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