Neighborhood-improvement idea? City has grant money that you might be able to get

If you have dreams, big or small, for something that will improve your neighborhood or enhance the lives of your neighbors, you might be able to get money from the city to help make those dreams happen. The Neighborhood Matching Fund has been around for more than 35 years and made more than 5,000 grants for everything from block parties to investments in community buildings and organizations. There are workshops starting this week to help applicants prepare.

The least-complicated ask is for a Small Sparks Fund grant, which is for up to $5,000. In 2024, those grants were given to a variety of events in West Seattle, from a summer festival for Vietnamese elders to the Alki Community Celebration and concerts by West Seattle Community Orchestras. In other parts of the city, grants have gone to art walks, parades, beautification of utility boxes and the purchase of plants so that neighbors can landscape traffic circles.

(WSB photo, 2024)
The Community Partnership Fund awards up to $50,000 for larger projects like big cultural events, along with long-lasting improvements like public art, supporting community buildings and community organizing. West Seattle area projects that received CPF support in 2024 included exterior improvements at the Duwamish Longhouse, demolition of the Highland Park Improvement Club building after a fire damaged it beyond repair, and supporting Hometown Holidays in the West Seattle Junction.

(WSB photo, 2024)
The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods administers the funds, and is having online workshops with tips on submitting a successful application. Having the workshops now is timely because the CPF fund has a nearing deadline for 2026, at 5 pm on March 10th, for the first round. Second-round applications are due in September. The Small Sparks Fund works on a rolling basis so that 2026 funds can go to events happening this year. The final deadline for SSF is October 30th at 5 pm.