1. Provide greater access to mental health services/resources to improve public safety.
2. Expand early learning/childcare capacity to boost the economy. (Priority Spokane’s focus going forward)
3. Expand the tree canopy to enhance the environment.
4. Explore alternative housing such as shared equity, tiny homes, co-housing, etc. to address housing issues.
Selected by vote on 5/31/2023. Visit our partners at www.SpokaneTrends.org and www.SRHD.org for Spokane County data.
Spokane County increased HS graduation rates from below 60% to over 80% in 5 years! As a result we’re stoked about our national Culture of Health Award from RWJF
Once completed, jump up and down in excitement, that you have contributed to a cause that helps the entire community of Spokane.
Priority Spokane is an endeavor to create a vibrant future for Spokane County by implementing community-defined goals. It is through collaborative and focused efforts that Spokane County will be a flourishing community for all who live and work here.
Our Commitment to Equity: Priority Spokane commits to listening first, meeting with groups where they’re at, and working diligently to be inclusive, culturally informed, and equitable in our work. We envision a thriving Spokane County where all residents live healthy, fulfilling lives free of racism, poverty, violence, and other systems of oppression. Where all residents will have equitable opportunities and resources, leading to optimal health and well-being.
Priority Spokane is a unique collaboration of organizations working to identify and address priorities for Spokane County. We foster measurable improvements in key areas of community vitality. By focusing efforts on a few key priorities, Priority Spokane aims be a catalyst for the creation of a larger thriving community for all who live and work here. We conduct a data-driven community assessment, identify and research root causes, develop regional evidence-based plans, convene community leaders and stakeholders, and lead a collaborative effort to achieve measurable results. We are so committed to collaboration not competition that we’ve chosen not to become our own 501c3 and instead are fiscally sponsored by the Innovia Foundation (so donations are still tax deductible!). While this makes fundraising more difficult, not being our own 501c3 assures we’re reliant on community partnerships to conduct our work and is one of the things that makes us unique.
Priority Spokane is working to understand and address childcare and early learning needs in Spokane County.
Priority Spokane has created a taskforce in partnership with the City of Spokane to research, understand, map, and plan.
We've found a 3-5 year system that works. Here's an infographic that shows how and where we are in determining and achieving our goals.
Identify the Problem
We conducted a data-driven community assessment(click the link) and the community voted on these top 4 priorities for Spokane County: 1. To improve public safety, provide greater access to services/resources for patients with mental health needs. 2. Build out local capacity for childcare to boost the economy. (TIE for 3rd) 3. Increase the tree canopy to improve the environment, counteract dangerous heat days, improve air and water quality, etc., and 3. Promote housing innovations such as shared equity housing, tiny homes, and co-operative living to address housing issues.
Research & Understand
Based on the 4 priorities identified, we surveyed and met with stakeholders and organizations working in these sectors. We held community meetings to learn and gather information. We reviewed research and data before our steering committee ultimately voted on our next priority: address childcare/early learning. Here’s why! (click on link)
Creating the Plan
Priority Spokane partnered with the City of Spokane in creating a Childcare and Early Learning Taskforce to research and identify potential projects to address childcare and early learning needs. Our Taskforce members are: Suzanne Suyama, Community-Minded Enterprises; Amy Knapton Vega, Vanessa Behan; Kerra Bower, Little Scholars Development Center; Kanda Behrends, Childcare Provider; Dr. Vernon Loke Eastern Washington University, Ryan Oelrich, Priority Spokane; Sara Clements-Sampson, City of Spokane; Jesse Johnson, Champion Empire, and Erin Vincent, Greater Spokane Incorporated. This team will provide a final proposal to Priority Spokane to implement in November of 2024.
We heard from childcare and early learning providers that additional trauma training was needed, so we provided a free STEP (www.STEPwithCTSE.org) training to over 80 childcare and early learning staff across Spokane County. As part of the STEP training, we received eye-opening feedback from providers on the obstacles they’re facing. This feedback is helping us in our planning and implementation process. You can see the feedback for yourself here(click on link).
In 2025, Priority Spokane will implement the complete plan the Taskforce created.
Priority Spokane will carefully choose indicators to monitor and evaluate the success of the project to determine how the work is going and if a difference is being made.
