What is the Solidarity Fund?
The Coalition created the Solidarity Fund in the Spring of 2020 as a rapid response to the COVID19 pandemic, and the clear and disproportionate threats of this crisis to people experiencing homelessness. Phase I and Phase II have been completed.
The Coalition seeks to provide emergency financial supports to organizations that serve people who are experiencing homelessness in King County. The Coalition is looking to fill in the system gaps where the current COVID-19 related funding streams do not provide clear or obtainable options. These funds are not designed to support core operational functions. Instead, the Coalition is looking to provide micro-aid to help address emergent health and safety related issues caused by the ongoing pandemic conditions.
The Coalition is pleased to share the Solidarity Fund Phase II grantees. The goal of these funds was to provide emergency financial supports to organizations that serve people who are experiencing homelessness in King County. The Coalition awarded a total of $48,000 to the following organizations:
Babies of Homelessness
Black Trans Task Force Lavender Rights Project
Community Lunch on Capitol Hill
Elizabeth Gregory Home
Immanuel Community Services
Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness
Muslim Community Resource Center
Real Change Homeless Empowerment Project
Real Escape from the Sex Trade
Restore and Repair Missionary Outreach
Seattle Compassion Services
Snoqualmie Valley Shelter Services
St. Stephen Housing Association
The People’s Harm Reduction Alliance
The Waystation
Unify Seattle
Donate to our Solidarity Fund:
Select “Solidarity Fund” on our donation page as the gift designation.
Questions? Please email solidarity@homelessinfo.org
What can funds be used for?
Funds are intended to support programming and direct services, or bolster internal operations to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tell us what you need to do your work.
We will consider requests to fund tangible goods, supplies, and direct services up to $5,000. Requests over $5,000 will be considered on a case-by-case basis as our funding pool allows.
Our members have first-hand knowledge about homelessness and the strengths and gaps in services and systems. This grounds our work in reality. The Solidarity Fund is intended to respond to that reality and improve life, health, and safety for people in our community NOW. We will continue to advocate for massive, coordinated, and effective government response and strengthened public policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
Administration: We will draw a 10% administrative fee from the funding pool to cover costs to the Coalition of administering these grants.
Applicants must:
- Be either 501c3 or fiscally sponsored.
- Provide direct services (outreach, shelter, day or hygiene services) or rent-restricted affordable housing to people who are homeless or who were formerly homeless, live in King County, and are living at or below 30% of the area median income.
- Have a clear plan and the capacity to spend funds within 90 days.
Applications will be prioritized by:
- Coalition member organizations [Membership dues are sliding scale and current ability to pay full dues should not be a barrier to membership. Please see our Membership page here.].
- Organizations with budgets of under $1,500,000 (we will consider requests from larger organizations but wish to prioritize smaller entities).
- Organizations that serve people who are currently without housing or shelter or people at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 or suffering severe health consequences if they do.
- Organizations that focus on addressing the issues and experiences faced by BIPOC community members without housing or shelter.
- Proposals that help meet needs not addressed adequately by existing public resources.