Advancing economic well-being by supporting BIPOC-owned small businesses
Community Impact Story
Advancing economic justice in communities creates a region where children, young people, and families are safe and thrive. Communities of Opportunity’s (COO) Commercial Affordability Pilot Project, which concluded in 2022, worked to address the ongoing exclusion of BIPOC individuals from equitable participation in the region’s economic life and the disparate impacts of King County’s unprecedented economic growth and rapid gentrification of neighborhoods in which BIPOC businesses have long served and been integral.
The Pilot Project focused on the financial and environmental barriers facing BIPOC-owned small businesses by building on existing projects within COO partner communities, promoting commercial affordability, identifying new tools to increase small business capital access, and finding ways to address technical assistance and other challenges.
The Commercial Affordability Pilot team, led by the National Development Council and its partners, Craft3, BDS Planning & Urban Design, and Moving Beyond, worked with a group of community advisors to support business owners who were at-risk of displacement from their neighborhoods through a real estate development program, a small business loan guarantee program, and technical assistance to owners. The Pilot Project leveraged over $3 million from COO’s investment of $925,000 to support 44 businesses/ organizations in securing long-term, stable locations and creating at least 109 new jobs while preserving 20 additional jobs. The Commercial Affordability Pilot team published a final report and set of recommendations to continue furthering policies, resources, and programming to ensure all communities can thrive equitably in King County.
One of the main [motivations] to do this project [was] really for our community...to have a place where [they] can come hear their language being spoken, see people that look like them, dress like them, and have the space be a community hub.”
— Faisal Mohamed, SeaTac International Mall
COO Commercial Affordability Pilot Project - Identifying and developing models, tools and services that will increase community ownership and equitable development opportunities. Supporting business owners who risk being displaced from their neighborhoods within COO partnership communities.
Communities of Opportunity (COO) supports community-led efforts in King County to build safe, healthy, and thriving environments for people furthest from health, housing, and economic justice. As a network of residents, decision-makers, and funders, COO approaches social change through partnerships that shift policies, systems, and relationships toward a just and equitable future. COO investments center communities' strength by supporting partnerships, organizations, and models that innovatively address community needs, advance equitable policies and practices, and strengthen the infrastructure and environments that help children, young people, and families be healthy and thrive.
By investing in community partnerships and power, Communities of Opportunity (COO) fosters community so that community members can express issues that affect them and lead in forming solutions for community success. In 2022, COO and community partners:
Reached over 47,000 community members, connecting with organizations to promote equity
Completed two competitive processes to distribute funding
910 people participated in COO capacity building events
495 leaders developed by attending leadership programs and trainings and by having opportunities to lead community initiatives
220 people hired into jobs as a result of COO activities
4 policies at the state and city levesl changed towards greater equity & well-being
92 new partnerships were developed in progress towards policy and systems changes
Through the Place-Based and Cultural Community Partnerships (PBCC) strategy, COO works with community partnerships in neighborhoods and cultural communities to advance better health, safe and affordable housing, economic opportunity, and stronger community connections for residents. In 2022, Place-Based and Cultural Community Partners held over 2,793 events focused on community building, leadership development, education and knowledge building, and strategy/ planning, reaching over 32,897 community members.
At the beginning of our partnership with COO, the funding we received was transformational for our organization...This was especially [true] in figuring out the best impact the program could have within the community...and has over time helped us to morph the program to best serve our community.”
— White Center Food Bank
COO has supported a motivated and organized community base to create equitable changes.
Building community capacity has resulted in additional community leaders feeling empowered to engage in activities to improve systems, policies, and conditions for their communities.
Relationships and connections help to sustain and expand community work.
COO resources and connections supported partners to further their equity goals, acquire additional funding, and develop new partnerships.
COO’s Systems and Policy Change (SPC) investment strategy supports community-engaged or community-led efforts to transform systems and policies. The Systems and Policy Change strategy increases the readiness and ability of groups to inform, improve, and guide implementation of systems and policies, supports community-led efforts towards systems and policies, and increases connection, relationship, and partnerships. Systems and policy change investments help communities move their ideas into actions through the promotion of equitable policies and practices that result in strong, inclusive communities. These awards are administered by the Seattle Foundation.
At Para Los Niños we have a very strong group of parent leaders involved who understand how important advocacy is for their families, children, and community. It has been very impactful to see them become so powerful and confident at speaking and telling their stories.”
— Virginia Herrera-Paramo, Executive Director, Para Los Niños
The COO Learning Community strategy provides learning and capacity building resources and opportunities for groups and organizations across King County to learn from and with each other, develop tools, test models, build skills, and strengthen relationships and networks. The Learning Community's capacity building activities have been informed by and developed with community partners.
COO has been contributing significantly to building our internal organizational capacity. Funding has allowed us to meet our staffing needs, continue our learning and capacity building, and strategically plan for future growth and development... It has given us more opportunities to connect and collaborate with our existing partners as well as build new partnerships.”
— Sili Savusa, frmr Executive Director, White Center Community Development Association