After evaluating the results, we’ll continue to look for areas of improvement.
“The City of Spokane is proud of the collaborative work Priority Spokane accomplishes for our region and is honored to support their mission as a member.”
-Mayor Lisa Brown
“Priority Spokane has a track record in Spokane County of moving the needle on important issues in education, homelessness, and mental health – by bringing people together. I’m proud to contribute to their ongoing collaborative, data-driven efforts to help build a region where every family can thrive.”
-Chris Jordan, Spokane County Commissioner
Research is extremely important when finding a solution to any conflict or problem, and this priority is no different.
– Dan Blazquez, Customer Engagement Manager
– Mayor Lisa Brown
-Alternate: Sara Clements-Sampson
-Council Member Paul Dillon
– Katy Sheehan, Executive Director
Scholarship Sponsor!
– Angela Matson, Marketing Strategist
-Leslie Bytnar, Charitable & Governmental Affairs Manager (Secretary/Treasurer)
Scholarship Sponsor!
– Jennifer Vigil, Equity & Outreach Program Manager
– Melanie Whalen, VP of Analytics and Insights
-Kevin Penass, Program Officer
– Dr. Yolanda Gallardo, Dean School of Education
– Stacia Rasmussen, Health & Life Sciences Business Development Manager
– Dr. Scott Ferguson, Associate Director of Grants (Chair)
– John Kleiderer, Chief Mission Integration Officer
– Christina Kamkosi, Manager Community Health Investment Programs
-Commissioner Amber Waldref
-Commissioner Chris Jordan
– Danielle Wrenn, Program Manager Data Center
– Andrew Perera, Director of Student Equity, Leadership, and Community HUB
– Geneva Johns, Operations Director
-John Hindman, CEO
Drew Comito, Associate Director (Vice Chair)
-Ashley Manfred, Former President/Member
-Jamie McIntyre, Community Risk Reduction Manager
-Dr. Vernon Loke, Associate Dean
Priority Spokane’s charter allows for up to 30 Steering Committee organizations with up to two voting members being from the same organization. Most organizations pay an annual membership fee of $2,500* per voting member which funds the administrative costs of the organization. Members guide the organization and participate in the community assessment process and receive: 1 vote per membership, recognition as a member in all publications and press releases, recognition as a member on our website, annual recognition via social media, public recognition at all Priority Spokane events and an invitation to several annual private events.
Ryan Oelrich MA, MBA Executive Director
Ryan became Priority Spokane’s Executive Director in 2015. A Gonzaga University Graduate, he’s founded and directed several nonprofit organizations and businesses. He’s a RWJF Culture of Health Fellow and received the Peirone prize for service in 2016. He’s received Congressional recognition for his work on poverty issues and is an advocate for increased coordination and collaboration to achieve results which was the subject of one of his TED talks. He formerly served as a Spokane City Council Member.
Sponsor a community organization whose voice, experience, and perspective are needed at the table at a reduced rate of $2,250 per year. Community Sponsors help us assure that diverse voices are equitably included at the table. Please contact us for additional details. Thank you to Avista Utilities, Community Building Foundation, Kaiser Permanente & Kalispel Tribe of Indians for their past sponsorship support.
Making measurable change in our community requires community-wide action through collaboration and through individual action, such as volunteering and contributing resources. Priority Spokane is committed to collaboration not competition and as a result has chosen not to become a 501c3. Priority Spokane is instead fiscally sponsored by the Innovia Foundation so all contributions are tax deductible. Not being a 501c3 assures that our organization has to partner and collaborate with other community organizations to fundraise and conduct our work, and is one of the things that makes us and our process unique. We appreciate your support and investment in our work.
If you’d like to donate, visit the Innovia Foundation website by clicking here.
Select the Priority Spokane Fund and note ‘Priority Spokane’ in your donation.
The Priority Spokane Fund has been established within the Innovia Foundation (our fiscal sponsor). To contribute, click on the “donate” button to your left, or copy and paste the link.
Once completed, jump up and down in excitement that you have contributed to a cause that helps the entire community of Spokane. Also, close your eyes and imagine all of the high fives and thank you’s that we’re sending your way.
We'd love to hear from you regarding any general questions, suggestions, or comments.
We're a busy group that is constantly working to reach our goals, but will get back to you at our earliest convenience.