HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5b. 2023-24 DEI High Impact Grant Funding Recommendations Item 5b
Human Relations Commission
Agenda Report
For Agenda of: 10/4/2023
Item Number: 5b
FROM: Nestor Veloz-Passalacqua, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager
Phone Number: (805) 781-7073
E-mail: nveloz@slocity.org
SUBJECT: 2023-24 DEI HIGH IMPACT GRANT FUNDING RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION
1. Receive the initial DEI Grant Funding Recommendations from the HRC Grant Review
Subcommittee; and
2. Make final DEI Grant Funding Recommendations to the City Council following full
commission discussion and feedback.
BACKGROUND
In 2021, City Council approved funding for the DEI High Impact Grant program of
$120,000. The purpose of the funding was to enhance the sens e of belonging for all
people in our community. This funding allocation is an effort to uplift and support local
projects, programs, or initiatives (projects) that contribute to creating a San Luis Obispo
that is welcoming, inclusive, equitable, and safe. The DEI Task Force ultimately awarded
grants to eight recipients. Following the initial grant program, the DEI Task Force made a
recommendation to Council to provide ongoing annual funding in the amount of $150,000
for DEI High Impact grants. During the 21 -23 financial planning process, Council
approved ongoing funding of $150,000 a year for DEI High Impact grants within the DEI
Major City Goal (MCG).
The City received a total of 26 applications from the July 31, 2023, to the September 3,
2023 open application period. The HRC Grant Review Subcommittee was formed, which
included Commissioner Campos, Commissioner DeTurris, and Commissioner Smith.
Each grant review subcommittee member reviewed each application independently, and
then met as a group on Tuesday, September 12 and Wednesday, September 20 to
determine and provide their initial funding recommendations based on their careful review
and each application alignment with the DEI High Impact grant program funding areas,
funding criteria, overall community impact, and need.
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Item 5b
NEXT STEPS
Upon HRC final review and funding recommendations, the 2023-24 DEI High Impact
Grant Program final funding recommendation will be presented before City Council as a
consent item on December 5, 2023 for final approval.
ATTACHMENTS
A - 2023-24 DEI High Impact Grant Funding Recommendations
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Organization Project/Program Joint
App.Description of Project/Program Requested
Amount
Recommended
Amount
1 At Her Table (AHT)At Her Table N
Funds will be for the annual portrait day initiative, which offers free
professional portrait sessions to all women in the workforce. The project
aims to empower participants by enhancing their professional image,
overcoming financial barriers, and boosting their career prospects.
Services include portrait sessions, makeup and styling, venue and
logistics.
$7,500 $0
2 Big Brothers Big Sisters
Representation Matters:
Supporting DEI Through Diverse
Content
N
Funds will be used for website updagres to increase diversity, improve
accessibility, and translation.$20,000 $0
3 Community Counseling
Center (CCC)
Cultural Brokers and Bridge
Builders: Establishing Latin/x
Student and Family Links to
Mental Health Care
N
Funds will be used to improve CCC's services for on-campus programs in
SLCUSD at three (3) elementary schools. Funds will cover strategies for
their bilingual and bicultural Latino Outreach and Engagement Admin.
Specialist to collaborate with SLCUSD Family Advocates and Pupil
Personnel to assist monolingual parents in consenting mental health
services for their children.
$10,000 $0
4 Court Appointed Special
Advocates (CASA)
Diversity is the Power of Change
- Year 2 N
Continuation of current grant funding in two areas. 1) Use of funds to
develop and implement an updated recruitment outreach plan to provide
ongoing support to male Latinx and bilingual volunteers, and 2) to
increase cultural competence by expanding their partnership with Dr. Joy
Pederson to impart additional DEI training to staff and Board of Directors.
$8,000 $0
5 Diversity Coalition BIPOC Board Leadership
Program Y
Funds to be used to develop and implement Board Leadership training
programming to serve on boards in three areas. 1) Funds will cover two
(2) training every calendar year, each training is two (2) days with a cohort
of 12-15 diverse BIPOC participants. 2) board placement assistance
services will be provided to BIPOC participants, matching 10-20 local
boards, and 3) the partnership with SPOKES to provide training to local
agencies to diversify their boards including recruitment, retention, and
support.
$40,000 $35,000
6 Downtwon SLO
Expanding Multicultural
Participation at Downtown SLO's
Farmers' Market
N
Funds will be used to expand communications and marketing to create a
multicultural market, including bilingual vendor applications and marketing
materials, media and online promotions, and support bilingual staff at the
market, translation, and social media platforms.
