BSK: Non-BSK Funding Opportunities List – September to November deadlines

We will always promote our Best Starts funding opportunities here on the blog and our website. But we’re also posting a monthly blog series, highlighting funding opportunities from other agencies and organizations that support groups that promote the health and well-being of our babies, children, and young people

DCHS: RFP for Community Driven Behavioral Health Grants Now Open. Apply by Sept 11! 

We are excited to announce that up to $2,120,000 in funding is available from the MIDD Behavioral Health Sales Tax Fund for Community Driven Behavioral Health Grants to provide culturally responsive behavioral health services delivered by small organizations embedded in their community.  The RFP seeks to support community-driven approaches that reflect the unique needs, strengths, experiences, and values of the populations served. Priority will be given to proposals that offer alternatives to traditional behavioral health models, particularly those rooted in culturally grounded, community-defined healing practices.   Applicant’s Conference: Thursday, August 7, 2025 | 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm 

King County Housing Finance Program Apply by Sept 16, 2025

Apply now at this link! This RFP will support the acquisition, renovation, and new construction of affordable housing projects to address our region’s housing shortage. Projects are expected to serve a variety of populations including low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness. Eligible applicants include public housing and public development authorities, non-profit organizations, and certified community housing development organizations. Approximately $38,300,000 in capital funding is available in 2025. For more details, please visit the grant website here, or if you have questions, email Leslie Miller at lemiller@kingcounty.gov.

New Funding Opportunity Jurisdictions to Support Siting Crisis Care Centers Apply by Sept 19

King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) recently announced a new funding opportunity to support jurisdictions interested in potentially hosting a Crisis Care Center to help meet the pressing need for urgent behavioral health care in our communities.  A Crisis Care Center is a place anyone can walk in to get urgent care for a wide range of mental health and substance use crises, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.   Connections Kirkland, the first of five Crisis Care Centers opened last year. King County is now selecting future Crisis Care Center operators and sites in Central (Seattle/Vashon), South, and East Crisis Response Zones (CRZs), plus one center specifically for youth in any CRZ.  Funding is set aside to assist jurisdictions in siting activities, including identifying viable sites, assessing feasibility, evaluating local barriers and opportunities, and conducting community engagement. The levy is making these investments to help jurisdictions assess and prepare for potentially siting a Crisis Care Center in their area. This approach is intended to encourage equitable participation across the region.

Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) - Due Fri Sep 26

 Commerce is now accepting applications for a new round of Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) grants. Application materials are available on the CHIP webpage. CHIP connects affordable housing projects to utility systems, and can reimburse costs associated with water, sewer and stormwater improvements and waived system development charges. This includes upsizing water and sewer lines to serve increased density, and water and sewer line extensions to serve new affordable housing developments. CHIP is offering a range of funding options to support the development of affordable housing: $55 million for all eligible jurisdictions. $30 million for projects serving low-income households in jurisdictions with 150,000 or fewer residents. Questions? Contact the CHIP Program Manager - Mischa.Venables@commerce.wa.gov

VSHSL: RFA for Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Mini Grants Apply by Sept 26

VSHSL seeks to strengthen the capacity and improve performance of programs, services, and processes within small to midsize organizations with an active Veterans, Seniors, and Humans Services Levy (VSHSL) contract providing human services in King County. A virtual information session to discuss questions related to this RFA will be held on September 4, 2025​, ​2:00 – 3:30pm.

Applications open for affordable homeownership projects - Due Fri Sep 26

 The Department of Commerce is soliciting applications for affordable housing projects seeking funding in the 2025 funding cycle for homeownership projects. There is about $70 million available, and the amount of funds awarded depends on the number of applications received and project readiness. The maximum award per project is $6 million for new construction or acquisition with rehabilitation, $4 million for affordability subsidy, and $3 million for down payment assistance. Applications are due by Sept. 26. Final award decisions will be announced in December, with work slated to begin by June 2026. Funding is available for community-based organizations, housing authorities, federally recognized tribes, and local governments for the creation of new housing units, purchase and rehabilitation of new housing units, affordability subsidies, and down payment assistance for low-income households in Washington. Please download and carefully review the Notice of Funding Availability for specific information regarding funding requirements and priorities, the process for submitting an application, and significant dates. Questions? Contact the Homeownership Unit at HOUApplication@commerce.wa.gov.

King County: Creating a Crisis Training Academy for Behavioral Health Workers Apply By Sept 30, 2025

The King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) seeks a Behavioral Health Agency (BHA), Community Based Organization (CBO), and/or other training organizations to develop and operate a new crisis training program for the local behavioral health workforce. This RFP will launch a new program specifically designed to support and train a crisis workforce to work at Crisis Care Centers, on future post-crisis care teams, and to partner and manage care coordination within the crisis system that also includes 988, mobile crisis teams for adults and youth, outpatient treatment programs, and more.

BSK: Prenatal to Five Innovation Fund RFP – apply by October 3!    

