Template revised September 22, 2016.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
10a
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
October 24, 2023
DATE: October 24, 2023
TO: Executive Director Steve Metruck
FROM: Tiffany Sevilla, Workforce Development Program Manager, OEDI
SUBJECT: Joining the Coalition for Climate Careers (C3)
Amount of this request: $100,000
Total estimated cost: $100,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to enter into a Memorandum of
Agreement with King County to join the Coalition for Climate Careers.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Coalition is a strategic collaboration among public and private organizations and frontline
communities, dedicated to establishing an inclusive and prosperous green workforce in King
County. The Coalition will prioritize frontline communities and workers affected by the green
economy transition, providing policy guidance, funding for public-private workforce
partnerships, promoting green career opportunities, and fostering cross-community
collaboration.
Together, the Coalition aims to promote equitable investment from both public and private
sectors, addressing the underrepresentation of women and BIPOC communities in crucial green
economy sectors.
This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) enters the Port of Seattle into the Coalition for Climate
Careers and forms a partnership with King County whereby both parties will contribute financial
support to the Coalition’s work.
JUSTIFICATION
The Port of Seattle’s workforce development policy directive per Commission Resolution
No. 3776 states that the Port shall “Foster partnership with community-based organizations,
educational institutions, labor, industry stakeholders, and government agencies to maximize
the workforce development impact of the Port of Seattle.” An organized, community-centric
coalition for equitable worker training makes our region more competitive for emerging
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10a Page 2 of 2
Meeting Date: October 24, 2023
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
funding opportunities. Without partnerships, our region could miss out on or fail to equitably
utilize these opportunities. Additionally, participation in a regional coalition improves the
impact of our workforce development efforts by facilitating exchange of ideas and preventing
silos.
Diversity in Contracting
The procurement process for the contracted entity to do the technical work of the Coalition will
be overseen by King County, which has Business Development and Contract Compliance goals.
DETAILS
Over the course of a few months, a 16-member Steering Committee comprising government,
industry, labor unions, and academia was formed to establish governance, financial framework,
and initial focus areas. This Committee's work has kickstarted the Coalition's efforts to develop
a thriving green economy, emphasizing frontline communities' access to living wage jobs and
strategies to reduce climate impacts.
The Coalition will be led by an executive steering committee that will set funding priorities,
oversee project implementation, and meet quarterly for decision-making and planning. The
committee will also direct a contracted coordinator(s) to execute coalition priorities and expand
the membership network. The Coalition will also have a fiscal sponsor, a 501(c)3 organization
that will be responsible for managing contributions and ensuring compliance with regulations.
The fiscal sponsor will be aligned with the work of the Coalition and have prior experience with
federal grants and private funders. The Coalition is expected to launch in early 2024.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The Port will contribute $100,000 to the Coalition, which will be paid to King County as part of
the shared cost of a contracted facilitator to coordinate Coalition efforts. The funding will
secure membership on the Executive Steering Committee for two years, through 2026, for a
Port of Seattle representative.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Memorandum of Agreement
(2) Presentation
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
December 13, 2022 – The Commission authorized the Executive Director to enter into a
Memorandum of Agreement with King County for a FUSE Corps fellowship who
coordinated a steering committee that set the governance and financial framework for
the Coalition.
