by Sam Read

Mayor Ed Murray announced an investment of $1,299,520 to support 27 community-initiated projects across the City. The awards are from the Neighborhood Matching Fund’s Community Partnership Fund which offers matching funds of up to $100,000 to community organizations committed to fostering and building our community. These awards range from $12,000 to $100,000 with the 27 organizations pledging a total of $1,282,518 in community match resources of volunteer hours, locally raised money, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.

The Neighborhood Matching Fund consists of two funds: the Community Partnership Fund, which is offered three times a year with cash awards up to $100,000; and the Small Sparks Fund, which is offered on a rolling basis throughout the year with cash awards of up to $5,000. The next Community Partnership Fund application deadline is September 25.

The Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) provides more than $3 million each year to local organizations. Over its 29-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 more information about NMF, visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/. 

2017 Community Partnership Fund Awards – Summer Cycle

Citywide (Across all Districts)

• $50,000 to Sea-Mar Community Health Center to produce Fiestas Patrias, a free 2-day cultural festival which provides opportunities for the community to come together to celebrate Latin American arts, culture and heritage through music, dance, food and more. (Community match: $29,500)
• $14,500 to Festa Italiana to produce the 30th Annual Italian Festival, a free community festival that celebrates the joy of ‘All Things Italian.’ With an average attendance of 25,000, it features art, music, dance, food, and activities for the entire family. The dates this year are September 22 – 24. (Community match: $20,760)
• $15,000 to Seattle Latino Film Festival to host three free events in October to include a screening of Chronicles of Narnia: Prince of Caspian, a panel on Latin-American Women in Film who will discuss issues facing women filmmakers; and a screening of seven short documentaries produced by universities in Mexico. (Community match: $20,040)
• $36,520 to Skate Like A Girl and Youth Employment Skateboarding to organize a youth service learning project using skateboarding as the vehicle. Youth ages 12-18 will take part in weekly trainings on such topics as financial literacy, creating safer spaces, career paths, etc. (Community match: $125,000)

District 1

• $100,000 to Gatewood Elementary School PTA to rebuild the existing one-half acre grassy field area within the playground. Improvements are based upon the Master Plan and full construction documents created with community input. The physical improvements will occur this fall. (Community match: $78,185)
• $60,000 to Delridge Neighborhood Development Association to organize the Delridge Neighborhoods Let’s Talk Race Series. The 12 events will use film, dialogue, restorative justice, and storytelling to transform the narrative around institutional and historic racism and build stronger relationships between community organizations, individuals, and groups. (Community match: $47,860)
• $27,500 to Longfellow Creek Neighborhood Path for 24th Ave SW to create a more intentional Longfellow Creek Trail connection along 24th Ave SW between SW Willow St. and SW Graham St. This project will coordinate with a design project by the Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group to reduce flooding, improve drainage, and restore habitat along Longfellow Creek. (Community match: $27,047)

District 2

• $23,000 to Friends of Detective Cookie Chess Park to develop 30% construction drawings by early 2018 and complete a site survey for permitting. (Community match: $11,541)
• $49,700 to Rainier Beach Link2Lake Open Space Steering Committee to create schematic design for improvements at Be’er Sheva Park. Possible improvements include greater shoreline access, walkways, and art installations. Extensive community involvement will occur. (Community match: $25,315)
• $55,800 to Friends of Hawthorne PTA to lead an extensive community engagement process to design a more welcoming and engaging exploration and play-space at Hawthorne Elementary School. (Community match: $47,745)
• $17,000 to Xbot Robotics to organize a series of STEM robotic workshops for upper elementary and middle school students in Southeast Seattle. Open to all youth, recruitment for the workshops will target underrepresented students, especially immigrants and refugees, who may lack access to STEM activities and robotic kits. (Community match: $26,960)
• $100,000 to El Centro de la Raza for physical improvements to the building which houses community projects, cultural programming, and activities. The improvements consist of replacing the outdated boiler control system, thermostats, and fan motor system. (Community match: $70,000)
• $100,000 to Mount Baker Community Club to make internal and external improvements to the clubhouse which will increase energy efficiency and security, reduce noise impacts, and enhance the building’s ability to house community programs and events. (Community match: $50,721)

District 3

• $100,000 to Madrona PTSA to renovate the playground at Madrona K-8 School, creating an engaging play space that will allow the grounds to be open to the public outside of school hours. The project will redesign landscaping, improve transitions, and replace the play structure. (Community match: $162,600)
• $70,000 to the Anniversary Committee of the Seattle Chapter of Black Panther Party to celebrate the Party’s 50th Anniversary this fall through outreach activities that share the challenges and successes of the organization. The activities will lead to a three-day public conference next April featuring panels, workshops, and discussions on issues related to human rights, activism, and social justice. (Community match: $117,520)
• $20,000 to Montlake Community Club to design, fabricate and install signage for the business district. (Community match: $20,525)
• $26,400 to Low Income Housing Institute to produce Upbeat on Jackson, a monthly concert series at Ernestine Anderson Place. It will feature local jazz, blues, world music, folk, and rock to brings community members together for entertainment that pays tribute to the history of the neighborhood. (Community match: $15,120)
• $84,000 to Seattle Children’s PlayGarden for Pathway for Play, a project to renovate the playground and improve the landscaping to make the space more accessible for visitors of all abilities. (Community match: $42,925)
• $29,000 to Renaissance 21 to pilot The Coder’s Club, a 10-week after-school training program for 10 youth to develop mobile/desktop game and website applications. STEM professional, college, and high school volunteers will serve as mentors to the participants. (Community match: $23,188)
• $30,000 to Panama Folklore to produce a five-week series of workshops to celebrate the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Panama. The workshops will feature dance, music, carnival traditions, and other cultural expressions. (Community match: $26,138)
• $25,100 to Madison Valley Parents & Neighbors for Calmer Streets to install a traffic circle at 26th Ave E & E Mercer Street. After construction, community volunteers will landscape the circle and once completed, will hold a community celebration in August 2018. (Community match: $14,990)

District 6

• $12,000 to Sustainable Ballard to launch a tool library in Ballard that will promote community learning and help build skills of self-sufficiency and empowerment around crafting, repair, and general tool operation and safety procedures. The goal is to open by the end of 2017. (Community match: $42,446)

District 7

• $15,500 to Cascade P-Patch to replace its existing tool shed and garden equipment to provide better services to gardeners and meet ADA requirements. (Community match: $14,790)
• $25,000 to John Hay Foundation to create construction documents, estimates, permit applications and survey work for the playground area at John Hay Elementary School. This phase of work will be based on the existing conceptual plan created with community input. (Community match: $25,970)
• $65,500 to Shunpike to produce Uptown, Upfront, a three-phase public art project that includes artist residencies, the Artists of Color Expo & Symposium (ACES) at Seattle Center, and community-generated and youth-created murals surrounding the Seattle International Film Festival’s Uptown Cinema. (Community match: $85,895)
• $100,000 to Friends of Capehart to construct two public trails through the Capehart section of Discovery Park to enhance human-nature interactions and improve hiking. (Community match: $57,558)
• $48,000 to Pike Pine Urban Neighborhood Council to support the Central Hills Triangle Collaborative (CHTC) as it continues the Lid I-5’s effort to cover Interstate 5 that divides Downtown from First Hill, Capitol Hill, and Denny Triangle. CHTC will hold charrettes and report the results to community members. (Community match: $52,180)