P-5 Innovation Funds aim to build up the power of Community-led Innovation to meet the emergent needs of families in King County. King County seeks community leaders to design, develop, test, and build the potential of innovative Anti-racist approaches (e.g. policies, programs, products, media, places, and services) so that ALL babies and children in King County grow up to be happy, healthy, safe, and thriving.   This RFP is open to community groups, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, tribes and tribal organizations, for-profit entities, and public or governmental agencies serving communities in King County. We strongly encourage anyone interested in applying to attend our information session to learn more.   September 9, 2025, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm (In-Person & Virtual) 

 Support now available for upcoming 2025-27 Early Learning Facilities grants - Opens Mon Sept. 1st and due Fri Oct. 31

Early Learning Facilities (ELF) funding is open to nonprofits, public entities, K-12 schools and districts, tribes and for-profit businesses. The type of eligible applicant depends on the requirements of the current funding round being released as indicated below. Nonprofit and for-profit business applicants must be registered in the State of Washington. All applicants must be able to meet all applicable licensing and certification requirements under specific RCWs and WACs pertaining to the early learning and childcare services proposed in the facilities to which the funding will be applied. To learn more about this grant opportunity and prepare for the application process, please visit the Early Learning Facilities (ELF) page. Resources are available for the 2025-2027 Expansion and Maintenance Competitive Grant. Questions? Contact the Early Learning Facilities Team at EarlyLearningFacilities@Commerce.wa.gov.

Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grants

VA grant funding is now open to community-based organizations helping prevent Veteran suicide locally. Congress has authorized $174 million to be appropriated to carry out the SSG Fox SPGP, a three-year community-based grant program that provides resources to community organizations serving certain Veterans and their families across the country. Organizations can apply for grants worth up to $750,000 and may apply to renew awards from year to year throughout the length of the program.

BSK: Now accepting applications for the Prenatal to Five Innovation Fund RFP – multiple application rounds!     

We are excited to share that the Prenatal to Five (P-5) Innovation Fund Request for Proposals (RFP) is now open! P-5 Innovation Funds aim to build up the power of Community-led Innovation to meet the emergent needs of families in King County. King County seeks community leaders to design, develop, test, and build the potential of innovative Anti-racist approaches (e.g. policies, programs, products, media, places, and services) so that ALL babies and children in King County grow up to be happy, healthy, safe, and thriving.   Proposals for this funding opportunity are accepted on an open and continuous basis:  

• Round 1 applications due: May 9, 2025 at 2PM 

• Round 2 applications due: October 3, 2025 at 2PM 

• Round 3 applications due: January 23, 2026 at 2PM

Youth Sports Grants Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

All Kids Play provides funding to families and communities who lack the resources to pay for youth sports. Grants are available to qualifying families with kids in grade K-12 and not-for-profit community-based recreational sports organizations in low-income areas on a need and first-come, first served basis as funds are available. Individual grants can be used for registration, equipment and other associated fees for sports classes, recreational leagues, and travel sports. For more details, please visit the grant website here, or if you have questions, please email info@allkidsplay.org. Apply now at this link.

Commerce Clean Energy Federal Grants Assistance

If your organization (non-profit, local government, businesses, and other groups eligible to receive Federal Funds) is looking to apply for Federal funding, please check out Commerce’s Federal Funds Grant Writing Assistance Program. This program is to support both preparation and submission of Federal Grant Applications, specifically ones focused on clean energy. You are invited to complete this Program Design Survey and share your thoughts on how the Federal Funds Grant Writing Assistance Program (FFGWAP) would be most useful to you. The survey should take 7-10 minutes to complete: survey. For more information, please reach out to Sarah Vorpahl (Commerce’s Policy and Program Alignment Manager in the Energy Division) at sarah.vorpahl@commerce.wa.gov

Horizons Foundation of Washington Grants Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Apply now at this link.

Horizons is a private family foundation whose primary purpose is to address social and environmental concerns in Washington State. They award grants to non-profits in three areas: the environment, social services, and arts and culture. Grants are awarded from as low as $1,000 and up, and grants to applicants in the Arts and Direct Emergency Services categories are typically capped at $5,000. For more details, please visit the grant website here, or if you have questions, please email horizonsfoundation1@gmail.com.

Inatai Foundation Connecting, celebrating, and building power together

Funding opportunity for community events that connect, celebrate, and build power together. Range - $2,500 - $5K. Applications Due – At least 60 days before and up to 1 year before a planned event. Inatai Foundation – Sponsorship Grants

Solidaire: Supporting Racial, Gender and Climate Justice

Solidaire’s members move money to the frontlines of social change movements in order to fund urgent needs, support bold and innovative ideas that others may not fund, and help build long-term infrastructure for the movement.

King County: Best Starts For Kids Programs and opportunities including Open Funding Opportunities

The funding calendar shares upcoming funding opportunities beginning in January of 2022 and staggered throughout the year. Please note that we will continually update this calendar as we implement Best Starts for Kids 2.0. We encourage everyone to subscribe to our newsletter and blog to receive notices whenever we post a new funding opportunity.

Social Justice Fund NW Grant Opportunities

Social Justice Fund NW provides essential resources to organizations in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming to strengthen grassroots efforts in the broad-based movement for progressive, systemic social change. Our funding prioritizes organizations that use a community organizing (see below) approach to make lasting change from the bottom up.

Department of Community and Human Services: Funding Opportunities

This page serves as a resource to agencies and individuals contracting with DCHS. There are links to required contract compliance forms, useful information about the contracting process and contact information for staff who can provide technical assistance.