August Newsletter: Grants, Jobs, Rent Assistance, and More!

The Employment Security Department is seeking full time, non-permanent staff to assist unemployed workers with their benefits claims. If you can speak, read and write fluently in any of these languages, we strongly encourage you to apply:

Marshallese • Chuukese • Korean • Vietnamese • Spanish • Russian • Ukrainian • Somali

Strong customer service skills are a must, as this position greets customers by telephone, determines their needs, assists with claim issues, answers questions and reopens claims.

Job Announcement and Application: Unemployment Insurance Specialist – Intake (UIS2)
Salary $3,216.00 – $4,188.00 Monthly.

In addition to meeting the qualifications, if you are bilingual or multi-lingual, you can earn an additional 5% salary premium.

The Governor’s Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) is seeking a part-time Associate Education Ombuds to work two 8-hour days each week. In this position, you will be the first contact with OEO for clients with concerns about the state’s public K-12 education system. You will serve as the co-lead with a Senior Ombuds on OEO’s triage process to answer brief questions about education by email and phone, determine if cases fit within OEO’s strategic plan, assign cases and track data of clients.

Job Announcement and Application: Associate Education Ombuds (part-time)

For questions about this recruitment or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email jill.thompson@ofm.wa.gov or call us at (360) 902-0461.

The Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) is seeking Civil Rights Investigators to support their ongoing mission to prevent and eliminate discrimination. The WSHRC is responsible for administering and enforcing the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD). The WSHRC is hiring for two positions.

Job Announcement and Application: Civil Rights Investigator 1
Civil Rights Investigator 2

Applications close on Wednesday, August 26, at 11:59 PM.

Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) is re-opening their Plate Fund application for restaurant and food-service workers who lost wages or jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you know of a client or community member who is eligible for this assistance, please complete and submit the ACRS Restaurant Worker Assistance application ASAP.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Have had an income of less than $62,000 in the previous year
• Be a resident of King County
• Have lost a restaurant job due COVID-19
• Be willing to provide a photo of a government ID & basic demographic information
• Provide a paystub with their name and their employer’s name on it, dated on or after March 1st

For more info: https://www.theplatefund.com/

Application link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx…

The Washington State Department of Commerce is distributing approximately $100 million in state CARES Act funding to a new rent assistance program. The program will focus on preventing evictions by paying up to three months of past due, current, and future rent to landlords for eligible participants.

This rent assistance program will address some of the need resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, and hopes to reduce some of the stress both renters and landlords are facing now and in the future. Rent assistance is limited to three months and the program ends Dec. 31, 2020.

Rental assistance will be provided through local housing providers in your community. Please sign-up here to receive an email notification when the service provider list and applications are available.

The Washington State Department of Commerce has opened applications for their 2021-2023 Community Capital Facilities Building Communities Fund Grant (BCF). The grant awards state matching funds to nonprofit, community-based organizations to defray up to 25% or more of eligible capital costs to acquire, construct or rehabilitate nonresidential community and social service centers. There is no minimum or maximum grant award amount.

Applications for the 2021 – 2023 Building Communities Fund Grant must be received in ZoomGrants by 5 p.m. PDT Thursday, Aug. 27.

Please visit the Building Communities Fund website for additional information. If you have any questions, you can reach program staff at (360) 725- 3075 or email us at capprograms@commerce.wa.gov

The Port of Seattle is offering grant opportunities up to $100,000 for the South King County area through their South King County Fund. The Port of Seattle established the South King County Fund to develop equity-based partnerships and provide resources and support in historically underserved near-airport communities. The fund will help address noise mitigation, environmental health and sustainability in these ethnically and culturally diverse communities.

The Port is now accepting proposals for the South King County Fund’s first funding cycle. The proposal deadline is Wednesday, September 30, 2020, by noon Pacific Time.

• $1 million is available to fund projects in this cycle and requests can be up to $100,000.
• Project outcomes must be related to workforce development, job creation programs, or economic recovery solutions in Port-related industries.
• Proposers must be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 status or an organization that has a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor.
• Organizations must demonstrate experience in serving communities in near-airport locations that are most economically-vulnerable and face great challenges.
• Organizations must submit a written proposal and participate in a discussion with the review panel.

For the overview, documents, plan holders/bidders, events and event document for all the requirements, follow this link: https://hosting.portseattle.org/sops/#/Solicitations/Detail/5e6c82a8-a2d2-ea11-8148-005056bd5ab4

The Seattle Foundation has opened applications for their Vibrant Democracy Initiative. Through the initiative, flexible one-time grants of up to $30,000 will be awarded in support of nonprofit partnerships working to strengthen the civic voice and participation of underrepresented communities in the region. Grants will range between $2,000 and $10,000 per organization depending on scope of work, nature of the activities, and its role in a partnership.

See the Seattle Foundation website for complete program guidelines and application instructions: Link to complete RFP

A new report released from McKinsey & Company shows the disproportionate impacts COVID-19 has on Asian American communities.

