HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/1/2022 Item 7b, Makekau - Staff Agenda Correspondence (Historical Context DEI High Impact Grant Program)City of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum
City of San Luis Obispo
Council Agenda Correspondence
DATE: November 1, 2022
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Beya Makekau, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager
VIA: Derek Johnson, City Manager
SUBJECT: ITEM 7b – DEI HIGH IMPACT GRANT PROGRAM
Staff received the following questions, regarding the DEI High Impact Grant Program and
the recipients from its inaugural year in 2021-22. The questions are below with staff’s
response shown in italics:
1) Question: What organizations were funded by the DEI grant program in 2021-22
and what were the outcomes?
Answer: Below is a table that outlines the grant recipients and their program
outcomes. Across the first year of grant funding the City saw an advancement of
programs that expanded learning and curriculum for Spanish speaking families
and children on how to live more healthy and sustainable lives, a focused
commitment to diversity and accessibility through events with reduced cost or free
admission and intentional engagement of diverse populations, the emergence of
new conferences and events on allyship and belonging, and expanded health and
literacy services that targeted communities who are experiencing disproportionate
levels of health and educational disparities.
Ultimately the first round of grants fostered a collective effort to cultivate a San Luis
Obispo community rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion which is in direct
alignment with the City’s Major City Goal and City Council vision statement.
2021- 22 DEI HIGH IMPACT GRANT FUNDING RECIPIENTS
$120,000 Available Funding
APPLICANT PROJECT OUTCOME AMNT
FUNDED
Central Coast Coalition for
Undocumented Student
Success
CCC-USS hosted an inaugural summit for the community in
April 2022 that rose awareness of the most pressing issues
facing the undocumented community, helped community
members identify opportunities to serve as an ally to the
undocumented community and create a space for
community gathering. The event served 235 people and
included a resource fair with 16+ local organizations in which
100 resource bags were provided to attendees.
$10,200
Historical Context DEI High Impact Grant Program
Page 2
APPLICANT PROJECT OUTCOME AMNT
FUNDED
Diversity Coalition SLO
County
Diversity Coalition provided 6 virtual training programs to
over 1,000 registrants via their Fostering Understanding
series. Topics included but were not limited to: Promoting
Diversity through the Arts, How to Achieve Equity and
Justice, Black History Month, Examining Antisemitism etc.
$10,000
Literacy for Life Literacy for life was able to maintain the Literacy Program
during the pandemic providing English learning services
virtually to low-income essential workers.
$10,000
One Cool Earth One Cool Earth successfully translated 24 Next generation
Science standards garden lesson plans into Spanish. These
new materials increased access for Bilingual families and
English learner students. One Cool Earth also hosted a virtual
Family Cook Night catered specifically to Spanish speaking
families, which was successfully piloted in February of 2022
at Pacheco Elementary School in San Luis Obispo, reaching
10 SLO families.
$3,200
R.A.C.E. Matters R.A.C.E. Matters conducted a belonging series that consisted
of multiple art installations, community events, and
performances. One event was titled “We Are Here” which
consisted of photography by seven-year SLO resident and
former Cuesta College student that was displayed in the
downtown area. Another program was titled “Stories
Matter”, a live, curated performance of personal stories by
local, Black-identified community members. They also hosted
a Noire SLO event intended to create a social and cultural
space centered around the Black community which brought
together nearly 200 community members.
$32,600
SLO International Film
Festival
SLO Film Fest offered Short Films, Big Stories: A free Program
of Diverse Voices during their 2021 March SLO Film Festival.
Five short films along with Q&A’s with the filmmakers and
two panel discussions were presented virtually and
accessible for free. Their short films featured documentaries
& narrative films from BIPOC filmmakers who brought
diverse and culturally rich stories to the San Luis Obispo
community.
$7,500
SLO Noor Foundation SLO Noor offered 500 accessible and inclusive health and
support services in both English and Spanish to 200 BIPOC
and Hispanic patients during calendar year (CY) 2021 and
executed a bilingual public awareness campaign through
print/digital media and radio advertising to expand their
reach in Latinx communities.
$20,000
Historical Context DEI High Impact Grant Program
Page 3
APPLICANT PROJECT OUTCOME AMNT
FUNDED
SLO Repertory Theater SLO Rep was able to incorporate a BIPOC artist spotlight
during the intermission of shows and establish a digital
platform focused on exploring diverse voices in theater
which reached 6,000 subscribers. Additionally, through
diverse outreach strategies increased the number of children
of color who participate in the ACT program by 5%.
$16,300
TOTAL FUNDS AWARDED $109,800
2) Page 82 in the agenda packet incorrectly lists the closing date of the application
period as August 31, 2020. The correct closing date is August 31, 2022.