Neighborhood Matching Fund Workshop

Quote from Paul Dubois on NMF

A DPC member attended the Large Projects matching fund workshop at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in Delridge on Saturday. The workshop is mandatory for any group that is intending to request large project funding.

The Large Projects fund will match up to $100,000 in donations from a community toward a project. The donations can be of four kinds:

1. Donated labor ( at a flat rate of $20 per hour and recorded as pledged future labor and documented completed labor from individuals)
2. Donated professional services ( same as above, but at the professional rate. )
3. Donated cash.
4. Donated materials.

Correction: We made an incorrect statement that the fund can be used for property acquisition. Thank you to the City Community Relations person who notified us of this. 


The fund can be used for property acquisition, development, and events. The primary criteria for judging the applications is "Does it build community?" It can be used in conjunction with other funding sources, but the match only applies to community donated resources. The funding can be used for a phase of a project too, but the funds need to be used within a year of their issue ( which would be December of this year to December of 2013. )

Many of the projects funded by the Neighborhood Matching Fund are on property owned by the City ( mostly Parks and Rec or SDOT ) or Seattle Schools. Permission from a representative of these entities is required with the application. There were representatives from DPR and SDOT there who act as point persons for the NMF application  process. From DPR was Pamela Kliment, and from SDOT was Luke Korpi. The point person for Seattle Schools is Karen Dedecker.

Applications are due on July 16th by 5pm. No applications submitted after this time will be considered for this round. The applications are then screened by Department of Neighborhood staff to determine if they meet the requirements. The applications then go on to be reviewed by representatives of the City Neighborhood Council's Citywide Review Team and the North District Council for scoring. A presentation by our organization is then required at a Large Project Funds open house in September as well as a presentation at a North District Council Meeting in September. The City Neighborhood Council's Citywide Review Team makes final recommendations to the Department of Neighborhoods and those then go to Mayor's office for approval and then on to City Council for their approval. The funds are then available sometime in December.

So, with that mouthful out of the way and the first hurdle cleared, what do you want to see happen in our neighborhood and what are you willing to donate to make it happen? Here are some suggestions:

An Educational P-Patch and Weather Station at the NE corner of Olymic Hills Elementary.

A Neighborhood  Greenway from Olympic Hills Elementary to the Library.

Acquisition of "The House" and development of a Pocket Park.

Let us know what you think!