[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6253354,"mediaKeyId","3181675-6f7115c3eea26ad82e2d737ca098eb3a","parentId",3181675,"title","Office of Sustainability & Environment outlines Environmental Justice Fund grants and demand; $740,000 available in 2025 RFP","audioSeconds",600,"startMs",1200000,"endMs",1800000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3181675-6f7115c3eea26ad82e2d737ca098eb3a&start=1200&end=1800","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3181675-6f7115c3eea26ad82e2d737ca098eb3a/thumbnail_1200000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6253354/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Office-of-Sustainability-Environment-outlines-Environmental-Justice-Fund-grants-and-demand-740000-available-in-2025-RFP","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253354-48613a4a3020fac7ef52d9ea5f3c66a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776385614&Signature=cDvzXtACa00klaGAiMWsFEPSMlgW1lI4JHrF7jgY552fXEiD6NrxVGES802iDryLDScLd6zGf~3wSbjErXD0RJ9GgKMKBD8UDfvTOwhErTASuyeAe~a8bCmfriBXy2tbFntSzLBAjG-xwPRnM~YWOd3B52eUvM-j5demmoRLlSw-r~iIZ~5gqg05Q~wf7PUWqWeb~UnTTo8LmZzO3sgYB~8fLeH3mrjkub3k2BrZN9AHVb~cEl460zvt6ZREAa537ckHhxaxpphdutq4HJwbukUFwaHxwosIkR47sLBui0MkzuWQBwg-198lZhej-8xloau5elXb3WHJ6xtIeGBJdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Seattle, WA","date","2025-05-02T19:36:52.893Z","article","The Office of Sustainability & Environment briefed the Seattle City Council Sustainability, City Light, and Arts and Culture Committee on May 2 about the Environmental Justice Fund, its origin, grantmaking approach and measurable impacts since 2018.

Jimena Fonseca Morales, Environmental Justice Fund strategic advisor, said the fund stems from the city’s 2015 Equity and Environment Initiative and was launched in 2018 to invest directly in community-led climate- and environmental-justice projects. She said the fund centers priority communities — including Black, Indigenous and people of color, immigrants and refugees, people with low incomes, youth and elders — and that grants are designed to reduce barriers by offering technical assistance and community review by a six-member community review team.

Fonseca Morales said the fund has awarded more than $3.8 million to 64 community groups and 82 projects since 2018. She cited examples that included youth programming to connect indigenous youth with traditional ecological knowledge, indoor-air-quality education workshops, soil remediation projects, green-jobs exposure for youth, and community-built green spaces.

Councilmembers asked how the fund is financed and how it coordinates with state efforts. Fonseca Morales said the fund is fully supported by payroll expense tax revenue (directed under the city’s Green New Deal commitments) and that $740,000 will be available through the 2025 RFP, which closes June 3. She described ongoing coordination with state-level environmental justice efforts, including participation by grantees and board members in state task forces and legislative processes such as the HEAL Act, and said some state programs have been shaped in part by the city’s local grant structure.

Councilmembers also asked about youth engagement and coordination with the climate action plan update. Staff said they plan to connect grantee input to the climate action plan update and highlighted grantees such as Young Women Empowered, Wa Na Wari, Via Comunitaria and Lake City Collective for their youth and community work.

OSC staff said they will release an Environmental Justice Fund impact report covering the first five years and a short video describing grantee work. The committee did not take formal action; the briefing was informational and staff said they will follow up as the RFP process unfolds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture Committee 5/2/2025","oneSentenceSummary","OSC staff described the Environmental Justice Fund’s goals, community-led grantmaking approach and impact since 2018; staff said the 2025 RFP will award $740,000 and that the fund is fully supported by payroll expense tax revenue.","taxTitle","Seattle, King County, Washington","taxId",2543,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6253358,"Seattle office gives overview of Fresh Bucks food-benefit program; staff say program serves 12,000 households",243,1007000,1250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3181675-6f7115c3eea26ad82e2d737ca098eb3a&start=1007&end=1250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3181675-6f7115c3eea26ad82e2d737ca098eb3a/thumbnail_1007000.jpg","/articles/6253358/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Seattle-office-gives-overview-of-Fresh-Bucks-food-benefit-program-staff-say-program-serves-12000-households","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253358-b91c879f5d33adefab998db646e0e780/orig.mp4?Expires=1776385614&Signature=VT5Dz2lmD-aXH-CLAThxYheygOO5foklmZ~~KFozSDSbojh13KeE8fTVISksYnR~wDMYHToe5IBNHv8Aup7xFpGh3wccdoFKjC-LQP7-8xfsZ~yxpS51Ai7Cn5eZIvDsHZBJSWnyvjzBFjvjhj3~VGkCi18FQGba68u8eVquhz8LsDoD~~Pk4G--ySDJb9Bgb85WuJpsBSEG~-9CBeEXTvekjEfbzjcRkx7kKx5Ivju8hsk4y5BB671NUDp5Yqx0-rkIOmTWpIOPJ1ITQmPXBCUVHQaUsCTrggG-25w50oaQCXjv9ZOM3N8fZriD0PeqbcFQApvl2ORTYdzRD4MHhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Office of Sustainability & Environment staff told the Seattle City Council Sustainability, City Light, and Arts and Culture Committee on May 2 that Fresh Bucks provides a $40 monthly benefit to about 12,000 Seattle households to buy fruits and vegetables at participating retailers, farmers markets and delivery services.

