Every year, for over thirty years, the Department of Neighborhoods has supported community-driven projects that make a real difference in Seattle neighborhoods.  The Neighborhood Matching Fund last year awarded over $1.1 million to support twenty-seven community-initiated projects, for an average of $41,600 per project.

There must be ideas among Squire Park residents who can come together to claim some of this year’s grant funds.  Past Matching Grant projects in Squire Park have included improvements to City parks, P-Patches, and Washington Hall, and community gatherings and performances.

Examples of community grants throughout the city funded last year include $6,000 to improve a P-Patch in Uptown, $50,000 for an oral history project by Friends of Little Saigon, $34,000 for the beautification of the Hillman City commercial center at Rainier and Orcas, and $25,000 for Estelita’s Library, (a community hub “for people to come together and inspire each other” on Martin Luther King Way just south of Washington Street.)

In other words, the Neighborhood Matching Fund works for a wide variety of projects —neighborhood improvements, community organizing events, cultural events, and public art.  Grants are available to groups, not individuals, but eligible groups need not be long-established.  Many successful projects are organized by small groups of neighbors to carry out one specific project.

There are two categories of grants.  The so-called “small sparks” grant is for projects costing up to $5,000. The application process is relatively simple, and turnaround time is short.  Examples of small sparks projects include block parties, neighborhood gatherings, and community art. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

The “community partnership fund” awards up to $50,000 per project and operates with application deadlines twice a year.  Now is the time to prepare to apply for that fund.  The Department of Neighborhoods is currently holding workshops to help potential applicants. Attendance at one of these workshops is highly recommended.

One workshop will be January 25 at 10:00 AM; the next (and last) will be February 11 at 6:00 PM.  See the DON website https://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/community-grants/neighborhood-matching-fund

Also, Yun Pitre of the Department of Neighborhoods will be at the February 1 Squire Park CC meeting to tell us more and take questions.