Doors Open Facilities

Doors Open Facilities grants help organizations acquire, build, or renovate the brick-and-mortar buildings and spaces that make cultural experiences possible.

This one-time investment in 2024 is tied to the passage of the Doors Open legislation in December 2023. 4Culture’s Building for Equity Program is slated to reopen in 2025.

Steps to Apply

1 What Doors Open Facilities Funds

Doors Open Facilities grants provide funding for building, remodeling, and buying specialized space that houses and facilitates cultural work in King County. A total of $24 million is available in the funding pool for this cycle. Organizations with a primary purpose related to arts, heritage, historic preservation, and science are eligible to apply. See discipline definitions below.

If your organization is looking for funding for equipment, we encourage you to check out our Equipment grant (opening in 2025). Projects that consist of general maintenance and repairs, the purchase of consumable items like light bulbs and tools, regular staff salaries, or program expenses are not eligible for Doors Open Facilities funding but are eligible for Sustained Support. Learn more on the Sustained Support page.

During the panel review process, panelists may have questions about your project or application. You may be asked to schedule a 15-minute interview with the panel or provide a written or video response. Please be sure to check your email the week of October 15-21, 2024 to see if you have been asked to provide additional information. You will have approximately one week from when you hear from 4Culture to either schedule an interview or provide a reply. Being asked for additional details does not mean your application is more or less likely to receive funding.

Different contract requirements will accompany each application depending on the project size.

Contract Requirements	Total Project Budget Size
Contract Requirements	$250,000 and Under	$250,001 – $1,000,000	$1,000,001 – $10,000,000	$10,000,001 or more
Acknowledging 4Culture Support: You will need to publicly recognize the support you receive from 4Culture. 4Culture’s support should be noted anywhere you recognize other project donors who have contributed similar amounts.	x	x	x	x
Doors Open Facility Grant Contribution: If you receive an award, your organization is committing to provide three to twelve hours of time to support the future of 4Culture’s Facilities grants. You may be asked to complete a survey, participate in a focus group, interview with 4Culture staff, provide a testimonial, or present at a 4Culture workshop.	Up to 3 hours	Up to 6 hours	Up to 9 hours	Up to 12 hours
Cultural Space Contribution: Organizations receiving larger awards may be required to provide cultural access through free and/or technical support to a Building for Equity Capacity Building awardee. The required contribution will be relative to your award size and the space or support your organization can provide.			X	X

Public Benefit: Why It Matters

4Culture is a public agency supporting the cultural sector through revenue from Lodging Tax, 1% for Art, and Doors Open funding sources. Core to our work and defined in our Charter is a requirement that everything we fund serves the public interest, enriching communities throughout King County.

We define Public Benefit as the opportunity for King County residents and visitors to access and engage in arts, science, and other cultural activities, events, communities of practice, historic and cultural spaces, and works of public art related to our program areas. It is a service requirement for all recipients of funding from 4Culture. Public benefit makes it easier to experience culture! Read about public benefit more in depth here.

Here are some ways that you can provide public benefit:

Providing the public with access to your facility, creative work, project, or program for free or at a reduced rate.
Free use of your facility or low-cost rental to other cultural groups.
- Please note: projects with larger award amounts will be required to meet a Cultural Space Contribution Requirement by providing cultural access through free facility use to smaller groups. The required contribution is in addition the public benefit detailed in your application.
Providing educational programs and experiences at cultural organizations, schools, or other venues accessible to the public.
Participating in collaborative relationships with other cultural organizations, individuals, and groups to extend the reach and impact of a project or program for the benefit of the public.
Organizational capacity-building projects or activities that provide meaningful public benefits not otherwise achievable.
Providing, through technological and other means, services or programs in locations other than an organization’s own facilities.

Why Racial Equity?

With a focus on racial equity, 4Culture funds, supports, and advocates for culture to enhance the quality of life in King County. We acknowledge that systematic inequity takes many forms—racism, sexism, ableism, transphobia, heterosexism, and more. Our focus on racial equity provides us with the tools we use to dismantle all oppressions.

