The City of Seattle has awarded $1,051,317 to support 24 community-initiated projects through the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) Community Partnership Fund. 24 community groups received awards averaging $43,805 and have pledged $921,077 to match their award through local cash donations, volunteer hours, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.
From neighborhood beautification projects and community celebrations to youth leadership programs and arts and culture education, the Neighborhood Matching Fund enables community organizations to develop programs and events in harmony with community needs and wants. For nearly 40 years, NMF funding has supported grassroots projects that invigorate community, improve infrastructure, and bring people together for a common shared goal. These projects have long-lasting impacts because they are built from the ground up with community leadership, input, and vision.
Neighborhood Matching Fund grants are given to organizations committed to fostering and building 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 January – October with awards of up to $5,000. Applications for the second round of the Community Partnership Fund have recently closed and award announcements are expected later this year.
“Since 1988, the Neighborhood Matching Fund has been about more than just dollars and projects: it is about people coming together to strengthen the livelihood of our neighborhoods. Every award reflects the shared commitment of Seattle’s communities to care for one another and build a city that reflects its people. We are honored to partner with neighbors who continue to show us what’s possible when we invest in each other.” –Jenifer Chao, Director of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. “
Beginning in 2024, the Department of Neighborhoods re-instituted a community review process. For this round of awards, five community review team members reviewed, evaluated, and provided recommendations for this round of Community Partnership grants. The Department of Neighborhoods is grateful for their commitment to Seattle and all our communities.
Since its creation, more than 5,000 projects have been funded in partnership with the Neighborhood Matching Fund Program, and this investment in neighborhoods and communities can be seen across the city. For information about the grant, click here.
What Grantees are Saying
“Funding from Neighborhood Matching Fund will support music ensemble concerts with our Latino Youth Ambassador Ensemble as well as Latino arts & culture events, featuring Latino guest artists and composers. Over the duration of project activities, young musicians will gain important life skills, such as task commitment, collaboration, hard work, and interpersonal respect. Community grants like these support the engagement of community volunteers, orchestra musicians, and guest artists who spend countless hours of collaborative project planning and implementation to create a positive impact on a broad segment of the Seattle community. ” -Elisabeth Roberts, President, Orquesta Northwest Board of Directors.
2025 Cycle 1 Community Partnership Awards
$50,000 to Art + Culture Week for a citywide celebration transforming Seattle’s neighborhoods into hubs of creative expression. This free, public event brings together museums, galleries, and performance spaces for a week of artist talks, workshops, interdisciplinary performances, and community-centered experiences that expand access to the arts and amplify Seattle’s creative identity. Community match: $35,925.
$50,000 to Belltown Mural Festival, a celebration of art and community focused on the work of local artists working to activate the downtown core and elevate the cultural vitality of the city. Nearly 20 local artists created 8 new murals in Belltown, transforming blank walls into vibrant works of art and energizing the downtown community. The festivities will extend beyond murals to include a myriad of programs activating dozen of local creatives and business owners throughout the neighborhood and across Belltown, through August 10. Community match: $37,600.
$50,000 to East African Community Services for Monthly Family Fun Nights & Bun, Shaah & Sheeko: The East African Gathering, a community-driven cultural initiative designed to foster intergenerational engagement, cultural preservation, and cross-cultural connections. The events will create a welcoming space where families, elders, and diverse community members can come together to celebrate East African traditions through storytelling, Buranbur dance lessons, spoken word poetry, traditional foods, and Ethiopian coffee and Somali tea ceremonies. Community match: $50,000.
