Community News! February 2025

NEWS, STORIES, AND RECENT ARTICLES FROM AND ABOUT COO PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY

A condensed version of our monthly newsletter distributed January 30. Get all the news by signing up for the monthly newsletter.

Resource Sharing as Community Comes Together

 

Community members are coming together to respond to recent announcements from the new federal administration about immigration, federal funding, health care, and more. A common theme among our partners is “We are better prepared than we think.” Our partners are sharing numerous resources about protections like these.

At King County, leaders have assured employees that the County will continue acting in accordance with the Keep Washington Working Act passed by the state legislature in 2019 with bipartisan support.

If you have a resource to share, please send us an email with a description and link, and a simple image if possible.

Community Collaboration Toolkit Now Available in Spanish

Cover of the Spanish-language toolkit.

Our Learning Community is making more of its capacity-building materials available in Spanish. We recently published a Spanish-language version of the Community Collaboration Toolkit for organizations who want to enter a partnership.

This toolkit can help you navigate the ins and outs of creating a written document that captures the spirit and details of your collaborative work together. Watch for more Spanish versions of toolkits coming in the next month or two.

Download the Community Collaboration Toolkit in English or Spanish

Community News!

Good Food Connections Brings Food Community Together

Monday, February 24, 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. in South Seattle

The third annual Good Food Connections on Monday, February 24 is a local food trade conference connecting food producers, buyers, and community members for a day of networking, conversation, education, and great food. Seattle Good Business Network hosts this event, and our Learning Community is a sponsor.

Learn more and register to attend

Best Starts Child Care Wage Boost Pilot Launches; Apply by March 7

Two children with an adult, playing at a table

Starting February 10, child care facilities in King County can apply to be a part of the new Best Starts for Kids Child Care Wage Boost Pilot. Applications will close March 7.

Eligible workers at selected facilities will be issued quarterly payments to increase their income through 2027.

Applications will go live on the Best Starts Wage Boost Pilot Website here!

Full-time workers who receive the wage boost can receive up to $2,080 quarterly. Part-time workers who receive the wage boost can receive up to $1,040 quarterly.

Read More about this new strategy and find out if your facility is eligible

Partners Secure New Funding for Affordable Housing

January 14 was a big day for news about community organizations working on equitable development in Seattle! Both the City of Seattle and King County announced new funding, including for many of our funded partners. Those announcements were followed by another January 16 from the state Department of Commerce.

Seattle’s Equitable Development Initiative: Many of our funded partners are among the organizations who won $22 million in funding that will help support affordable housing, cultural and community connection spaces, health care centers. They include the Cultural Space Agency, Africatown Community Land Trust, SouthEast Effective Development (SEED), Cham Refugees Community Non-Profit, Tubman Center for Health and Freedom, African Community Housing & Development (ACHD) and many more. Read the announcement and check out the list of 42 projects!

King County: $26 million in funding has been awarded to local organizations that will generate 939 affordable homes throughout the county. Several of the organizations are our funded partners -- African Community Housing & Development (ACHD), Chief Seattle Club and SCIDpda. Read a full description of the 9 funded projects on the Housing Finance Program page – 2024 Awardees.

State of Washington: Our funded partner Chief Seattle Club won both state and federal funding for their Sweetgrass Flats permanent supportive housing. On January 16, the Department of Commerce announced 27 state and federal funding awards that will help finance affordable housing construction and rehabilitation in 12 counties, resulting in 1,282 new units. These awards will supplement funding from sources such as cities, counties, traditional bank loans, and low-income housing tax credits. Read the announcement

Congratulations to our partners and to all the organizations who won funding!

Advocacy Win! Birth Doula Services Now Eligible for Medicaid Coverage

Years of advocacy by Doulas For All Coalition, led by our funded partner Surge Reproductive Justice, has yielded a big milestone for birth doulas and a victory for families. Birth doula services are now eligible for coverage from Medicaid in Washington state as of January 1. These services are proven to improve birth outcomes, especially for Black babies.

