Skip to main content

KingCounty.gov is an official government website.

Official government websites use .gov
Website addresses ending in .gov belong to official government organizations in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Only share sensitive information on official, secure websites.
King County Washington home

Participatory budgeting grant program

Participatory budgeting is a grantmaking program for unincorporated King County community members. The program provides them the opportunity to:

  1. determine how to spend grant funding.
  2. apply for grant funding that will make an impact in their community.

2026 participatory budgeting overview

Learn more about how to apply

Members of the Double Dutch Divas celebrate after the Skyway community voted to fund their project in King County's first round of Participatory Budgeting.
Members of the Double Dutch Divas celebrate after the Skyway community voted to fund their project in King County's first round of Participatory Budgeting.

On this page

Purpose of the participatory budgeting program

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. 

2026 grantmaking process now open

In 2026, the Participatory Budgeting program puts residents in Skyway/West Hill and White Center/North Highline in charge of deciding how $2.8 million in county funding will be invested directly in the urban unincorporated areas of Skyway/West Hill and White Center/North Highline.

The investments will be made via a community-led grantmaking process designed by a Community Advisory Board of local leaders and residents. This will ensure that funding priorities, proposal guidelines, and decision-making reflect the voices and needs of the community.

Related: Community Advisory Board convenes to shape the 2026 Participatory Grantmaking process

How do I apply for community grant funding?

The Request for Proposal (RFP) period is now open, with specific funds for Skyway/West Hill ($1.7 million) and White Center/North Highline ($1.1 million):   

Who is eligible to apply for participatory budgeting grant funding?

  • Community projects
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Grassroots group

Request for proposal deadline

Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Need help writing your proposal?

Technical assistance is available for proposal writers.

Request for proposal: 2026 Elevate Skyway community fund

Request for proposal: 2026 Uplift White Center community fund

How participatory budgeting works

  1. Community Advisory Board

    Community leaders in the urban unincorporated areas of Skyway/West Hill and White Center/North Highline design the Participatory Grantmaking process.

  2. Community outreach

    Residents are invited to participate through local events, partnerships, outreach campaigns, and community information sessions.

  3. Request for proposals (current step)

    Community organizations submit proposals that address local needs and priorities with community-driven solutions.

  4. Community review and engagement

    A diverse panel of community members reviews and rates proposals based on impact, feasibility, equity, and community benefit. Community information sessions gather additional community insight, input, and feedback to help inform proposal prioritization.

  5. Award and implementation

    Selected projects are awarded funding and supported through implementation and ongoing program oversight (through Dec. 2027).

Participatory budgeting stories and videos

Department of Local Services Participatory Budgeting Black History Month Celebration in Skyway, WA

On Feb. 28, 2026, the King County Department of Local Services celebrated Black History Month with a community event in Skyway, Wash., one of the most ethnically diverse communities in Washington state.

Hosted at the Skyway Resource Center, the celebration featured performances, black elected leaders, testimonials from organizations that King County has supported, a tour of a several businesses in the area, and a visit to the new home of the Silent Task Force resource group.

Made Possible by Participatory Budgeting: Speak With Purpose

This video focuses on Speak With Purpose, a Skyway-based organization that's the only public speaking program directly offered in classrooms throughout King County near Seattle, Wash.

The community of Skyway – one of the most culturally diverse in the state - voted to direct $96,000 in public funds to Speak With Purpose to deliver sessions at low-income schools (Lakeridge, Bryn-Mawr and Campbell Hill Elementary, as well as Dimmitt Middle School) for students in the fourth-through-eighth grade that take place during the school day.

Request for proposals

Elevate Skyway

$1.7 million in 2026–27 public funding

Uplift White Center

$1.1 million in 2026–27 public funding