Intent
The National Council for Community Development (dba “Grow America”) is requesting proposals from qualified organizations to support a Seattle-area collaboration with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability U.S.A., Inc. for the establishment of a local program for the purposes of providing financial assistance to qualified projects and conducting market-building, predevelopment, and program administration activities.
Key dates
Solicitation Issuance Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Written Questions Deadline Date: Friday, September 12, 2025
Proposal Submission Deadline: Friday, September 26, 2025, no later than 2 pm (PT)
Questions should be sent to: Chuck Depew cdepew@growamerica.org
Background
The National Council for Community Development, formerly the National Development Council, is now doing business as Grow America. Grow America is the nation’s oldest and most innovative non-profit community development organization, a CDFI, and training/technical assistance provider in the areas of affordable housing and economic development to nonprofit and public sector entities. Grow America’s mission is to direct capital to support the development and preservation of affordable housing, create jobs through small business lending, advance livable communities with social infrastructure investment, and build capacity with hands-on technical assistance to local governments. Grow America works with public agencies around the United States to manage multiple community development financing programs that support business lending and capital investments.
In June 2025, Grow America was awarded funding from the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) to establish a collaborative effort with the City of Seattle to evaluate the establishment of a Municipal Investment Fund (MIF) that provides an opportunity to access funding from their NCIF Award. The grant, administered by ICLEI, supports market-building activities and predevelopment activities, to stimulate the development and financing of qualified energy efficient projects.
Over the next five months, Grow America and Seattle partners will manage a robust schedule of community-wide and technical work products to confirm the scope and feasibility of a public-private Municipal Investment Fund. After five months, the public- private partnership would apply for capital funding to support specific project investments.