$50,000 to Friends of It’s Never 2 Early 2 Create & Innovate to provide Black youth and young adults in Seattle with a culturally affirming space to connect, learn, and thrive as entrepreneurs. The Startup Lounge is a place where participants can gain valuable skills and mentorship through workshops, panel discussions with Black business leaders, social media strategy sessions, and a “Pitch Zone.” Rooted in music, creativity, and community, the program combats social isolation, fosters entrepreneurial growth, and promotes economic empowerment while celebrating Black excellence. By activating Seattle’s Spark Block, the Startup Lounge infuses energy and vibrancy into the area, transforming it into a hub for innovation, collaboration, and cultural expression, contributing to the city’s downtown revitalization efforts. Community match: $61,700
$50,000 to Friends of Music to Build & Sustain Community Music to form the Latino Youth Ambassador Ensemble and present three youth ensemble concerts and four Latino arts and culture events in collaboration with other Seattle community nonprofits. The events will be free of charge and feature Latino musicians, composers, and guest artists, performing traditional, classical, and mariachi music. Community match: $31,405
$50,000 to Gender Justice League for Trans Pride, an annual festival celebrating Trans life and community across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The free event features live performances and a tabling fair with more than 100 Trans-led organizations, community groups, artists, small businesses, and services. Trans Pride is produced in collaboration with hundreds of local organizers, volunteers, and groups who support our vibrant local TwoSpirit, Trans, and Gender Diverse (2STGD) communities, Trans Pride increases visibility, connection, love, and celebration of Trans lives. Community match: $25,000.
$50,000 to Interim Community Development Association for safety improvements in the Danny Woo International District Community Garden. This project will implement priority items in the Danny Woo Garden Safety Improvement Plan including updating lighting, new metal railings, replacing rotted wood handrails, and rebuilding the pig roast area. These updates will help decrease the risks of falls and injuries for frail elder gardeners and increase safety overall safety in the garden which serves as the largest green space in the Chinatown International District. Community match: $41,937.
$50,000 to Lake City Pioneer Days Parade Association for the Lake City Summer Parade, a free and family-friendly annual event founded in 1947. The parade features marching bands, drill teams, community groups, governmental agencies, and local businesses and includes colorful floats, live music, dance performances, and other festive displays representing the diverse cultures of the Seattle area. Community match: $58,710.
$50,000 to Live 2 Dance for Live2dance Wali Diwali, a celebration that brings the same energy, vibrancy, and warmth of Diwali (India’s biggest and most joyous festival) to Seattle. The event will include Diwali Mela, inviting local businesses, artisans, and creators to showcase their work through stalls and booths, and feature exciting carnival-style games, interactive activities, and, of course, lots of music and dance! It will take place on October 18 at The Sound Hotel and is free to the public. Community match: $25,015.
$50,000 to Northwest Folklife for Community Archive & Heritage Preservation Project, a community-driven initiative to digitize and preserve recordings of folk performances from the 1990s and 2000s, ensuring that these invaluable cultural artifacts remain accessible to the public. Through a series of viewing and digitization events, folk artists and community members will reconnect with their histories, contribute missing metadata, and develop hands-on digitization skills. This project fosters intergenerational connections, cultural storytelling, and heritage preservation, while increasing public access to archival materials that were previously inaccessible due to outdated formats. Community match: $28,005.
$50,000 to Rainier Beach Action Coalition for the 2025 Back2School Bash, an annual 4-hour community-building event at Rainier Beach Community Center held to empower local youth and families. The event unites community groups, businesses, service providers, and residents to support youth and highlight their importance to Rainier Beach’s future. Its goal is to boost school retention, accessibility, and economic mobility by enhancing community involvement in schools, mentorship, and family support programs. Community match: $ 81,860.
$50,000 to The Rhapsody Project to provide free teaching artist training sessions for youth. The sessions will bring opportunities for local youth to develop skills as both players and teachers of music and heritage. By tapping into the generosity of local, professional musicians who have offered to mentor and teach young people to play instruments, as well as the expertise of The Rhapsody Council, young people in this program will develop and refine their technical knowledge of music and gain a deeper knowledge and grounding in the cultural heritage that they carry. Community match: $61,460.
$50,000 to The Residency to support project management, artist compensation, and event logistics for a series of three live music performances featuring young artists and alumni from The Residency. Hosted at Washington Hall and Black & Tan Hall, these free events will showcase emerging artists, foster community engagement, and provide professional performance opportunities for Black and Brown musicians. The project will be led by a youth-centered leadership team, with support from The Residency’s Executive Director, staff, and volunteers. Community match: $25,100.
