County grant application period now open
Published 12:13 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2015
By Daniel Green
For The Beachcomber
Last winter, the King County Community Service Area Program (CSAP) awarded three Vashon organizations a total of $6,500 to fund new projects. The organizations — Voice of Vashon, Sustainable Vashon and Vashon Allied Arts — used the grant money for acquiring new technology, developing a tool library and hosting an educational concert, respectively.
This year, the CSAP has set aside another $60,000 to fund potential projects throughout the unincorporated communities of King County.
In a press release, CSAP manager Alan Painter explained that the “grants offer opportunities for King County’s unincorporated neighborhoods to advance local initiatives.”
The grants are intended to support nonprofit projects that work to increase the quality of living in a community.
In addition to the previous islander-led projects, initiatives have included tree planting, graffiti cleanup, youth engagement and events such as concerts and festivals.
Vashon nonprofits will have another chance to apply for the grants this year before an application deadline on Nov. 16. Last year, only one Vashon applicant failed to receive a CSAP grant: the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust.
County officials explained that “priority funding will be given to locally based, community-led organizations … that encourage collaborations and partnerships.”
The county will dole out roughly 60 grants to communities such as Bear Creek, Maple Valley and Vashon-Maury Island — communities, home to a total of over 255,000 people.
In the last four years, the county has funded 112 distinct community projects.
In a press release, King County executive Dow Constantine stated, “Neighbor-to-neighbor projects advance local initiatives and enrich this diverse county. Each year brings a fresh round of creative thinking that helps build cohesive communities.”
— Daniel Green recently graduated from Vashon High School, where he wrote for The Riptide.
