Q4 Grants: Puget Sound Sage’s Community-led Advocacy for Seattle’s Chinatown

Self-determination can be the first step in a legacy of justice.

“People are really connected—historically, culturally—to Chinatown. They stay, or they come back here,” says Rachtha Danh, an organizer with Puget Sound Sage (Sage) of Seattle.

This work reflects the kind of justice that anchors our grantmaking. We support vital, community-transforming work of grantees in our region of eight states and 76 Native nations—work that leads to racial, social, and economic justice, which means your opportunities and outcomes in life aren’t determined by your race, where you live, or how much money you have.

Among our Q4 grantees is Sage, which will use a two-year, $250,000 grant of general operating funds to help establish community-led stewardship of land in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID), a 23-acre district the National Trust for Historic Preservation recently named as one of the 11 most-endangered historic places in the United States.

Sage’s work nurtures self-determination and accountability to communities, two key conditions for justice.

The CID, which is on unceded Duwamish territory adjacent to Seattle’s downtown and stadium district, encompasses three distinct neighborhoods (Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon), reflecting its roots in immigrant culture. Today’s vibrant CID—where Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Japanese elders organize alongside Gen Zers—is the result of 160 years of collective memory, shared experience, and a vision for the future.

Currently, the CID is one of the city’s poorest areas, with the most pollution, the least tree cover, and an estimated lifespan that’s a decade less than residents in the rest of Seattle. Its population reflects a high ratio of older and BIPOC residents and, even today, many immigrants. It’s under threat of displacement by light-rail expansion, gentrification, and preparations for Seattle to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Sage’s work hinges on building coalitions, advocating for justice-centered policy, and advancing participatory leadership—all vital aspects of communities’ capacity for self-determination.

Sage and the CID take a long view of an equitable future for this historic community.

“Success in organizing Chinatown would build on this neighborhood’s strengths by maintaining affordable housing, expanding parks to meet the elders’ goal of at least five acres, perhaps expanding the neighborhood’s footprint, and ensuring transit plans don’t destroy the walkability and livability of the area,” Danh explains.

To illustrate, Sage is helping neighborhood residents and community organizers urge decisionmakers to select new light-rail station locations that won’t diminish the CID’s walkability and overall livability. The current expansion is part of a $53.8 billion ballot measure passed in 2016 that aims to cover 62 additional miles and serve 37 new stations, two of which will land near or in the CID.

Sage developed a policy platform based on a principle of community stewardship of land, in which land and housing are viewed as shared resources rather than commodities. The goal is to leverage land trusts, cooperatives, social housing, and other nonprofit models to holistically meet shared needs today and with future generations in mind.

The past year’s grantmaking continued our mission to help communities seek and achieve justice.

Of the more than $20 million in grants awarded in 2024, the fourth quarter included 80 grants totaling just over $11 million that support self-determined change for communities. In addition to Puget Sound Sage, other Q4 grantees included:

Brave Heart Society of Lake Andes, SD, is a project for the fiscal sponsor Running Strong for American Indian Youth of Alexandria, VA. Running Strong will receive $250,000 over two years to support the Society’s efforts to revitalize the Dakota/Nakota/Lakota traditional cultural practices and language.

Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice of Des Moines, IA, will receive $250,000 over two years to support legal services and advocacy for immigrants and refugees.

If you want more context for our recent grantmaking or the Foundation’s mission and approach, contact Paul Bachleitner, director of communications, at pbachleitner@nwaf.org.

Check out more stories about our changemaking grantee partners in our News & Insights, including: