Neighborhood Matching Fund

The Fall 2020 cycle of the Community Partnership Fund is now closed. Our next cycle will open in February of 2021. For more information on the Community Partnership Fund, please contact us at NMFund@seattle.gov. Our Small Sparks fund is currently on pause until further notice. 

In 1988, the Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) was created to provide matching dollars for neighborhood improvement, organizing, or projects developed and implemented by community members. Central to NMF is the community match which requires awardees to match their award with contributions from the community whether as volunteer time, donated materials, donated professional services, or cash.  

Since NMF's creation, more than 5,000 community projects throughout Seattle have received over $64 million in funding and generated an additional $72 million from community match.

Who We Fund

Neighborhood groups, community organizations, informal groups, and business groups who want to do a project to build stronger community connections are encouraged to apply.

All applicant groups must be open and inclusive, actively engage diverse community members, and be significantly composed of people who live and/or work in Seattle.

What We Fund

We fund a variety of unique and creative community projects. To be eligible for funding, a project must:

• involve community members in creating and completing the project; 
• create community improvements;
• be free and open to all members of the public;
• be feasible and ready to begin within 1-2 months from the award date;
• demonstrate community match;
• occur within the Seattle city limits;
• not have received NMF funding within the last two years. (applies only to events)

Informational Workshop

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods hosted three virtual workshops in the summer of 2020 to assist community organizations and neighborhood groups interested in getting funding for their ideas. If you weren't able to participate, you can watch this video recording of our July 28, 2020 workshop:

Types of Funding