Community News! October 2024
NEWS, STORIES, AND RECENT ARTICLES FROM AND ABOUT COO PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY
A condensed version of our monthly newsletter. Get all the news by signing up for the newsletter.
COO’s Anniversary – Celebrating 10 Years of Community Power
Communities of Opportunity celebrated our 10th anniversary Thursday, Sept. 19, at TAF Bethaday in White Center.
Community partners, elected officials, our Governance Group, staff, and friends joined us for music, performances, food, and connecting. Partners shared thoughts about COO past, present, and future, and reflected on 10 years of community power. And, folks enjoyed visiting the photo booth.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the celebration! For those who weren’t able to join us -- We’ll be sharing stories, photos, and more from the evening soon.
NextCycle Pitch Showcase Features Innovative Solutions
We were pleased to support the 2024 NextCycle Pitch Showcase event. Several hundred people participated in this September 23 event to learn with and from entrepreneurs and systems change leaders in Washington State who are leading on circular economy projects and a more resilient and healthier region.
And congrats to the 2024 cohort! We hope to share more on our blog soon.
Collective Prosperity Series Concludes; More to Come
Our Learning Community recently concluded the Collective Prosperity series with the third and final event, “Ecosystems of Care and Sustainability,” Thursday, Aug. 29, in Burien.
We’ll be sharing videos and takeaways from all three of the events this fall, and you can see videos from the first two on our YouTube channel.
The series was produced by La Roxay Productions in partnership with the COO Learning Community. If you want to hear about the next series, make sure you're on the Learning Community mailing list.
Pictured: Roxana Pardo Garcia of La Roxay Productions introduces speakers Hugo Garcia, Katie Russell, Pastor Lina Thompson, and Stephanie Morales. Photo by COO.
We’re On LinkedIn!
We hope you’ll join us on our new LinkedIn page, where we’ve been sharing partner news, job announcements, and other opportunities.
And, for job fairs, trainings and other career and professional development resources, you can join the list for our new Workforce Development newsletter, with job and workforce related resources, events, and opportunities! You’ll get news and tips every 4 weeks.
You can also check out our new Workforce Development Opportunities web page, for training and other opportunities that are open year round, with no imminent application due dates.
Reminder: Free Coaching for COO Partners
Up to 10 hours of capacity-building coaching support is available to your group or organization through COO, to strengthen the work, health, and sustainability of community-rooted organizations. Coaching supports are offered in:
Organizational leadership & strategy
Financial planning and management
Fundraising and campaign structures, planning, and strategies
Community development projects
If you're interested in coaching supports: Please submit a request so we can better understand your coaching need.
This opportunity is available to groups not currently funded by COO, as well as previously funded and currently funded groups. For partners interested in support that is not listed above, who currently have a COO or BSK contract: Here's where to find and request additional capacity building consultants.
COMMUNITY NEWS!
Two partners featured in Seattle Medium Stories
Our media partner Seattle Medium recently featured two stories about our funded partner Tubman Health and FEEST Seattle.
FEEST: "Local Organization Empowers Students of Color to Advocate for Systems Changes in Schools"
Heena started off as an eighth-grader, tagging along with her older sister. Now, as a college student, she's one of the student leaders at FEEST (Food Empowerment Education & Sustainability Team) -- advocating for healthier food options in schools, and gaining a deeper understanding of food justice. The Seattle Medium tells the story of our partner organization that empowers students to lead campaigns for culturally relevant school meals and mental health resources. Read the story about FEEST
Tubman Health: "Tubman Center for Health and Freedom Redefines Care for Marginalized Communities"
“It’s vital to create a novel healthcare system that truly centers personhood from the start. This isn’t just about providing services; it’s about transforming the way care is delivered in service to the community.” The Seattle Medium covers some of the exciting developments in health care at our partner Tubman Center for Health and Freedom. The Tubman Center works with community members who have expressed a desire for healthcare that is welcoming, with providers from our communities, and the availability of both western and cultural forms of medicine.
