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 |