South King County Fund
Environmental Grants Program

Background
South King County Fund (SKCF) established in November 2018
to address:
Airport Noise
Environmental Health
Sustainability
Eight Guiding Principals prioritize:
1.  Fund projects in the South King County area.                environmental health, and sustainability.
2.  Prioritize community input to inform Port decision      5.  Prioritize projects that are ready to proceed.
making.                                          6.  Build on established programs and commitments
3.  Support Port equity policies and practices.                  to fulfill current obligations.
4.  Provide added benefit by adding to current Port        7.  Promote innovation.
programs to address airport noise, increased           8.  Encourage matching funds where possible.

2

Environmental Grants Program
Proposal: new Environmental Grants Program, based upon the
successful ACE model.
Alignment with Fund Principals including:
Ready to proceed and adds benefit to a current program designed to increase
environmental health and sustainability.
Fund projects exclusively in near-airport communities, with other locations
considered on a case-by-case basis.
Prioritize community input and support Port equity policies and practices.


3

Next Steps and Timeline
Staff has developed base program and are ready to proceed.
Work with community partners to co-design an application
process
Network with community organizations, cities and non-profits
to gather program feedback and to build awareness of the
program
Applications available in Summer of 2020.
First round of grant recipients will be announced in early Fall

4

Appendix



5

Need for Environmental Investments
COVID-19 and the ensuing economic crisis have hit community
groups and environmental non-profits hard.
Fundraising and community events have been canceled,
budgets have been slashed, and organizations are struggling to
meet their goals
With residents sheltered at home, and with the increased
stress of job loss and economic uncertainty, communities need
safe and accessible green spaces now more than ever.

6

Airport Community Ecology Fund
Since 2017, the Airport Community Ecology Fund (ACE) has
funded 22 organizations to conduct 33 environmental
improvement projects in Burien, Des Moines and SeaTac.
Projects have had widespread and lasting community impacts
including:
Healthy food access
Habitat restoration
Environmental education
Capacity building for community based organizations
7

ACE Program Continued
The Port has distributed $280,000 in small matching grants so
far.
Community groups have matched this with over $2.6 million
project value through volunteer time, public engagement, tree
value, carbon reductions and other in-kind, cash and partner
contributions.
Spring 2020 funding round saw 11 applications totaling nearly
$100,000.

8