In December 2023, the King County Council passed the Doors Open bill creating a 0.1% sales tax for science, heritage, and arts programming. Producing $90 million each year, this initiative will focus on geographic equity to reach underserved communities and allow more than 500 organizations throughout the county to bolster existing programs and create new ones.

4Culture will integrate Doors Open funding into their existing equitable granting processes and operations. By August, they are excited to start rolling out one-time facilities and operating grant programs with the goal to infuse much needed support into the culture sector, including science and technology nonprofit organizations. 

Christina DePaolo, Director of Communications at 4Culture, explains the way in which this bill is designed to help all of King County, not just one sector over another, “The Doors Open legislation requires equitable distribution of funds with a minimum of 25% of funding to organizations outside the city of Seattle and a minimum of 10% to organizations serving historically underserved communities in King County.”

DePaolo encourages all interested grantees to familiarize themselves with 4Culture, the cultural funding agency for King County,  and through its website, all of the programs that will come because of this funding over the next two years. “Learn about eligibility and explore the programs that might best fit your organization to access Doors Open dollars.”

To stay informed on how this funding will transform King County and the granting opportunities, visit 4Culture.org and subscribe to their monthly newsletter and for more information about the Doors Open initiative please visit the link here: https://www.4culture.org/doors-open/

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Arcade Publishing is funded in part through 4Culture’s Community Accelerator Grant and has received said support for the years 2014 through 2024.