White Center and North Highline residents are officially in the driver’s seat for local public spending as King County’s Department of Local Services launches its 2026 Participatory Budgeting process. This landmark initiative puts local community members directly in charge of deciding how county funds are invested.

Out of approximately $2.7 million in total community-guided grants available this year, a dedicated $1.1 million is earmarked specifically for White Center/North Highline to fund grassroots, resident-led solutions.

A newly convened Community Advisory Board composed of 29 local leaders and residents is currently designing the framework for this year’s grantmaking. This board is responsible for everything from establishing funding priorities to crafting the Request for Proposals (RFP), ensuring that public funding reflects the real lived experiences and grassroots needs of the neighborhood.

“The Community Advisory Board reflects what makes Skyway/West Hill and White Center/North Highline strong: diversity, lived experience, and a shared commitment to shaping a future rooted in community priorities,” said Leon Richardson, Director of the King County Department of Local Services . “We appreciate that community leaders and residents have stepped forward to help us put decision-making directly in the hands of people who live, work, and care for these communities every day.”

Proven Community Impact: Empowering White Center & Beyond

Since its inception in 2021, the King County Participatory Budgeting program has invested more than $20 million in projects selected directly by community residents.

These investments have already delivered visible, life-changing improvements in White Center. For example, previous participatory budgeting rounds provided crucial funding for the Evergreen Aquatic Center in White Center, enabling them to offer free swimming lessons for local low-income youth.

Other successful projects across King County include:

• The Khmer Community and Cultural Center: Support to complete construction of a new center that serves as a community hub for the Khmer community’s cultural preservation, education, and celebration.
• Speak With Purpose: Expanded in-school public speaking training that empowers youth to advocate for themselves and their community, which is not being offered at all four Title IV schools in Skyway/West Hill.
• Skyway Beautification: Support for cultural art installations and a community garden at the new Black Panther Park.

"The true measure of success is not the dollars invested; it is the power returned to community,” said Gloria Briggs, Program Manager of the Participatory Budgeting program. “Over the past five years, Participatory Budgeting has shown that when residents are trusted to lead, $20 million becomes more than an investment; it becomes a legacy of equity, partnership, and lasting community transformation.”

Shaping the 2026 Funding: How to Get Involved

This summer, the Community Advisory Board has been laying the groundwork for an equitable and transparent grantmaking process by establishing governance structures, decision-making approaches, and specialized design committees. The design phase is expected to wrap up this summer.

The official Request for Proposals (RFP) is scheduled to open near the end of August 2026 . This will allow local community groups and eligible organizations to apply for grants shaped directly by the priorities of local residents. To ensure accessibility, King County will provide free technical assistance to applicants throughout the process.

The community leadership does not stop with the Advisory Board. Later this summer, King County will recruit and hire additional local residents as paid Community Proposal Reviewers. These reviewers will evaluate grant proposals against criteria developed by the board, keeping the entire decision-making process transparent and community-rooted .

Meet Your 2026 Community Advisory Board Members

These local leaders and residents have stepped up to design this year's participatory budgeting framework:

White Center / North Highline Leaders 

• Carlisia Minnis
• Carlos Jesus Fernandez
• Carlos Roland
• Claudia Veronica Guzman Gonzalez
• Donna Chan
• Frida Hernandez Perez
• Heather Patrick
• Irving Chu
• Jennifer Landree
• Jose Ortuzar
• Quynh Trinh
• Sam Townsend Jr
• Sambath Eat
• Sinina Moeun-Wildman
• Sok Ouk

Skyway / West Hill Leaders 

• Abdulahi Jama
• Anesia Willaims
• Brandon Houston
• Cherryl Jackson-Williams
• Eddie Edwards
• Fayth Njenga
• Imani Alade
• La Tanya Horace DuBois
• LaCretiah Claytor
• Marcus Harden
• Melissa Thelemaque
• Michelle Barnes
• Samuel Woldemariam
• Taylor Nolan

For more information about the Participatory Budgeting program or to apply for upcoming roles, visit the King County Participatory Budgeting Website