Anniversaries Around the Community
Happy Anniversary to these partners celebrating anniversaries this fall!
10 Years: South Seattle Emerald marked their 10 years with a celebration and new website. Creative Justice is celebrating their 10th anniversary in December and they too have a new website.
45 Years: Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness celebrated 45 years at their Sept. 12 event.
60 Years: Byrd Barr Place celebrates their anniversary in October.
Who else has a big milestone this year? Let us know for our next issue!
“We Saved the Wa Na Wari House!”
Read this Seattle Times article and learn more about the family-led cohort, The Frank and Goldyne Green Cultural Land Conservancy, who are now the permanent owners of the Wa Na Wari house.
Seattle Medium also told the story.
Partners Join Healthier Here Community Hub Cohort
Several of our partners, including A Supportive Community for All, are among the 17 organizations in the first cohort of Case Management Partners for the HealthierHere Community Hub. They’ve been participating in training that will help them more effectively help community members address health-related social needs through care coordination. This first cohort has a particular focus on South King County and Central and South Seattle.
Learn More about the First Cohort Members
Queer Power Alliance Hosts Successful Housing Forum
Queer Power Alliance partnered with QLaw of Washington Foundation and Washington Low Income Housing Alliance on September 19 to host a successful Queer Housing Rights Forum for the 43rd Legislative District LGBTQIA+ community. Several dozen community members came to talk to Representative Nicole Macri and Senator Jamie Pedersen about their experiences with housing instability and rent increases, among other issues.
QPA also shared preliminary results from their survey of the LQBTQIA community. Among the findings: 66 percent of the respondents are cost burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities. That’s compared to 44 percent of people citywide.
We hope to share more about the forum, and what QPA advises folks to do, in a blog post in October.
Pictured: Taylor Farley of Queer Power Alliance shares survey findings, as Rep. Nicole Macri and Senator Jamie Pedersen and the attendees listen. Photo by Mel Ponder.
SEED’s New Building Will Honor African American Community Leader
The next affordable housing building for SouthEast Effective Development (SEED) will be named after Sam Smith, the first African American member of the Seattle City Council and an unwavering champion of housing accessibility for all.
The Sam Smith apartments will be the fifth and final building in SEED’s Rainier Court community in the Rainier Valley. Explicitly designed to fight displacement and help communities remain in Southeast Seattle, the building will include primarily family-sized units — with 114 bedrooms serving 150 people. Construction on the new building is expected to begin in 2025 or 2026. Read More
Photo Credit: City of Seattle
MORE NEWS FROM AROUND THE COMMUNITY
New Youth Bill of Rights: More than 2,200 young people from across King County shared their thoughts and input with Best Starts for Kids staff to create a new Youth Bill of Rights for King County. The King County Council is reviewing the recommendations now. Read More about the Youth Bill of Rights
Community Land Trusts as a Housing Solution: Homestead Community Land Trust just released their new report, Closed Doors: The Crisis of Supply of Affordable Home Ownership in Washington State, along with an interactive Tableau dashboard. Their home ownership model was also featured in the Seattle Times article, A Seattle home for under $300,000? Yes, but with some strings attached.
New Plans for CID’s Republic Hotel: InterIm Community Development Association is under contract to buy and rehabilitate the empty Republic Hotel building, and add about 36 units of affordable housing to the neighborhood, reports the International Examiner. The historic site is a former single room occupancy (SRO) hotel that has been empty for years.
District 3 Grant for ASCFA: Congratulations to A Supportive Community for All for winning a King County District 3 grant called the “Supporting Local Solutions” Councilmanic Grant from Councilmember Sarah Perry. Each King County Councilmember has annual councilmanic grant funding to support local organizations across four funding areas: Community Service Grants, Veterans Service Grants, Supporting Local Solutions Grants, and Get Active Stay Active Grants.
PICA-WA Shares New Community Data Report: The Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington released a disaggregated data report that communicates the systemic barriers and related outcomes experienced by the state’s Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community. Community partners such as UTOPIA contributed to the report, which includes policy recommendations informed by their input.
