Funders

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic nonprofit institution with five core areas of focus, one of which is in measuring municipal government performance that objectively measure outcomes that matter to ordinary citizens (performance assessment).  They also encourage the use of the internet to enable citizens to make service requests of their local governments. 

The approach taken by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation emphasizes "public involvement to ensure that what is measured and reported is what matters to citizens and is not corrupted by the natural tendency of officeholders and government professionals to report favorable outcomes."

With over 50 percent of American households having access to the Internet and this number growing rapidly, the web could be a powerful tool for connecting citizens to their governments.  The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is encouraging the creation of interactive websites that enable citizens to make service requests directly to their local governments and that can be used to measure the performance of the government agencies.

City of Seattle Office of Economic Development (Free the Trees)

The City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development awarded a $20,000 business district improvement grant to the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce.  This was the single largest grant awarded to a group.  Although the grant was awarded to the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce, it was a very collaborative effort between memebers of the Chamber and Greenwood and Phinney Ridge Community Councils, Greenwood Elementary, and individuals from the community.  At the request of the Chamber and other civic leaders involved in the project, Sustainable Seattle is acting as program manager of the project.  The project began in June 2004 and will be completed by Fall, 2005. 

City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (Asset-Based Neighborhood Development)

The Department of Neighborhoods, through its Small and Simple Grant, awarded almost $15,000 to Sustainable Seattle and its partner neighborhoods, Capitol Hill, Greenwood-Phinney Ridge, International District, and North Beacon Hill to be trained by professionals from the ABCD Institute on collecting assets and then to conduct further trainings in each of the four neighborhoods to other community leaders, and finally, to conduct the surveys themselves.   The project began in April and will conclude by October, 2005.

The Seattle Foundation (Healthy Neighborhoods Survey)

Through its Better Tomorrow initiative, The Seattle Foundation awarded Sustainable Seattle $15,000 to conduct community interviews in 10 Seattle neighborhoods to better understand community priorities related to neighborhood health and sustainability.  The interview project began in August 2005 and concluded in December 2005.  The Seattle Foundation launched its Better Tomorrow initiative to identify, analyze and support elements that make a healthy community and illustrate how those elements are enhanced and have greater effect when more people organize and work together to strengthen the quality of life in King County.

Technology Partner

The Fund for the City of New York
S2 teamed with the Fund for the City of New York and the National Center for Civic Innovation, the New York-based non-profit that helped create Computerized Neighborhood Environment Tracking or ComNET^sm.  This technology is currently being used in a variety of cities to help citizens develop performance measures around quality of life in neighborhoods.   ComNETsm is easy to use.  Community volunteers can be trained in just a few hours to use the hand-held computers.  Digital cameras attached to the computer provide another way for information to be documented.  Once field data is collected, the information is uploaded to a website maintained by the Fund for the City of New York, from which high quality reports can be produced.  (link to map) These reports can be used to help community members understand the range of neighborhood concerns.  Because each condition is automatically associated with a responsible City agency, ComNETsm helps citizens navigate an often bureaucratic and confusing system for getting action.  Neighborhood groups can also use these reports to outline priorities and develop strategies for both citizens and government to make the necessary improvements.

Computerized Neighborhood Environment Tracking (ComNET^sm)
ComNET^sm, Computerized Neighborhood Environment Tracking, developed by the Fund for the City of New York, Center for Municipal Government Performance, allows community organizations to easily collect street level conditions with the use of handheld computers. Conditions such as graffiti, potholes, vacant buildings, and litter are common concerns for all neighborhoods, and with the use of ComNET^sm, communities can now track these conditions, quickly generate reports, and report them to government.

Community Partners

Columbia City Business Association
The Columbia City Business Association (CCBA) is a group of local business owners, commercial property owners, and residents working to foster communication and cooperation in Columbia City.  Major projects of the CCBA include:

• Beautification, streetscape improvements, and clean ups
• Cooperative marketing to bring customers to the business district
• Promoting the district to bring in new businesses
• Safety
• Special events to promote a strong sense of community

They meet the first Tuesday of each month and are best known for the BeatWalk that attracts large numbers to the district to sample music and good food.