Read their story in this Seattle Times article, WA doulas now eligible for highest Medicaid reimbursement in U.S.  

Thriving in Place Session Tells Story of Equitable Development Initiative

Our Governance Group members Bilan Aden of African Community Housing and Development and Yordanos Teferi of Multicultural Community Coalition were among the speakers at the Thriving in Place panel January 8. Puget Sound Sage hosted this discussion about their storytelling, community development of land and the launch of the King County Equitable Development Initiative. Read more about Thriving in Place

STACC4J Advocates Together About SeaTac Airport Plans

Our funded partner SeaTac Airport Community Coalition for Justice (STACC4J) has been mobilizing neighbors near the airport through its Fix the Harm initiative. One of the stories they generated, in the I Love Kent blog, describes the many partners – including cities, organizations, and community members -- speaking out about the expansion proposal. Read the story: Critics, including local cities, groups and residents, warn of health and climate risks in Sea-Tac Airport expansion proposal

 Shared Prosperity Scorecard Spotlights Successes, Work To Be Done

Civic Commons on January 14 hosted a webinar about their Scorecard for Shared Prosperity, which tells us what we need to know about equity and well being in our region. Speakers reflected on the interesting and sometimes surprising findings from the Scorecard and their implications. Some of our takeaways: Being in community is more important than ever, and working on a local level is crucial.

Watch the recording here.

The Years of Organizing that Led to Beacon Pacific Village

The Urbanist reported on the history of SCIDpda and how its work in the Chinatown/International District led to its development of the recently opened Beacon Pacific Village.

House Our Neighbors Featured in PolicyLink Report

The grassroots movement behind Seattle’s successful social housing ballot initiative, House Our Neighbors, is featured in a PolicyLink report called “Housing for the People: How Local Governments Are Building Social Housing for Public Good.”


Is Co-Leadership Right for You? Local Leaders Describe Their Path

Head shot of Sandhya Nakasi

Governance Group member Sandhya Nakasi, author of the article

A fascinating article in Stanford Social Innovation Review describes six ways to help you decide if the co-leadership model is right for your organization -- and how to do it.

Our Governance Group member Sandhya Nakhasi co-wrote the article with her two co-CEOs at Common Future, Jennifer Swayne Njuguna, Esq. and Jess Yupanqui Feingold. They say they shifted to co-leadership "because we saw that the default CEO structure was no longer congruent with our values or the structural and systematic changes we seek to enable through our work."

Read the article

More Opportunities to Give Input on Seattle’s Comp Plan

Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan – which will shape the City for the next 20 years – continues to move through the process, now with City Council. A next major milestone is the February 5, 2 p.m. council committee meeting on Comprehensive Plan elements. Advocates are planning a rally and public hearing for 4 p.m. that day. Learn more about the rally and how to take action at the Complete Communities Coalition page.

Learn about how Black Seattle homeowners, including some of our funded partner organizations, are advocating for anti-displacement measures to be included in the Comp Plan in this South Seattle Emerald article, Black Seattle Homeowners Continue to Fight for Anti-Displacement Measures to Be Included in Upcoming Comprehensive Plan.

More News from Around the Community

Social Housing Funding Is On Seattle’s February 11 Special Election Ballot: When King County holds its special election February 11, Seattle voters will vote on whether – and how – to fund the new social housing developer.

  • First, voters will be asked whether either of two competing propositions should be enacted into law.

  • Then, they’ll be asked: If one of these measures is enacted into law, which one should it be? The choices are Proposition 1A, submitted by Initiative Petition No. 137; or Proposition 1B, the alternative proposed by the Seattle Council and Mayor.

To help you decide, here are some non-partisan resources:

You should have received your ballot in the mail by now. Be sure to return it on or before Tuesday, February 11.

Sarah Queen Mixed-Income Housing Development Reaches Next Step: Mount Calvary Christian Center in Seattle's Central District will be demolished in early February to make way for an eight-story mixed-income housing building called the Sarah Queen. Jaebadiah Gardner, the founder and CEO of GardnerGlobal, Inc., says the building will honor the legacy of black women and entrepreneurship and that a significant portion of the units will be affordable. Mount Calvary is holding services in a different church while their new home is being completed. Read the full story by Converge Media.

