Summary

King County has awarded $25 million in grants to nonprofits, community organizations, and small businesses across King County whose work is essential to address Racism as a Public Health Crisis.

Story

King County Executive Dow Constantine and fellow co-chairs of the Gathering Collaborative, Dr. Ben Danielson and Abigail Echo-Hawk, announced $25 million in grants awarded to 123 nonprofits, community organizations, and small businesses to advance the work of addressing racism as a public health crisis in the region.

Since March 2022, King County and the co-chairs have met weekly with the Gathering Collaborative, a group of diverse and trusted community members, to co-create the grant program. The Collaborative is the result of reimagining a different grants process in partnership with Black and Indigenous communities, and to equitably distribute grant funding to advance economic and racial justice in communities.

The Gathering Collaborative and King County received overwhelming interest in the grant opportunity, with nearly 800 applications requesting over $230 million – more than nine times the total funding available. Community reviewers dedicated their time over the past several months to thoroughly evaluate, discuss, and score each applicant. After an extensive review process, the Gathering Collaborative recommended funding a total of 123 organizations.

“King County is honored to partner with organizations and businesses that are and have been developing solutions to repair the harms of racism, bringing healing and well-being to Black and Indigenous communities,” said Executive Constantine, co-chair of the Racism is a Public Health Crisis effort. “King County is actively confronting the reality of racism and acknowledging its historic and present-day impacts on marginalized communities. This $25 million investment will help to combat the public health crisis that racism truly presents in our communities while forging a path toward a more equitable and just future for all people."

Projects, organizations, and small businesses funded include health care, mental health supports, maternal health, and healthy aging. Awardees also include those working to address food access, economic justice and resiliency, youth mentoring and support, housing, peer support networks, art, creating healthy and safe spaces in nature, and capacity building for small organizations meeting people’s daily needs, among others.

“From day one the process of gathering and determining how to distribute $25 million has held special significance that extends beyond the amount of money. Through worthy struggle, hard moments, joyful moments, and everything in between, this collaborative has diligently labored to deliver on an important commitment," said Dr. Ben Danielson, co-chair of the Racism is a Public Health Crisis effort. "I’m deeply inspired by the brilliant folks I’ve watched drive this effort and I celebrate the continued possibilities for transforming the ways governments function. All thanks to the clarion voices of communities and the undampened torchlight of anti-racism.”

The Gathering Collaborative approached the grant process differently than the more traditional approach, reimagining what it would mean to bring nonprofits, small businesses, and community organizations into the work in ways that start to repair the deep harms of racism worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gathering Collaborative focused on bringing healing, social and emotional stability, well-being, and restoration for Black and Indigenous communities so that all people and all communities across King County can thrive.

“Indigenous communities have been leading and building the resiliency of their communities, despite a lack in resources. We know $25 million is not enough to solve racism, but the hope is this funding begins to break apart the structural racism stemming from settler colonialism that most negatively impacts Indigenous and Black communities,” said Abigail Echo-Hawk, co-chair of the Racism is a Public Health Crisis effort. “Our task is to carry forward the knowledge gained through the co-design process with the Gathering Collaborative to other grant processes in King County and philanthropic efforts in our region.”

In 2020, Executive Constantine and Public Health -- Seattle and King County declared racism as a public health crisis, along with the King County Council and the Board of Health, recognizing the pioneering work of advocates like Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones, and building on previous work to advance equity, racial, and social justice for all people. The Gathering Collaborative will continue its work in creating a long-term vision to support the county to advance its anti-racism and pro-equity values.

Relevant links

• Racism is a Public Health Crisis | Public Health Insider, June 2020
• Racism is a Public Health Crisis | Board of Health Resolution, June 2020
• The Gathering Collaborative 
• Racism is a Public Health Crisis | List of Grantees

Quotes

King County is honored to partner with organizations and businesses that are and have been developing solutions to repair the harms of racism, bringing healing and well-being to Black and Indigenous communities,” said Executive Dow Constantine, co-chair of the Racism is a Public Health Crisis effort. “King County is actively confronting the reality of racism and acknowledging its historic and present-day impacts on marginalized communities. This $25 million investment will help to combat the public health crisis that racism truly presents in our communities while forging a path toward a more equitable and just future for all people.

From day one the process of gathering and determining how to distribute $25 million has held special significance that extends beyond the amount of money. Through worthy struggle, hard moments, joyful moments, and everything in between, this collaborative has diligently labored to deliver on an important commitment. I’m deeply inspired by the brilliant folks I’ve watched drive this effort and I celebrate the continued possibilities for transforming the ways governments function. All thanks to the clarion voices of communities and the undampened torchlight of anti-racism.

Indigenous communities have been leading and building the resiliency of their communities, despite a lack in resources. We know $25 million is not enough to solve racism, but the hope is this funding begins to break apart the structural racism stemming from settler colonialism that most negatively impacts Indigenous and Black communities. Our task is to carry forward the knowledge gained through the co-design process with the Gathering Collaborative to other grant processes in King County and philanthropic efforts in our region.

I am proud that the Gathering Collaborative succeeded in shifting power by disrupting business as usual. It honored and upheld the guiding values set by the group, throughout the long process, by centering Black and Indigenous community leadership that was vitally instrumental in determining the best community-centered approaches and solutions needed to allow our communities to prosper and thrive.

The wisdom of The Gathering Collaborative was invaluable in addressing root causes of racism and identifying priorities and needs in Black and Indigenous communities. I believe the outcome of this grantmaking process will be very impactful, as the entire process from the application, evaluation of the applications, and honest conversation from the Gathering Collaborative was fair, equitable, and transformative.

Hip Hop is Green is very thankful to receive the Racism is a public health crisis grant. It’s very important to recognize the need to end structural racism and provide funds to organizations that are on the front lines of this important issue affecting millions of BIPOC people. These funds will be essential in the development of our Cherry Street Farm project and take our organization to the next level, in order to serve our youth and the community.

This grant will enable us to innovate, expand our operations, and better serve our customers. We are immensely grateful for this opportunity and will continue striving to make a positive impact in the coffee industry and community.

We feel so blessed to receive this grant funding. This funding will help us expand staff at our new art gallery and marketplace in Seattle and it enables us to invest in growing our artist partner program so that we can more effectively amplify and uplift the talent of artists in our Black community. Thank you for seeing the value in the work we are doing at Black Arts Love.

Being a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King County Racism is a Public Health Crisis grant is an immense testimony of our commitment to providing equitable and quality access to healing anchored in our roots, in communion with nature. Through this grant JSOL STUDIOS will continue to honor our mission of creating restorative family-centered wellness experiences for our Black and Brown communities.

Unkitawa expresses gratitude for the ongoing support received from King County. The grant provided will aid in maintaining our programs and retaining our staff, which is essential to serve the Indigenous community in King County. The positive impact of this grant will be long-lasting. We extend our heartfelt thanks for your generosity and support.

For more information, contact:

Chase Gallagher, Executive Office, 206-263-8537