Rick Steves’ Europe Fund-Racial Equity Grant Criteria
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.
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 (We encourage nonprofits to submit requests for internal training for diverse-led nonprofit boards to increase their capacity to foster systemic change, and evaluate racial/social biases’. We also encourage nonprofits to apply for diversity, equity, and inclusion training that will allow board members to revisit, update, and implement their strategic or community outreach plan.)
- Community engagement and outreach Geographic diversity (Ex. Nonprofits who serve/located in rural or urban communities) is important when considering the needs of under-served populations. We encourage nonprofits to submit a grant request to expand their community outreach, operating budget, or policy goals that will promote or bolster diversity, equity & inclusion in serving rural or urban communities.
- Legal services (Nonprofits with missions to promote equitable outcomes or advancing social racial justice are encouraged to apply. Funding requests for personnel salaries, consulting fees, legal funds, or attorney fees will not be considered.)
- Policy analysis and development (Nonprofits with strategic missions and programs to bolster social and racial justice through policy analysis and development are encouraged to apply.)
- Training and education
- Collaboration and partnership efforts (There is strength in partnerships! We encourage nonprofits to partner with Snohomish County based nonprofits to collaborate to advance racial equity.)
- Research and evaluation (CFSC believes that data can help the community better understand social gaps and discover solutions to improve the lives of Snohomish County residents. We also believe that data and research can benefit community stakeholders and inform decision-makers about under-researched diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.)
If you have additional grant questions or need more grant criteria examples, please email nekya@cf-sc.org for help.
Click here to see the application questions
Past awarded grants
Rick Steves Racial Equity Grants – Awarded-2022
| Organization Name | Amount Awarded | Project Name |
| Millennia Ministries | $5,000 | Expansion of Supportive Services for BIPOC Families and Individuals |
| Stilly Valley Center | $2,800 | BIPOC Family Caregiver Outreach |
| Homage Senior Services | $4,000 | Black and Hispanic Elder Community Outreach |
| Camp Read-a-Rama | $3,000 | Read-a-Rama @ Compass 2022-2023 |
| Faith Food Bank | $5,000 | Faith Food Bank Cultural Food Program |
| Congolese Integration Network | $2,500 | CIN’s Snohomish County Community Research and Engagement |
| Sherwood Community Services | $5,000 | Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action (IDEA) Committee & HR Equity Audit |
| Participatory Justice | $5,000 | Restorative Snohomish County |
Rick Steves Racial Equity Grants – Awarded – 2021
| Organization Name | Amount Awarded | Project Name |
| Everett Recovery Cafe | $4,000 | DEI Training and Education |
| Girls on the Run of Snohomish County | $4,000 | Girls on the Run of Snohomish County’s Community Conversations Series |
| Interfaith Association of Northwest Washington | $4,000 | Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Antiracism Training for Agency Board of Directors and Staff |
| Participatory Justice | $4,000 | Racial Equity Leadership |
| Second Chance Outreach | $4,000 | Training Gang-Affected Adults to Work with Gang-Affected Youth |
| Sherwood Community Services | $4,000 | Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action (IDEA) Training |
| Take the Next Step | $3,000 | Marysville and Monroe Family Resource Centers: Building Equity Into All We Do |
| Work Opportunities | $3,150 | Becoming an Anti-Racist Organization |
Rick Steves Europe Fund Racial Equity-2020
Rick Steves Europe Fund Racial Equity $30,000 grant was given to the Turning Surviving into Thriving Project — Investing in the Future of African American Families in Crisis. This collaborative project is proving families of color support from African American community organizations trying to break the generational cycle. The goal of this project is to help young African American families obtain stability in the areas of employment, budgeting, mental health, and housing. Surviving to Thriving is a building of fundamental skills that will restructure the dynamic of each participants’ lives, usher in the beginning of new generational wealth and stability, and end the cycle of crisis, survive-only living.
Racial Equity Grants – Awarded – 2019
| Kindering | $3,850 | Snohomish County Early Intervention Equity Initiative |
| Foundation for Edmonds School District | $5,000 | DEI for School District |
| Leadership Snohomish County | $5,000 | Board Development |
| Snohomish for Equity | $2,150 | Welcome Community Campaign |
| Leadership Launch | $4,000 | Launch Project |
| YMCA of Snohomish County | $5,000 | Community Outreach and Engagement |
Racial Equity Grants- Awarded – 2018
| Foundation for Edmonds School District | $5000 | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Edmonds School District |
| City of Everett | $5000 | Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity 101: Management Training |
| Leadership Snohomish County | $5000 | STEP UP Event Tool Kit Support |
| Cocoon House | $5000 | Equity Training for Change: Leadership Development and Advocacy |
| Teachers of Color Foundation | $2750 | Racial Equity in Education |