Note: the deadline has for submitting applications has passed.

We are happy to announce that the application deadline for the 2021 Displaced Tenants Fund has been extended to Monday, August 23, 2021 at 5pm PST! Click here to view the application and begin your submission.

We know this grant is pretty different than our usual grants, and appreciate every person who reached out to us with questions. In this post, we’ll tell you more about the types of projects we’re excited to fund, what we mean by capacity building, and share some examples of past recipients of the Displaced Tenants Fund.

Type of grants in the 2021 Displaced Tenants Fund

1. Capital Grant Type 1 – up to $1 million: This grant type is for new and existing affordable housing developments at any stage. Scoping out a site? Finding a developer? Currently constructing? Renovating an old building? They’re all eligible!
   • Capital Grant 1 2019 Awardee example: Chief Seattle Club. “Funding from the Displaced Tenants Fund will support the construction the new ?al?al Building (?al?al means home in Lushootseed) which will create 80 affordable studios on seven floors with 60 units designated for homeless households and 10 units for veterans. In particular, this grant will support construction of the community facilities located on the ground floor which will house health services, expanded office space for Chief Seattle Club, a cafe, and a community gathering space.”
2. Capital Grant Type 2 – up to $500,000: This grant type is for maintenance, rehabilitation, or acquisition of existing affordable housing developments. Making your building ADA accessible? Installing air conditioning? Affordable housing changing owners? Renovating a gathering space at an existing site? They’re all eligible!
   • Capital Grant 2 2019 Awardee example: Cascade Shelter Project. “Founded by low-income tenants and neighbors in 1976, the Cascade Shelter Project (CSP) is a member-led cooperative dedicated to sustaining truly affordable housing in the heart of Seattle’s Cascade neighborhood in South Lake Union. Tenants at Cascade Shelter Project serve as board members, fulfilling the practices and responsibilities of owners for the duration that they live at Cascade. Funding from the Displaced Tenants Fund will support much needed capital improvements (maintenance and structural repairs) to steward three, adjoined buildings that are over 100 years old.”
3. Capacity Building Grant – up to $250,000: The Capacity Building Grant is for projects in the pre-development phase that use community-led strategies and strengthen community ownership over land and housing. Establishing a Renters’ Council to oversee a future development? Conducting listening session with communities you hope to serve? Offering leadership and skills trainings about cooperative ownership for a future project? Hiring a consultant for an affordable housing project in the works? They’re all eligible!
   • Capacity Building Grant 2019 Awardee example: Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition. “In October 2017 a group of neighbors came together to respond to the threat of displacement in the South Park community by forming the Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition (DVAHC). The group seeks to develop resident-led strategies to ensure that future development in South Park sustains the economic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the neighborhood. Capacity building funds will support their efforts to build a stronger more diverse coalition and gain site control for a larger mixed use development project.”

Read more about each 2019 Displaced Tenants Fund Awardee here.

Got more questions? We’re ready for them!

Email the Displaced Tenants Fund consultant Karen Toering at dtat@socialjusticefund.org. If you have additional questions, schedule a call with Karen.

Learn more and start your application here.