Sawhorse Revolution’s all-womxn’s program working on Phase I of the Estelita’s Library Project

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan congratulates 23 Seattle organizations that recently received grants from Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF). Totaling $544,181, the 23 awards will go toward community projects created and implemented by Seattle groups and organizations. The grants range from $10,660 to $25,000, and awardees have pledged a total of $686,235 in match resources of local cash donations, volunteer hours, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.

“Government is at its best when we engage with community directly and empower them to make their priorities a reality. We also know that Seattle has some of the best community-based organizations in our country. With these Neighborhood Matching Fund investments, we are letting our incredible communities be our guide so that they can build better futures for themselves and their loved ones.”

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan

One of the awardees is Sawhorse Revolution, a non-profit that teaches teens carpentry and architecture through community building projects. “At the heart of our work is that our students are empowered to make a tangible difference in their own neighborhoods,” said Sarah Smith, Executive Director. “And it is a testament to our city’s commitment to equity and engagement that the Department of Neighborhoods supports youth changing the face of the city. Look for Estelita’s new site to open in spring of 2020 thanks to DON funding!”

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 offered three times a year with awards up to $25,000; and the Small Sparks Fund, which is offered on a rolling basis until October 31 with awards of up to $5,000. There is one more opportunity in 2019 to apply to the Community Partnership Fund. The deadline is September 9. To learn more about the guidelines, visit our webpage.

Over its 31-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/.

2019 Community Partnership Fund Awards – Summer Cycle

Citywide

• $25,000 to the Kubota Garden Foundation for Spirited Stone: Launching a Kubota Garden Legacy, a series of six free public activities to celebrate the publication of ‘Spirited Stone: Lessons from Kubota’s Garden’ this fall. The events will feature contributing poets and authors and will be documented to share the unique history and cultural significance of Kubota Garden. (Community match: $29,100)
• $23,945 to HistoryLink to update self-guided historical walking tours and to add new ones. These tours will begin and end near transit stations linking the tours by public transit. All tours will reside on HistoryLink.org and be available to other websites at no cost. (Community match: $12,080)
• $16,808 to Festa Italiana to produce the annual Italian Festival held this September at Seattle Center. This community festival is designed to celebrate the arts and culture of Italy and Americans of Italian descent. The celebration will feature exhibits, music, dance, food and activities for the entire family. (Community match: $23,510)
• $24,980 to Garinagu Houngua Planning Committee to organize a series of workshops beginning this September where the community can learn about the language, culture, and art of the Garifuna people from Garifuna natives. These events will feature a teaching artist, dance groups, food, and guest speakers. (Community match: $12,500)
• $25,000 to Sea-Mar Community Health Center to organize Fiestas Patrias 2019, a free cultural celebration of Latin American arts, culture, and heritage through music, dance, food and more. A parade in South Park will be followed by a community fiesta in downtown Seattle. (Community match: $25,450)
• $25,000 to Dominion and Power for the Gospel Extravaganza, a family event that will take place on New Year’s Day 2020 at the Goodwill Baptist Church in the Central Area. Its purpose is to foster community building and inclusion using the medium of music. (Community match: $19,610)

District 1

• $25,000 to Chief Sealth Indoor Tennis to engage the community in planning the relocation of its tennis court due to the redevelopment of Lowman Beach Park. The project will gather input and undergo planning about optimal relocation of the court within the redeveloped park. (Community match: $13,120)

