The Safe and Thriving Communities (STC) Division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from community-based organizations to support currently and formerly incarcerated individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and support; connect or reconnect with cultural roots and supportive communities; and to obtain long term, living wage employment in order to transition successfully from incarceration and into the community.
STC is specifically seeking community-based organizations that have experience:
- actively engaging and working with incarcerated and/or formerly incarcerated individuals from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities with a specific focus on Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Pacific Islander communities;
- developing and providing supportive services for BIPOC individuals who are currently incarcerated;
- developing and providing supportive services for formerly incarcerated BIPOC who are reentering communities;
- rerooting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals;
- using an anti-racist approach that actively works to undo systemic racism; and
- preparing incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people to get and keep good paying jobs.
For this RFP, the term “reentry” is used to describe assisting people returning from incarceration to “reenter” systems and institutions that may lead to economic and social progress. “Rerooting” refers to the process of connecting people back to their cultural roots and communities. Since much of incarceration is about isolating people, a process of rerooting is necessary to ground people despite the systemic barriers that still exist. For all individuals returning from incarceration, being part of strong and connected communities provides accountability and supports their ability to thrive.
This year, thanks to the recommendations of the Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force, $1,383,000 in City of Seattle General Fund was allocated to funding culturally appropriate reentry services and rerooting programming for BIPOC currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. The Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force is a diverse group of people of color and community leaders representing a cross-section of industries, including environmental justice, who came together to spearhead the process of developing recommendations for a $30 million investment into our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Initial funding will be for the period of December 15, 2021-December 31, 2022.
- Applicants can request up to $250,000 and may request less.
- Organizations must serve individuals who are currently or formerly incarcerated. Formerly incarcerated individuals must live, work, or attend school in the City of Seattle. Currently incarcerated individuals must seek to live, work, or attend school in the City of Seattle upon release.
- Contract renewal depends on performance and funding availability.
This is an open and competitive process. For more information, and all RFP materials, please visit HSD’s Funding Opportunities web page: http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/funding-and-reports/funding-opportunities. Completed application packets are due by 12:00 p.m., Noon on Friday, November 5, 2020.
If you have any questions, or would like to receive a copy of the RFP in the mail or by email, please contact Natalie Thomson via email at natalie.thomson@seattle.gov.