Grantees are working to safeguard and advance the safety, security, constitutional and human rights of our region’s most vulnerable community members.
Seattle Foundation awarded grants to 24 organizations under our Resilience Fund to safeguard and advance the safety, security, constitutional and human rights of our region’s most vulnerable community members. This second round of 2017 funding is infusing $371,000 in community organizations that are committed to strengthening the resilience of local residents in the face of emerging challenges.
These King County-based nonprofits are addressing increased needs for protection, support, legal guidance, organizing and advocacy to address amplified threats and discrimination based on factors including race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability and country of origin. Grants are being distributed to organizations serving a variety of marginalized communities, including immigrants and refugees, LGBTQ populations, low-wage workers and other vulnerable residents whose security and rights are eroding under changing federal policies and declining funding.
With a first round of $565,000 in funding, that brings the grant total to more than $930,000 this year. Seattle Foundation plans to continue the Resilience Fund grants in 2018, as needs continue to grow.
In one example, grantees Neighbors in Faith and the Muslim Association of Puget Sound-American Muslim Empowerment Network (MAPS-AMEN) will work together to increase relationships between Islamic centers and other faith communities and non-religious groups to combat Islamophobia through training sessions, public forums and interfaith dialogue.
Gender Justice League, another grantee, will use its Resilience Fund dollars to offer legal clinics for transgender residents seeking increased protection from hate crimes.
The organizations receiving Resilience Fund second-round grants of up to $20,000 each are, alphabetically:
Arc of King County
Chinese Information and Service Center – Eastside Cultural Navigator Program
Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition
Express Credit Union
Faith Action Network
Gay City
Gender Justice League
GotGreen
Indian Association of Western Washington
Ingersoll Gender Center
Kids4Peace Seattle
LGBTQ Allyship
Lutheran Community Services Northwest
Muslim Association of Puget Sound – (MAPS-AMEN)
Neighbors in Faith
Nsanga Corporation
Open Arms Perinatal Services
Partner in Employment
Project Feast
Public Defender Association
Puget Sound Training Center
Seattle Area Support Groups
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Seattle – King County
Somali Community Services of Seattle
“One of our community’s deepest-held values is to provide an equal playing field for all and to safeguard the rights of those whose voices have been suppressed,” said Tony Mestres, President and CEO of Seattle Foundation. “Our Resilience Fund aims to ensure that all people are valued in our community by supporting nonprofits that are leading the way to a more inclusive, stronger community.”
Seattle Foundation’s partners Bank of America, Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation, King County and individual philanthropists invested in this round of the Resilience Fund.