By centering communities that have historically faced barriers to purchasing and stewarding cultural space, Doors Open is incorporating a racial and geographic equity lens into the funding program. The goal of this program is to create pathways toward a racially equitable cultural landscape that is accessible across the entire geography of King County.

To read more visit:
Racial Equity at 4Culture
Mission, Vision, Values

Criteria

We fund all our grants through a competitive process, carefully evaluating each application. For this particular grant, we’ll look to see how well your project shows the following for a total of 40 points:

Quality and Qualifications (10 points): the thought and reasoning you have put into your project planning, including assembling a qualified and prepared project team. How community input has informed your assessment of needs and helped to prioritize project outcomes. How this facility project was designed to help your organization fulfill its mission and address social, economic, and/or environmental challenges.
Feasibility (10 points): your organization’s ability to administer and complete the project within the budgetary, logistical, and time constraints described in your application. 4Culture does not provide 100% of a facility project’s cost, so other support must be shown and a reasonable plan and timeline for raising all the funds needed is an essential part of your request. You must be able to start your project within 24 months of the award date and demonstrate financial stability through the budget and financial information you provide.
Project Impact and Public Benefit (10 points): how this project will create positive change to meet the needs of the communities you serve. What public benefits this project will provide visitors and residents of King County—for example: increased programming abilities, additional audience capacity, increased accessibility for people with disabilities, etc.
Advancing Equity (10 points): your organization or facility project’s focus on including historically marginalized communities, especially communities that are disproportionately impacted by structural racism, in planning, development, execution, and final use and operation of this facility project. This is not a requirement for funding.

Priority Projects

Projects located in 4Culture’s geographic priority areas will receive additional consideration during the grant evaluation and awards process. Projects qualify as being in a geographic priority area by meeting one or more of the following requirements. Your project does not need to meet one of these to qualify; these only give certain projects priority:

The project is outside of the City of Seattle.
The project is located in a designated Community of Opportunity in King County. This is a geographic area experiencing the most significant social inequities. These designated areas are shown in purple on this map:

*The Community of Opportunity index is used to identify areas in King County experiencing the highest levels of need. Learn more about King County’s Community of Opportunity index.

A minimum of 25% of funding will go to projects outside Seattle city limits.

The information included here is what 4Culture has confirmed at this point. If there are substantive changes, we will communicate those to our constituents. The best way to stay informed is to sign up for 4Culture’s newsletter.

2 Are You Eligible?

Doors Open Facilities grants are available to King County-based nonprofit arts, cultural, heritage, historic preservation, and scientific organizations with at least a two-year operating history, nonprofit status, and demonstrated long-term control of the physical site.

There are three types of eligibility criteria your organization and project must meet to be able to apply for this grant:

Discipline Requirement

The primary purpose of the organization must be the advancement and preservation of one or more of the following disciplines:

Arts: includes organizations focused on creative place-making, cultural festivals, dance, design, film, folk and traditional arts, literary arts, multidisciplinary arts, music, theater, and visual arts.
Historic Preservation: includes organizations focused on advocacy or assistance to preserve, promote, and sustain historic places, education about our historic built environment, or stewarding historic properties that serve as a venue for cultural activities.
Heritage: includes organizations focused on the preservation and transmission of local history; ethnic history; indigenous and traditional culture; folklore and culturally specific traditions; and historic and archaeological resources.
Science and Technology: includes organizations focused on natural and social sciences, characterized by a formalized framework that entails the reproducible testing and revision of falsifiable ideas based on observable facts, as well as formal and applied sciences, such as mathematics and engineering. Applicants that are zoos or aquariums must also be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

If you’re not sure which discipline matches your organization, please contact Casey Moser, Doors Open Facilities Program Manager, at casey.moser@4culture.org.

Structural Requirements

Your organization and project must meet all of these requirements.

If you are applying with a fiscal sponsor, please contact Casey Moser, Doors Open Facilities Program Manager, at casey.moser@4culture.org for more information about how these eligibility requirements apply to you and your fiscal sponsor.