DOH Funds Workforce Initiatives: Thirteen community-based organizations (CBOs) have been funded through Washington State Department of Health’s Community-Driven Outreach and Urban Indian initiatives. DOH’s Workforce Pathways is funding CBOs to support workforce development initiatives such as identifying gaps in the current public health workforce and implementing community-engaged and community-level responses and innovations. Learn more and find out which of our community partners was funded.
PARTNER EVENTS
This is an updated list of selected events for October. For more events, visit our Community Events calendar.
United Way of King County Civic Engagement Events
October 10 and more
Check out the United Way of King County’s upcoming civic engagement events, including Creating Connections: Engaging Leaders in Change, Oct. 10, 5-7 p.m. at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center.
More events are on UWKC’s events page.
Healthier Here’s Cultivating Connections Series
October 7 and November 4 at El Centro de la Raza
Healthier Here invites you to connect with individuals and organizations from across King County, learn about innovative cross-sector efforts and partnerships, and take part in shaping the future of health equity in our region.
October 7, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
November 4, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Learn More and Reserve Your Spot
Budget Advocacy Trainings
Tuesday, October 8, in person; Tuesday, October 22, online
Learn how to advocate for your community in the Seattle and King County budget process. Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness and Seattle Human Services Coalition are offering two free Budget Advocacy Trainings. If you live or work in Seattle or King County and you care about housing and human services, this training is for you! You’ll leave this training feeling confident and knowing how and when to speak up on important issues that we will see in the Seattle and King County budgets.
Tuesday, October 8, 6-7:30 PM, IN PERSON at Solid Ground in Wallingford. Learn more and register here!
Tuesday, October 22, 10-11:30 a.m., ONLINE. Register here! Register even if you can’t make it – the organizers will share a recording of the online training afterward.
The Coalition also shared these dates for two public hearings. These are opportunities for you to speak directly to Seattle City Council about the budget issues that are most important to you, and you can join in-person at Seattle City Hall or remotely by phone.
Wednesday October 16, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, November 12, 5 p.m.
Community Gathering for Perinatal Providers
Thursday, October 24, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Mercer Island Community Center
Best Starts for Kids is hosting a gathering for perinatal providers to build relationships, celebrate King County perinatal providers, and learn from one another by sharing wisdom and experiences. It’s for community providers who support families throughout their birthing journey (pregnancy, labor, post-partum, and early stages of babies’ lives) such as Doulas, Peer providers, Lactation Consultants, Birth Educators, Birth Workers, and Mental Health Specialists.
They especially encourage providers who serve populations with the highest adverse maternal and infant health outcomes to join us for this coming gathering (Black, African American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Latinx populations). Questions? Contact Hana Mohamed.
Register Here
MEET THE CANDIDATES AT UPCOMING FORUMS
Candidate forums and debates are a great way not only to learn about the issues candidates stand for, but to elevate your organization’s issues. Here’s a partial list of candidate forums coming up before Election Day, Nov. 5.
Saturday, Oct. 5, 4-6 p.m., Rainier Arts Center: The Seattle Association of Black Journalists will host this candidate forum with Washington's gubernatorial and attorney general candidates. Unlike traditional debates, candidates will each have time to discuss their platforms and answer audience questions. Read about it in South Seattle Emerald and register
Recording Available from Seattle Nice Seattle City Council Debate at Town Hall, Monday, Oct. 1. The Seattle Nice podcast hosted this Position 8 debate (for the citywide seat). Candidates Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Tanya Woo fielded questions from hosts Erica C. Barnett, Sandeep Kaushik, and David Hyde.
Is your organization hosting a candidate debate this fall?
Please send us your information!
Other Opportunities
Front and Centered Announces Transportation Solutions Program
Front and Centered is introducing the Transportation Justice Leadership Grant Program, developed in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and community allies. This program is a direct response to the need for equitable, community-centered transportation solutions.
Applications for the grant will open soon, with more details available on the Front and Centered website on September 30.
