Creating Resilient Local Communities

Supporting Those Most Impacted

We’ve launched or contributed to multiple funds that support small businesses, nonprofits, and members of our community who are disproportionately affected by the economic impacts of the virus.

• Seattle Foundation's COVID-19 Response Fund: Deploys resources to community-based organizations at the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak in the Puget Sound area.*

• The Plate Fund: Provides immediate support to restaurant-industry workers who have lost their income due to the outbreak.* 

• Chinatown-International District Small Business Fund: Supports locally owned restaurants that were among the first Seattle businesses impacted.

• COVID-19 Arts Emergency Relief Fund: Administered by ArtsFund, supports arts and cultural organizations to help maintain essential functions.*

• Pride Foundation: Contributed to Pride Foundation‘s community response efforts supporting the Pacific Northwest LGBT+ community disproportionately affected by Covid-19.*

• SLU Chamber Small Business and Nonprofit Relief Fund: Supports South Lake Union's small businesses and nonprofits to help maintain essential functions.

• Na'ah Illahee Fund: Provide flexible direct support to Indigenous communities with a focus on food insecurity, gender-based violence and support to local artists.*

• The Potlach Fund: Supports emergency funding to current and previous Indigenous grantees based on immediate needs of families and businesses.*

Partners
Seattle Foundation, ArtsFund, Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Association (CIDBIA), Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda), Friends of Little Saigon, Partner and Supporters of The Plate Fund, ArtsFund, Pride Foundation, South Lake Union Chamber of Commerce, Na'ah Illahee Fund, The Potlach Fund

Advancing Our Understanding of COVID-19 and Supporting Science to Drive Policies

Washington state’s recovery — from understanding and addressing the pandemic to its strategy for reopening — requires more testing. We’ve partnered with organizations to ensure comprehensive, high-quality data is available to provide a baseline understanding of COVID-19 and inform smart policy decisions.

• COVID-19 Serology Testing: Led by the UW Medicine’s Virology Laboratory, this major study will determine the percentage of Washingtonians who have been infected with the virus.*

• Studying COVID-19 Immune Response: This study aims to understand individuals’ immune response to COVID-19 in hopes of accelerating vaccines and new treatments.*
   
• ​WAFOOD Survey: The data from the online survey will help inform public agencies and food banks about the needs of people experiencing economic and food insecurity.*    

Partners
UW Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Allen Institute, University of Washington Foundation, University of Washington, Washington State University, Tacoma Community College

Gardner House and Allen Family Center

Gardner House and the Allen Family Center help families experiencing homelessness by bringing together an innovative combination of permanent supportive housing, affordable housing, onsite services, and a Family Resource Center. The building includes 95 new housing units for low-income families and an 8,000-square-foot Family Resource Center that provides programming and resources for families across King County.*
 

Partners
City of Seattle, Mercy Housing Northwest, Mary’s Place, Refugee Women's Alliance, Child Care Resources, Seattle Seahawks

"Lift"

“Lift” is an upcoming, feature-length documentary that follows the eight-year journey of three children experiencing homelessness from the Bronx who audition for a small ballet company in New York. The film seeks to destigmatize homelessness by exposing its complex causes and the inspiring actions taken by the dancers and their families.
 

Partners
Beaufort Films

Emerald Cities

Emerald Cities Collaborative is a national non-profit organization that works to create more sustainable communities while nurturing inclusive opportunities. Our investments in their local chapter support: a three-year program to train individuals in the technical trades, the creation of an e-contractor academy that supports minority-owned and women-owned businesses, and the launching of a Clean Energy Pre-Apprenticeship program. These efforts increase the diversity of subcontractor pools and boost economic activity in businesses and communities where they’re most needed.
 

sea.citi

Sea.citi is a network of technology and innovation companies focused on strengthening Seattle by promoting and improving civic engagement. The organization does this by launching campaigns across its membership that address critical civic issues to raise awareness, garner support, and highlight direct pathways for action. This new initiative has engaged more than 650 technology professionals, organized two dozen civic and volunteer events, and hosted seven STEM assemblies in low-income schools in King County.
 

Partners
Facebook, Expedia, Pacific Science Center, Rover, Amazon, Verizon, Flying Fish Partners, Google, Tableau, Remitly, WeWork, Madrona Venture Group, Zillow

“We the Voters: 20 Films for the People”

According to The Washington Post, only 36% of Americans can name the three branches of government and 35% can’t name any. “We the Voters” is a nonpartisan, digital slate of 20 short films designed to inform, inspire, and ultimately activate voters nationwide with fresh perspectives on the subjects of democracy, elections, and U.S. governance.
 

Partners
Show of Force

Medication-First Opioid Disorder Treatment

Medication-First is a method of care that improves patient outcomes while reducing the usage and mortality rate of those with opioid-use disorder. As part of a public/private funding partnership, we’re supporting sites across the state — in Tacoma, Spokane, Walla Walla, and Seattle — to determine whether low-barrier application of medication-first treatment has better outcomes for high-need populations.*
 

Partners
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington

Co-Funders
Washington Health Care Authority, Premera, Tacoma/Pierce County Public Health, Seattle Foundation

Supporting Transit Funding and Initiatives

We supported three successive ballot measures (in 2006, 2008, and 2016) that added regional express bus and commuter rail service while also building a light rail system. In 2019, we also supported the "No On I-976 Campaign" to protect our state’s investments in transit. In Seattle, we’re part of a broad partnership of residents, nonprofits, businesses, arts, healthcare, educational, and cultural institutions committed to realizing a connected and robust streetcar network.

“Midsummer in Newtown”

In the emotionally powerful and uplifting documentary “Midsummer in Newtown,” filmmaker Lloyd Kramer shares intimate stories of three families who find hope in the transforming power of the arts. The film focuses on two Sandy Hook Elementary School students, Tain and Sammy, who join exuberant classmates to bring healing by staging “A Rockin’ Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The film reminds us all there's heroism in simply living each day and is an artistic expression of people determined to reflect love and beauty – despite the horrors they’ve endured.
 

Partners
Participant