Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
10A
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
December 15, 2020
DATE: December 9, 2020
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Alison Beason, EDI Policy Data Analyst, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Andy Gregory, Sr Program Manager Environmental Engagement, External Relations
SUBJECT: Authorization to Execute the South King County Fund Economic Fund Contracts
Amount of this request:
$981,881
Total estimated project cost:
$981,881
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute up to ten (10) contracts
through the South King County Economic Recovery Fund, for a combined total not-to-exceed
$981,881.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The following is a list of 10 recommended projects for funding in the first round of South King
County Fund Economic Recovery Grants. These recommendations come following a robust
outreach, solicitation, and selection process and with the enthusiastic support of program staff,
community reviewers, and senior leadership. The selected projects, organizations, and
communities served reflect the rich diversity of South King County. Further, they provide new
opportunities to invest in equitable partnerships with key constituents and create pathways to
engagement in port-industries for some of the area’s most vulnerable and marginalized
populations. The projects are in furtherance of the Port’s economic development authority,
including the recently approved Workforce Development Resolution and Policy Directive, and the
Port’s statutory authorities including RCW 53.08.245.
List of Recommended Projects:
• African Chamber of Commerce-PNW will work with highly impacted Black-owned businesses
to support them on both technical assistance for compliance with the Clean Truck Program
and provide Small Business COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Program and Youth and Adults
Workshops. This project supports maritime transportation through small-business assistance.
• African Community Housing & Development will support the African Diaspora immigrant
communities in South King County with a pilot program to provide workforce development
in the form of education and job application assistance in technical Port-related industries
such as construction and aviation. This project falls under the Port’s workforce development
authority.
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Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
• Asian Counseling & Referral Services will partner with UFCW Local 21, which represents
workers from Hudson News who have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They will be connected to ACRS employment case management services for culturally
competent job search assistance in port-related industries. This project provides workforce
development assistance to aviation retail workers.
• Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) will serve human trafficking survivors and
at-risk youth living in the near-airport communities of Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way,
Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila. This project will further economic recovery in South
King County by delivering employment readiness training, supporting employers in Port-
related industries, and creating paid internships and job opportunities for human trafficking
survivors and at-risk youth in Port-related industries.
• CARES of Washington support people with disabilities and low incomes to realize their
purpose, potential, and strength. The Connect for Success project will support BIPOC
communities living around Port of Seattle’s facilities to enter and successfully complete pre-
apprenticeship programs in Port related industries such as construction, green industries,
manufacturing and aerospace. This project falls under the Port’s workforce development
authority.
• Chief Seattle Club’s mission is to provide a sacred space to nurture, affirm and renew the
spirit of Urban Native people. In December 2020, Chief Seattle Club’s trauma-informed
indigenous-designed job training program, Native Works, is launching Sovereignty Farm.
Sovereignty Farm is a new urban Indian farm located in Tukwila, with green jobs for homeless
American Indian/Alaska Native Apprentices. These apprentices will learn about land and
water stewardship, garden design and planning, and invasive species removal, preparing
them for green jobs at Port habitat sites on the Duwamish River.
• El Centro de la Raza will provide extensive outreach, education, and referrals for Latinos and
other multi-cultural program participants to relevant pre-apprenticeship programs in port-
related industries such as the construction trades in order to obtain permanent employment.
This project will focus on communities surrounding the new Federal Way office. This falls
under the Port’s workforce development authority and will primarily focus on construction
industries.
• Partners in Employment guarantees the economic security and mentorship to newly arrived
refugees and immigrants in South King County. This project will have two tracts, one that
provides support services for immigrant job seekers impacted by COVID-19 in the aviation
industry, and the other continuing the youth green jobs training program started in the
summer of 2020 under the Port’s opportunity motion.
• Puget Sound Welcome Back Center will prepare 30 internationally educated engineers for
jobs in construction related fields near the Port of Seattle. Even though many have college
degrees, they lack proper credentials to work in the US in their chosen profession. This project
removes those barriers by providing resources in port-related industries, including Test
Preparation Courses as part of the licensure process for construction related fields, and
Strategic Training and Certifications such as Concrete Field Technician, CAD Training and
Construction Management courses.
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Meeting Date: December 15, 2020
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
• WA Maritime Blue will operate the Maritime Youth Accelerator Project, which aims to
provide culturally relevant skills-based learning to prepare young people for livable-wage jobs
in the Maritime field. The project is specifically designed for youth of color and opportunity
youth from underserved communities, who have an interest in learning about the maritime
sector and in designing/developing an entrepreneurial project. WA Maritime Blue has a
mission to carry out the Washington State’s Strategy for the Blue Economy delivered by
Governor Jay Inslee’s Maritime Innovation Advisory Council.
