Building Community Capacity for Equitable COVID-19 Recovery

Purpose

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is offering a one-time funding opportunity for community-rooted organizations serving communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Projects supported by this funding will improve equitable access, distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines, health information, and prevention resources as well as community capacity building and mobilization to advance health equity by addressing the structural and social determinants of health amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. All projects must meaningfully center priority communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, lead with racial equity, and must address one or more priority intersections. A list of priority communities and intersections are detailed in the “Eligibility” section below.

Budget

There is $1,500,000 in total funding. Contracts will be between $5,000-$40,000.

Eligibility 

Funding is open to community-rooted, community-led, and community-based organizations that serve one or more priority communities and one or more priority intersections as listed below.

Priority Communities: 

• American Indians/Alaska Natives
• Black/African American  
• Hispanic/Latinx  
• African Diaspora  
• Asian 
• Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 

Priority Intersections: 

• People living in rural communities
• People with disabilities 
• Religious minorities 
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people 
• People over 65 years old 
• People who are incarcerated 
• Immigrant/refugee communities 
• People with limited English proficiency 
• Agricultural workers 
• Unhoused people/people experiencing homelessness

Organizations encouraged to submit an interest form include but are not limited to: 

• Not-for-profit organizations, Urban Indian and/or tribal-related organizations, faith-based organizations, and organizations that have fiscal sponsorship. 
• Rural health centers, community health centers, federally qualified health centers, and Tribal health centers. 

We recognize that community-rooted and community-led organizations and groups are better positioned and equipped to listen, understand, and respond to the needs of their community members in the most culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate way. They are also better equipped to use a trauma-informed lens or approach to their interventions so as to not perpetuate further harm, fear, and distrust that may be exacerbated by governmental entities in times of extreme crisis, like a pandemic.

Estimated Schedule of Activities and Dates 

Contingent on funding availability, DOH may open a second funding round.

Interest Form Review Process

Submission of an interest form does not guarantee project funding. There may be more interest than funding available. A review process is established to provide transparency. The Center for Community Relations & Equity will review all interest forms to verify projects are responsive to funding priorities and community needs and for equity and geographic considerations. Submissions will also be reviewed by a committee of the Community Collaborative to ensure an equity and social justice lens is applied in the prioritization, planning, and decision making related to recovery efforts.

How to Submit an Interest Form

Complete the Interest Form Template and email a copy to Kylin Beeson, Equity and Social Justice Strategist at kylin.beeson@doh.wa.gov.  

• Interest Form Template | Spanish

Resources 

• Building Community Capacity for Equitable COVID-19 Recovery | Spanish
• Draft/Sample Contract and Statement of Work (Exhibit A)
• Sample Contract General Terms and Conditions (Exhibit B)
• August 10, 2023, Technical Assistance Session CART Transcript (PDF)
• August 10, 2023, Technical Assistance Session Questions and Answers (PDF)
• August 10, 2023, Technical Assistance Session Presentation Slides (PDF)
• August 10, 2023, Technical Assistance Session Webinar Recording (YouTube)

Funding Update

We are thrilled to announce the recipients of the Building Community Capacity for Equitable COVID-19 Recovery funding opportunity. All Interest Forms demonstrated dedication and potential in their work. Below is a list of the selected recipients. We eagerly anticipate the impact this work will bring to the communities served.
 

• Adroit Staffing LLC
• Center For Independence
• Chinese Radio Seattle
• Community Health Worker Coalition for Migrants and Refugees 
• Dreamdriver Works Seattle
• Equity Institute
• Family Health Centers
• Foundation For Sustainable Community dba Farmer Frog
• Global African Integrated Network
• Greater Columbia Accountable Community of Health - dba Greater Health Now
• Helping Hands Food Bank 
• Interaction Transition
• Intermountain Professionals Foundation 
• International Rescue Committee
• Lake Chelan Health
• Latino Civic Alliance
• Latino Educational Training Institute 
• Malawi Seattle Association
• Manzanita House
• Mi Centro
• National Council Negro Women (Seattle Section)
• New World International
• Oceania Northwest
• Organization for Prostitution Survivors
• Pacific Asian Group of Kitsap County
• Peninsula Community Health Services
• PIM Savvy, INC.
• Power of Two
• Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander Health Education Summit
• Spokane United We Stand
• Telemundo
• The CID Collective
• The Marshallese American Network for Interacting Together (MANIT)
• The Moore Wright Group
• Unidos Nueva Alianza, Foundation
• UTOPIA WA
• Vietnamese Community of Clark County
• VITAL Wines
• Voice of South Pacific 
• WA State Coalition of African Community Leaders
• Washington West African Center
• Washington Young Farmers Coalition
• Yakima Neighborhood Health Services

Please email your questions or requests for additional information to kylin.beeson@doh.wa.gov.