RFP: KVRU Radio Owner/Operator
KVRU 105.7 FM is a low power FM radio station operated by SouthEast Effective Development (SEED). Rooted in Southeast Seattle, KVRU broadcasts the diverse voices of the community – providing a platform to share stories, discuss issues, and empower listeners to create a more equitable and just society. SEED was honored to serve as the sponsor organization and to incubate this new radio station. It is now time for new community ownership.
SEED is accepting proposals from community organizations to take over ownership and operations of the station.
Learn More and Read the RFP
Boards and Commissions
Join the UHC Community and Member Advisory Council
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Washington (UHC) invites you to join their Community and Member Advisory Council to help advance quality of care and health equity for UHC Apple Health (Medicaid) members. Learn more about how to join the council. [Thanks to the Healthier Here newsletter for this item.]
Impact100 Seattle Seeks Board Members
Apply By October 15
Impact100 Seattle is seeking a representative from the nonprofit community to join the board and its efforts to help guide long-term strategies, aligning with our commitment to trust-based philanthropy. (Although unpaid, this new board member will receive an Impactship -- $1,000 donated to the grant pool on their behalf.) They’re seeking a candidate who is an executive director or senior leader from a Puget Sound based nonprofit whose work drives transformative change in underserved communities; they do not have to be a current member of Impact100 Seattle.
Learn More
Funding Opportunities
BSK Centering Diverse Healers for Youth Well-Being RFP
Apply by October 18
The goal of this grant is to center diverse communities in entering, accessing support and resources, and increasing representation within the broader youth mental health and healing fields. Read more on King County’s investments in the mental health and well-being workforce.
This RFP seeks to fund creative ideas and approaches that support diverse youth mental health providers, healers, and wellness supporters connected to LGBTQIA and BIPOC communities and support retention of diverse providers, healers, and general supporters of youth mental health within the field. Up to $300,000 per award from December 2024 – 2027 is available for this project. BSK anticipates funding up to 5 organizations for the 3-year award period.
Visit the full funding opportunity details for more information, including eligibility, the upcoming October 3 information session, and more.
Other Opportunities: You can always check the Best Starts Programs and Opportunities page to keep up on other opportunities when they are shared.
Other Funding Opportunities, Non-Best Starts
Best Starts for Kids is posting a monthly blog series that highlights funding opportunities from other agencies and organizations that support groups that promote the health and well-being of our babies, children, and young people. Visit their blog to see September/October opportunities for non-Best Starts funding, as well as opportunities with rolling due dates
N2N Grants
Next application due date is October 30
Neighbor to Neighbor supports grassroots efforts that increase engagement, power and influence of community members affected by poverty and racial disparities. Priority is on efforts led by people from diverse and under-invested communities. Begun in 1991, the grant and technical assistance program is a key strategy of Seattle Foundation’s Core Programs. N2N serves community-based organizations in South Seattle, White Center and Kent, and is focused on organizations with small budget sizes.
Before starting your application, you can review the application questions in a downloadable PDF. Applications must be submitted on the grantmaking portal.
Read More about the application process
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
These opportunities were current as of Sept. 26, 2024. Please check the websites of these organizations to find out if they’re still available.
Benaroya Research Institute: Marketing and Communications Specialist III
Healthier Here: Community Hub Operations Specialist and Data and Systems Analyst
Tubman Center: Several openings including Senior Philanthropy Manager
Workforce Development Council of Seattle – King County: Human Resources Manager
City of Seattle: Community Liaisons
King County. Numerous positions including:
Contract Specialist 2 – apply by October 6
Disability Equity and ADA Manager – apply by October 14
Follow us on our new LinkedIn page for more job opportunities on a frequent basis!
See more job listings on these sites that collect multiple opportunities:
Housing Development Consortium’s job listings from housing organizations
Philanthropy Northwest’s searchable list of positions in development, communications and more
King County, City of Seattle, State of Washington and other government jobs at www.governmentjobs.com
If you have a job or news item to share in the October issue of COO & Partner News, please send it to us by mid-October. Thank you!