The Gathering Collaborative

Racism Is A Public Health Crisis - The Gathering Collaborative

King County declared racism as a public health crisis in 2020, recognizing that governments need to acknowledge and respond by undoing the centuries of harms of systemic racism in our society and equitably invest in dismantling racism and protecting the health and well-being of Black, Indigenous and People of Color so that all communities thrive.

Envisioned jointly by community members and King County in August 2021 and launched in March 2022, The Gathering Collaborative is a group of trusted community members who are involved to uplift Black and Indigenous people and their communities – those who are most directly harmed by racism. The members largely reflect these communities and have lived experience in these communities that they serve, with Executive Dow Constantine, Abigail Echo-Hawk and Dr. Ben Danielson, serving as co-chairs.

The Gathering Collaborative is an iterative co-creation effort between King County government and the community. The Gathering Collaborative community members will collaborate with King County to equitably distribute $25 million that starts to undo the harms of racism compounded by the pandemic, influence the County’s budget cycle and process, and establish a longer-term, multi-generational vision for King County to become an anti-racist government.

Focus Populations

The focus of this effort and the related investments is to start to undo the harms on the following populations who, based on extensive research and data nationally and in King County, most negatively experience the generational, current, and longstanding impacts of racism, making it a public health crisis:

Black Americans who are the descendants of enslaved Africans and continue to experience the ongoing and deep impacts of systemic racism in all of its facets.
Indigenous Peoples directly impacted by settler colonialism within the US borders which have created the systems of institutional and structural racism perpetuated by the United States government and ongoing settler colonialism of the United States. It includes American Indians/Alaska Natives/Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, American Samoa, and Pacific Islander communities.

Review this document for a Glossary of Key Terms and Definitions.

Gathering Collaborative Guiding Values

Community members who have participated in the co-creation process to imagine, form, and engage as a part of The Gathering Collaborative, alongside King County staff, have committed to using and upholding the following guiding values as designed by The Gathering Collaborative:

Exercise Black and Indigenous Power

We exercise interconnected Black, Indigenous and Brown power and hold King County accountable, with an understanding of processes, barriers and historic practices in order to change them.
The LONG-TERM goal of The Gathering Collaborative must be to dismantle racism and other related abuses and replace with equitable systems that protect and promote the health and well-being of Black and Indigenous People, so that all King County communities thrive.

Center those most harmed by racism

We center those most harmed by racism, to lift all communities. This includes a deep understanding, acknowledgement and commitment to end anti-Blackness and the intentional erasure of Indigenous communities.

Community knows best

We uphold a Gathering Collaborative without guarding information and believe those directly harmed by racism and furthest from opportunity in community, know best.

Immediate money allocation with long term goals

$25 million is both ‘budget dust’ and seed money. It must be shared immediately to provide short term help for those most harmed by racism and worsened by COVID.

The seed money needs to shape long term, antiracist work that impacts and overhauls how the County prioritizes its budget.

King County needs to face the truth

We and our communities are the truthtellers and owners of the legacy, not the County or any other institution.
We face the truth that Black and Indigenous communities are most harmed by systemic racism.

King County commits to changing dynamics

King County and other local governments have done harm. Community leaders and partners know that there are risks to partnering with King County government. The County understands and commits to change this dynamic.
We (the community members of The Gathering Collaborative) will hold King County accountable to act on the recommendations from The Gathering Collaborative by disrupting business as usual and making pathways to racial equity.
We must have commitment to systemwide change, transparency, honesty, and accountability between this Gathering Collaborative and King County government.

Gathering Collaborative Members

The Gathering Collaborative is a space where members experience the power of older and younger generations serving together, grounded in the wisdom of the generations that have come before us and ensuring that the impacts on generations in the future are considered in the ways we think, move, and act. It is a very fluid space, where people contribute where they can and with what capacity they have. Below is a list of members that have contributed to the Gathering Collaborative in various ways:

Alina Santillán
Amelia Bai
Amy Cummings-Garcia
Arleen Marston
Arthi Bhaskaran
Ashleigh Shoecraft
Atelete Makasini
AyeNay Abye
Aziz Chyad
Bereket Kiros
Rev. Bianca Davis-Lovelace
Bronwyn Talaga
Camie Jae Goldhammer
Christina Diego
Clorine Joujen
Danielle Lowe
David Bulindah
David Humphrey
Debbie Lacy
Dr. Julie Vaughn
Edna M. Daigre
Ella M. McRae
Emijah Smith
Emma Medicine White Crow
Erin Lee
Faana Martin
Fathiya Abdi
Florence Adeyemi
Gina Hall
Ginger Kwan
Hattie Steward
Hussein Hadi
Katrina Sanford
James Lovell
Jamila Garrett Bell
Jayden Aubryn
Jayleen Salas
Jean Iannelli Craciun
Jennell Hicks
Jiji Jally
Joseph Seia
Julius Kimani
K. Marie
Karen Wong
Kathleen Chambers
Kelcy Maun
Keleni Tavaiqia
Keri Bartlett Bullocks
Koa Derouin
Kristina Katayama
K. Patricia
Lalita Uppala
Leah Ford
Linda Smith
Lorena Ortigoza
Malie Chanel
Mario Banuelos
Mary Rabourn
Martina Naich
Maya Manus
Meko Lawson
Mirius Wenda
Mohamed Bakr
Mothana Alzubaidi
Patrick Carr
Rebecca Chan
Rosie Tavaiqia
Roxana Pardo Garcia
Savelio Makasini
Shelley Means
Sherronda Jamerson
Starleen Lewis
Steven Lewis
Storme Webber
Trenise Rogers
Whitney Nakamura
Yordanos Teferi
Zahraa Akmoosh

