Outreach Enrollment Grants

Commerce provided grants to community-based organizations with experience and cultural skills that support people historically underserved by state and federal social services. 

Outreach Grant basics 

The Legislature created this program to fund community organizations that serve “historically disadvantaged populations.” Outreach grants are designed to support community members applying for state and federal assistance programs.  

Commerce granted with 16 nonprofit organizations that ranked highest in a statewide competition. Grantees were assessed for relevant cultural and language skills, experience enrolling people in social services, and other criteria.  

How communities used the funding

The Legislature recognizes Washington residents do not experience poverty equally. Grantees prioritize communities who have poverty rates above the state average. This includes but is not limited to:

• Individuals and families that are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), including people who are African American, Latinx or Hispanic, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
• American Indian and Alaska Native people in urban areas
• Limited English proficient households
• Individuals living with a disability
• Youth transitioning from the foster care system
• LGBTQIA+ community, with an emphasis on Black transgender and non-binary people
• Recent immigrants

Programs targeted for increased enrollment include but were not limited to:

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Public housing programs
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Apple Health and Medicaid
• Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
• Working Connections Childcare
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) education and job search programs
• Kinship Care
• Expanded Child Tax Credit
• Earned Income Tax Credit
• Developmental Disabilities Administration Programs
• Housing and Essential Needs Referral Program
• SSDI and SSI
• Applications for Individual Taxpayer ID Number
• Applications for state identification cards
• Affordable Connectivity Program
• ORCA or other public transportation access
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Legal aid

Our grantee staff with lived experience provided enrollment services in 39 counties and in 64 different languages.

Examples of grant funded work

The Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center used the grant to fund staff who will outreach and enroll people in Tacoma and Pierce County in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Working Connections Childcare, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), housing and other programs. Multicultural is a BIPOC-led organization that aims to build rapport with clients, especially those historically underserved from public services. 

Refugee Immigrant Services Northwest (RISNW) used this grant to assist newly arrived refugees and immigrants as they rebuilt their lives. RISNW provided critical outreach enrollment services to unreached community members, refugees and asylum seekers. Through this grant, they expanded outreach enrollment services in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties. Community members often expressed to RISNW staff feelings of isolation, anxiety and fear, highlighting the need for RISNW to provide accessible, culturally responsive enrollment services.

Outcomes

As of June 2025, organizations that received Outreach Enrollment Grants:

• Supported 93,224 individuals
• Supported 40,244 families
• Provided 46,878 enrollments
• Enrolled households in more than 30 federal and state assistance programs

Available funds

The Washington State Legislature has concluded. The Outreach Enrollment Grant was not funded for FY26 and FY27.