Latinx radio and Phinney lighting project awarded Neighborhood Matching Funds in District 6

The City has just announced the 2021 recipients of the annual Neighborhood Matching Fund, and two District 6 projects have been awarded funding: One is a weekly Lantix radio show, and the other is a project to bring lighting decor to Phinney.

The City of Seattle has awarded a total of $826,841 to support 20 different community-initiated projects through Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF). The community groups received awards ranging from $8,550 to $50,000 and have pledged $1,725,350 to match their award through local cash donations, volunteer hours, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.

New this year was adjusted scoring criteria to ensure more funds were prioritized for projects serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities. The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods says additional points were allocated to projects that, “intentionally serve BIPOC communities and to applicants whose mission is to serve BIPOC communities or have a leadership team comprised of majority-BIPOC community members.”

Here are the two funded projects for District 6:

$35,800 for Friends of Latinx Essential Workers for Celebrating Seattle’s Latinx Essential Workers to produce weekly online radio shows recognizing the contributions of Latinx essential works during the COVID-19 pandemic. The productions will feature the stories of local Latinx essential workers – especially healthcare workers, retail cashiers, food service, and construction workers – and include presentations by Latinx guest artists and speakers. (Community match: $18,400)

$50,000 to Phinney Neighborhood Association for Phinney-Greenwood Holiday Lighting Project to create an inclusive, fun, secular, business-district-focused lighting tradition that represents the community. The décor will include lighted animals to complement the WildLights installment at the Woodland Park Zoo and draw visitors to the neighborhood. (Community match: $26,700)

“Our Neighborhood Matching Fund has been investing in the power of community-driven projects for more than 30 years,” Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a statement about the awards. “And, with its ever-increasing focus on racial equity, it is building upon our citywide effort to continue making bold investments into Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. The organizations receiving these matching funds are truly leading the way to creating a more inclusive and equitable city.”

The City has two funds as part of the Neighborhood Matching Fund: The Community Partnership Fund, which is offered twice a year with funding up to $50,000; and the Small Sparks Fund, offered on a rolling basis throughout much of the year with awards up to $5,000.

Nearby projects include the following:

$43,355 to Magnolia Chamber of Commerce for W. McGraw St. Improvements Magnolia-Phases II/III to add chairs, tables, benches, and bike racks to outdoor gathering spaces developed during Phase I of the project on the 3300 and 3400 blocks of W. McGraw Street. The streetscape improvements are aimed at supporting the local businesses in the area by increasing foot traffic and attracting more customers. (Community match: $36,660)

$50,000 to Greenlake Elementary PTA for Playground ADA Ramp and Hillside Improvements to make the playground more equitable, inclusive, and enjoyable. Project improvements include the installation of a new ADA accessible ramp from the school to the playground; development of a hillside play space with play features, seating areas, and accessible slides; and replacement of wood chips with wheelchair accessible artificial turf surface. The new features will eliminate physical barriers between school buildings and the playground for wheelchair enabled students. (Community match: $351,241)

For a full list of projects funded in this round of the NMF, click here.

Photo: 2020 BLOOM Food Justice participants at Jimi Hendrix Park (Seattle Dept. of Neighborhoods)