Your Organization

Is incorporated in the state of Washington.
Conducts a majority (51% or more) of your mission-based, public-facing activities in the County.
Is a federally recognized nonprofit organization, or an organization that is fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization that also meets all of the eligibility criteria. Please note: If you are using a fiscal sponsor to apply for this grant, you must have prior approval by 4Culture staff.
Is not:
- A K-12 school or school district.
- A university, college, or institution of higher education.
- An agency of the state or any of its political subdivisions.
- A municipal corporation.
- An organization that raises money for redistribution to multiple cultural organizations.
- A radio or television broadcasting network or station, cable communications system, Internet-based communications venture or service, newspaper, or magazine.
Demonstrates an ongoing commitment to advancing racial equity, with anti-racism efforts planned for 2025. Examples may include training, programming, internal systems and processes, or an alternative appropriate for the cultural context of your organization. Your organization is eligible even if you are just beginning these efforts, as long as you make a commitment for 2025. Please contact us for more information if needed.
Has a board of directors, a proven two-year record of providing arts or cultural services (you will be asked to provide two previous years of financial statements with the application), and the ability to sustain operations after the completion of this facility project.
Can, if funded, provide a W-9 form, sign a contract that limits 4Culture’s liability, and provide proof of liability insurance that names 4Culture as additional insured.
Has site control of the project location by the application deadline (September 4, 2024). This can mean property ownership or a long-term lease (10 years minimum or 5 years with an option to renew). Funding can also be used for property acquisitions; proof of sale or equivalent documentation will be required.

Your Project

Must be shovel-ready within two years (by December 31, 2026).
Consists of more than general maintenance and repairs or the purchase of consumable items like light bulbs and tools that are expendable as annual operations. All funds must be for capital costs and depreciable assets.
Does not only consist of feasibility studies or other early project planning steps.
Does not include regular staff salaries or program expenses, which are not eligible for Doors Open Facilities funding but are eligible for Doors Opened Sustained Support. Learn more on the Doors Open Sustained Support page.

Equity Inclusion and Geographic Inclusion Public Benefit Requirements

Your project must have at least one Equity Inclusion Public Benefit AND/OR at least one Geographic Inclusion Public Benefit.

Examples of Equity Inclusion Public Benefits

Providing free or low-cost attendance to cultural organizations and cultural facilities for county residents who have economic, geographic, and/or other barriers to access.
Providing free access to curriculum-related arts, science, and heritage programs for public school students with an emphasis on underserved students.
Increasing the diversity of staff and governing boards of cultural organizations.
Increasing opportunities for access to cultural facilities, programs, and services for diverse and underserved communities.
Providing programming that appeals to diverse populations within the county.
Planning and implementing cultural programs or collaborating with other cultural organizations to extend the reach and impact of cultural programs to diverse and underserved populations and communities.

Examples of Geographic Inclusion Public Benefits

Planning and implementing cultural programs and activities outside of Seattle.
Partnering with other cultural organizations on cultural programs and activities outside Seattle, through direct investment or in-kind support, on priority projects and initiatives.
Providing cultural programming to communities outside the city in your organization is primarily located, either directly or in partnership with other entities.

If you’re not sure if your organization or project fits the above eligibility requirements or you have a question about these criteria, please contact Casey Moser, Doors Open Facilities Program Manager, at casey.moser@4culture.org.

If your organization or project is not eligible this year but you are interested in 2025 facilities grant opportunities please contact Maya Santos, Building for Equity Program Manager, at maya.santos@4culture.org.

3 Helping You Succeed

Workshops

Workshops can make a big difference in the success of your application—they are an opportunity to meet grant managers, hear from fellow applicants, and get all your questions answered.

Workshops will be held in person and virtually (with captioning available). You’ll need a Zoom account to join the virtual workshops.

We will announce workshop dates soon. Please subscribe to the 4Culture newsletter to be notified when dates are confirmed.

