Eighteen South King County Organizations Receive $687,000 for Environmental Improvements

The Port of Seattle’s South King County Community Impact Fund awarded environmental grants to 18 organizations that serve communities around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Port provided $687,000 for public improvement projects in Burien and Des Moines, Federal Ways, Normandy Parks, SeaTac, Tukwila, Federal Way, Federal Way, Normandy Parks, SeaTac, SeaTac, SeaTac, Tukwila, and Federal Way. Urban forest restoration, park trails maintenance and youth environmental stewardship are just some of the community-led projects.

The chosen projects reflect the richness of South King County and aim at improving the quality life in the communities surrounding the airport. This grants program is a sign of the Port’s commitment to its South King County neighbors who have been most affected by COVID-19. They also experience disproportionate environmental effects due to their lack of access to green space and parks.

Supporting community-led initiatives is how we drive equitable recovery, and change our own systems to make them more inclusive. said Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa. These programs help create welcoming spaces, green jobs pathways, and safe access to outdoor recreation.

Community collaboration

The Port’s Environmental Grants Program has changed the way it works with communities to increase funding access. The Port has collaborated with multilingual liaisons, who have helped to identify and remove barriers that prevented people from participating in the program. They also co-created grant materials and supported liaisons to help them conduct outreach to the community to promote the grant.

I enjoyed being a Des Moines resident as a Community Liaison for the Environmental Grants Program. This was because it allowed me to better understand the role of the Port of Seattle in South King County, and to learn about funding opportunities. It was great to work with Port staff, to meet other liaisons, as well as to learn from our consultants regarding strategies to engage new groups. Nimo Ahmad, Port community liaison, stated that she was delighted to hear that outreach had led to an increase of applications from community-led programs like African Young Dreamers Empowerment Program International. (AYDEPI) will be funded for youth of color in South King County to clean up parks.

Through the support of liaisons and hard work, several projects from this round were brought to you by groups that are taking on environmental projects for their first time.

“We are so happy to bring together a community to address environmental awareness in communities that are often neglected by environmental movements. This project will produce exciting results, with minority youth taking initiative at Federal Way and Des Moines. Nimo (the Ports community coordinator) reached out during a time we were searching for resources to promote environmental awareness. Her support and consistency helped us to find the courage to apply at the Port of Seattle grant. Beatrice Kiraguri is the Executive Director of African Young Dreamers Empowerment Program International, (AYDEPI)..

Tilth Alliance is a first-time grantee. It is an organic gardening and urban ecology nonprofit organization that will use Port funding to partner communities on a culturally appropriate edible plant starts project.

The project will act as a catalyst to increase food productivity and empower BIPOC and immigrant communities to grow food that is appropriate to their diets, for themselves and their families. Some of the market crops can also be grown for farm stands in Southwest King County. We will meet with each partner to discuss varieties and choose varieties that can be used by multiple cultural groups. Then we will engage each group in a class where they can help to start the plants and learn more about organic propagation. Selena Ligrano is a Garden Hotline Educator at Tilth Alliance.

Multi-year funding

The Port offered multi-year grants to applicants for projects that lasted one, two, or three years, up to $20,000 per annum, in its second year of funding. Ten organizations were awarded grants for three years, proving the popularity and appeal of this new option. Multi-year funding allows community groups the opportunity to invest in long-term planning, implementation, and support sustainable project planning.

Find out more about the 18 organisations that will receive funding.