$50,000 to Seattle Artist Coalition for Equitable Development for Second Saturdays on the Block, a series of four monthly outdoor summer street markets. Created for and by local BIPOC artists, the free, all-ages events featured a marketplace of local vendors, 3×3 basketball tournaments, interactive art, community activations, and live performances. Community match: $50,790.
$50,000 to Seattle Out and Proud Foundation for Seattle Pride in the Park, a free, inclusive event that launches Pride Month with a celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture, resilience, and community. The event features vendors and local performers from the LGBTQIA2S+ community and partners with community organizations to provide targeted resources, including a Low Sensory Zone, an Elder Legacy Lounge, and a Youth Space led by Pride interns. Community match: $34,705.
$49,920 to Multimedia Resources and Training Institute for the one-year project, Safe and Strong Yesler Community, to promote safety awareness, youth engagement, community collaboration, and safety education. The project will focus on community safety education through events, speakers, and digital outreach; media storytelling to document and share safety initiatives; and community engagement through meetings, neighborhood watch programs, and leadership councils. Community match: $27,995.
$49,853 to Waters Median Project for pedestrian and landscaping improvements along Waters Avenue South in Rainier Beach. This initiative will build on the success of the previous four phases of this well-established neighborhood effort by removing invasive weeds and plants from a large section of the median and installing a walking path, native and drought-tolerant perennials, a native wildflower meadow, and small seating area. This project will improve the walkability and safety of the neighborhood and create habitat for Pacific Northwest flora and fauna. Community match: $28,144.
$38,700 to Hip Hop is Green for the Cherry Street Block Party, a one-day community celebration to build community and social cohesion for local organizations, artists, chefs, and small businesses focused on empowering Black and Brown families in Seattle’s Central District. Programming includes food demos & samples, wellness workshops, booths with information about community programs, live performances, and much more. Community match: $21,615.
$33,318 to Tilth Alliance for educational demonstrations and community work parties at Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands. These events will feature educational demonstrations focusing on cultivating culturally relevant foods and sustainable agricultural practices. Participants will learn self-sufficiency skills, from seed starting to soil management, fostering empowerment and land stewardship. By celebrating culturally significant foods, the project promotes food sovereignty, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. Community match: $16,660.
$31,970 to Georgetown Merchants Association for the Georgetown Carnival, a free, one-day, arts & music-focused street fair centered in Georgetown’s historic business district. The Carnival is a celebration of the neighborhood and its unique place as an artistic and small business haven surrounded by large-scale industry. It brings visibility to the Georgetown artists and businesses and provides the small residential community with a day of fun to celebrate the uniqueness of their neighborhood. Community match: $46,625.
$16,895 to Seattle Mutual Aid Collective to establish RAVEN: Radio Access & Volunteer Emergency Networks, a Seattle Emergency Communications Hub that builds cross-city resilience networks serving vulnerable populations. Led by Seattle Mutual Aid Collective with key partners, RAVEN will create resilience pathways by linking mutual aid networks with citywide infrastructure. The project will host free workshops on community preparedness, co-host a weekly free breakfast event for community emergency response and planning, and deliver essential household emergency kit supplies to vulnerable households and radio communications gear to developing neighborhood emergency hubs. Community match: $10,150.
$15,959 to Maple Leaf Community Council for the Maple Leaf Summer Social and Movies By The Tower. The Summer Social is a free and public event in Maple Leaf Reservoir Park featured food (free ice cream!), games, music, art, and most importantly, the opportunity for participants to make vital connections with old and new neighbors and build community. Movies by the Tower is a series of free outdoor film screenings in partnership with Scarecrow Video. Community match: $24,908.
$14,702 to Community Dance Program for Activate Arts! Beacon Hill, a celebration of the richness of the neighborhood featuring arts and cultural activities by and for Beacon Hill residents. Held in conjunction with the Beacon Arts Summer Street Fair, the series will activate the Centilia Cultural Center with events that align with Beacon Arts’ monthly fair themes. Community match: $19,300