Contact Us

We’re here to help! Please contact us if you have questions about this program or would like guidance as you work through your application. We look forward to getting to know you and your facility project!

Casey Moser, Doors Open Facilities Program Manager
casey.moser@4culture.org
206-477-2316

Liz Reyes, Doors Open Support Specialist
liz.reyes@4culture.org
206-263-7870

You can contact us about:

The grant application, panel review process, award notifications, eligible expenses, contracting, and reimbursement/payments.
Review grant application drafts.
Scheduling a site visit or a meeting.

4Culture has also engaged three consultants familiar with capital project funding who can help you frame your project in the application. All three consultants have experience with cultural facilities projects, and you are welcome to set up a free consultation with whichever consultant you prefer.

These consultants are:

Matthew Richter
Principal, Cultural.Space
Senior Advisor, The Cultural Space Agency
Former Cultural Space Liaison, City of Seattle
Contact Matthew

Debra Twersky
Former Deputy Director, 4Culture
Former Executive Director, Kirkland Arts Center
Contact Debra

Stephen Yamada-Heidner
Executive Director, Architects Without Borders Seattle
Former Project Manager, Olson Kundig
Contact Stephen

You can contact them about:

Determining organizational readiness for a capital project.
Approaching project brainstorming, planning, and timeline.
Advice on scaling your project.
Presenting your vision in the application and how the panel process works.
General information about best practices for capital projects.

This additional resource is intended to complement the information provided through 4Culture’s website, workshops, and staff. Consultants are not involved in funding decisions and will not share anything discussed in your consultation with the 4Culture team unless they need additional information to answer your questions.

Translation and Assistance

The guidelines, a detailed explanation of how to apply, and the application are in English. If this is a barrier that stops you from understanding the grant or applying due to limited English writing ability, visual impairment, or you would like to request assistance to create an application, please contact hello@4culture.org or call (206) 296-7580 or TTY 711, and we will make sure you get the support you need.

Las pautas, la explicación detallada de cómo enviar la solicitud y la solicitud están en inglés. Si esto le impide comprender la información relacionada con la beca o enviar una solicitud debido a una limitación en la capacidad para escribir en inglés, si tiene una discapacidad visual o si desea recibir asistencia para crear una solicitud, escriba a hello@4culture.org o llame al (206) 296-7580 o TTY 711, y nos aseguraremos de que obtenga la ayuda que necesita.

详细说明如何申请的指南以及申请本身均使用英文。如果由于英语写作能力有限、视力障碍而妨碍您对本资助的了解或申请，或者您希望请求协助来完成申请，请发送电子邮件至 hello@4culture.org 或致电 (206) 296-7580 或 TTY (听障专线) 711 联系，我们会确保您获得所需的支持

Руководство, подробная инструкция и форма заявки на английском языке. Если вам сложно разобраться в процедуре получения грантов или подачи заявок из-за ограниченных навыков письменного английского языка либо нарушений зрения, а также если вы бы хотели обратиться за помощью при составлении заявки, отправьте письмо на адрес электронной почты hello@4culture.org или позвоните по номеру (206) 296-7580 или 711 (телетайп), и мы позаботимся о том, чтобы вы получили необходимую помощь.

Hướng dẫn, giải thích chi tiết về cách nộp đơn va tài liệu áp dụng tất cả đều bằng Tiếng Anh. Nếu đây là rào cản khiến quý vị không hiểu được khoản trợ cấp hoặc cách nộp đơn do khả năng viết tiếng Anh hạn chế, do quý vị bị suy giảm thị lực hoặc muốn yêu cầu hỗ trợ để tạo đơn đăng ký, làm ơn liên hệ hello@4culture.org hoặc gọi (206) 296-7580 hay TTY 711 và chúng tôi sẽ hỗ trợ những gì quý vị cần.

