PLANNERS' NEWSLETTER SPECIAL FUNDING EDITION
 Welcome to a Special Edition of our Planners' Newsletter devoted to current and upcoming funding opportunities for planning work.
Periodic Update Grants
Commerce sent out notices on July 1 reminding cities and counties with 2025 due dates on their periodic update (See?RCW 36.70A.130(5)(b)) that formula grant funding is now available. This continues the periodic update grant funding that started with the 2024 jurisdictions last year.? Additional funding will be announced in the future for those cities with periodic update schedules in 2026 and 2027. We invite you to review these funding amounts and eligible grant activities on our GMS Grants webpage.
The current round of funding is expected to be carried on each biennium through the full periodic update cycle ending in 2027. Cities and counties may start seeking reimbursement on their grant up to two years ahead of their periodic update due date, however costs accrued in a given fiscal biennium must be submitted to Commerce before the end of that fiscal year. For the current funding cycle, the due date is June 30, 2024.
Middle housing grant funding now open
Commerce has $4.5 million in funding to help cities address the requirements of House Bill 1110 (2023) for the current 2023-25 biennium. Jurisdiction not subject to HB 1110 may also apply for grant funds to support middle housing related work, although funding priority is given to the communities that must implement HB 1110.
The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 at 5:00 PM.
TODAY: An informational pre-application meeting is taking place?via Zoom?from 1:30-2:30 p.m. today - Aug. 17.
More information and materials:
Questions?? Contact Dave Osaki at [email protected]
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CHIP Grants open through Oct. 31
Commerce has $55.5 million available in competitive funding for the ?Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program? (CHIP) grant. CHIP funds the infrastructure to connect a new affordable housing project to water, sewer and stormwater systems. CHIP also reimburses local governments for waiving part or all of the per unit utility connection fees (system development charges) for connecting to regional drinking water, sewer or stormwater systems.
The application deadline for this funding cycle is 5 p.m.?October 31, 2023.
Commerce will host a CHIP pre-application webinar on at 1 p.m.?Aug. 22.?
Eligible applicants must be a city, county or public utility in partnership with an affordable housing project.
Learn more about CHIP at www.commerce.wa.gov/CHIP.
Questions? Contact Eric Guida at Eric [email protected].
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Climate grants for 2023-2025 and beyond
Commerce has $30 million available in climate planning grants for implementing House Bill 1181 (2023) in the current biennium. Funding for each jurisdiction is based on applicability?(RCW 36.70A.040 (4)). To see how much is available for your jurisdiction, consult the 2023 Climate Grant Instructions linked below.
The application deadline for this funding cycle is 5 p.m.?Oct. 31, 2023.
There will be a climate grant pre-application meeting on Zoom?from 10 - 11 a.m.?Aug. 24.??
Eligible applicants must be a fully planning city or county that is required to adopt a climate element consistent with HB 1181.
Grant funding must be used to adopt comprehensive plan policy and development regulations implementing HB1181 or for planning related activities associated with HB 1181.
Application Materials:
For more information, visit our?climate planning webpage.
Questions?
Contact our climate team at?[email protected].
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DCCA funding update
The Defense Community Compatibility Account (DCCA) is excited to be partnering with the Oak Harbor School District as part of the Crescent Elementary School and Hand in Hand Early Learning Center projects. Oak Harbor School District applied for DCCA grant funding in 2022 and was awarded $13.6 million for the Crescent Elementary School project and $13.9 million for the Hand in Hand Early Learning Center.? Both projects will support educational efforts and enhance compatibility between Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) and surrounding communities.
The DCCA awarded more than $35 million to seven projects as part of the 2023-25 biennium, all of which will improve compatibility between military installations across Washington and surrounding communities.
Next opportunity to apply
The DCCA will accept new applicants in 2024 as part of the 2025 biennium.? To learn more, please visit the DCCA Website or contact Program Manager Mike Cahill at [email protected].
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Future funding
Commerce is working to open additional grant programs for Salmon Recovery and Tribal Climate Adaptation in the near future. Stay tuned for more information on these grants in future newsletters.
Sandy Williams Connecting Communities grant program
WSDOT is seeking projects for the second year of The Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program (SWCC). As part of the ?Move Ahead Washington? transportation package, approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Inslee in March of 2022, ESSB 5974 (2022) provides $50 million over five years to:
- Repair transportation inequities by directing investments to environmentally overburdened, vulnerable, and underserved communities
- Improve access to community destinations and services
- Provide contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses and community-based organizations
The program name honors Sandy Williams, a Black community activist who worked tirelessly to reconnect her Spokane neighborhood after the construction of Interstate 90 split it in half. The SWCC can fund projects such as walkways, bikeways, trails, crossings and neighborhood greenways in any project phase from planning through construction.
Once awarded, SWCC funds can be leveraged as a local match funding for federal funds including RAISE Grants, Safe Streets for All grants, Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program grants, and WSDOT-administered federal funding sources. Additionally, funds can bring resources to projects where state agencies such as the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB), regional or local funding cannot fully meet needs.
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Ecology AHPG Grant
Have an affordable housing project in the works? Ecology's new affordable housing planning grants (AHPG) can help. Funding is available to public, private, and nonprofit entities that are considering cleaning up a contaminated site with affordable housing as the end use.
Review the criteria in the?2023?25 affordable housing planning grant guidelines?to learn if your project is eligible.?If you have questions about a potential affordable housing development project and whether it qualifies for a grant, please contact the Project Manager and Grant Manager listed at the bottom of the AHPG webpage.
To take advantage of this funding cycle, you must submit a completed application through Ecology's Administration of Grants & Loans (EAGL) by 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.?
Check out Ecology's?Affordable Housing Planning Grant?webpage for instructions on how to apply. EAGL Instructions for 2023-25 AHPGs.
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