While Asian Americans populate the front lines of health workers and own businesses generating $700 billion in annual GDP, the negative impact of COVID-19 on this highly productive community has gone largely underreported and unnoticed. Yet, increasing discrimination is taking its toll, potentially spurring a mental health crisis. Here are a few of the findings:

• Asian Americans experienced a 450% increase in unemployment rates from February to June 2020—the largest percentage increase in unemployment among racial groups
• Asian American workers and businesses are disproportionately highly exposed to the negative impacts of COVID-19
  • Asian American workers are overrepresented in 72% of essential, high-contact medical professions
  • Asian-owned businesses comprise 26% of US accommodations and food services, 17% of retail trade, and 11% of educational services businesses—all sectors hit hardest by COVID-19
  • Evidence also suggests that Asian-owned businesses experienced declines in activity nearly a full month before others as a result of unfounded xenophobia against Asians
• Mental health support texts have increased by 39 in the first quarter of 2020 and at least 1,900 anti-Asian hate incidents were documented by organizations across 46 states

McKinsey’s latest research takes a deeper look into major barriers Asian Americans face amid the pandemic and how agencies can take immediate actions toward relief and recovery for Asian Americans. Read the full report here: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19-and-advancing-asian-american-recovery

Governor Jay Inslee just announced $40 million in aid to residents unable to access federal stimulus programs due to immigration status, and $3 million to food production workers who remain home when ill.

“Immigrant community members are facing some of the worst outcomes of this pandemic and have been systematically excluded from a social safety net for too long,” said Rich Stolz, executive director of the immigrant rights group OneAmerica. “A coalition of immigrant organizations came together to develop this fund that recognizes the dignity of our undocumented community members and works to get some relief to their families during this difficult time.”

To access the RFP:

The DSHS Procurement Website at https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/procurements-and-contracting or at https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/Search_BidDetails.aspx?ID=44256.

The Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee (EOGOAC) will be hosting a virtual family and community forum on Saturday, August 22nd from 10 AM to 12 PM to discuss:

• The sweeping challenges and changes to the education system due to COVID-19
• Experiences of increased racial violence toward people of color
• How we can take this opportunity to make education more relevant to children of color in partnership with families and communities of color.

Space will be limited, so please pre-register.

To register in English click here.
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The Governor’s Office of the Education Ombuds has worked with families, educators, K-12 students, and community organizations to draft its next 3-year strategic plan which is intended to be anti-racist and anti-ableist. While we’ve co-designed with communities to create the framework, we are not finished. Join us for a facilitated online discussion and design workshop to help us bring our futuring into next steps. What do you most need to see from schools to ensure educational justice?

Join this live Zoom conversation on Tuesday, August 18, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM.

Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/time-to-learn-shaping-future-of-a-state-agency-focused-on-opportunity-gaps-tickets-113839446850

The U.S. Census Bureau recently announced that their deadline to self-report for the 2020 Census has been moved from October 31st to September 30th. Households have until the end of September to fill out their Census.

It is vitally important that every person is counted in the U.S. Census, but a 2019 report from the Census Bureau shows that AAPIs are the demographic least likely to fill out the Census, and the most concerned with their information being used against, and face additional barriers like language access.

Fill out your Census today, and encourage others to fill out theirs as well. You can access resources to help with your Census outreach on our 2020 Census Resources page.

The Governor’s Task Force on Independent Investigations of Police Use of Force has held several meetings so far to discuss police accountability. If you were unable to attend, missed part of the meeting, or have someone who might be interested in watching, you can view the full meeting here: https://www.tvw.org/watch/?clientID=9375922947&eventID=2020081002

The governor’s task force is a part of a coordinated effort with legislators to provide a comprehensive set of reforms. Task force members will provide insight and feedback, review I-940 structure and investigative protocol, examine other independent investigation models, and provide input that will help inform legislation for the upcoming legislative session.

The task force will provide recommendations for legislation on independent investigations involving police use of force. To provide input or feedback, contact CAPAA Appointee Puao Savusa at <pt.savusa@gmail.com>.

A new documentary about the Marshall Islands, “The Final Years of Majura,” is now available on YouTube! The documentary touches on the history of the islands, from its pre-colonial history, to present day struggles with the effects of climate change.

Take a moment to learn about the history and heritage of the Marshall Islands.

A historic National Summit for Korean American Mental Health Professionals taking place on August 15th at 8 AM – 11 AM PT. The National Summit for Korean American Mental Health Professionals is for Korean Americans who are in all specialities of mental health and for students in training. The keynote panel and breakout sessions are culturally relevant and specific to the Korean American community, and many of the speakers are professors in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, and Pastoral Counseling.

Registration is here, and opening remarks will be made by actor and producer Steven Yeun (whose works include The Walking Dead, Okja, Burning, and Minari).

APAPA Seattle Chapter invites you to participate in an Intern Debate on California’s Proposition 16. Prop.16 (ACA-5) is the California version of Washington State Initiative 1000/Referendum 88. This bill will allow the race to be considered as a factor in college admissions and public contracts.

The panel of judges includes APAPA Founder C.C. Yin, Washington State Senator Bob Hasegawa, Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko-Santos, Washington State Representative My-Linh Thai, and Cupertino City Councilmember Liang Chao. Come and judge for yourself, and join in for the audience Q&A portion.

Saturday, August 15
1-3 PM PT

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/98679921813?pwd=MGdpZCtRSVh0cE56RG5xbHhFK0RaUT09
Meeting ID: 986 7992 1813
Passcode: 514111