Communities of Opportunity announces partnership with 27 nonprofits to improve health, social, racial, and economic equity
Communities of Opportunity (COO) announced more than $2.5 million in investments to create and sustain policies and systems that promote equity and create a more vibrant King County. Twenty-seven non-profits will bring together fifty different organizations to strengthen community connections, economic opportunity, health outcomes and housing for low-income and communities of color in King County.
Being housed, healthy, employed and connected to one’s community are basic human needs. Yet, in King County, race, income and zip code are major predictors of how healthy we are and even how long we live. Policy and systems partners will be working to dismantle the persistent racial injustice within our systems. To do this, funded organizations will be advancing policies at multiple levels that support community priorities and needs.
The most meaningful, just and sustainable solutions are generated in partnership with communities – who know what they need to be healthy and thrive. The 27 grants to organizations reflect the many community members working to advance policies and strengthen systems to create an equitable King County. We are pleased to support them in building leadership and power within communities that are most impacted by inequities. – Andrea Akita, Executive Director for Communities of Opportunity
Casa Latina will work to develop and advocate for a Bill of Rights that better protects domestic workers and removes loopholes in employment laws that often exclude domestic workers.
Federal Way Youth Action Team will expand its work to engage youth of color in policy making. This includes engaging city leaders to discuss vital issues with young people, including violence prevention approaches.
Friends of Little Saigon received a capacity-building award to engage small family businesses to mitigate changes in the neighborhood and to strengthen Little Saigon in Seattle’s International District as a cultural hub for the larger Vietnamese population.
Got Green will address disparities that often keep people of color out of “green economy” internships and careers. This includes investing in fellowship programs to develop young leaders in the environmental justice movement.
See the full list of funded partners.
About Communities of Opportunity
Communities of Opportunity is a growing movement of partners who believe every community can be a healthy, thriving community—and that equity and racial justice are both necessary and achievable.
COO was catalyzed by a collaboration between King County and Seattle Foundation and is governed by a collaborative partnership of leaders from community organizations, government and philanthropy. The COO governing group made the funding decisions, guided by recommendations from a grant review committee.
This latest round of grants builds on efforts over the past three years, bringing total investments to $9.3 million since the launch of COO.