The Department of Neighborhoods was created in 1991 by consolidating staff from the Executive Department's Citizens Service Bureau and Office of Neighborhoods, the Community Service Centers of the Department of Human Resources, and the Neighborhood Assistance Division of the Department of Community Development. The Office of Urban Conservation, the City's historic preservation agency, was added in 1992. The following year, the department added a community development function by taking over projects in the Central Area, Southeast Seattle, and the Port of Seattle. In 1999, the Neighborhood Planning Office was abolished and its continuing functions were assumed by the Department of Neighborhoods. The Department's mission is to bring local government closer to the citizens by maintaining a responsive presence in Seattle neighborhoods, by responding to citizen concerns and complaints, and providing a communications link for neighborhoods on City issues that will have an impact on them. The department operates the Neighborhood Service Centers (Little City Halls), administers the Neighborhood Matching Grant Program, staffs the Landmarks Preservation Board, and manages the P-Patch program.
Records relating to Neighborhood Matching Fund Small Sparks grants. The Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) program, created in 1988, provides financial assistance for community-driven neighborhood development projects. Small Sparks projects were awarded up to $250, and each project team had to provide a matching portion of monetary donations, volunteer hours, or supplies. The purpose of these projects was to energize the community and reach out to people who were not yet involved in neighborhood organizations or projects. The projects were meant to be simple and informal, taking two months or less to complete. Projects included the creation of gardens, concerts in the parks, talent shows, potlucks, dances, community yard sales, preparation for earthquakes, neighborhood walks, and cleaning up trash in neighborhoods. Types of records include grant applications, agreements, progress reports, final reports, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and photos. Neighborhoods represented in each folder are listed in a note field.
Records are open to the public.
[Item and date], Department of Neighborhoods Small Sparks Fund Records, Record Series 5756-06. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.
Ballard, Judkins Park, Garfield, Rainier Beach, University District, Jackson Park, Lake City, Genesee
Leschi, Westcrest, Delridge, Wedgwood, Ballard, Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, High Point, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Greenwood, New Holly
Leschi, Ballard, High Point, Cascade, Ravenna, Madison Valley, South Park, Magnolia
Beacon Hill, High Point, Southeast Seattle
Belltown, Wedgwood, Greenwood
Capitol Hill, Maple Leaf, Beacon Hill, Ballard, Mount Baker, Hilltop, Belltown, New Holly, Puget Ridge
Hilltop, Leschi, Madison Park, Lake City, Capitol Hill, Mount Baker, Admiral, Crown Hill, Columbia City, Green Lake
Lake City, South Lake Union, High Point, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Beacon Hill
Delridge, Rainier, Othello, Beacon Hill, Fremont, Puget Ridge, Dunlap, Madison Valley
Fauntleroy, Greenwood, Yesler, Puget Ridge, Columbia City, Magnolia, Jackson Park, Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, Georgetown, South Park, Squire Park, Othello, Rainier Beach, Admiral, Belltown, Phinney Ridge
Rainier Valley, Cascade, First Hill, Squire Park, Greenwood, New Holly, South Park, Columbia City, Yesler, Othello
Beacon Hill, Colman, Delridge, Capitol Hill, Rainier Vista, Rainier Beach, Rainier Valley, Georgetown, Othello, Belltown, Wallingford, Dunlap, Ballard, Green Lake
High Point, Delridge, Madrona, Othello, Rainier Valley, Leschi, New Holly, Capitol Hill, Eastlake, Hazelwood, Columbia City, View Ridge, New Holly, Madison Valley, South Park, Lake City, University, Crown Hill, Lakewood, Seward Park
South Park, Seattle Center, Interbay, Greenwood, Colman, Central District, Sand Point, Lakewood, Queen Anne, Othello
Queen Anne, Madison Valley, Beacon Hill, Delridge, International District, Central District, Leschi, Maple Leaf, Rainier Beach, South Park, Georgetown, Othello
University District, Ballard, Arbor Heights, Rainier Vista, South Park, Lake City, Beacon Hill, Bryn Mawr, Eastlake
South Park, Genesee, Othello, Columbia City, Rainier Beach, Wallingford, Central District, Garfield
Lakeridge, Rainier Valley, Rainier Vista, Columbia City, Crown Hill, Greenwood, Genesee, Pioneer Square, International District, Garfield, Renton, View Ridge
Ravenna, South Lake Union, Broadview, Beacon Hill, Delridge, Morgan Junction, Belltown, Garfield, Central District, Crown Hill, Wallingford, View Ridge
Delridge, Madison Valley, Colman, New Holly, Leschi, Ballard, Othello, International District, Rainier Vista, South Park
Othello, South Park, Delridge, Central District, Letitia, White Center, Pioneer Square, Lakewood, Lake Union, Wallingford
Rainier Beach, Letitia, Rainier Vista, South Park, Highland Park, West Seattle, Central District, Rainier Valley, South Park, Delridge
Ravenna, University, Phinney, Rainier Beach, New Holly
Alki Beach, Rainier Valley, Ballard, Rainier Beach, Delridge, Othello, South Park, Pioneer Square
Leschi, Lake City, Fremont, Ballard, International District, Wallingford, Georgetown
Magnuson, Cascade, Cherry Hill, International District, South Park, Genesee, Rainier Beach, Central District, Columbia City
Hazel Heights, Queen Anne, High Point, South Lake Union, Bitter Lake, Georgetown, Rainier Beach, Lake City
Central District, Green Lake, Phinney Ridge