East Ballard Community Association

The East Ballard Community Association (EBCA) is a group of residents and landowners dedicated to improving the quality of life and work in the East Ballard neighborhood.  EBCA represents an area north of Leary Way, south of NW 72nd Street, east of 15th Avenue NW and west of 3rd Avenue NW.  Since the early 1990's, they have been involved in street tree planting and neighborhood clean-ups.  Recently, they have identified a portion of 14th Avenue NW as a street whose improvement could make a significant and lasting impact on the neighborhood.  EBCA has partnered with Groundswell NW, an organization that supports a number of community-based projects located in the northwest sector of the city of Seattle. 

14th Avenue Visioning Project

14th Ave NW is a one-mile boulevard located in the East Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, WA. This boulevard runs from the ship canal of Salmon Bay to Ballard High School and is home to a wide variety of businesses and residents.

The goal of the 14th Ave NW Visioning Project is to engage the entire community in the immediate vicinity of the boulevard in order to develop a consensus vision for safety, aesthetic, and functional improvements to the avenue.

Admiral Neighborhood Association (ANA)

The Admiral Neighborhood Association (ANA) is a grassroots organization that was created to combine the efforts of the Admiral Planning Coalition, the Admiral Community Council, the Admiral District business owners and other involved members of the Admiral neighborhood.

The ANA carries on the tradition of community-focused work in the Admiral Neighborhood through the continued stewardship of the Admiral Neighborhood Plan, the reinforcement of the Admiral residential urban village Design Guidelines, and many other neighborhood concerns.  The ANA consists of a group of dedicated, concerned Admiral Neighbors who not only love the community, but feel compelled to be proactive in their efforts to maintain the high quality of life for future generations.

The purpose of the Association is to:

1. Build, strengthen and maintain relationships between residents, businesses and other community members,
2. Create opportunities for people to participate in projects which benefit the community,
3. Steward and maintain oversight on the implementation of the Admiral Residential Urban Village Plan,
4. Provide a community forum to coordinate with the City and other entities, and;
5. Act as a clearinghouse for neighborhood information to the community, including historical information, local resources, and current events.

Greenwood Community Council
The Greenwood Community Council has operated continuously for years and represents the greater Greenwood area — approximately 75th to 105th, Aurora Avenue to 8th Avenue NW.  The Council meets monthly, regularly hosts public forums, maintains a website at greenwoodnews.net, an e-mail announcement list of over 200 residents, and an e-mail discussion list of over 100 residents.  The Community Council is the forum through which the community works to enhance the quality of the neighborhood and influence new development.

Greater Lake City Community Council (GLCCC) Originally, the North District Neighborhoods Stewardship Committee formed in 1999 when the North District Neighborhoods Plan was adopted.  The members were focused on implementing the neighborhood plan, especially the development of a civic core center for Lake City and making a successful Hub Urban Village.  This resulted in working with the City of Seattle on a library expansion; relocation and upgrade of a neighborhood service center; rescuing surplused public property and returning it to public use; the start up of a Farmer's Market; redevelopment of the Lake City Mini-Park; development of a new public gathering space on 30^th Avenue NE including public art; SR522 improvements; development of a new park on 33^rd Avenue NE; and influencing large, new developments within the Hub Urban Village.   Recently members decided to expand their focus to include local issues and restructure to be eligible for grants and other fund sources.  In addition, they wanted to ensure neighborhoods without community councils would still be represented to the City of Seattle and other agencies, but eventually empowering them to address their own needs.  They changed their name to Greater Lake City Community Council.  They serve the area bounded by 15^th Ave NE to the west, NE 145^th, to the north, Lake Washington to the east, and NE 95^th to the south. 