1. Weed WarriorsGreen infrastructure will be installed at the New Start Community Garden to provide electricity and internet for workshops, educational events, and classes taught by the New Start High School in Burien. This project is valued at $14,600
2. Partner in EmploymentThe paid green jobs program for refugee youth and immigrant youth will continue. This training program teaches them how to maintain parks, identify native and invasive plant species, and restore and design planting sites. This project will be carried out in SeaTac Burien and Tukwila, and is expected to be funded at $60,000 over three years.
3. Tilth AllianceThe program’s year-long environmental training and community capacity building program will continue. Trainees learn and then apply skills to solve food and environmental problems in their local communities. Tilth will be serving communities in Burien and Des Moines, Federal Way and SeaTac. It is funded at $45,000 for the next three-years.
4. EarthCorpsTo restore and steward Hilltop Park, 7.4 acres, we will be working with the City of Burrien, community partners, volunteers and youth participating in Partner in Employments’ green jobs training program (PIE). This project is being funded at $20,000.
5. Amigos Latinos de BurienTogether with community members, we will help restore and promote the use of Arbor Lake Park in Burien. This project is $19,850 and will encourage healthy recreational habits.
6. Environmental Science CenterHighline School District students from kindergarten through third grade will continue to receive beach habitat and stewardship classes at Seahurst Park. This project will benefit students in Burien and Highline and will be funded at $60,000 for the next three-years.
7. Des Moines Memorial Drive Preservation AssociationSeaTac and Burien will collaborate to install signal boxes at fourteen intersections along Des Moines Memorial Drive. The road is dedicated to World War I soldiers who died. The project will also create an art committee to reach out to artists who can create relevant historical renderings to beautify and enhance the drive. It is funded at $8,000.
8. African Young Dreamers Empowerment Program InternationalThis funding is $60,000 and will fund three years of work with youth from African countries and Black youths to steward and restore parks at Federal Way and Des Moines.
9. Dirt CorpsThe city of Burien will work with youth to improve the 4.5-acre Salmon Creek Park. Paid youth will receive training in how to remove monocultures, create planting designs, plant native species, and perform maintenance activities to help ensure the park’s success. This project is funded at $60,000 per year.
10. Washington: Serve EthiopiansSeaTac will recruit and train forest stewards to clean up Angle Lake Park’s trails and parks. This includes removing invasive plants, installing native plants, and hosting educational opportunities for the community to learn more about waste management. This project will receive $60,000 in funding over the next three year.
11. Federal Way Korean American AssociationThe five-year-old plan to create a Korean garden in Federal Way, the Hanwoori Korean Garden, will be continued. It will allow community members and others to enjoy, nurture and sustain the garden. It will also provide an opportunity for intergenerational bonding and teachings. This project will receive $60,000 in funding over the next three year.
12. The Mountains to Sound Greenway TrustIn partnership with the City of Burien, the Green Burien Partnership, we will train local youth to support habitat rehabilitation, trail connections, and strong community connections at Salmon Creek Ravine Park. Over the next three-years, this project will be funded at $44,925.00
13. Friends of Normandy ParkMarine View Park will be restored to its original forest state. This includes removing invasive species, increasing biomass, improving air quality, creating plant diversity, mitigating stormwater runoff and creating a more sustainable, biodiverse forest in Normandy Park. This project is funded by $15,682.
14. Friends of Saltwater State ParkMonthly work parties will be held to restore Saltwater State Park’s habitat. They will remove invasive plants, plant native plants, and conduct water quality monitoring to inform nearby communities about the state of McSorely Creek estuary. This project is being funded at $3,310 and will be held in Des Moines.
15. EarthGen Highline School District middle- and high school students, their families, teachers, and neighbors will work together to improve the environment on three school campuses. This includes developing and installing Green Stormwater Infrastructures (GSI) such rain gardens, native plant garden gardens, or bioswales. This project will be in SeaTac and Burien and will cost $60,000 over the three-year period.
16. Bhutanese Community Resource CenterThe program will continue to educate seniors, refugees, and youth in Tukwila about the native plants of the region, their history, planting techniques and how to reduce waste using composting. This project is $16,000 in funding.
17. The Service BoardBIPOC and low income youth will be enrolled in a long-term program of stewardship that combines public space improvement, education, and stewardship. While planting native plants at Tukwila’s Duwamish Hill Preserve. This project is being funded at $60,000 over three years.
18. Toros Cycling ClubBurien Community Center will host a permanent bicycle skills area with signage and tips for safe cycling. The Club will also host classes that target the Burien Latino community. The project is funded at $19 184.

About South King County Community Impact Fund

The South King County Community Impact Fund has established the Environmental Grants Program, a cycle that is funded by the South King County Community Impact Fund. It was established in 2019 and is valued at $10 million. The South King County Community Impact Fund (SKCCIF), was established by the Port of Seattle to create equity-based partnerships, provide resources and support to historically underserved communities near airports. It addresses noise mitigation, environmental health and sustainability.

The South King County Community Impact Fund Environmental Grants Program continues work of the Airport Community Ecology Fund (ACE) Fund, which invested more than $360,000 into 42 community-led environmental projects.

Learn more about South King County Fund Environmental Grants Program

Contact

Perry Cooper | SEA Airport Media Officer
(206) 787-4923 | [email protected]