study to assess the possibility of adding a free, public all-wheels terrain at the Morgan Junction Park. (Community match: $24,900)

$37,000 to Northwest Folklife for 53^rd Annual Folklife Festival to support festival activities and the 60 community coordinators who ensure the festival is genuinely by the people and for the people. The festival takes place over Memorial Day weekend at Seattle Center and is free and open to the public. (Community match: $50,000)

$32,100 for Ballard Emergency Communication Hubs for Building Community Around Disaster Preparedness to engage neighbors around the subject of household and community preparedness with multiple events hosted throughout Ballard educating neighbors about preparing for a disaster. (Community match: $17,395)

$23,300 to Beaver Pond Friends and Neighbors for Beaver Pond Vicinity Public Outreach 2023, a community-led effort to document neighborhood concerns about localized flooding, pedestrian accessibility, traffic congestion, and the integrity of the Beaver Pond Natural Area located at 8th Ave NE & NE 105th St to help the City’s responsiveness to the community in planning next steps. (Community match: $11,650)

$23,000 to Seattle Rideshare Drivers Association for Rideshare Drivers and Riders Appreciation Day 2023 to develop community among rideshare drivers, riders, and the larger community. The group will collaborate with Voices of Tomorrow, the Somali Health Board, and a wealth of community, to plan a celebratory day to honor rideshare drivers and riders. (Community match: $15,610)

$20,000 to Friends of Discovery Park for Community Improvement for Discovery Park to celebrate the organization’s 50^th anniversary through key improvements to Discovery Park including; the creation of two signs commemorating the 80th anniversary of a little-known 1944 civil rights debacle in what was then Fort Lawton; designing a kiosk for the park’s south entrance, to encourage respect for the abundant wildlife; and develop a sign explaining a unique geological feature of the park bluff. (Community match: $14,070)

$18,440 to Rainier Roller Riot for the Rainier Roller Riot 2024 Season to put on a free-of-cost event season including three home games, two six-week beginner derby bootcamps, and quarterly learn-to-skate events in partnership with our practice space, Delridge Community Center. The funds will also help grow the organization’s gear library and hire a consultant to support the development of a strategic plan committed to anti-oppressive values in action as well as an eight-week all-BIPOC incubator series that takes skaters from a beginner level to game-readiness. (Community match: $59,205)

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