Neighborhood Matching Funds Workshop

Have a wonderful idea for improving the neighborhood, but lacking the moolah to make it happen? The city’s Neighborhood Matching Fund program may be your answer.

The Small and Simple Projects Fund provides awards up to $25,000 to support community members in building community relationships around a project. Small and Simple Projects Fund activities may be physical projects as well as less tangible but equally significant educational, cultural, and relationship-strengthening activities. All projects must demonstrate its capacity to build a stronger and healthier community, and must:

• Provide a public benefit and be free and open to all members of the public.
• Emphasize self-help, with project ideas initiated, planned and implemented by the neighbors and community members who will themselves be impacted by the project.
• Demonstrate community match.
• Occur within the Seattle city limits.

SSPF projects have resulted in murals, sculptures, improved parks, bike paths, backyard harvest barter festivals, p-patches, art fairs, and even self-guided walking tours. Simple, right?

Well, you do have to apply and all, and there are rules and all, and the government is involved, so “simple” probably isn’t the right word. Fortunately, there are workshops being offered to help you figure it all out:

The Neighborhood Matching Fund, a program of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, is hosting three workshops for those interested in applying to the Small and Simple Projects Fund this October. The Small and Simple Projects Fund provides matching awards of up to $25,000 to neighborhood organizations for community-building projects.

At the free workshops, attendees will get an overview of the Neighborhood Matching Fund, the qualities of a good project, and the application process and requirements. The workshops are open to all:

Wednesday, August 14; 6:00—7:30 p.m.
Northgate Community Center, 10510 5th Ave NE

Thursday, August 22; 6:00—7:30 p.m.
NewHolly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave South

Tuesday, September 10; 6:00—7:30 p.m.
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, 104 17th Ave South

The deadline for applications is October 7. Go on, do it for Wallingford!