TagSouth King County Fund(33)

The Port of Seattle established the South King County Fund (SKCF), a $10 million initiative to be distributed through 2023, with $750,000 targeted for pilot projects in 2019. The fund aims to reduce airport-related environmental impacts in South King County communities through equitable community engagement and eight guiding principles, including prioritizing community input, supporting equity, promoting innovation, and encouraging matching funds. Projects are selected based on their readiness to proceed, added community benefit, and alignment with established Port programs and commitments.

In November 2018, the Port of Seattle Commission established the South King County Support Program, dedicating up to $10 million (with $750,000 budgeted for 2019) to provide resources and support to communities surrounding Sea-Tac International Airport. Program development is focused on setting guiding principles, identifying near-term projects, and ensuring equitable community engagement. The initiative aims to deliver both short-term and long-term benefits to affected South King County residents.

The Port of Seattle's South King County Community Impact Fund, presented at the Highline Forum on September 28, 2022, is a grant program launched in 2020 to build equity-based partnerships with communities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The fund offers three programs—Economic Recovery, Environmental Grants, and WMBE Small Business support—with a focus on engaging and building capacity within BIPOC communities. Multi-year funding options were introduced in the program's second round.

The Highline Forum met on September 28, 2022, hosted by the Highline School District, to discuss two main topics: an update on the South King County Community Impact Fund and an update on the Port of Seattle's noise program. The hybrid meeting, held both in person and via Microsoft Teams, also included a StART update from Port of Seattle's Lance Lyttle and roundtable discussions from community members. This was the fifth of six scheduled 2022 Forum meetings, with the final session set for November 16, 2022, hosted by the City of SeaTac.

The Port of Seattle's South King County Fund (SKCF), launched in 2019, provides grants to build equity-based partnerships in communities near Sea-Tac Airport. In 2020, the fund distributed $1.5 million across Environmental, Economic Recovery, and WMBE (Women and Minority Business Enterprise) programs, supporting 27 projects; funding increased to $2 million in 2021. The program aims to address environmental and economic impacts on South King County residents through targeted community investment.

The Highline Forum held a meeting on September 22, 2021, hosted by the City of Tukwila, focused on three main topics: an overview of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's noise reduction program, an update on the Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), and a status report on the South King County Fund. The virtual meeting, conducted via Microsoft Teams, featured presentations by Port of Seattle staff including Aviation Director Lance Lyttle. The forum is a recurring regional body that meets bimonthly, bringing together South King County communities affected by Sea-Tac Airport operations.

The Highline Forum held a virtual meeting on November 18, 2020, hosted by the City of Burien, focusing on transportation updates including Sound Transit, the SR 509 highway project, the South King County Fund, and the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Round Table) program. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, the meeting was conducted via Microsoft Teams, with public comments accepted by email or virtual attendance. The document also lists six scheduled 2021 Highline Forum meetings, all running from 2:30–4:30 pm on bimonthly Wednesdays throughout the year.

The Port of Seattle's South King County Fund 2020 presentation, delivered at the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, outlines a grant program distributing $1.5 million to communities near Sea-Tac Airport, including $250,000 each for Economic Development and Environmental Grants, plus $1 million in Economic Recovery Grants. The program was developed through extensive community outreach, including presentations to six cities, feedback sessions at the Highline Forum and StART, and interviews with dozens of leaders from under-represented communities conducted by the Port's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.