Phinney Ridge Community Council
The Phinney Ridge Community Council was incorporated in 1982 as a not for profit organization dedicated to the physical development and social enhancement of the Ridge and its residents quality of life. The bylaws were amended a few years ago to recognize the importance of community preservation, as well as development.  The PRCC meets monthly, elects officers and a 12 member board. Board members serve 2 year terms; officers can change annually. According to its bylaws, all residents within the boundaries of Phinney (75th - 46th and Aurora to 8th NW) are automatically considered members. Communication of meeting agenda and other announcements of activities occur primarily through email and the use of our web site. The PRCC committee structure adapts to issues as they arise. Standing committees include Transportation, Zoo Relations, and Land Use. The PRCC was involved in development of the Greenwood-Phinney Neighborhood Plan and the Council VP is one of the plan stewards. Members of the PRCC have, over the years, directed very successful community development projects using Matching Fund Grants including two large mural projects (which remain fresh and vital today) and the outstanding 59th Street Park. The PRCC prepared one of the first Neighborhood Traffic Calming Plans in the city, and continues to work with Seattle Department of Transportation on its implementation.

Phinney Neighborhood Association
The Phinney Neighborhood Association is a non-profit community organization founded in 1980 by Phinney neighbors to build community. The PNA provides and promotes programs, services and activities aimed at encouraging connections between neighbors and fostering civic involvement in our diverse community.

Headquartered in a restored elementary school building, the PNA has developed an active community center that not only serves as a focus of Seattle's Phinney/Greenwood neighborhood, but offers a wide variety of programs and activities open to anyone in the Puget Sound region.  

Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce is to stimulate the growth and development of a thriving business community. The Chamber is committed to being a leader in business advocacy, education and development.

To fulfill this mission, the Chamber needs the support of all businesses in our special area of Seattle. The Chamber is what we make of it: everyone's ideas, participation and active membership are needed to help our business community grow and prosper.   

Capitol Hill Community Council
The Capitol Hill Community Council (CHCC) was founded in 1968 by residents wanting to work together on neighborhood issues, specifically those related to land use and quality of life. The CHCC has participated in several neighborhood planning activities in conjunction with the City of Seattle over the years, and our neighborhood has been used an example of a successful urban village in planning dialogues at the municipal level. The CHCC has been a past award recipient of Neighborhood Matching Funds for projects ranging from public art to landscaping and street improvements. We have chosen to participate in this application since it meshes well with the other activities our organization has been working on, and changes which are pending in our land use code.
 
The CHCC is a member of the East District Council, the East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition, the Capitol Hill Stewardship Council and has worked most recently with both the City of Seattle and Sound Transit, as well as other neighborhood organizations on a variety of events and initiatives.

North Beacon Hill Community Council
The mission of the North Beacon Hill Council is to provide opportunities for North Beacon Hill community residents and business persons to participate in community involvement activities and to provide an open and effective forum for citizen initiation, review and recommendations to the Seattle City Council and other agencies on matters as they relate to the people of the North Beacon Hill Community.

The boundaries of the council area are defined by Interstate 90 to the north, I-5 to the west, South Graham Street to the south, and Rainier Ave. S. and Martin Luther King Jr. Way to the east.

The council holds public meetings on the second Tuesday of each month, and membership is open to all persons residing, owning property or owning/operating a business in the North Beacon Hill community.  Voting rights are established by attending one (1) meeting of the council. 

Accomplishments

• Sponsors of an annual “Picnic in the Park”, with over 1,000 people in attendance in 2004
• Active advocates for public safety through involvement in the Southeast Crime Prevention Council, serving on the Southeast Precinct Advisory Board, serving on the Secure Community Transitional Facility Operational Advisory Board, testifying at city council regarding safety issues that affect our neighborhood, conducting group safety walks, painting out graffiti.
• Adopt-A-Street sponsor for over 5 years, conducting quarterly neighborhood litter pickup, with addition of graffiti paint out this past year
• Established joint Committee of Chamber of Commerce and community council to address light rail construction issues and mitigation
• Redesigned community website, developed and maintained by the North Beacon Hill Council, to increase awareness of community involvement opportunities and community resources

The North Beacon Hill Council works closely with Sound Transit to ensure minimal disruption to the community during the construction of the Beacon Hill tunnel/transit station.  Because of this construction, and the recent opening of our new library, the “look and feel” of the neighborhood is changing rapidly.  As a result, the council has organized a committee that is working to draw up a set of neighborhood development guidelines.  We surveyed participants at the annual Beacon Hill Community Festival as to their favorite buildings on Beacon Hill so that these structures, which are representative of the Hill, might be used as baseline structures for future development. 