Through a series of motions, the Commission included directives that integrated equity into the
Port’s COVID-19 response and economic recovery plan:
The Port commits to values of equity, justice, and inclusion in the COVID-19 crisis response, from
immediate response to longer-term recovery. In developing recovery plans, the Port will ensure
that principles of equity, justice, inclusion, transparency, and accountability are embraced. The
Port will engage communities who are most impacted to understand their needs.
The Port shall consider its fiscal, legal, and equity responsibilities in all decisions made when
applying these principles. (Port of Seattle, Motion 2020-06)
These efforts shall also follow the Port’s principles of supporting regional economic vitality,
environmental stewardship, equity, and inclusion. (Port of Seattle, Motion 2020-07)
Increasing equitable access for workers in port-related economic activities, create opportunities
for workers to acquire the skills, experience, and education they need to secure increasingly
complex and better compensated jobs and careers at the Port and in port-related economic
industries and activities;
Focus on workforce training and education on Port and port-related economic activities where
the greatest gaps and disparity rankings exist; and (Port of Seattle, Resolution 3776)
The South King County Economic Recovery Fund infused all these directives in the program
development and execution of the 10 contracts recommended for award.
BACKGROUND
The South King County Fund was created in November 2018 to provide $10 Million in resources
to near-airport communities for projects that address airport noise, environmental health, and
sustainability. In June 2019, the Commission approved eight guiding principles to further shape
the fund. The South King County Fund will:
• Be used to fund projects in the South King County area: defined as near-airport
communities, with other locations considered on a case-by-case basis;
• Prioritize community input to inform Port decision making;
• Support Port equity policies and practices;
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• Provide added benefit to current Port programs;
• Prioritize projects that are ready to proceed;
• Build on established programs and commitments to fulfill current obligations;
• Promote innovation; and,
• Encourage matching funds where possible.
After conducting community engagement with several multicultural stakeholders in South King
County, it was clear that economic development was a priority for these communities. Hearing
this community feedback and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic
crisis, in April 2020, the Commission added “Economic Development” as an approved use of the
fund.
To help identify and define the geographical areas most in need of economic recovery funding,
the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion developed the Equity Index based on the
methodology of the Washington State Tracking Network’s Environmental Health Map. The Equity
Index ranks all census tracts within King County and equips the Port of Seattle to identify
disparities that exist in the County. The Map shows higher concentration of diesel pollutants,
lower household incomes, higher unemployment, and many other inequities within several
regions of King County. South King County (Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park,
SeaTac, and Tukwila, in particular) is one of the regions mostly deeply impacted by these
disparities.
South King County is one of the most diverse areas in King County, with over 95 languages spoken
by families in the Highline school district alone. These communities, however, are vulnerable
because of a myriad of existing structural and social inequities that disproportionately impact
many populations across this area: people of color, women, immigrants, and people with low
incomes. These community members have long dealt with issues that challenge their well-being,
from poorer health outcomes to lack of access to educational attainment and, consequently,
higher-paying jobs.
The global health and economic crisis that has risen from the spread of the coronavirus has hit
vulnerable communities like these the hardest. The Commission’s decision to use the South King
County Fund to also address economic recovery is timely and critical.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
For the last several months staff have been working in a collaborative and interdisciplinary team,
led by External Relations and the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and, which has included
representatives from Legal, Central Procurement Office, Aviation Environmental, Finance and
Budget, Commission Staff, as well as outside consultants hired for their expertise in multicultural
engagement and developing equity-based processes.
Between 2020 and Q1 of 2021, the fund will award $1.5 million to be divided into the following
three programs:
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10A____ Page 5 of 7
Meeting Date: December 15, 2020
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
• $1 million for a new Economic Recovery and Workforce Development Grants program
with funds supporting non-profit organizations conducting projects in the following four
categories:
o Small Business Assistance
o Workforce Development
o Job Creation
o Ideation, Network building, Development of New, Innovative Economic Recovery
Strategies
• $250,000 for a new Environmental Grants Program built from the ACE model which
services Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, SeaTac and Tukwila. The new
program was launched in October 2020.
• $250,000 for Port Gen (program of Diversity in Contracting). The Port will expand existing
contracts with organizations that support WMBE businesses in South King County as part
of the overall Economic Recovery Strategy.
The South King County Economic Recovery Grant Program was launched after countless hours of
planning, vetting and program development. Its first round was advertised for eight weeks in July
and August 2020. Proposals were reviewed by a panel, a model consisting of three voting Port
employees and two non-voting community advisors. The incorporation of community advisors
was a new process for the Port of Seattle and very much welcomed by the SKCF program
managers. These advisors brought professional and lived knowledge and perspectives that
informed and advanced the Fund. It was important that these two community advisors are both
rooted in near-airport communities and have deep understanding of the ecosystem of non-
profits serving these communities. Their knowledge, perspectives, and expertise were critical to
having thoughtful discussions during the review process.