Tilmaamaha, sharaxaadda faahfaahsan ee ku saabsan sida loo codsado, iyo waraaqda codsiga waxa ay dhammaan ku qoran yihiin Af-Ingiriisi. Haddii ay arrintani tahay caqabad kaa hor istaageysa fahamka deeqda ama codsashada oo ay sabab u tahay awoodda qorista Af-Ingiriisiga oo xadidan, araggaaga oo liita, ama aad jeclaan lahayd inaad codsato in lagaa caawiyo in aad codsi sameyso, fadlan la xiriir hello@4culture.org ama wac (206) 296-7580 ama TTY 711, waxaana xaqiijin doonnaa inaad hesho taageerada aad u baahan tahay.

4 After You Submit

Panel Process

We make all our funding decisions through a panel process, in which a group of peers assesses your application. 4Culture staff facilitates the panel process but does not vote or try to influence the outcome.

Interviews and Questions

During the panel review process, panelists may have questions about your project or application. You may be asked to schedule a 15-minute interview with the panel or provide a written or video response. Please be sure to check your email October 15-21, 2024, to see if you have been asked to provide additional information. You will have approximately one week from when you hear from 4Culture to either schedule an interview or provide a reply. Being asked for additional details in either scenario does not mean your application is more or less likely to receive funding.

Timeline

The deadline for this grant is September 4, 2024, at 5:00 pm PDT. Award decisions will be announced in December 2024, and contracting will begin in January 2025.

Contracts and Payment

If we select your project for funding, your program manager will work with you to create a contract outlining a payment schedule. Reminder: eligible expenses are those spent on or after the date you receive your award letter in December 2024.

Requirements and Appeals

Learn about what will be required if you are awarded a grant, and about the process for appeal of a 4Culture decision.

5 Apply

You will apply through our online grant portal system. We suggest you make certain you have an active account and that your organization profile is up to date now. You’ll log in and be able to select the Doors Open Facilities application.

Once you’ve started your application, you can save after each step and sign out—your application will be saved as a draft that you can continue to work on up to the deadline. Once you click “Submit,” your application is final. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions during the process.

Need help? Watch this video on how to access your 4Culture account and application.

What’s in the Application?

We strongly recommend assembling the following materials and information before you begin your application so you can cut and paste the information into your application. Feel free to call or email us with any questions as you work on preparing this information in advance.

If you are applying as a fiscally sponsored group, please contact Casey Moser, Doors Open Facilities Program Manager, at casey.moser@4culture.org to get more specific application details. As a reminder, if you are using a fiscal sponsor to apply for this grant, you must have prior approval by 4Culture staff.

Demographic Information

Your organization profile in our portal must provide demographic information for your board and staff for the current year. We use this information to help us understand how well we are doing in our efforts to reach all communities in King County. Read our privacy policy for information about how we protect your information. Your application is not complete if your demographic information is not updated for the current year.

Project budget

Use our Budget Form in the online application—you only need to fill out the line items that pertain to your project.

Financial information

Please check your organization’s most recent fiscal year information from your 990 in our grant application portal as part of your organization’s profile. Make certain it is up to date! If you have never provided us with this information, we want your two most recent years.

Activities list

The panel will review your list of events and primary activities from the last 24 months to better understand your organization and how it serves the public. Please include location and audience sizes—be as specific as possible. You can cut and paste from a Word document into the application section or enter information directly.

Board list

Submit a list of your organization’s board members, their terms, and occupations in this section of the application. You can cut and paste from a Word document or enter information directly.

Balance sheet

You will be asked to provide information from your year-end balance sheet, in whatever format you present it in your financials.

Equity in Development and Construction

You will be asked questions about your racial equity efforts, strategies, and processes within your organization and your project.

Rendering/plan/illustration (optional)

You may submit a PDF of up to 2 pages that help to show the panel your project—this is not required but can help to explain a remodel plan or complex project budget.

Important reminders:

We recommend drafting your application offline before entering your final content on your application in the portal and save your work often.
Attend an information workshop or view the workshop recording.
Don’t wait until the last minute. Start your application early.
If you have trouble uploading documents or saving/submitting your application, please contact us immediately.