We have a close relationship with the SE Precinct, Seattle Police Department, and members of that organization attend our meetings as time and situations allow.  Two council members sit on the Southeast Precinct Advisory Board.  Members of the safety committee “walk” the neighborhood, reporting any suspicious activity to the police. 

International District Housing Alliance
The mission of International District Housing Alliance (IDHA) is to improve the quality of life of Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) of Greater Seattle by providing community-building and low-income housing related services.  IDHA started in 1975 as a grassroots community group that organized low-income residents of the International District in Seattle.  Since establishing its 501(c)(3) status in 1979, IDHA has grown tremendously to serve approximately 2,500 clients a year through a variety of programs that all encompass education, advocacy, translation, and interpretation. 

IDHA's Wilderness Inner-City Leadership Development Program

Wilderness Inner-city Leadership Development (WILD).  High school-age youth participants were trained alongside with eight to ten elders on asset-based neighborhood mapping, and worked together to identify community strengths.  Youth play the key role of being a conduit of information – translating trainings (conducted in English) into multiple Asian languages so that elders can participate equally in such civic engagement activities.  WILD youth participants, 85% of whom are limited-English speaking recent immigrants, then have the opportunity to improve their outreach and education skills, as well as maintain knowledge of their native language and culture.  Furthermore, technology savvy youth participants are able to provide their assistance in helping elders to understand how computers and software can be used to track neighborhood strengths.

Inter*Im
The purpose of Inter*Im is to fascilitate community development in Seattle's International District and the larger Asian/Pacific community. Inter*Im's approach is to work with the entire community to encourage community based revitalization through the following areas:
• Community Development Planning and Advocacy
• Affordable Housing Development
• Community Economic Development
• Public Policy Advocacy
• Establish and Support To Community-Based Organizations
• Danny Woo International District Community Garden
• Community Parking Programs

Uptown Alliance

The mission of the five-year-old Uptown Alliance is to promote a sustainable, civil, and enjoyable environment in Uptown for residents, businesses and visitors.  The Alliance implements recommendations proposed for the Uptown Urban Center in the 1999 Queen Anne Neighborhood Plan.  The Alliance also studies and considers other proposals for the betterment of our neighborhood.  Ten elected officers form the Executive Committee.  Average attendance at the monthly meetings is 25.

Since the Alliance was founded in 1999, three additional Uptown organizations have been “incubated” by Uptown Alliance.  The Uptown Stroll art event, Arts for Uptown, and the Uptown Alliance Funding Oversight Committee have specific missions.  The Alliance is a member of the “Good Neighbor” group organized to work with the staff at Seattle Center.

The Alliance does outreach from the Uptown Neighborhood Center (UNC) at 157 Roy Street.  Five non-profits, the Queen Anne/Magnolia Neighborhood Service Center, and offices of two local elected officials are co-located at the UNC.  More than twenty community groups utilize the free UNC’s free meeting rooms.  A synergy among these tenants enriches each individual organization.  Two free computers provided through the Neighborhood Service Center at UNC draw a diverse population.

Wallingford Community Council (WCC)
The Wallingford Community Council (WCC) provides a place, a process, and a forum for engagement to address neighborhood opportunities, challenges and issues.  WCC focuses energies on activities that will 1) improve Wallingford’s physical environment, 2) foster a strong and vibrant community spirit in Wallingford, and 3) allows them to act in concert with other organizations and neighborhoods.  Community based organizations with whom they work closely or have partnered with in the past include many Wallingford retailers and businesses through the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce, FamilyWorks, Wallingford Boys & Girls Club, Wallingford Community Senior Center, University House at Wallingford, and various organizations in the Good Shepherd Center including Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority.  WCC maintains close contact with the University community and the University of Washington through its appointed representative to CUCAC (City/University Community Advisory Committee), and with Woodland Park Zoo, Lincoln High School and the North Seattle Precinct Advisory Committees.  WCC unanimously agreed that the SUNI project offers much for our community, and also recognizes that identification of indicators will be a community driven endeavor, requiring representation from a broad cross-section of our neighborhood - a diverse and representative set of community stakeholders.