The inclusion of community members in the review process is a best practice in community-
centered grantmaking. The advisors helped ground the Port team’s decision making. SKCF
program managers hope to continue and expand this model.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applicants were required to submit their 501 (c) (3) or 501 (c) (6) eligibility status along with a
written proposal and an oral presentation. In an effort to provide a more equitable process,
oral presentations provided applicants an opportunity to expand on their proposal to the
evaluation team. All applicants were evaluated in accordance with the criteria established in
the solicitation.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POOL OF PROPOSALS
Submitted proposals highlighted all Port industries (Aviation, Construction, Green Jobs, and
Maritime). Many of the proposals focused on the construction industry. This empathizes the
region’s current shortage of construction workers to undertake the growth seen in Washington
State’s construction industry. According to the Seattle-King County Workforce Development
Plan, construction has the highest rate of projected growth at 4.6%. The industry will need an
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10A____ Page 6 of 7
Meeting Date: December 15, 2020
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
additional 7,000 workers from 2018-2023. More than 18% of construction workers in Washington
are over age 55, thus the need for trained workers is exacerbated. The Associated General
Contractors of America (AGC) reported in early 2020 that 81% of construction firms have
difficulty filling needed positions and 65% of these firms expected hiring would be more difficult
in the next year. The Port’s support of these types of programs helps provide training and
programs within the construction trade to low-income, historically underserved populations,
addressing the community’s financial needs by providing high skilled family wage careers with
benefits, and helps with the shortage of the upcoming shortfall.
In addition to the shortage on construction, the pandemic has been devastating to the near-
airport communities pertaining to areas of health and unemployment. Youth, historically under-
represented groups, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) have been hit the hardest.
These communities have suffered due to COVID-19 by way of temporary or permanent business
closures, layoffs, and reduced hours/wages. The South King County Fund Economic Recovery RFP
focused on several areas — Job Creation, Small Business Assistance, Workforce Development,
and Innovative Economic Recovery – with many of the proposals focusing on Workforce
Development in particular.
Over 90 participants attended three information sessions to learn more about the program.
Twenty-seven proposals were submitted with requests that totaled $2.475 million. There was a
diverse pool of applicants, both non-profit and smaller organizations.
After an intensive process that included oral presentations, proposal review, and consensus
discussion, The Port evaluation panel is advancing a list of 10 projects for Commission approval.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS
South King County Economy Recovery Proposals
Award Amount
$100,000
$99,902
$100,000
$100,000
$91,160
$100,000
$99,985
$100,000
$90,839
$99,995
$981,881.00
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10A____ Page 7 of 7
Meeting Date: December 15, 2020
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
JUSTIFICATION
These ten proposals directly support the Commission Motions that establish the South King
County Fund. On April 28, 2020, the Commission added economic development in Motion 2020-
10 as a use for the South King County Fund in support of local recovery from the COVID-19
pandemic. COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting South King County and people of color. The
jobless rate in immigrant neighborhoods in near airport communities hit 40% in the early months
of the pandemic (Crosscut, May 2020), and experts are anticipating that economic recovery could
extend as long as five years. Between March 1 and May 16, 2020, the rates of unemployment
were 40% for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders; nearly 30% for American Indian/Alaska Natives;
28% for Black residents; and 20% for Hispanic/Latinx workers, according to state data.
Unemployment was disproportionately high for most communities of color in comparison to
white communities before COVID-19, and the pandemic amplified existing disparities because
layoffs and furloughs occurred disproportionately in communities of color.
The ten proposals submitted for Commission approval will serve almost 500 adults and over 150
youth. These projects will support economic recovery in communities hardest hit by COVID-19
and create an employment pipeline for the next generation of workers in Port related industries.
Schedule
All contracts’ end dates are 12 months from execution. The following is a summary of
expenditures
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
The expenses have been included in the annual operating budget, which is $1.5 million for 2020
and $2.0 million for 2021. The funding source is tax levy.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Presentation slides
(2) Addendum: Detailed Scope of Work for Recommended Proposals (Attachment updated
on 12/14/2020)
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
April 28, 2020|Motion 2020-10
The Commission to add economic development to the permissible uses for the South King
County Fund, in support of local recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 25, 2019|Motion 2019-10
The Commission adopting principals to guide outreach and development of the South
King County policy.
November 27, 2018|Motion 2018-14
The Commission directing the Executive Director to …. designating funding in the 2019-
2023 plan of finance for South King County communities…;