This RFP is now closed.
On June 18, 2026, the review panel approved the last available grant. All $280,000 of the Rapid Response Small Community Grants has now been awarded to 28 organizations serving immigrant and refugee communities.
We anticipate future grant programs to support groups helping immigrants and refugees, either from the City of Seattle and/or our partnerships with other community organizations. We invite you to subscribe to our newsletter, where we regularly post the latest updates about these funding opportunities.
We will announce all the grant recipients here at a later date.
Through deep community listening sessions, OIRA and the City of Seattle heard clearly that the mosaic of organizations and players supporting immigrants has expanded as needs have risen, while policy changes have plunged community members into limbo in their day to day lives.
As part of the office’s new $4 million funding, OIRA opened up RFPs for small community grants, aimed to help grassroots groups provide community aid, rapid response services, and address gaps in basic needs from volatile policy changes for immigrants.
Two-hundred and eighty thousand ($280,000) of this funding was dedicated to small community grants. OIRA sought to enter into one-time contracts with community groups and organizations to provide community aid for basic needs, Know Your Rights (KYR) presentations/community information sessions, family safety planning; offering resources, education, and tools to empower communities in Seattle.
This funding intends to provide accessible funding to community-based organizations and neighborhood-specific groups to address service gaps and respond to the challenges imposed by the current and emerging increased immigration enforcement and federal policy changes for multiple Seattle-area communities, including neighborhood-specific groups, community members who live or work locally, and families with children in Seattle schools.
About this Opportunity
OIRA tracked all questions submitted to us about this RFP. This is the current list of questions and answers related to the 2026 Rapid Response Small Community Grants.
**Document updated 05/15/2026**
Successful applicants were responsible for developing a proposal designed to address an urgent need for their community as they prepare for increased enforcement and/or support community members who have been impacted by immigration enforcement and federal immigration policy changes.
Specifically, grantees were expected to fulfill one or more of the following activities:
Community Aid for Basic Needs: Groups assisting community members impacted by immigration enforcement and/or federal immigration policy changes with accessing basic needs, resources, and paying for fees.
Know-Your-Rights Training or Community Education Event: Host and deliver education on topics that are relevant and timely to immigrant communities in Seattle.
Immigrant Family Safety Planning: Assistance with creating plans for care of children or dependents and legal preparations in case of detention or deportation.
Funding Details
- Total Funds Available: Up to $280,000.
- Awards: Each application may be awarded up to $10,000. Funding decisions may be for no award, partial, or full request amount.
- Application Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis, with funding decisions announced within six-weeks of application submission, for as long as budget is available or until funds are exhausted.
- Contract Period: All funded activities must occur within the calendar year 2026.
Who Should Apply?
We strongly encouraged non-legal informal groups or ad hoc coalitions, neighborhood groups, and community-led organizations most impacted by federal immigration policy changes to apply. We supported a variety of unique and creative projects that occur within Seattle city limits.
Eligible applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:
- Be a nonprofit organization with a 501(c)(3) status OR have a fiscal sponsor with a 501(c)(3) status.
- Organizations must show that they are significantly composed of and/or would significantly benefit the Seattle community.
Applicants could receive funding from OIRA or other City of Seattle departments and still be eligible for these funds. However, priority was given to projects/programs that do not have other sources of funding for this specific project with this timeline. Note: any applications submitted to OIRA are subject to public disclosure.
Focus Audience
Projects must support community members who live, work, go to school, or own businesses in Seattle or individuals who have been detained or are subject to legal removal proceedings in Seattle. Priority was given to immigrant groups whose status is impacted by recent changes in immigration laws, policies, or practices. Event eligible attendees can also include service providers who serve Seattle residents.
Previous Info Sessions
You can access the slideshow presentation from the April 14 information sessions here:
| Optional Q&A sessions for potential applicants (via Teams) | |
| April 14, 2026 Noon – 1 pm PST | Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25766735892354?p=Tj7rtWX7j85aC4j1sv Meeting ID: 257 667 358 923 54 Passcode: a5ev6TW3 Need help? | System reference Dial in by phone +1 206-686-8357,,927683515# United States, Seattle Find a local number Phone conference ID: 927 683 515# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: seattle@m.webex.com Video ID: 115 525 331 5 |
| April 14, 2026 6 – 7 PM PST | Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25506522182811?p=qpBZgvv3fYEOvqPPUr Meeting ID: 255 065 221 828 11 Passcode: Nr9E7wd2 Need help? | System reference Dial in by phone +1 206-686-8357,,773987426# United States, Seattle Find a local number Phone conference ID: 773 987 426# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: seattle@m.webex.com Video ID: 113 141 929 2 |