Racism is A Public Health Crisis Co-Chairs
Executive Dow Constantine
Abigail Echo-Hawk
Dr. Ben Danielson

King County Staff Team
Anita Whitfield
April Putney
Arun Sambataro
Devante’ Daniels
Eci Ameh
Kwame Simmons
Michael Padilla Ocampo
Reeni Nair
Sheila Ater Capestany
Stephanie Guzman-Barrera
Will Suarez Gomez
Vazaskia Crockrell
Zac Davis

$25 Million Total in Grants to Address Racism is a Public Health Crisis

Application Portal Now Closed

Following the declaration of Racism is a Public Health Crisis, King County Council allocated $25 million in general funds to advance equitable economic recovery and racial justice through a community-centered, co-creative grantmaking processes.

The Racism is a Public Health Crisis grants portal is closed. The Gathering Collaborative and King County is excited by the tremendous amount of interest and volume of grant applications received. A community review panel has started the review of grant applications. King County anticipates the Gathering Collaborative and King County will jointly announce grant awards tentatively in June.

Grant documents:

Grant Program Overview

Invitational Document

General Grant Application - $25M Grants to Start to Address Racism as a Public Health Crisis (View application in PDF form). Application closed.

Capacity-Building Grants for Community Service Providers Application - $25M Grants to Start to Address Racism as a Public Health Crisis (View application in PDF form). Application closed.

Small Business Grant Application - $25M Grants to Start to Address Racism as a Public Health Crisis (View application in PDF form). Application closed.

Physical Infrastructure Grant Application - $25M Grants to Start to Address Racism as a Public Health Crisis (View application in PDF form). Application closed.

Glossary of Key Terms and Definitions.

Frequently Asked Questions

These frequently asked questions (FAQs) come from questions received via email and during our informational sessions hosted in February 2023. It will be updated regularly as we receive more questions and is subject to change.

Review the Frequently Asked Questions.

Watch the budget template tutorial

Informational Sessions

Informational Session February 8, 2023

Informational Session February 11, 2023

View video recording of Zoom session

Small Business Webinar March 6, 2023

Budget Template Tutorial for Racism is a Public Health Crisis Grants from King County Executive on Vimeo.

Technical Assistance Resources

It is important to us to make this grant process as welcoming and easy as possible for all applicants, with a goal to support those organizations and businesses with the greatest needs for technical assistance and capacity building, who focus on serving local Black and/or Indigenous communities.

Our Technical Assistance and Capacity Building partners are available to help with the following activities from January 31 to April 11, 2023:

Grant writing and grant budget development
Accounting
Grant management
Designing data collection methods
Strategic planning

Want to request Technical Assistance and Capacity Building services? Click below to email:
In your email, please include your name, your business' or organization's name, the best contact information to reach you, and the type of help you need from the technical assistance provider. We will strive to connect you to a provider in 1-2 business days.

Request small business technical assistance

Request non-profit and grassroots organization technical assistance

Who are our Technical Assistance and Capacity Building partners?

Organizations and businesses of the following type and size are highly encouraged to use technical assistance resources:

ORGANIZATION TYPE:	ORGANIZATION SIZE:
Community-rooted, grassroots groups and organizations, with a fiscal sponsor currently registered as a business or non-profit with Washington State. OR Non-profits currently registered with Washington State	Equal to or less than $100,000 in annual total revenue OR 3 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
Businesses currently registered with Washington State, including all proper, applicable licenses and permits. This includes corporations, LLCs, general and limited partnerships, and sole proprietorships. In business since at or before January 1, 2022	Equal to or less than $1,000,000 in gross annual total revenue OR 5 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

Grant Priorities

Together, The Gathering Collaborative and King County aim to invest in a wide range of services, programs, operations, community advocacy efforts, and physical infrastructure designed and delivered through community-based service providers and businesses that move the needle on the established grantmaking priorities.

Learn more about each funding priority by using the accordions below.