WIC App Available in 22 Languages: WICShopper, the free smartphone application for families in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, is now available in 22 language options for Washington state participants. This expansion provides a better shopping experience for non-English speaking families enrolled in the program by offering real-time translations of WIC benefits, along with other resources like recipes, lists of participating retailers, and more. An estimated 90% of WIC participants in Washington use the WICShopper app.

In Memoriam: Tributes to two community members who made a big impact

Thousands of Metro bus drivers, transit staff from across the Northwest and Canada, and many others paid tribute to Metro Operator Shawn Yim on January 10. A procession of 100 buses and transit vehicles traveled through downtown Seattle, followed by a memorial service.  King County Metro mourns one of our own, lost too soon – Metro Matters

Converge Media’s Day with Trae on January 21 aired a special uplifting of the life of Elijah L. Lewis and the powerful impact he had on the community in his young life.

 

 Partner Events

Advocacy Days in Olympia in February and March

 

Legislative Building in Olympia, the Rotunda

More community groups will head to Olympia in February to meet with legislators and talk about the issue important to them. They include:

Monday, February 10, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle (note: registration has closed)

Thursday, February 27, New Americans Advocacy Day: Our funded partner New Americans Alliance for Policy and Research (NAAPR), in collaboration with a coalition of community-based organizations, will convene the New Americans Legislative Education and Advocacy Day.  Join them to advocate with and on behalf of refugees and other displaced people. For information on registration, advocacy priorities and more, visit their web page or reach out to someireh@naapr.org.

Friday, March 14: Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day: Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, whose members include many of our funded partners, hosts this annual event. Advocates can don their red scarves to meet with legislators, attend a rally, and share stories as they advocate for housing justice. Register for HHAD here. Transportation grants may be available for groups who apply by February 3.

Advocacy Days 2026: If you missed out on attending these events this year, watch for next year’s events and get on the mailing lists of the organizations who host them. Register early so the organizers can schedule meetings with the legislators who represent you, as well as get a count for food and transportation. Thank you for advocating!

To learn more about the legislative process:

  • You can visit the legislature’s Learn and Participate page.

  • Your favorite community-based organization may be hosting or attending one of the many Advocacy Days or Lobby Days during the session; contact them to ask.

  • What district are you in? You can look up the names of the two state representatives and one state senator for your legislative district at the helpful District Finder site. You can also find your U.S. congressional representatives there.

We also shared news about:

To see more about these and other community events, please visit our Community Events Calendar.

Other Opportunities

Applications Open for the 2025 “A Seat at the Table” Advocacy Boot Camp (ABC)

Applications due March 7

ABC is a leadership development program open to Native women in Washington State who are interested in developing a pathway to political leadership. Advocacy Boot Camp aims to reduce the disparity in political representation for Native women and normalize Native women’s leadership by providing tools, training, and resources to help Native women become better advocates for their communities and see themselves as future candidates for public office.

Read more about the program objectives, dates and expectations and learn more about the previous cohorts on their website.   

 

Workforce Development Council Seeks Project Manager and Communicator Consultant

The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) invites qualified professionals to partner with them on an exciting initiative to transform job quality and equity in the local hospitality sector. The initiative is “A Shared Regional Approach to Improve Job Quality in the Hospitality Sector.” This grant-funded opportunity is perfect for a skilled consultant who thrives on project management, dynamic communications, and collaboration with community stakeholders. The consultant will work with the WDC and other grant partners to set up and execute the grant-funded work, tracking progress towards key outcomes. Learn more about the contract and how to apply

King County Local Food Initiative Survey Open till January 31

The King County Local Food Initiative has supported farmers, food businesses, and increased access to healthy, affordable food for nearly a decade. Now, as they update the plan, they want to hear from you.

