Spotlight State: Washington

As part of our spotlight series, GrantWatch shines a light on the State of Washington. From Amazon to Boeing to Microsoft, it turns out that a lot of ideas started out as small ventures here in the State of Washington. Now, these companies are amongst the largest and most influential conglomerates in the world! But there’s also a lot of interesting sights and amazing natural scenery to behold in Washington. One of our favorite sites, to be sure, is the iconic Space Needle observation tower. Designed for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, it is 603 feet tall and has a flying saucer-shaped top! It affords panoramic views of the surrounding city, mountains, and Puget Sound. Be sure to visit the next time you’re in the state of Washington.

GrantWatch has provided listings of grant opportunities to help with a developing and/or expanding projects and programs vital to the growth and strengthening of communities throughout the State of Washington. In addition, GrantWatch offers a list of close to 1,700 grants in its Community and Economic Development grants listing category. Beyond that, there are also countrywide, and even international, grant funding opportunities listed.

See below for some ‘Interesting’ facts about the State of Washington!

FIRST SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE

Washington’s nickname is “The Evergreen State.” This is because coniferous trees cover over half the state!

Washington’s state flag is the only green state flag…It was created by a jeweler in 1889 with an ink bottle, a silver dollar to draw the rings, and a postage stamp of George Washington!

Washington operates the largest ferry fleet in the United States. The Washington State Ferry system is the second-largest auto-carrying system in the world!

Washington State grows the most apples in the US.(sic) Ever wonder, “what is Washington state famous for?” The answer is…apples! If you put all the apples harvested in Washington each year side by side, they would circle the earth 29 times!

Washington’s Grand Coulee Dam is the largest hydroelectric plant in the US.

themandagies.com, “34 Fun Facts About Washington State“

THEN EVEN MORE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE

Bill Gates from Seattle and his classmate Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975. The company has its home in Redmond today.

William Boeing started a plane company in 1916 in Seattle. It became the world’s largest airplane manufacturer.

Many people may not know this, but Washington happens to be the only state in the US that took its name from its past President...The state also has a city named George.

Tacoma has the world’s largest totem pole. It is 105 feet high and was carved from a single cedar by Indian sculptor brought from Alaska.

The coffee chain Starbucks was named after the Pequod’s first mate in the novel Moby Dick. The first Starbucks opened in Seattle on March 30, 1971.

thefactfile.org, “36 Interesting Facts About Washington“

HERE ARE THE MOST ODDLY INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE

Washington is known for its UFO sightings. The first published photograph of a UFO was taken in Seattle, Washington after Frank Ryman took a picture of a flying saucer from his front yard in 1947. While it was debunked as a picture of a weather balloon, many instances of UFO sightings have occurred since then.

The world’s largest freezer is located in Richland, Washington. 2800 Polar Way is a refrigerated storage facility that is capable of storing 350 million pounds of frozen food! From far away, it looks like a gigantic marshmallow, with an area of 505,139 square feet.

Washington has the world’s largest floating bridge. At 7,708.49 feet, the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge won a Guinness World Record.

The tallest treeless mountain in the US resides in Benton County, Washington. Rattlesnake Mountain looks over Hanford nuclear site, with a summit of 3,531 feet. Its windswept terrain has seen high winds of 150 mph (241 kilometers per hour)!

Washington is home to the fictional cast of Twilight. The Twilight Saga is a series of books by Stephanie Meyer that takes place in the rainy town of Forks, Washington.

themandagies.com, “34 Fun Facts About Washington State“

Below is a list of grants and other community development funding opportunities for the State of Washington.

Community and Economic Development Grants for Washington State

1. Grants to eligible Washington nonprofits, government agencies, tribes, schools, special purpose districts, and homeowner associations for flood control projects to reduce the risk of flooding. Moreover, funding is for four project categories: coastal flooding and erosion; urban streams; original flood reduction; and fish passage and culvert replacement. Eligible proposals are for medium and small local flood reduction projects.
2. There are grants of up to $10,000 to eligible Washington arts and cultural organizations, community-based organizations, groups, and individual artists for project and operating support. Funding is for activities in a range of disciplines, including performing, literary, ear-oriented, media arts, and folk/traditional arts.
3. In addition, grants of up to $7,500 to eligible Washington organizations to promote tourism opportunities. Funding is for tourism-related projects and events that attract overnight visitors and result in the use of local lodging facilities. Priority will be for events lasting two or more days.
4. Grants of up to $10,000 to eligible Washington nonprofits for projects that promote local tourism. Eligible uses of funds include event operations and marketing, capital facilities, and the operating expenses of nonprofits that provide tourism-related events. Projects must increase overnight stays in local hotels and other local accommodations.
5. There are grants of up to $5,000 to eligible Washington nonprofits for programs and projects that benefit local residents. Focus areas for funding include senior and youth services, capacity building and organizational development, and events and activities.

Additional Washington State Community and Economic Development Grants

1. Also, grants to Washington nonprofits, government agencies, Tribal entities, special districts, and private marinas to enhance recreational-boating facilities. Projects supported include renovating guest docks, installing utilities to moorage docks, and building moorage docks and floats. Grants also to be requested for boater education.
2. Grants of up to $50,000 to eligible Washington nonprofit and faith-based organizations, tribal and governmental agencies, and public schools for efforts to disrupt the transmission of intergenerational poverty.
3. There are grants of up to $50,000 to eligible Washington organizations and groups to enhance local neighborhoods. Applicants must consult with program staff prior to submitting an application. Funding is for community initiatives that strengthen and benefit local neighborhoods.
4. In addition, grants to Native American tribes, tribal energy development organizations, and intertribal organizations to implement energy technologies within tribal areas. Applicants are advised that required registrations will take several weeks to complete. Funding supports the installation of clean energy-generating systems in tribal locations or buildings on tribal lands.
5. Lastly, grants to nonprofits and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to advance rural business-development. Applicants are advised required registrations will take several weeks to complete. Funding supports the establishment and operation of centers for cooperative development to assist individuals and businesses in rural areas. Project funds are also to be used for programs providing for the coordination of services and sharing of information among the centers.

The Bottom Line

In the end, the valuable blend of business and nature is a great combination to explore and experience. We hope you’ll have the chance to visit the State of Washington and see it for yourself!

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