grant opportunities

Open: July 25, 2025
Closed: August 15, 2025
Notification: September 2, 2025

Preview Grant Questions Here 

Apply Here

At Rick Steves’ Europe, we view travel as a potentially life-changing experience. Teaching good and thoughtful travel is our number one priority. As travel teachers, we inspire people to acquire the skills necessary to make their trip an enjoyable, economical, smooth, and rewarding experience. We strive to be “teachers first,” and encourage travelers, as well as our employees, to be thoughtful, cooperative, and respectful, be open to change and considerate of new ideas, and have a willingness to learn new skills.

Our capacity grant program is intended to enable Snohomish County nonprofits to invest in infrastructure to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their fundraising, finances, leadership, and sustainability. Basically, we want to help you work better.

We understand that many nonprofits focus their resources on supporting their direct service programs, but we believe that with strong and well-supported back offices, nonprofits can increase their capacity to serve the community.

The committee is interested in funding small grass roots organizations who have traditionally been overlooked by grant opportunities in the past.  Organizations with budgets of less than $1,000,000 will be prioritized. Capital expenditures will be considered. BIPOC, refugee, immigrant, migrant and nonprofit leaders with lived experience are encouraged to apply! A maximum grant of $5000 may be awarded.

Grant Criteria

One-time capacity building expenditure (or, if ongoing expense, strong statement of how it will be funded in the future)

For example grants could support the following:

• Technology, Marketing or Business infrastructure
• Volunteer management
• Fundraising software or planning
• Data evaluation and collection
• Websites, computer networks or database development
• Internal systems: accounting and human resources
• Training for new systems (i.e. IT, database)

This grant  will not fund consultants, strategic planning, new staff positions or retreats.

For questions regarding grants or the online grant process, contact Musu@cf-sc.org 

Past awarded grants

Open: August 22, 2025
Closed: September 12, 2025

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Apply Here

The Human Services Endowment Fund, established in 2003, honors the legacy and unwavering commitment of Bob Drewel to advancing human service causes throughout Snohomish County. Managed by the Community Foundation of Snohomish County, this fund provides long-term support for organizations working to meet the critical human service needs of our community.

Eligibility Criteria
Organizations must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, public agencies, school districts, libraries, or parks that offer programs and services within Snohomish County.
• A budget of $2,000,000 and below.
• Each organization may submit only one application per funding cycle.

Grant Focus Areas & Priorities
The Human Services Endowment Fund prioritizes funding in the following areas:

1. Basic Needs (food, clothing, shelter, safety)
   Funding in this area will support programs that address essential needs for populations including:
   • Families
   • Children
   • Youth
   • Seniors
   • Individuals with disabilities
   • LGBTQ+ individuals
2. Human Services
   Preference will be given to small and medium-sized agencies, as well as community-based programs with clear, well-defined needs. This focus area includes:
   • Dental, wellness, or mental health services, including trauma-informed care and programs, especially for marginalized communities.
   • Prevention programs and services targeting pre-teens and teens, as well as programs that support at-risk youth.
   • Programs focused on education, job readiness, and career pathways for youth, especially in under-resourced communities.
   • Services for veterans including but not limited to mental health services, reintegration, and employment support.
3. Services for Individuals with disabilities
   This area focuses on enhancing the well-being and opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including:
   • Health and wellness programs
   • Recreation and enrichment activities
   • Access to services that promote community participation, including mental health support.

This is a two-year grant with the first installment received upon approval of the grant and the second received after submission of a report following the first year of the grant.

Priority will be given to organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to racial equity, social justice, and community empowerment. Special consideration will also be given to organizations that serve historically marginalized or underserved communities.

For any questions regarding the application process or grants, please contact Musu@cf-sc.org.

Past awarded grants

Open: October 10, 2025
Closed: October 31, 2025
Notification: November 18, 2025

At Rick Steves’ Europe, we view travel as a potentially life-changing experience. Teaching good and thoughtful travel is our number one priority. As travel teachers, we inspire people to acquire the skills necessary to make their trip an enjoyable, economical, smooth, and rewarding experience. We strive to be “teachers first,” and encourage travelers, as well as our employees, to be thoughtful, cooperative, and respectful, be open to change and considerate of new ideas, and have a willingness to learn new skills.  Our philanthropic activities support organizations that share the same values. RSE grant decisions are made by a rotating employee committee.

Grant Criteria Eligible organizations: 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations with programs and/or services in Snohomish County. Organizations are limited to one application. Grants will be considered for construction or renovation of senior serving facilities.  Priority will be given to projects that include volunteerism in the project work. Equipment used in the delivery of services for seniors or that allows seniors to maintain independence in their home or community will also be considered. A maximum grant of $5000 may be awarded.