District 2

• $25,000 to Angel Morgan P-Patch to repair key parts of the garden’s infrastructure and further re-engage with the community amidst neighborhood change. The group will host events, educational workshops, and conduct outreach to raise awareness of the garden as a public asset. It will rebuild rotting raised beds, replace shed doors, and make other improvements. (Community match: $16,943)
• $24,950 to Shunpike for the ACES: Artists of Color Expo and Symposium, a POC-centered and led art conference to be held next February that fosters community, showcases talent, facilitates professional development, and provides resources. (Community match: $49,660)
• $21,290 to Equinox Studios COG for the Georgetown Connector, a walking and bicycling loop connecting key neighborhood locations using the street right-of-way. The loop addresses needs identified in community-based planning efforts and draws attention to community history. It also will support future community efforts. (Community match: $42,720)
• $25,000 to Healthy Othello Safer Through Environmental Design (HOSTED) to make improvements in the right-of-way. The community will install planters to separate vehicles from pedestrians and paint pavement and obstructions to help pedestrians move through safely, and work with community to identify other improvements to improve safety, health, and community connection. (Community match: $37,494)
• $25,000 to Mini Mart City Park to complete the transformation of a former gas station into an accessible pocket park and arts-oriented community center in Georgetown. Construction and landscaping will be completed in late 2019 with Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, DIRT Corps, and contractors before opening to the public in early 2020. (Community match: $135,368)
• $25,000 to Fathers and Sons Together (FAST) along with community partners to host four free family athletic and culturally relevant activities beginning this summer to December. Activities include the Empowerment Baseball and Basketball Camps, Barbershop Chat Chew & Play, and a December activity to culminate their experience called The Gathering. (Community match: $21,800)
• $24,800 to Friends of Orquesta Northwest for Voces Latinas to form a cohort of mentors to conduct community-oriented projects from this fall to spring 2020. There will be cultural events featuring Latinx artists celebrating traditional events. Cohort mentors and participants will conduct activities involving democratic processes and civic engagement as well. (Community match: $15,980)

District 3

• $25,000 to Republican P-Patch to build a new fence, repair a leaky shed, replace tools, design educational signage, and rebuild compost bins making the P-Patch a better neighbor, create a more welcoming space for the community, and be better stewards of the soil. (Community match: $12,966)
• $24,550 to Garfield Centennial Celebration to celebrate the Garfield High School Centennial next June. Highlights will include musical performances by noted alumni and current students, mini class reunions, GHS Golden Grad scholarship awards ceremony, historical displays, self-guided school tours, and student displays. (Community match: $77,928)
• $25,000 to Tasveer to organize a Film Day Symposium, a two-day event with panels and information curated for budding filmmakers and storytellers of South Asian origin. It will be organized with Seattle University and the University of Washington in collaboration with leading experts and professionals of South Asian descent working in the film making industry. (Community match: $19,000)
• $24,998 to Sawhorse Revolution to will work with 25 young female-identified builders to construct a 200-square-foot mobile unit for Estelita’s Library in the Central Area. Once constructed, this publicly accessible library will house the nation’s largest collection of historic Black Panther Party newspapers and serve over 1,000 individuals a year. (Community match: $58,251)
• $22,200 to Arboretum Foundation for the addition of an environmentally friendly composting toilet in area adjacent to the Pacific Connections Gardens. This toilet system will alleviate the lack of facilities, reduce water waste, promote sustainable practices, and provide a gender-neutral option for the park. (Community match: $12,540)

District 4

• $25,000 of the Eli’s Park Project to continue design development of the Burke-Gilman Playground Park led by the Site Workshop and design team. This phase will result in design documents including civil engineering reports and integrated art elements. (Community match: $15,805)
• $25,000 to University Heights Center to support Phase I of the Elevator Installation Project. As a popular venue that holds public classes, arts and events, the elevator will make this historic three-story center accessible for all visitors. (Community match: $14,600)

District 5

• $25,000 for Greenwood-Phinney Greenways to install an ADA-approved walking surface and purchase soil, plants and trees for a voluntary bioswale between the street and walkways on Dayton Ave N. This project will enhance SDOT’s Home Zone pilot which provides a framework of traffic-calming treatments within the Broadview home zone boundary. (Community match: $13,010)

District 7

• $10,660 to Friends of Denny Park to plan and implement an outdoor afternoon concert at Denny Park on September 18. The free event will have a festival atmosphere appropriate for all ages. Picnic areas, food truck, games, and live music will be featured. (Community match: $6,800)