For the fourth consecutive year, the City of Burien accepted applications for the Neighborhood Grants Program to support community-led improvement projects. The City awarded up to $5,000 per project, and community members were required to match the City’s contribution with local resources of volunteer labor, donated materials, donated professional services, or money.
City staff looked for projects that fostered a sense of community and created local improvements in an equitable manner. Project applications were evaluated on the quality of the project, equitable impacts, neighborhood participation, visibility, and benefit to the public. Projects were required to be freely accessible for all.
From the applications submitted, a total of four projects were selected to receive funding. Two projects involved improving the natural environment and sustainability while the other two focused on community events.
Tropical Foods Garden Installation at Shark Garden
New Start Community Garden (Shark Garden) is a nonprofit garden in Burien that offers free classes and work opportunities to the community, regularly donates produce grown in the garden, and boasts a wide variety of plant species. This year, the Shark Garden applied for neighborhood grant funding to install a tropical food garden, with the intention to utilize the produce for donations to the White Center Food Bank and as ingredients in free cooking classes hosted by the Shark Garden.
Volunteers from the garden’s p-patch program and local community members installed the tropical good garden from start to finish. The goal of project was to create an edible landscape, arising out of the desire to make a space reminiscent of tropical Asia using hardy versions of various tropical plants suited for the Pacific Northwestern environment. One of garden’s goals is to teach people how to grow food, “edible landscaping helps improve food security for our community by reducing the carbon foodprint of food delivery and making backyard harvests affordable and culturally relevant,” says Taryn Koerker, Executive Director of New Start Community Garden.
Neighborhood grant funding was used to purchase a variety of plants incorporated into the garden, including hardy hibiscus, hardy tapioca, pineapple sage, taro, and many other plant species. Funding was also used to create and install four new interpretive signs which were fabricated by a local Burien sign shop. At the conclusion of the garden installation, grant funding was used towards guest speakers and three free community education classes hosted by the garden.
Native Vegetation Restoration at Hazel Valley Elementary
A group of volunteers and community members of Hazel Valley Elementary School received funding for a cleanup and replanting project at the school’s Northeastern entrance. The project aimed to improve safety and access by increasing visibility for children walking to and from school.
Between May and November 2025, community members, staff, and students worked on the cleaning and replanting project. The entrance steps to the school were pressure washed and the existing hand railing was fixed. Noxious weed species such as ivy and blackberry surrounding the steps were removed and vegetation growing along the path was cleared, improving visibility.
Neighborhood grant funding was used purchase bark mulch and variety of low-lying native vegetation including aster, ferns, salal, and sorrel ground cover sourced from a local Burien garden. Volunteers engaged in habitat restoration, replanting the cleared areas with native vegetation.
National Night Out
Gathering Place Foursquare hosted a free, public National Night Out event on August 5th, 2025. Open to the community, the event sought to provide free, family-friendly entertainment to foster connection and positivity between neighbors and emergency services.
Volunteers coordinated the event and offered face painting to visiting community members and children. Using neighborhood grant funding, the event rented a bounce house to provide active outdoor entertainment to visiting children. Funding was also used to provide free snacks, refreshments, and hotdogs, which were arranged and handed out by volunteers.
Community Connections Celebration
A group of community members joined together to organize and host a free, public event celebrating seniors, immigrants, refugees, and members of the broader Burien community, intending to foster social connections, support senior well-being, and strengthen community bonds. The event featured a welcome reception, a shared meal, and cultural performances to be enjoyed by the community.
Neighborhood grant funding was used to secure the Burien Community Center as the event space. The event was held on December 13, 2025, with assistance from community volunteers, local artists and caterers. Grant funding was used to create banners that decorated the space, food and beverages served to guests from a variety local vendors, as well as talent performances.
The event featured social activities including interactive games, storytelling sessions, and group discussions tailored to the interests of seniors. Cultural performances, including music and dance showcased local talent. The event intended to foster a feeling of togetherness in which new connections and socialization would feel natural for participants.
Learn more about the Neighborhood Grants Program and how to apply at burienwa.gov/NeighborhoodGrants. Information is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Amharic. Contact planning@burienwa.gov with questions or to set up a meeting for more information.
