Reentry/Rerooting Indigenous Community Healing RFP

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from organizations and coalitions interested in providing services to support Native/Indigenous people returning to their communities after incarceration.

This funding opportunity was developed from the City of Seattle's Reentry Workgroup led by the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR's vision is to liberate people in communities where systems of racism, oppression, and colonization historically held and/or continue to hold power and thrive. This request for proposal (RFP) process is a collaboration between OCR and HSD.

This RFP is focused on reentry investments through Native/Indigenous-led community healing practices. Native/Indigenous-led healing practices may include cultural, spiritual, and/or ceremonial activities such as drumming circles, sweat lodges, canoe journey, woodcarving, and other practices that focus on healing, building connection and trust, and providing a sense of community.

The Workgroup recommended connecting to community and supporting an individual's sense of belonging as necessary for healthy integration when returning from prison. Native/Indigenous-led community healing practices are approaches identified by the Workgroup that will best address these unique challenges faced by Native/Indigenous communities.

All funded applicants will be required to participate in a learning cohort that will meet regularly. This cohort will:

• Develop partnerships and share resources to support community best and promising practices to address issues related to reentry/rerooting; and
• Identify lessons learned that will inform future investments around reentry/rerooting and the criminal legal system.

Approximately $250,000 is available for 2.5 years through this RFP. In 2020 $50,000 is available. The remaining $200,000 will be available in subsequent years, up to December 31, 2022. HSD intends to fund one to two proposals. Initial awards will be made for the period of July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. While it is the City's intention to follow the annual funding described above, continued funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability.This is an open and competitive process.

An additional Information Session will be held Wednesday, April 1, 2020 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. online via Skype session. The Last Day to Submit Questions will now be Tuesday, April 7, 2020 by 4:00 p.m. HSD will not provide individual notice of changes, and applicants are responsible for regularly checking this web page for answers to questions, process updates, clarifications, or amendments.

Completed application packets are now due by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

If you have any questions, please contact Jules Posadas via email at Jules.Posadas@Seattle.gov or (206) 684-5296.