Health and Wellness Investments

1. Increase investments in and improve wraparound services to provide family and community-based approach to mental and physical health focused on the whole community, and the whole person
2. Invest in and increase culturally rooted, community-rooted mental health providers, services, and/or entities
3. Invest in and improve Black and Indigenous healthcare and wellness overall
4. Increase resources / funds for Healthy Aging support by increasing and creating multigenerational spaces, activities, use of arts toward social justice, health literacy services, and education around medical language (an umbrella of services)
5. Increase investments in efforts that center and advance Black and Indigenous joy, play, wellness, mental health, and resilience
6. Increase and improve access to culturally appropriate, reflective, and rooted services for reproductive, women's rights
7. Improve support for family caregivers that strengthen networks of care
8. Improve and increase youth safety
9. Invest in environmental justice and recognize that it is interconnected to climate change based on where Black and Indigenous communities live, work, play, and pray
10. Invest in resources that improve health of Black and Indigenous birthing people and after birth for the birther and baby
11. Acknowledge and repair harm done to Black and Indigenous women
12. Acknowledge and address various types of system violence that disproportionally affect Black and Indigenous women, LGBTQ2S people as victims of sexual assault

Economic Stability and Strengthening

Increase support and utilization of banks, businesses, educational entities, philanthropy whose work are led by and that serve Black and Indigenous communities
Increase investments in entrepreneurship opportunities for Black and Indigenous women
Help youth get better education and allow them to build leadership and cognitive skills
Support new and developing entrepreneurship in Black and Indigenous communities
Provide a social safety net to be able to support people in meeting their material needs

Housing

Ensure housing resources are equitably distributed particularly to Black and Indigenous homeless community members
Create conditions and places to prioritize housing stability of Black and Indigenous families and individuals and prevent them from going into homelessness in the first place
Relieve financial burden of elders in Black and Indigenous communities who are experiencing gentrification pressures and help keep our elders in the homes that they are in
Acknowledge and repair harm done to Black and Indigenous women

Education

Increase Black and Indigenous representation and leadership in decision-making roles across various healthcare professions and systems through workforce development
Help youth get better education and allow them to build leadership and cognitive skills
Increase access to Black and Indigenous-rooted education opportunities for STEM for Black and Indigenous families and their children
Acknowledge and address various impacts of racism in schools on Black and Indigenous young people
Invest in and/or increase access to mentors, field trips, afterschool snacks and activities, etc.
Support new and developing entrepreneurship in Black and Indigenous communities
Improve, increase access to and investment in arts and culture for our Black and Indigenous youth

Power and Capacity Building

Increase Black and Indigenous representation and leadership in decision-making roles across various healthcare professions and systems through workforce development
Reduce the burden on community of receiving funding, including reporting requirements
Help youth get better education and allow them to build leadership and cognitive skills
Increase tracking and transparency of how funding is being directed (revisit if done toward our health and wellness)
Invest in and increase community defined, built, and owned culturally rooted data gathering and research
Grow regional advocacy and power to continue this work
Improve, increase access to and investment in arts and culture for our Black and Indigenous youth

Grant Categories and Criteria

Four grant categories will be available to applicants based on the organization type and size, and each category has both general and specific eligibility criteria. Use the accordion function below to view specific criteria for each grant category and application.

General Eligibility Language and Criteria

Organizations who are doing the work in community as described and meet the minimum criteria below are eligible to apply for funding. All organizations that meet the minimum eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply.

To be eligible, your community-led organization must be:

Located and operating in King County OR
Primarily and directly serving King County residents

AND your organization must be:

Dismantling systemic racism and working to undo its harms to address the public health crisis;
Able to show their deep roots in local Black and/or Indigenous communities (see focus populations) through their effective connections, partnerships, and accountability within the communities;
Reflective of the Black and/or Indigenous communities they serve as indicated by how they center their work in traditions, cultural practices, and approaches to providing services; and
Able to advance the priorities and well-being of these communities who are most harmed by racism (see Focus Populations).

AND your organization must be of one of the following types (depending on the grant category):

Non-profits currently registered with Washington State
Businesses currently registered with Washington State, including all proper, applicable licenses and permits. This includes corporations, LLCs, general and limited partnerships, and sole proprietorships.
Community-rooted, grassroots groups and organizations, with a fiscal sponsor currently registered as a business or non-profit with Washington State. Fiscal sponsors will be required to sign the grant agreement with the County. Fiscal sponsors may also apply on behalf of grassroots groups.

General Grants for Community Service Providers

Community-led organizations of one of the following types:

Non-profits currently registered with Washington State OR
Community-rooted, grassroots groups and organizations, with a fiscal sponsor currently registered as a business or non-profit with Washington State.

AND of the following size:

More than $100,000 in total annual revenue OR
4 or more full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

Total available funding for this category: $9,563,000

Minimum award: $100,000

Maximum award: up to 50% of the highest total annual revenue during 2019-2022 OR $550,000 -- whichever amount is lower.

Capacity-Building Grants for Community Service Providers