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Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s Community Grants Program has recently awarded 10 cancer prevention projects across Washington state up to $15,000 each, for a total of $145,500. These dollars will support community-led solutions for cancer prevention, screening and education, particularly for historically underserved populations.
Since it began in 2014, the Community Grants Program, overseen by Fred Hutch’s Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (OCOE), has awarded 71 grants totaling nearly $700,000.
Record interest highlights growing need
This 2026-2027 grant cycle drew a record number of project proposals for the second year in a row, reflecting both a growing awareness of the program and the continued need for locally driven cancer prevention initiatives.
The awardees come from all regions in Washington state, ranging from Whidbey Island in the west to the Spokane region in the east to the Yakama reservation in Central Washington.
The year’s funding focuses on projects designed to address socio-economic drivers of health, or SDOH, such as housing instability and transportation access.
“When you’re worried about paying rent or finding transportation, getting a cancer screening is often the last thing on your mind,” said Katie Treend, MPH, community benefit manager for OCOE. “That’s why these projects are so important — they support cancer prevention and whole-person health by meeting people where they are at.”
A partnership that goes beyond funding
Most awardees are very close to launching their projects, explained Treed — they just need a little extra help to get them off the ground. That’s exactly what the Community Grants Program is for.
“In the big picture, these may be considered small investments, but they can jumpstart these projects and do a lot of good,” she said. “Our goal is to scaffold these organizations so they can scale up their impact and apply for other funding.”
In addition to financial support, each awardee is matched one-on-one with a Fred Hutch community health educator based in their region. These educators are available to help awardees map out project plans and, over the course of the year, help them stay on track with their goals.
Organizations that were not selected for grant funding can still engage with OCOE through community partnerships, event support and educational outreach.
2026-2027 Fred Hutch Community Grant Awardees:
- Cancer Can't: Hotel Partnership Program for Cancer Patients
This project will remove lodging barriers for adults from Eastern and Central Washington traveling to Spokane for treatment. By providing hotel stays, the organization is designed to reduce financial strain and ensures patients can adhere to their cancer treatment plans. - Cancer Pathways: Building Immunity: HPV Prevention and Education for K-12 Students
Funded in partnership with Fred Hutch’s Science Education Partnership (SciEd), this project will develop culturally responsive, medically validated online curricula for grades 1-12. The initiative will include a community launch event to increase HPV awareness and vaccine adoption across Washington state schools. - CHAS Health Foundation: Culturally Centered Cancer Screening and Education
This project will deliver tailored health education and screening support across four distinct cultural and linguistic communities in Spokane County. By translating materials and using trusted community locations, the program is designed to reduce literacy and communication barriers to improve screening rates. - Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC): CISC Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) Expansion Project
CISC empowers Chinese-speaking family caregivers and patients in King County through navigation assistance and culturally tailored workshops. Workshops will focus on early cancer detection, healthy lifestyle practices and emotional support during cancer treatment. - Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation: PÍNÁP’X (Be Aware) Strengthening Cancer Awareness, Screening, and Access to Care
This project will focus on Native American adults on the Yakama Reservation who are overdue for breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screenings. The project will integrate culturally responsive outreach, transportation coordination and more, as well as provide access to home-based cervical cancer and colon cancer screening kits. - Congolese United Foundation: Afya ya Saratani — Expanding Community Cancer Awareness & Screening for Congolese & Angolan Immigrants in King County, Washington
Building on previous work, this project targets screening gaps among Congolese and Angolan immigrants in King County. By leveraging trusted social networks, the project provides culturally tailored education to break down barriers to care. - International Community Health Services (ICHS): Building Trust and Expanding Care in South King County Through Outreach and Education
ICHS partners with local community-based organizations to host linguistically accessible outreach events. The project focuses on South King County, where significant barriers to prevention and care exist, to connect these people with preventive care and screening. - Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington (PICA): Spokane Pasifika Community Health Worker Network Charter
PICA is building a culturally rooted network of community health workers and advocates serving Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in Eastern Washington. The network will address emerging needs, coordinate referrals and document barriers to care to inform future advocacy work. - Pink Lemonade Project: Community-Based Workforce Breast Cancer Education and Training Project to Better Serve Black/African American Communities in Pierce County, Washington
This initiative will develop a comprehensive breast cancer curriculum tailored to the needs and lived experiences of Black/African American communities in Pierce County. The project will train community-based workers on breast cancer risk factors, early detection strategies and more. - WhidbeyHealth Foundation: On-Island Access: Telehealth Navigation for Specialist Care and Mobile Cancer Screening and Outreach
This project is designed to reduce delays in specialist care for Island County residents by strengthening telehealth infrastructure. In addition to telehealth support, the foundation will host outreach events featuring on-site skin assessments and navigation for follow-up care, if needed.
Interested in applying for a future community grant?
Information on who can apply and when:
- Community-based organizations, non-profits, local health departments, community clinics and Tribes in Washington state can apply.
- Applications for the 2027-2028 cycle will open late fall 2026.
- Organizations that are not selected are encouraged to apply again in the next cycle.
- Organizations may not receive funding more than two years in a row/
OCOE offers open office hours and application guidance during each grant cycle. Those interested in applying can sign up for an available time slot to get help with grant writing or refining project ideas. This cycle, 15 participants took advantage of this free service and were able to work directly with OCOE team members Katie Treend, MPH, Kathy Briant, MPH, and Liz Tallent.
Sign up for the OCOE newsletter to receive updates on the 2027 schedule for the 2027 Community Grants Program, including information sessions and application deadlines. Information on the 2027 Community Grants Program will be available in late 2026.