Seattle City Agency Partners

Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)
SDOT plans for, builds, maintains and operates Seattle's $8 billion transportation infrastructure. To further Mayor Nickels' goal to get Seattle moving, the department manages short- and long-term transportation investments that connect the city with the region.

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU)
Seattle Public Utilities provides more than 1.3 million customers in King County with a reliable water supply, as well as essential sewer, drainage, and solid waste services for the City of Seattle.

Office of Economic Development (OED)
The office works to maximize Seattle's potential as a thriving hub for businesses, jobs, robust neighborhoods and economic opportunity for everyone in our city.

OED is committed to creating a vibrant economy which benefits the whole city by promoting access to economic opportunities for all of Seattle's diverse communities. Their business development efforts seek to create jobs and foster a diverse array of industry sectors. The “Business Advocate” helps individual businesses get their projects done. OED's community development programs are revitalizing Seattle's distinctive and diverse neighborhoods. Their work force development initiatives meet the needs of low-income job seekers and employers.

Office of Sustainability and the Environment (OSE)
OSE collaborate with City agencies, business groups, nonprofits, and others to improve our quality of life by protecting Seattle’s distinctive urban environment. Through a variety of initiatives, OSE strives to improve the efficiency of City services and to encourage residents, businesses, and households to do the same. The purpose of this office is to inspire people and organizations to make Seattle a model of healthy, environmentally sustainable urban living.

Department of Neighborhoods (DON)
The Department of Neighborhoods works to bring government closer to the residents of Seattle by engaging them in civic participation, helping them become empowered to make positive contributions to their communities, and by involving more of Seattle’s under-represented residents, including communities of color and immigrants, in civic discourse, processes, and opportunities. The Department of Neighborhoods has five major operating functions: Administration and Historic Preservation, Community Building, Operations and Customer Service (includes the Citizens Service Bureau), Office for Education, and Research and Prevention.

Department of Planning and Development (DPD)
The Department of Planning and Development* (DPD) develops, administers and enforces standards for land use, design, construction and housing within the Seattle city limits. DPD is also responsible for long-range planning, including Seattle's Comprehensive Plan and related projects-transportation improvements, neighborhood business revitalization, downtown and waterfront planning, and more.

DPD's work affects many aspects of the city. From the structural elements of a house, to the design of new buildings, to the parking spaces available at an apartment building, to the future of the Central Waterfront, DPD planners, reviewers and inspectors are working every day to protect and enhance Seattle's natural and built environment.

Department of Information Technology (DOIT)
The Department of Information Technology (DoIT) manages the City’s information technology infrastructure and performs strategic IT planning. The department: coordinates strategic technology direction for the City, developing common standards, architectures, and business solutions to deliver City services more efficiently and effectively; builds and operates the City’s corporate communications and computing assets, which include the City’s telephone, radio and email systems, networks and servers; and oversees development of the Democracy Portal, a project to improve the City of Seattle’s government access television station and its accompanying web site by providing new programming, live Web streaming of City Council meetings, live "webcasting" and interactive services that make it easier for citizens to access government information and decision makers.

Citizen Service Bureau
The Citizens Service Bureau exists to help you get information, solve problems, or resolve complaints regarding any City of Seattle department.

Other Collaborators

ABCD Institute Partnership

In partnership with Northwestern University's Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute, the Asset-Based Community Development Training Group has developed a program designed for neighborhood professionals and community leaders familiar with ABCD basic principles. John Kretzmann and John McKnight published "Building Communities from the Inside Out" in 1993, which inspired a wide variety of local community-building work across America.

The ABCD Training Group is a national non-profit created by senior members of the national ABCD Institute faculty to respond to this growing need for training and ongoing consultation on local ABCD projects. John Kretzmann and John McKnight endorse the effort and serve as advisors to the Training Group.