2018 Opportunity Fund

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the YFE Opportunity Fund Request for Proposal (RFP). Approximately $280,000 is available from City of Seattle's General Fund. This RFP will fund small grants to support agencies that work with youth and young adults of color from the ages of 12 through 24. Project budget requests may not exceed $20,000. HSD intends to fund 10-14 projects.  

The focus populations for this RFP are youth and young adults who identify as either American Indian/Alaskan Native or Black/African American, are not currently enrolled or attending school, and are not working.

These focus populations align with HSD's commitment to address racial disparities¹; YFE's impact area that all youth will successfully transition to adulthood; and the City's Our Best initiative which aims to improve outcomes for young Black men in Seattle, with a focus on education, health, employment, safety, and connections with caring adults. 

Elements of a Successful Project:  

• Community-initiated.
• Engages Seattle youth and young adults of color from 12 through 24 years of age. Preference will be given to projects that engage the focus populations.         
• Takes place within Seattle city limits.        
• Focuses on education, employment, safety, health, and positive connections.         
• Designed and led by volunteers or staff that reflect the cultures and languages of the participants.  

*Please contact Deborah Kuznitz, Funding Process Coordinator for accommodation requests at Deborah.Kuznitz@seattle.gov or (206) 233-7090.

Successful applications will result in contracts beginning on or after August 1, 2018 and ending by December 31, 2018. Projects should clearly start and end within this contract period.