Community Programming Fund

Community Programming Fund is sponsored by City of Bellevue. This fund offers grants to support community-driven programs and events in outdoor public spaces across the city.

Community Programming Fund | City of Bellevue Community Programming Fund This is an artificial-intelligence (AI) chatbot designed to provide general information about various city topics. If you are having an emergency of any kind, please call 911 immediately. The chatbot is still learning about all of our services and may occasionally provide an The 2026 Community Programming Fund awardees are here!

This year, the City of Bellevue is supporting 37 community-led programs that will bring markets, live performances, cultural celebrations, fitness classes, workshops, family activities and more to public spaces across the city. Two people dancing on City Hall Plaza during a Seattle Steel Pan Project performance.

(PHOTO: Alex Clark) Explore the full list of 2026 CPF award recipients and fill your summer Bellevue bucket list with activities. Through the Community Programming Fund, the City of Bellevue offers grants to support community-driven programs and events in outdoor public spaces across the city.

By investing in community-led efforts, the CPF strengthens the experience of visitors, workers and residents in Bellevue’s mixed-use neighborhoods, encouraging people to gather, stay longer and return more often.

Individual grants of up to $10,000, or $20,000 for markets For programs taking place primarily in outdoor public spaces Open to individuals, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and small businesses Up to $200,000 available in 2026 for programs in public spaces throughout Bellevue Review our Program Guidelines for specific guidance Proposals aligned with our priority areas receive additional consideration during the evaluation process.

These priorities reflect the city’s goals to support community gathering, increase foot traffic and retail sales and support tourism during the FIFA World Cup. Small-scale activity series: Fitness classes, family activities, small performances and pop-up programs that give people a reason to come back week after week.

Markets: Farmers' markets, craft fairs, artisan markets, night markets and food truck rallies that help create a sense of place and support local entrepreneurs and vendors. Activities related to the global soccer tournament: Programs which intentionally engage visitors, employees and residents during the FIFA World Cup ™ between June 1 and July 19.

Applications for programs and activities which do not directly align with one of these priorities are still welcome, as long as they meet our minimum requirements. Key Dates and Application Details This year, the program had one application deadline in early March. The program team reviews applications in March, with a goal to notify funded programs in April.

Application opened January 13, 2026 (complete) Application closed March 2, 2026 (complete) Award notifications April 2026 (complete) Eligible program/activity dates June 1 - December 31, 2026, with priority for programs taking place through September 30 2026 Documents and Resources Program Guidelines : Full program guidelines, rules, and conditions, including what we're looking for and how applications are reviewed.

Grantee Handbook : An overview of the grant onboarding process, including contracting, program implementation and payment reimbursement. Application Questions : A summary of the questions asked on the application. Budget Worksheet : A form to help prospective organizers develop their budget in a consistent format for City review.

This document works best when you download and open it on a computer in Microsoft Word. Sample Contract : An example of the contract which grantees will be required to enter with the city in order to accept CPF funds. The actual contract will be drafted based on the specifics of your program.

Insurance Requirements : Insurance requirements for entering a contract with the city, including options for temporary event insurance. Thank you to the 2025 Community Programming Fund grantees for helping make the program’s first year a success. The team was pleased to support a wide variety of activities across Bellevue, with a particular focus on the Grand Connection.

Among the funded programs, we supported: 36 programs at 16 locations 26 programs which were completely new to Bellevue, plus 5 in new locations Almost $50,000 for live performance activities and $40,000 for festivals More than $50,000 in support for programs and activities taking place outside of downtown 10,000 community member attendees Explore the full recipient list to see the variety of programs supported through the 2025 CPF.

You can also view the 2025 year-end retrospective to learn more about the grant cycle, funded activities, and how we think about program outcomes. Public Space Management Specialist For questions about small events and programs, grant opportunities, and public space issues.

Pop-up Printmaking @ 450 110th Ave NE The Pop-Up Arts Playground @ 10820 NE 10th St Pop-up Printmaking @ 450 110th Ave NE Puzzle Together, Joy Together @ 12167 NE 14th Terrace Capoeira Summer Rodas @ 10201 NE 4th St