Liliana Ayala, interim deputy director at the Office of Sustainability & Environment, framed the program as part of a city strategy to prioritize residents historically burdened by environmental and economic injustice. Robin Kumar, Fresh Bucks program manager, said the program “connects Seattle residents who are most impacted by food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease with locally grown, culturally relevant, and health-promoting foods.”

Kumar said Fresh Bucks began as a SNAP match at a few farmers markets in 2012 and expanded after the 2018 sweetened beverage tax enabled larger city investments. The program now serves about 12,000 households; customers receive $40 per month and benefits can be used at 40 participating Seattle retailers. Kumar reported that last year $4,870,000 in Fresh Bucks benefits were spent at Seattle businesses and that the program has translated into broader local economic impacts.

OSC staff described eligibility and enrollment: any Seattle household at or below 80% of area median income (AMI) may apply. Customers may enroll through community enrollment partners, and OSC opened a continuous public waitlist application in March to widen access; staff said the waitlist received over 3,000 applications in the first two months. Staff said about 1,000 program spots open each year through natural attrition (households moving or becoming ineligible), which is the baseline rate available to fill from the waitlist.

Committee members asked about expanding participating retailers (including large grocery chains and culturally specific independent stores), increasing the monthly benefit amount, and staffing needed to scale the program. Kumar said OSC is exploring partnerships to add retailers and delivery options and confirmed the $40 monthly benefit is a flat amount set in 2018. Kumar said the program has six full-time staff administering benefits and that OSC would provide follow-up data about how benefit levels would need to change to meet current food-cost realities, options for household-size adjustments, retailer lists, and analysis of staffing needs to scale.

Councilmembers praised the program’s economic and health impacts and requested additional detail on (1) the full list of participating retailers for constituent outreach, (2) updated estimates of what a realistic monthly benefit would be given post-2018 food-price increases, (3) how community enrollment partners are selected and how organizations such as North Seattle Helpline can become partners, and (4) data on overlap with SNAP and other programs. OSC staff said they would follow up with the committee on those questions.","Office of Sustainability & Environment staff briefed council on Fresh Bucks, a $40-per-household monthly fruit-and-vegetable benefit that serves about 12,000 Seattle households, has a growing waitlist and relies on a small six-person team for administration.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6253363,"Committee recommends confirmation of Louis Ernst to City Light review panel",313,397000,710000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3181675-6f7115c3eea26ad82e2d737ca098eb3a&start=397&end=710","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3181675-6f7115c3eea26ad82e2d737ca098eb3a/thumbnail_397000.jpg","/articles/6253363/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Committee-recommends-confirmation-of-Louis-Ernst-to-City-Light-review-panel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253363-4ea670fe01fd4d8f1b3eeb78082ed0d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1776385614&Signature=IIh8W90Du9n3ebeQfvOtDdArfqorDIzQ5K4ktvnzzF7bwNuvQWHDHs8YTJoLwMl2eaTQv8iTvz4acpZibiTs3x8GJp79oNFzAH6~AmNUcfOJGqfgNByc8awXV0If4W~jhP67vq1YmNmHIagHok~D-IYmIgPKaSAY6a76isC9L1McOf0QpHr-hH-KjqeqppCqUR1n9nRP1F~C7Cjcm9j6UTeSJaPYwspMHSmHtpL6v3jREVJyfrqFpymYkHp7qRS5IoRqIsq9Va~MJgduS~NrpmmTLks9JXZ5I9HQOhLydyyhhR40ahnVcYtdQrj8qu7m2r4WmEWHZU2z1F0UBHXGDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Seattle City Council Sustainability, City Light, and Arts and Culture Committee voted 5-0 on May 2 to recommend confirmation of Louis Ernst to the City Light review panel, the committee’s chair said.

The review panel, created by City of Seattle ordinance in 2010, evaluates Seattle City Light’s biennial strategic plan and rate path and issues an independent opinion when the plan is submitted to the mayor and council. Lee Brecker, interim chief of staff at Seattle City Light, described Ernst as an engineering-trained finance professional now working as a finance manager for two Amazon subsidiaries and urged the committee to confirm him.

The committee also reiterated that it will receive a later update on a separate City Light internal investigation. Chair Rink said the committee is “in regular communication with City Light” and will be provided “an update later in the year regarding actionable steps City Light is taking to change its internal culture.” The chair summarized portions of the previously issued report as describing a “pervasive culture of heavy drinking” and instances of assault and harassment identified in the department’s report.

Councilmember Rink moved the committee recommendation to confirm appointment 03130. The clerk called the roll; Councilmember Moore, Councilmember Saka, Councilmember Solomon, Councilmember Strauss and Chair Rink voted yes. The committee record shows five in favor, zero opposed and zero abstentions. The committee’s recommendation will be sent to the full City Council for a May 13 confirmation vote.

City Light staff said Ernst could not be present because his spouse had a child the previous day; Brecker summarized Ernst’s background, saying he holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA in finance and economics and has worked in mechanical engineering, consulting, strategy and finance.

No amendments or alternate motions were offered during the committee vote. The committee did not take any other formal actions on City Light operations during the meeting; it noted the prior report’s findings and signaled that additional, more-detailed updates and possible follow-ups will come later in the year.","The Seattle City Council Sustainability, City Light, and Arts and Culture Committee voted 5-0 to recommend confirmation of Louis Ernst as the panel’s financial analyst; the committee noted an ongoing City Light investigation and said a further update will be provided later in the year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Office of Sustainability & Environment outlines Environmental Justice Fund grants and demand; $740,000 available in 2025 RFP

Seattle office gives overview of Fresh Bucks food-benefit program; staff say program serves 12,000 households

Committee recommends confirmation of Louis Ernst to City Light review panel