The Community Capacity Initiative (CCI) helps Washington organizations prepare for capital projects. If you are planning to build, renovate, expand or purchase a facility, this capacity-building program provides early-stage support to strengthen your planning, systems and readiness before you pursue major state or federal capital funding.
A capital project may include construction, renovation, rehabilitation or acquisition of public facilities such as housing, community facilities or infrastructure. Examples include construction, renovation, rehabilitation and acquisition projects related to public facilities such as housing, community facilities, infrastructure and other capital investments.
How we support your capital project
Our goal is long-term readiness through supports and funding for a community capital project or plan. For example, award amounts may range from $20,000–$200,000 for a successful application. Following our build, invest and serve commitment for communities, the program provides these models of support:
- Capacity-Building Grants: Funding for early work such as planning, community engagement, feasibility, pre-design or strengthening internal systems.
- Training: Free live webinars on project planning, budgeting, readiness and state contracting for capacity-building, capital project readiness, planning and pre-development. Recordings are available on this page.
- Technical assistance: Guidance to help you understand requirements, assess readiness and identify next steps.
- Tools and templates: Practical resources to support project development and organizational readiness.
Who is this for
Eligible organizations based in Washington, include:
- Community-based organizations and nonprofits
- Local governments (cities, towns, counties and special districts)
- Federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations
- Other community partners planning a capital project
This program is especially helpful for organizations serving rural or overburdened communities, or those new to capital projects. Previous Capital Building Grants and Capital Project Capacity Grants were awarded to eligible organizations to support their community construction and capacity building projects. Learn more about previous awardees and their projects in past CCI funding awards and grantees.
Funding opportunities
Capital Project Capacity Grants for local governments and tribal organizations (2026)
Early-stage funding to help public entities and tribal organizations in overburdened plan, prepare, and strengthen readiness for future capital project funding. plan, prepare and strengthen readiness for future capital project funding. Priority projects are community housing, energy, and public infrastructure. Funding announcement will be released by summer 2026.
Capital Project Capacity Grants for nonprofit organizations in fiscal year 2027
Small, early-stage funding to help nonprofit organizations plan, prepare, and strengthen capacity for future capital construction funding.
- This two-phase application process is currently closed.
- Funding announcement will be released by fall 2026.
The Capital Project Capacity Grants for nonprofit organizations (winter–spring 2026)
This source of funding is for small, early-stage funding to help nonprofit organizations plan, prepare and strengthen capacity for future capital construction funding. The 2026 winter–spring cycle of funding is currently closed, but more opportunities will be posted soon. We’ve included materials for the closed cycle for your reference and planning purposes for future funding opportunities.
- This two-phase application process is currently closed.
- Ten grantees received awards of up to $50,000.
Training and resources
This four-part webinar series covers important teachings and offers tools for a broad-range of entities to consider at early-stage planning of a capital project. It is recommended to start with the training overview recording covering all the materials listed in the series: Overview Recording Training Series and Tools Recording (Vimeo). All supporting materials can be accessed on Commerce’s public Box folder.
- Session one: Are we ready for a capital project?
- Session One: Getting your project ready recording (Vimeo)
- All supporting materials are available in Commerce’s public Box folder, with accessible transcripts and referenced documents included.
- Session One: Getting your project ready recording (Vimeo)
- Session two: Who makes decisions?
- Session Two: Decision making recording (Vimeo)
- Session Two: Governance scenario recording (Vimeo)
- Session Two: Governance readiness toolkit recording (Vimeo)
- All supporting materials are available in Commerce’s public Box folder, with accessible transcripts and documents included.
- Session three: Can we manage the money?
- Session Three: Financial readiness link to recording (Vimeo)
- All supporting materials are available in Commerce’s public Box folder, with accessible transcripts and documents included.
- Session Three: Financial readiness link to recording (Vimeo)
- Session four: Is our capital project ready?
- Session Four: Capital project readiness recording (Vimeo)
- All supporting materials are available in Commerce’s public Box folder, with accessible transcripts and documents included.
- Session Four: Capital project readiness recording (Vimeo)
Recorded trainings to support contracting with Commerce
Learn what to expect when your organization receives a grant contract from Commerce. This workshop was designed for nonprofits that are new to contracting with Commerce, but the information may also be useful to other organizations.
Commerce Applicant Academy Workshop: Watch previously recorded workshops. You may be interested in watching both as we respond to valuable questions from participants in each session.
- Watch a previously recorded workshop (Dec. 8, 2025) — Commerce Applicant Academy Workshop recording (Vimeo).
- Watch a previously recorded workshop (Dec. 10, 2025) — Commerce Applicant Academy Workshop recording (Vimeo).
The Community Capacity Building program at Commerce is currently housed in the Community Engagement and Outreach Division at the Washington State Department of Commerce.
Community Capacity Building at Commerce is guided by the 2022 Department of Commerce “Equity in Capital Funding Review” report, which found that “Commerce must advance equity and anti-racism through internal culture change, intentional allocation of resources, and targeted distribution of funds to systemically oppressed communities—with humility, transparency, and community partnership.”
The Capacity-Building Program builds on several years of Commerce investment in capacity-building efforts across Washington state. This initiative is informed by lessons learned from three rounds of capacity-building grants, ongoing technical assistance, and direct engagement with community partners.
The program is also informed by findings and recommendations from the Planning and Pre-Design Capital Equity Program (PPCEP), the Child Care Partnership Grants (CCPG), and similar statewide planning and equity efforts. These efforts identified the need for earlier, more sustained support to help organizations—particularly those serving overburdened and rural communities—successfully navigate capital project planning and funding processes.
Together, these experiences shaped the current Capacity-Building Program to focus not only on funding, but also on training, tools, and connections that support long-term readiness for capital projects.