Equitable development capital and capacity building grants

Solicitation #2025-039. Issued by Office of Planning and Community Development. The Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) is seeking proposals from community-based organizations working in Seattle on anti-displacement strategies, responding to creating new economic opportunities, improving educational outcomes, and other forms of community development. Total 2025 EDI funding available for new capital projects: $10 Million, maximum of 4 projects awarded.

Applicant Eligibility The current funding is split across four different buckets, each with their own eligibility criteria. You ARE eligible for this bucket of funding if you are: A prospective grantee not previously awarded EDI funds AND are applying for capital, or A current EDI grantee applying for a new capital project or an expansion of an existing capital scope You are NOT eligible if: You are a prospective grantee seeking funding ONLY for Capacity Building funds, or You are a current EDI grantee seeking funding for a previously funded project

If you are a prospective grantee not previously awarded EDI funds and are ONLY applying for capacity building, or, are an existing EDI grantee requesting additional funds for an existing project, please return to the EDI website and select the correct application portal.

Applicant Minimum Criteria

Priority will be given to organizations that best meet most of the following criteria:

Is the applicant incorporated as a nonprofit in the State of Washington?

If not, does the organization have a fiscal sponsor and does the fiscal sponsor limit sponsor fees to 10 percent of the funding award or less and have a clear strategy to support the organization’s long-term capacity-building work?

EDI may make exceptions where a for-profit organization can demonstrate extraordinary accountability to impacted communities and where requiring non-profit status or fiscal sponsorship would add unnecessary costs and inefficiency to the project.

The proposal must demonstrate work that primarily serves City of Seattle residents located within communities that face high risk of displacement.

The applicant must be in good standing with any other open City of Seattle contracts, grants, and/or loans.

The project addresses at least three of the Equity Drivers from the Implementation Plan. Proposals should focus on only the three drivers that best fit the project concept.

Evaluation and Selection RFP questions will be scored against a rubric with a community review panel to determine funding decisions. Receiving EDI funding is contingent on meeting program requirements and completing pre-contracting due diligence activities. EDI funds cannot be used for regular organization operations as awarded funds must be applied to developing the capacity for and completing the process of completing the capital project selected for funding in the recipient organization application. Projects that do not use their funds and extend beyond the two-year period may be required to reapply for the remaining awarded funds to ensure that projects are still active.