Take the survey by January 31 and help create a vision for a resilient, equitable, and sustainable local food system that works for everyone. The survey is open to all King County residents and is available in Spanish, Hmong, and Kiswahili. To select a language other than English, simply click the gray box in the upper right-hand corner and choose your preferred language. Find the survey here.

 

Housing Washington Conference Call for Proposals, Due February 1

Housing Washington, the annual conference for affordable housing guidance, innovation, and solutions, welcomes conference proposals for this year’s conference in Bellevue, September 28-30. The conference is hosted by Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Washington State Department of Commerce, and Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.

More information and submit proposals

 

Metro Seeking Feedback on Light Rail Stations

New Link light rail stations will open in Kent-Des Moines, Star Lake, and Federal Way Transit Center as soon as 2026. Metro is seeking feedback from communities in Algona, Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Normandy Park, Pacific, SeaTac, and Tukwila on several proposed changes to our transit services in South King County. 

You can attend the next virtual open house: Monday, February 10 from 6 – 7 p.m. (register here). You can also share your thoughts in a survey by February 28. 

For more information, visit the Metro South Link Connections web site.

 

New News Venture Focuses on Young People and Politics

A new grant-funded news partnership between Cascade PBS and public radio station KNKX is focusing on what matters to young people ages 18-35 in politics and policy. The 25-year-old reporter, Nate Sanford, says he wants to hear from young people about the biggest challenges facing them in our state, what questions elected leaders should be asked, and what young people wish the news would cover. The news will be published paywall-free and available for anyone to republish.

Read more about this project and connect with Nate.

See an example – last week’s story about the Youth Bill of Rights adopted by the King County Council

Funding Opportunities

Pediatric Mobile Immunization Clinics

Best Starts for Kids is excited to share that the Pediatric Mobile Immunization Clinics Request for Applications (RFA) is now open! This funding opportunity closes on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Click here to view the full funding opportunity details and apply. 

Note: please create a log-in to view details and access the ZoomGrants webpage.  

 

See funding opportunities from Best Starts for Kids and many others on our Funding Opportunities page.

You can also check out funding opportunities from other agencies and organizations that support groups that promote the health and well-being of our babies, children, and young people on the list maintained by Best Starts for Kids. Read more! 

Job Opportunities

Africatown Community Land Trust: Several positions including Real Estate Development Manager

Atlantic Street Center: Parent Child & Early Learning Specialist (2 positions)

Children’s Alliance: Development and Communications Director (priority application by February 5)

Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA): Executive Director  

FEEST: Two positions, Organizing Director and Food Access Manager -- apply by February 3

FUSE: Executive Fellow – Home Ownership as Preservation

Healthier Here: Several positions -- Referral and HRSN Program Manager and Partner Engagement Program Manager

New Growth Innovation Network: Inclusive Economic Development Advisor, Insights and Innovations team

Seattle Foundation: Director of Philanthropic Advising

Seattle's Office of Housing:  Housing Program Finance Eligibility Specialist

Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development: EDI Project Manager, apply by February 4; Equitable Development Project Manager and Strategic Advisor, apply by February 18.

Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness: Senior Program Manager

Shunpike: Program Director

Tacoma Parks Foundation: Associate Director of Foundation and Community Philanthropy -- resume review begins February 1

Transportation Choices Coalition: Education and Engagement Manager – apply by February 10

United Way of King County: Senior Director of Community Investment & Economic Mobility

UW Center for Health and Nature: Summer Science Communications Intern (paid) – apply by February 6

Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County: Human Resources Manager

King County Best Starts for Kids: Senior Evaluator – Best Starts for Kids – apply by February 17 and Operations Manager – Performance Measurement and Evaluation (PME) Unit – apply by February 1

King County Parks: Lead Grant Administrator

 

See more job listings on these sites that collect multiple opportunities:

About This List: These job announcements are current as of January 30, 2024. Please check the employer's site for the most current information.

If you have a job to share in next month's issue, please send it to us by mid-February. Thanks!

Thank you for reading our newsletters. We look forward to working with you in 2025 to dismantle unjust systems and create a community landscape where all individuals have the opportunity to live healthy, self-determined, and fulfilling lives.

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