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Partners in Water
Learn about the Partners in Water (PiW) program that connects Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) work groups with community organizations to advance mutually beneficial goals related to WTD operations and services.
The PiW program was co-created by community representatives in partnership with WTD staff to
- advance mutual priorities and needs of community organizations and WTD;
- provide community organizations access to influence WTD programs, processes, and decision-making;
- engage community organizations efficiently, effectively, and consistently across WTD.
Establishing a community partnership program aligns with King County’s equity and social justice goals by investing in long-term relationships with community partners that improve WTD’s service delivery for priority populations.
In 2024, PiW will launch several grant-funded pilot projects that meet the needs of the community while also advancing the work of WTD. PiW is currently calling on community organizations to partner with WTD to carry out the projects by applying for the grants.
Partners in Water Grant (Application window closed 10/14/2024)
WTD is offering a total of $160,000 in funding for PiW collaboration grants. Two pilot projects will be funded.
WTD’s Human Resources and Community Services teams are each offering an opportunity to collaborate with their teams and other awarded organizations to accomplish goals of interest for both community organizations and WTD. Interested parties are asked to complete and submit an application template comprising of a narrative section and a proposed budget. Alternative application formats, such as an interview, are available upon request.
Who can apply
Organizations/collectives or community groups applying must
- be located in and serve King County Wastewater Treatment Division services area; Use this hyperlink to access an interactive service area map;
- have 501(c)3 nonprofit status; a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)3 nonprofit status; or be willing and able to secure a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)3 nonprofit status by December 31, 2024 if awarded a grant; and;
- serve communities that face historic and current inequities and have limited resources and/or capacity. This includes Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, immigrants and refugees, people living with low incomes, women and gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+ people, people who live and/or work outside, people with limited English skills, and people with disabilities.
Pilot Project 1: Career Pathways Program
Human Resources is seeking to collaborate with community organizations and/or nonprofits to co-create a career development program that builds better communication and education about available careers within our organization. Through this collaboration, we aim to reach a diverse pool of candidates to ensure that job opportunities and career resources are accessible to all members of the community. Human Resources is especially interested in partnering with organizations who have trusted relationships with historically and currently marginalized communities.
Details
- Two $25,000 grants will be allocated to 2 separate community organizations for this project ($50,000 total).
- Grants may be renewed for more than 1 year dependent on successful outcomes predetermined by the partners.
- Download Grant Advertisement to learn more about scope of work, tentative project timeline in Year 1, and grantee expectations.
Pilot Project 2: Guidance Toolkit for Community Partnerships in Infrastructure Projects
Community Services is seeking to collaborate with community organizations and/or nonprofits to develop comprehensive guidance for community partnerships engaged in wastewater infrastructure projects. The pilot portion of the project will last for 1 year, during which we will work together to define and refine a toolkit and develop a training to meet the interests of those involved. Community organizations selected as grant recipients will work together as a team in collaboration with WTD staff to create deliverables and success measures during the contract negotiation phase.
Details
- Four grants of $27,500 each will be distributed among 4 separate community organizations that serve different communities ($110,000 total).
- Grants may be renewed for more than 1 year depending on successful outcomes predetermined by the partners.
- Download Grant Advertisement to learn more about scope of work, tentative project timeline in Year 1, and grantee expectations.
Application process
Interested parties are asked to complete and submit an application template comprising of a narrative section and a proposed budget. Applications must be received by 11:59pm on September 30 October 14, 2024. They will be scored and reviewed by a selection committee comprised of a team of King County staff who will be directly involved in the project. Applicants may be asked for additional information and/or an interview before finalists are chosen.
Application/budget worksheets
- Career Pathways Program (MS Word doc)
- Guidance Toolkit for Community Partnerships in Infrastructure Projects (MS Word doc)
Application timeline
- Grant Application Schedule: Advertisement posted on September 3
- Informational Online Webinar 1: September 9, 9:30–11:00am
- Informational Online Webinar 2: September 12, 2:30–4:00pm
- Grant Application Period: Due 11:59pm,
September 30October 14 - Notification of Awardees:
October 25November 1 - Contract Negotiation: November 1–December 31
- Project Begins: Estimated January 2, 2025
Q&A Webinars
Join an information session to learn more about the PiW Grant Program, qualities of a strong proposal, and to ask questions. Registration to the event is required. The sessions will be recorded and posted on the PiW webpage.
Informational webinar - September 9, 2024
Informational webinar - September 12, 2024
For any additional questions, please contact Claudia Pineda Reyes, Partners in Water Program Manager at partnersinwater@kingcounty.gov.
Resources for applicants
Grant writing tips
- Top 5 Tips for Successful Grant Proposals, Candid.org blog
Nonprofit assistance
- Communities Rise, offers training, capacity building programs, and legal services to organizations, small businesses, and communities, including free grant writing clinics.
- 501 Commons, has free resources such as tools & best practices listings, as well services they provide for a fee.
- Nonprofit AF, humorous blog about the nonprofit world, with a focus on racial equity.
Equity and social justice
- King County equity and social justice plans, reports
- King County maps of demographics
- Washington Environmental Health disparities map; an interactive mapping tool that compares communities across our state for environmental health disparities.
- Place Matters, short video on inequities by Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
- Unnatural Causes, PBS documentary series on socio-economic and racial inequities in health
- Greening the Ghetto, TED talk on environmental justice by Majora Carter