King County Executive Dow Constantine on Tuesday (jan. 30) announced a series of youth sports grants totaling $3.6 million – including $60,000 to Kent Youth and Family Services.

The grants increase opportunities and access for young people to engage in healthy physical activity through new or improved facilities or programs, especially those serving under-resourced communities.

“From new sports fields in North Bend to a mountain biking program in Auburn, these grants will not only support traditional sports, but will open opportunities and improve access for youth wanting to enjoy more active lifestyles,” said King County Parks Director Kevin Brown.

The Youth and Amateur Sports Grants program evaluates programs and projects based on community need, with an emphasis on projects in underserved areas with low- to moderate-income families and higher health disparities.

“These grants support healthier communities by providing more places and more pathways for kids to play and be active,” said King County Council Chair Joe McDermott. “This is especially important in neighborhoods that have been historically under-resourced, so there is a focus on addressing disparities to access and facilities.”

The grants, which range from $6,750 to $250,000, are administered by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division.

The program is funded and sustained through a 1 percent car-rental tax authorized by the Legislature in 1993. Funds can only be used for programs or capital projects that increase access to health-enhancing physical activities.

Formerly called the Youth Sports Facilities Grants, King County has awarded roughly $15 million in grants since the program’s inception in 1993, creating nearly 350 new or renovated youth sports facilities throughout the county.

In 2017, the King County Council restructured the program, providing Council-directed grants, as well as competitive grants, to non-profit organizations, local governments, and school districts. Funding is available for sports and recreation programs, as well as for capital improvement projects.

For more information on the program, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/parks/sportsgrants.

The grant awards for 2018 are:

Associated Recreation Council Green Lake Community Boathouse $100,000
Auburn Parks and Recreation REC Riders- Mountain Bike $40,000
Auburn Parks and Recreation Game Farm Park-Field Lighting $175,000
Auburn School District Washington Elementary Playground $37,000
Bellevue Parks and Recreation Crossroads Multi-Sport Area $110,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County Rainier Vista Soccer (Rainier Valley) $6,750
Children’s Therapy Center Special Needs Fitness Center $19,000
Kirkland Parks and Recreation Finn Hill School Playfields $86,000
Communities In Schools of Renton Skyway Access to Sports $14,718
Des Moines Parks and Recreation Summer Fun in the Sun $23,000
Des Moines Parks and Recreation Play for All Project $245,000
George Pocock Rowing Foundation After-School Youth Rowing Club (south Seattle) $40,885
Highline Public Schools Evergreen Turf Field $250,000
Kent Youth and Family Services KYFS Athletics Club $60,000
Nexus Youth and Families Summer Nature Adventure Program (Enumclaw) $23,135
Northshore School District Inclusive Playground $35,000
Northwest Communities of Burma NWCB Annual Soccer Tournament $15,840
Parkour Visions Parkour After-School Program $50,000
ReJoyce Fundamentals Academy “RA Fitness” $100,000
Sammamish Little League Brock O’Conner Turf Project $120,000
School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts SANCA Social Circus Program (Georgetown) $48,000
Seattle Parks & Recreation South Park Soccer Program $44,525
Si View Metropolitan Park District Tollgate Park Sports Fields $275,000
Skyway Solutions Skyway Recreation Program $100,000
Somali Youth & Family Club East African Sports Activity $47,000
SOS Outreach SOS Outreach Outdoors $14,000
The Salvation Army Salvation Army White Center Gym $41,000
The Salvation Army White Center Youth Basketball $21,245
The Salvation Army White Center Youth Futsal $20,168
The Service Board Core Winter Program $23,000
Up2Us Sports Up2Us Sports Youth Coaches $77,000
Upower Upower: Functional Fitness $61,000
Urban Family Center Association South Seattle Youth Initiative $100,000
Vashon Lacrosse Club VES Fields Lighting Project $250,000
Vashon Park District BARC Skatepark Programs $36,000
Vashon Park District Agren Ballfield Renovation $250,000
Washington Trails Association Outdoor Leadership Program $30,000
Washington Youth Soccer Foundation Auburn Mini-Pitches $100,000
Washington Youth Soccer Foundation King County Soccer for Success $114,659
White Center Community Development Association Wolverine Boosters Summer Camp $77,100
Whitewater Aquatics Management Evergreen Pool (White Center) $46,836
YMCA of Greater Seattle University YMCA Aquatic Center $250,000
YMCA of Greater Seattle Snoqualmie PLAYeveryday $20,000

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