Seattle’s Neighborhood Matching Fund announces funding programs for 2021

Seattle Department of Neighborhood’s Neighborhood Matching Fund has announced its funding programs for this year.

The Small Sparks Fund and the Community Partnership Fund are the two funds that will support projects that work towards building stronger communities in the city. This year, there will be a larger emphasis on these projects being led by or directly impacting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

The Small Sparks Fund will supply funding of up to $5,000 per project. Applications for projects will be accepted on a rolling basis until October 29th. This fund is best for smaller projects such as neighborhood or park cleanups, workshops, and community art projects.

The Community Partnership Fund offers up to $50,000 in funding with two application opportunities within the year. These funds are meant to create long-lasting and large projects such as renovation or construction to community spaces, public art pieces, and cultural events. The first project application deadline is on April 5th and the second is on September 13th of 2021.

For those interested in applying to either fund, the Neighborhood Matching Fund staff is hosting three workshops between February and March. These workshops will overview the Neighborhood Matching Fund, the application process, and what to expect after applying.

Examples of projects funded in Ballard include outdoor movies in the Ballard Commons Park, an eight-month youth orchestra series with the Ballard Civic Orchestra, Viking Days at the Nordic Museum, and replacing a Haida totem pole at Baker Park in Crown Hill. Organizations provide their own matching funds in money, volunteer labor, or donated materials.

For more information on the funds, workshops, or to begin an application, please visit here.

Photo: Mighty-O’s Parklet was a product of the NMF in 2016