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COO has announced the Systems and Policy Change Request for Extension Application for the 2026-27 period.

Changes in the way this funding is administered

In the information session Wednesday, November 12, we covered some important changes in the way COO funds this strategy, including:

• In response to current requirements of the funding organizations, Seattle Foundation and King County, the 2026-2027 SPC extension cycle will be divided into two groups, and the funds will be administered in two groups.

• One group of SPC grantees will be funded solely by Seattle Foundation, and the other group will be funded solely through Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Best Starts for Kids levy funds. (King County)

• COO will make the decision about these two cohorts when we review the applications.

• The level of total funding for SPC partners will be consistent with prior funding cycles.

We acknowledge that this will have impacts on current partners. COO is committed to minimizing and/or mitigating the impacts caused by this change.

EOY Reporting and Request for Funding Extension

If your organization is interested in requesting an extension of funds for the 2026-27 period, you must submit an extension request that is included at the end of the End of Year report.

The End-of-Year report is attached to this email for your preview. It will officially be available in the Seattle Foundation grants portal starting November 21st. At the end of the report, you'll find extension questions where you can request a funding extension.

Please see attached instructions on how to access Grant Reporting. Note that you will not be able to fill out the report in the portal until November 21st. Any current report you see in the portal is an outdated version. Please reach out to support@seattlefoundation.org if you have any issues when filling out your reports.

Requesting a Funding Extension

To complete the extension request, you must submit all questions at the end of the End of Year report. Additionally, you'll need to upload a Budget Template for the activities planned for 2026-2027. 

Based on the changes to this funding moving forward in 2026-27, the extension request includes a question about your organization’s preference for the funding source — Seattle Foundation or King County (see the section Lobbying below for which funding source to select).

Once the Review Committee has finished the review process, you will be notified of the approved extension and the funding source. If your extension is funded by King County, you will be required to submit a Washington state business license. Also, a program manager will work with you to finalize the scope of work and determine the type of insurance required to enter into a contract with the County.

Function Source Selection

Since the funding supporting COO systems and Policy Change will no longer be a blend of philanthropic and public funds, COO local government funds have specific restrictions on the use of funds to lobby legislators and the public. In the request for an extension, organizations will need to identify any actions that involve lobbying, as this will be a key selection criteria.

 Please note that political activity is a prohibited use of COO funds: None of the funds, materials, property, or services provided directly or indirectly with COO funds shall be used for any partisan political activity or to further the election or defeat of any candidate for public office.

 Seattle Foundation funding grants can support some lobbying activity. Lobbying is defined as “attempting to influence the passage or defeat of any legislation by the legislature of the state or the adoption or rejection of any rule, standard, rate, or other legislative enactment of a state agency under the administrative procedures act.” [RCW 42.17A.635] 

For additional information, please refer to your current letter of agreement with the Seattle Foundation, which outlines the restrictions on the use of public funds.

Please see the refresher guide that highlights important points regarding lobbying in Washington state in the Related Materials at the top right of this page.

Key Dates:

• Application opens: November 21, 2025

• Application closes: December 17, 2025

• Review:  December 22, 2025 – January 31, 2026

• Grants Released: February/March 2026

To submit your application on the Seattle Foundation’s portal, click on the button below.

Questions?

We’ll schedule office hours for early December.

 For questions while Shannon is out of the office between November 15-December 1, please email Dan Bernard at COO, dan.bernard@kingcounty.gov, who’s helping Shannon with these contract extensions.