Request for Proposals – Facilitating a new grant program for community-based organizations

The Washington Department of Commerce, hereafter called "COMMERCE,” is initiating this Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit Proposals from those qualified and interested in participating in a project to Facilitate the Distribution of Grants to Support Community-Based Organizations During Comprehensive Plan Updates. Recent amendments to RCW 36.70A.190(2) direct COMMERCE to establish financial assistance to community-based organizations for the specific purpose of advancing participation of vulnerable populations and overburdened communities in the planning process. In response to this amendment, Commerce has set aside $5 million a biennium of Climate Commitment Act funds to provide financial assistance to community-based organizations. This funding could be renewed through 2029, which aligns with the current periodic update cycle under the Growth Management Act. The Growth Management Act (GMA) is the comprehensive land use planning framework for counties and cities in Washington. GMA provides direction to local governments on addressing land use, transportation, housing, environment, and other topics. Commerce has information about implementing the GMA at: Washington State Department of Commerce Growth Management. The implementation of the GMA results in a locally-adopted Comprehensive Plan that includes a system of zoning and other development codes to achieve the community goals and policies that were established in the plan. The decisions made through the comprehensive planning process have a long-term impact guiding growth and development over the next 20 years. One of the goals of the GMA established in RCW 36.70A.020(11) is to encourage the involvement of community members in the planning process. As part of the required planning process under the GMA, cities and counties must establish a public participation program with procedures for early and continuous public participation in the development and amendment of comprehensive plans and development regulations. Recent amendments to the public participation goal emphasize the need to include participation of vulnerable populations and overburdened communities as defined in RCW 36.70A.0301 . Participation in this type of policy-making process can be challenging, particularly for communitymembers from vulnerable populations and overburdened communities. Barriers to meaningful engagement are complex and include a range of issues, as articulated by members of the Community Engagement Subcommittee of the Environmental Justice Task Force in Attachment C of the Environmental Justice Task Force: Recommendations for Prioritizing EJ in Washington State Government (October 2020). The goal of the grant is to foster greater participation in local policy decision-making by helping overburdened communities and vulnerable populations to participate more in local comprehensive plan and development regulation updates under the Growth Management Act. This grant program will start as a pilot program (“Pilot”) focusing on Community Based Organizations in jurisdictions with a 2025 due date on their Growth Management Periodic Update including: Clallam, Clark, Island, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Thurston, Whatcom Counties. After assessment of the pilot program, additional funding (Phase 2) will be provided with a focus on Community Based Organizations in jurisdictions with a 2026 due date on their Growth Management Periodic Update including: Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, Douglas, Franklin, Kittitas, Skamania, Spokane, Walla Walla, and Yakima Counties. Future grant funding cycles, if allocated, will focus on Community Based Organizations in jurisdictions with a 2027 due date on their Growth Management Periodic Update.

RFP submissions are due by 4:00 p.m. on April 10, 2024. Send proposals by emailing Natasha.Langer@Commerce.wa.gov.

To find more information please visit Request for Proposals - Facilitating a new grant program for community-based organizations - Washington State Department of Commerce