Through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process, OED is investing $1.2 million in the Only in Seattle Initiative to support community driven economic development projects with a focus on racial equity and social justice.
Donor Name: Seattle Office of Economic Development
State: Washington
City: Seattle
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/31/2022
Size of the Grant: up to $200,000
Details:
The OIS Initiative works to build an equitable and vibrant city by investing in neighborhood business districts that are centers of local commerce, community and culture. The OIS initiative supports activities such as:
- Organizing – Creating and strengthening nonprofit organizations that can collaborate and work on neighborhood based economic development action plans
- Marketing and Events – Marketing strategies and events that bring customers to business districts and create a positive, consistent image of neighborhoods.
- Business Development – Helping local businesses stay and grow in the neighborhood
- Neighborhood Improvements – Improving the physical appearance and features of neighborhood business districts, such as parking, public spaces, transportation access, beautification.
- Clean and Safe – Projects that focus on keeping neighborhood business districts clean, and customers, employees, and visitors feel safe and welcome.
The 2023 OIS RFP has three options for applications:
- Organizing: Proposals to create and/or strengthen neighborhood-based business district organizations, or outreach activities to create action plans for a particular business district
- Short Term Projects: Proposals for one-time funding for neighborhoods that have a local organization such as a chamber of commerce, Business Improvement Area, community development organization, or other similar group that supports the business district and have a current action plan.
- Current Only in Seattle Partner Projects: Proposals for additional funding to support ongoing projects.
Funding Information
Neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations who support local small businesses and communities can apply for grants up to $200,000 to fund projects that help build community partnerships, provide resources to local businesses and strengthen neighborhoods throughout Seattle.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants can be business organizations, community organizations, cultural districts, consultants, or a collection of individuals that are supporting neighborhood business district strategies. To receive an award, there must be a legally constituted entity that meets the following minimum eligibility requirements. If the applicant does not meet these requirements, they can have a sponsor organization to accept and manage the grant funds on their behalf (fiscal sponsor).
- Awardees or their Fiscal Sponsor must meet all licensing requirements that apply to its organization. Companies must license, report, and pay revenue taxes for the Washington State Business License (UBI#) and Seattle Business License, if they are required by the laws of those jurisdictions.
- Awardees or their Fiscal Sponsor must have a Federal Tax ID number/employer identification number (EIN) to facilitate payments from the City of Seattle.
- Awardees or their Fiscal Sponsor must be established as a legal entity in the State of Washington OR a federally recognized or Washington State-recognized Indian tribe
- The Awardee or their Fiscal Sponsor’s status as a legal entity must be in good standing and must not have been revoked in the previous calendar year.
- The Awardee or their Fiscal Sponsor cannot be on the list of current entities disbarred or suspended from receiving federal funds.
- If you do not meet these legal requirements and do not have a fiscal sponsor, you can complete the application but will need to find a fiscal sponsor before you can receive a grant contract if your proposal is selected. The application has a question to indicate that you need help finding a fiscal sponsor.
For more information, visit SOED.
