The Building for Equity: Facilities Grant is administered by 4Culture, a public agency funded by King County’s Lodging Tax and Doors Open legislation. This grant program supports the acquisition, construction, and renovation of cultural, science, and technology facilities across King County, Washington. With a total of approximately $4.7 million in funding available for this cycle, the program aims to enhance access to cultural spaces, increase equity in capital funding, and contribute to community development and economic growth.

The 2025 grant deadline is April 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM PDT, with eligibility pre-screening required by March 25, 2025. Organizations that contact 4Culture after the March 25 pre-screening date can still access the application but will not be pre-screened for eligibility. The grant offers three funding tiers based on project size: up to 80% for projects $250,000 and under, up to $290,000 for mid-sized projects, and a maximum request of $1,000,000 for projects up to $10,000,000 in total budget. Applicants must start projects within 24 months of award and provide matching funds to complete project budgets.

Eligible applicants include King County-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public agencies, Tribal governments, and fiscally sponsored groups with a two-year operating history and site control. Projects must be more than maintenance and should involve permanent capital improvements, such as land or property acquisition, major construction, or renovation. All applicants must demonstrate public benefit and equity impact—either through geographic reach or inclusion of underserved populations. Science and technology organizations have additional criteria and may not be higher education institutions, broadcast entities, or fundraising intermediaries.

Grant funds can be used for land acquisition, construction, architectural and engineering costs, ADA accessibility upgrades, built-in safety systems, and related capital costs. Ineligible costs include furniture, decorative items, general maintenance, feasibility studies, FTE staff salaries, and temporary or consumable goods. Selected applicants may be asked to participate in a panel interview and must acknowledge 4Culture in promotional materials, contribute to future 4Culture efforts, and meet public benefit requirements, which may include offering free or low-cost access, providing community partnerships, or programming outside Seattle.

The review process evaluates proposals across five criteria: quality and qualifications, feasibility, project impact and public benefit, advancing equity, and economic impact—each weighted equally for a total of 50 points. Priority is given to projects outside Seattle or within designated Communities of Opportunity in King County. Applicants may also seek free consultation with capital project funding experts through 4Culture.

To begin the application process, organizations must contact 4Culture’s Program Manager, Maya Santos, at maya.santos@4culture.org or 206-263-0691. The secondary contact for technical support is Lauren Miles at lauren.miles@4culture.org or 206-263-3210. Supporting workshops and recorded resources are available to guide applicants through the process.