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Department of Local Services invests $412,500 to address community priorities identified by residents through participatory budgeting initiative

MARCH 13, 2025

SUMMARY

Empowerment grants will fund three focus areas chosen by community members: mental health and grief support, community gardens, and youth programs in urban areas of unincorporated King County.

STORY

The King County Department of Local Services today announced $412,500 in participatory budgeting empowerment grants for eight community projects and programs in East Federal Way, Skyway, and White Center.

 

These grants will support the construction of community gardens, mental health and grief support, and youth and education programs. In the participatory budgeting vote, community members directed the county to put out requests for proposals in these funding areas. The county recently held a competitive grant process to select awardees.

 

The participatory budgeting program was started in 2021 by Executive Constantine and the King County Council, and is centered on community participation and collaboration. Community members submit ideas for improvements, projects, programs, or services that would make a positive difference in their neighborhoods, and vote to choose which of these will be funded. Since the program’s launch in 2021, it has dedicated more than $23 million to community priorities.

 

“These empowerment grant investments are for the communities and are chosen by community members,” said Department of Local Services Director Leon Richardson. “Participatory Budgeting is about listening to communities and sharing power, management, and confidence with residents in unincorporated King County who know what is needed to make the greatest impact.” 

 

The following projects will receive empowerment grants:

 

Mental Health and Grief Support – White Center/North Highline

 

  • The Seeds to Garden Project in White Center will receive $32,500 to develop artistic and creative programming for young people and families in support of their social, emotional, and mental health. The project will benefit families affected by the school-to-prison pipeline.

 

Community Garden – East Federal Way

 

  • The Lovely Garden Project will receive $50,000 to support the installation of fencing, vegetable beds, and greenhouses. The project provides free fresh fruits and vegetables to the underserved East Federal Way community—including people who are homeless and low-income—while offering therapeutic gardening and nutrition education to developmentally delayed youths from a local group home.

 

Funding area: Community Garden – Skyway

 

  • The planned Black Panther Park in Skyway will receive $50,000 to support construction of a living history space that will share information about the Black Panther Party and the effect it had on Seattle and beyond. The park will have a lending library, food pantry, herb and berry garden, and artwork, and will serve as a monument for generations to come.

 

Funding area: Youth Programs – Skyway

 

  • The Pro-Equity Anti-Racism Institute’s Equitable Geospatial Ecosystem Program will receive $80,000 to provide graphical information system (GIS) training for young adults aged 14 to 24 and host a community workshop co-led by program participants. This initiative equips youths with high-demand technical skills and fosters community engagement.

 

  • Guy Talk Interactive Workshops will receive $50,000 to support a transformative program designed to empower young men aged 12 to 24 through weekly sessions, healing circles, and interactive workshops. The initiative focuses on violence prevention, reducing criminalization, and fostering personal growth by offering participants tools for success and self-discovery.

 

  • Young Ladies of Today and Tomorrow will receive $50,000 in support of a mentorship program for girls between the ages of 8 and 18. The goals are to foster leadership, self-confidence, and personal growth by providing meetings that focus on educational enrichment and life skills development.

 

  • Nomad Boxing Club will receive $50,000 for a three-part boxing program, including youth mentorship, girls’ empowerment, and a children’s after-school program that supports physical and mental well-being, social-emotional support, and confidence-building. The goal is to increase access to physical activities for children and youths in Skyway.  

 

  • Speak With Purpose will receive $50,000 to expand access to their public speaking and leadership program to two additional schools in the Skyway area. This project will empower students to express themselves and lead with confidence.

QUOTES

  • Department of Local Services Director Leon Richardson: “These empowerment grant investments are for the communities and are chosen by community members. Participatory Budgeting is about listening to communities and sharing power, management, and confidence with residents in unincorporated King County who know what is needed to make the greatest impact.”

MEDIA CONTACT

Brent Champaco, Department of Local Services, brent.champaco@kingcounty.gov, 206‑477‑9094

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