Mayor Ed Murray announced a near $1.3 million in matching funds awards to support 27 community-initiated projects across the city, including Ballard’s own community tool library. The awards come from the Neighborhood Matching Fund’s Community Partnership Fund which offers matching funds of up to $100,000 to community organizations committed to fostering and building our community.
Individual district projects were approved in Districts 1,2,3,6, and 7. Ballard’s biggest takeaway will be $12,000 to Sustainable Ballard to launch a tool library in Ballard that will promote community learning and help build skills of self-sufficiency and empowerment around crafting, repair, and general tool operation and safety procedures. The goal is to open by the end of 2017. (Community match: $42,446)
Additionally, four citywide projects will be funded this summer cycle: Fiestas Patrias, a free 2-day Latin American cultural festival; the 30th Annual Italian Festival ‘Festa Italiana’ running this year from September 22 – 24; Seattle Latino Film Festival to host free events including a panel on Latin-American Women in Film, and a screening of seven documentaries produced by universities in Mexico; a weekly youth education program by Skate Like A Girl and Youth Employment Skateboarding for youth ages 12-18 to learn topics as financial literacy, creating safer spaces, career paths, etc.
The Neighborhood Matching Fund’s Community Partnership Fund awards range from $12,000 to $100,000 with the 27 organizations pledging a total of $1,282,518 in community match resources of volunteer hours, locally raised money, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.
Over its 29-year history, more than 5,000 projects have been funded in partnership with the NMF Program. The next Community Partnership Fund application deadline is September 25. For more information about NMF and this cycle’s awarded projects, click here.