For questions regarding grants or the online grant process, contact Musu@cf-sc.org

Past awarded grants

The Community Foundation of Snohomish County is pleased to announce the opening of the Youth Initiative Grant program, which will offer grants of up to $5,000 each. This year, we are only able to offer funding to a maximum of FOUR organizations. These grants are intended to support youth programming in Snohomish County, and the grants are not renewable for a second year.

Grant Amount Limit
We encourage organizations to limit their grant requests to a maximum of $5,000. Grants above this amount will not be considered for this year. Please ensure that your requested grant amount stays within this limit for your application to be considered.

Eligibility Criteria

• Youth is defined as individuals under the age of 20.
• Most youth programming, including mental health, social services, recreational activities, leadership, mentorship, and similar initiatives, is eligible. Scholarship programs are NOT eligible.
• Funding is available for organizations serving Snohomish County only, and applicants must already have a strong presence in the county.
• As funding is limited, priority will be given to specific types of programs. Please review the priorities below to determine if your program is a good fit.

For assistance in determining whether your grant fits the criteria, please contact Musu@cf-sc.org.

Funding Priorities
Priority will be given to:

• Organizations with budgets of $1 million or less.
• Grants written by youth.Currently running programs that provide support without requiring increased outcomes or expanded services. The goal is to sustain and strengthen existing efforts without the pressure to scale.
• Programs that are tailored to the unique experiences and serve youth who are intersectionally marginalized, such as LGBTQ+ BIPOC youth, immigrant and refugee youth with disabilities, youth living in rural communities etc. Programs of these groups.
• Organizations offering mental health support, including trauma-informed care, peer support networks, or youth-led mental health initiatives that help youth build resilience and coping strategies for dealing with significant stressors.
• Youth-led healing circles or restorative justice programs that focus on community building, cultural resilience, and healing for youth from marginalized backgrounds.
• Organizations that actively involve youth in all aspects of their programming and leadership, including but not limited to policy and program development, advocacy, having youth on committees and/or boards etc.
• Programs that focus on digital literacy, technology access, and online skills development, especially for rural and low-income youth who may have limited access to digital resources.
• Organizations offering arts-based programs, such as music, visual arts, theater, or cultural projects, that allow youth to explore their identities, share their stories, and engage in community-based creative expression.
• Programs that focus on career development, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth, particularly those from low-income or marginalized communities, to help create sustainable pathways for future success.
• Youth-led projects, including community organizing, advocacy, and social impact initiatives that empower youth to drive social change within their communities.
• Programs that pair youth with older adults to promote mutual learning, cultural exchange, and community solidarity.

Past awarded grants

Open: April 25, 2025
Closed: May 16, 2025
Notification: June 3, 2025

Preview Grant Questions Here 

Apply Here

At Rick Steves’ Europe, we view travel as a potentially life-changing experience. Teaching good and thoughtful travel is our number one priority. As travel teachers, we inspire people to acquire the skills necessary to make their trip an enjoyable, economical, smooth, and rewarding experience. We strive to be “teachers first,” and encourage travelers, as well as our employees, to be thoughtful, cooperative, and respectful, be open to change and considerate of new ideas, and have a willingness to learn new skills.

Our philanthropic activities support organizations that share the same values. Accordingly, our grant program intends to strengthen policies and systems to improve health, social, racial, and economic outcomes by focusing on places, policies, and systems changes in Snohomish County that address racial equity. The committee is particularly interested in improving systems for people in underserved communities and in bolstering the capacity of organizations serving those communities. We encourage public and private sector partnership for social change. Understanding that social problems are products of networks of cause and effect at a policy and structural level, we focus on advancing systems change as the most effective way to achieve racial equity and opportunity. School districts, nonprofits, cities and public agencies serving Snohomish County residents may apply. Capital expenses, direct services and programs are NOT considered for funding for this grant. A maximum grant of $5000 may be awarded.

Grant applications submitted from BIPOC, immigrant, and refugee-led nonprofits are encouraged to apply and will be prioritized during the grant review process. We also encourage nonprofits that lead with lived experience to apply.

Grant Criteria

For example, grants could support the following:

• Internal training for boards and staff
• Community engagement and outreach
• Legal services
• Policy analysis and development
• Training and education
• Collaboration and partnership efforts
• Research and evaluation

For questions regarding grants or the online grant process, contact Musu@cf-sc.org

Past awarded grants