The Department of Neighborhoods is accepting applications for the final round of Small and Simple Projects Fund grants. Applications are due October 17 and can be submitted online.

The S&S Projects Fund provides awards up to $20,000 for projects that help build community. From the DON:

Small and Simple Projects Fund activities may be physical projects as well as less tangible but equally significant educational, cultural, and relationship-strengthening activities. All projects must demonstrate its capacity to build a stronger and healthier community, and must:

• Provide a public benefit and be free and open to all members of the public.
• Emphasize self-help, with project ideas initiated, planned and implemented by the neighbors and community members who will themselves be impacted by the project.
• Demonstrate community match.
• Occur within the Seattle city limits.

Groups do not need to be neighborhood-specific in order to apply. While all project ideas are welcome, DON is encouraging applicants to focus on emergency preparedness in this round (though they say the selection process will not be skewed in favor of emergency-related projects):

In recognition of Emergency Preparedness Month this September, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON) and Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM) encourage community members to apply for funding to help them organize and engage their neighbors and plan for emergency and disaster situations.

There will be two Neighborhood Matching Fund workshops next week for interested groups. The first is September 13 in Ballard and the second is 6 – 8 p.m. September 15 at the 2100 Building (2100 24th Ave S).

In 2010, groups used small grants to plan and design interim uses for Fed/Rep Park and put on a Medieval County Fair in Volunteer Park.