Participatory Budgeting is back for 2026!

King County is launching its third cycle of the program with $2.7 million in community-directed grant funding available in the unincorporated urban areas of Skyway/West Hill and White Center/North Highline. 

The Request for Proposal (RFP) period is anticipated to open on Sept. 14, with specific funds for Skyway/West Hill and White Center/North Highline:

  • Elevate Skyway Community Fund – $1.6 million total
  • Uplift White Center Community Fund – $1.1 million total

Proposals will be due by Sunday Oct. 11, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Technical assistance will be available for proposal writers.

Join us to learn more

There will be two opportunities to learn how to access these funds, and meet and celebrate with the Community Advisory Board that designed the process, as well as two technical assistance sessions to learn how to write a proposal:

  • Uplift White Center Community Fund information session
    • Sept. 15, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
    • White Center Library, 1409 SW 107th St., Seattle
  • Elevate Skyway Community Fund information session
    • Sept. 16, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
    • Skyway Resource Center, 12610 76th Ave. S., Seattle
  • Technical Assistance for Proposal Writing presentation and 1-on-1 support (in-person)
    • September 23, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
    • Location: TBD

King County’s Participatory Budgeting Program

Participatory Budgeting is a unique program that shifts decision-making power directly to community members. Through this approach, residents determine how public funds are allocated—strengthening civic participation, advancing racial equity, and making impactful community investments that reflect the needs of these communities which have historically been underrepresented.

Earlier this year, King County convened a Community Advisory Board composed of leaders from White Center and Skyway. The Board designed the 2026 community-led grantmaking process, including funding focus areas, application requirements, and the community review structure. Local organizations and community-led projects may submit grant proposals, which will be reviewed and rated by community members who have successfully applied to be reviewers. This year’s cycle will not include a full community vote.

There are six steps to the 2026 Participatory Grantmaking process:

  • Step 1: Community Advisory Board convenes to design the grantmaking process
  • Step 2: Recruitment of community proposal reviewers *current step
  • Step 3: Proposal submission period, including technical assistance
  • Step 4: Proposal review and rating by community reviewers
  • Step 5: Funding of top-rated proposals
  • Step 6: Project implementation (through December 2027)
  • Launched in 2021, King County’s Participatory Budgeting program has funded nearly 90 community projects in unincorporated King County.

The program aims to:

  • Invest public dollars in community-identified priorities and identify funding opportunities through a community led process 
  • Center racial equity and community voices 
  • Build trust through transparent decision-making 
  • Strengthen civic participation in historically underinvested communities 

Nearly 7,500 community votes were cast across the first two cycles, directing more than $20 million in investments. Past and ongoing projects have included capital investments—such as construction support for the Khmer Community Center in White Center; renovations for the White Center Food Bank; and support of the purchase of the Silent Task Force Task House in Skyway—along with a wide range of programmatic investments, including youth mentorship and leadership development programs; community mental health and wellbeing programs; food security programs; environmental stewardship projects; and economic development projects.

Learn more at kingcounty.gov/local-services/PB.

QUOTES

Participatory Budgeting and the Community Advisory Board is a clear example of community partnership. Our board brings together people with different experiences but a shared commitment to making the process intentional, inclusive, and reflective of Skyway. There’s real power in asking, what can we do to make this community even better? The Elevate Skyway Fund will invest in projects shaped by community priorities, meeting real needs with real resources. They say the sky’s the limit. For Skyway, it’s just the beginning. – Samuel Woldemariam, Skyway Community Advisory Board Co-Chair

The Uplift White Center Community Fund grant opportunity has been crafted to help as many community members as possible in truly impactful ways. The Community Advisory Board is made up of real people who have the best interest of White Center at heart. We’re committed to improving our community by directing county investments to a wide range of categories and pressing issues. – Frida Hernandez Perez, White Center Community Advisory Board Co-Chair

This is what it looks like when community leads and government listens. Together, dedicated community members have shaped a Participatory Grantmaking process rooted in their lived experience, priorities, and vision. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and excited to see community ideas turn into meaningful investments. – Gloria Briggs, Program Manager