$20,000 $0
7 GALA Pride & Diversity
Center
SLO Queer Cultural
Revitalization Project N
Funds will be used to cover costs for 11 events to increase networking
opportunities and activities that highlights different aspect of queer culture
to community features, community crafting, and fine art gallery exhibits,
and will highlight each stakeholder partner. Funds will also cover a
roundtable discussion focused on successes and new initiaties for long-
term support.
$20,000 $20,000
8 History Center of SLO
County
Translation & Multilingual
Access N
Funds will be used to increase accessibility to exhibits and public lectures
events by offering text translations and public lectures in Spanish,
creating a more immersive experience for the Spanish-speaking
community and foster a deeper connection.
$7,000 $7,000
9 HOSPICE SLO Volunteer Training & Community
Outreach N
Funds will be used to cove expenses for a twofold purpose, 1) four (4)
comprehensive DEI-informed training for new in-home hospice volunteers
and 2) outreach initiatives (staff hours) to spread awareness about free-of-
charge support services among margininalized and underserved
populations.
$20,000 $0
10 Jack's Helping Hand Jack's Assistance Program N
Funds will be used as part of the Jack's Assistance Program. Funds will
cover pediatric medical appointments, treatments, equipment, services,
medical bills, transportation, food, and lodging that exceed family financial
capabilities.$15,000 0
11 JOGA BONITO CENTRAL
COAST Joga Bonito N
Funds will be used for a a youth development approach ranging from
elementary school children to high school, college, and even professional
players.
$20,000 0
12 LEADERSHIP SLO Leadership SLO Inclusivity
Partners Program N
Funds will be used to launch a community partnership program and to
expand programs to new audiences. Funds will cover 1) outreach to
essential DEI leaders to establish partnerships, 2) provide direct funding
to partner via a quarterly retainer for ongoing advisory role relationships,
financial support to community events, and hire experts to deliver content;
3) work with internal stakeholders and partners to enhance existing
curriculum, 4) promote the work of partner agencies to increase
$12,500 $0
13 LUMINA ALLIANCE ReDefine Parenting Program N
Funds will be used for the ReDefine Parenting Program in underserved
elementary schools, including C.L. Smith Elementary School and
Pacheco Elementary School. The funds will cover expenses to engage
parents and caregiver in preventing violence by facilitating workshops that
empower parents/caregivers to engage pre-teens in tough age-
appropriate conversations about socila and emotional health. The funds
will cover 4-16 peer-led workshops with up to 20 participants.
$20,000 $10,000
14 MCSC WBC San Luis
Obispo Small Business Impact Project N
Funds will be used to support the Small Business Impact Project by
engaging aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners to participate
in a 12-week course to brainstorm business ideas to creating a plan. The
project is designed to focus on creating access to entrepreneurs from all
demographics, and will provide the opportunity for entrepreneurs of all
backgrounds a way to market and announce their business to the
community.
$20,000 $0
15 MONARCH HILLS
EDUCATION Monarch Hills Education Y
Funds will be used to outreach to a broader group of underserved children
by expanding services to more families and serving diverse learning
needs. Funds will cover 1) financial assistance for children, 2) staff cost to
match and enhance needs, and 3) help enhance the regenerative
gardening and farming aspects of the program. This is a joint effort with
SLO City Farms.
$40,000 $0
16 RACE MATTERS Shop Talk & Hair Fund N
Funds will be used to support programs dedicated to create health equity
and well being for BIPOC community members. The funds will cover 1) an
initiative called "shop talk" to support free, monthly, therapist and/or
clinician-led discussion groups intended to foster healing, community
making, well-being, and joy. This will cover 4 monhtly sessions (48 total
sessions); and 2) another initiative for a hair fund that enavle local folks
with financial barriers to receive hair services at texture salon.
$20,000 $16,800
17 RESTORATIVE PARTNERS
Restorative Justice
Conferencing Program (Phase
II)
N
Funds are designed to expand the Restorative Justice Conferencing
Program. Funds will cover staff time and to hire a part-time coordinator for
the program. The Coordinator will facilitate restorative conferences, lead
outreach efforts with community partners, coordinate logistics, and work
closely with volunteers and interns. Funds will be used to potentially
increase conferences from 10 to 20 in the 2024 calendar year.
$20,000 $0
2023 -2024 DEI HIGH IMPACT GRANT APPLICATIONS
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18 San Luis Obispo County
UndocuSupport
San Luis Obispo County
UndocuSupport Y
Funds will be used to create 14 "how to" videos covering seven (7) topics
with easy to understand, step-by-step instructions on eligibility and basis
of how to apply which will tager Spanish and Mixteco-speaking
immigrants and community members. Videos will be created in Spanish
with English subtitles, and a second format will be created with Mixteco
voiceover in partnership with Promotores and Herencia Indígena.
$39,775.62 $39,775.62
19
SLO Child Development
Resource Center (SLO
CDRC)
Child & Family Play Therapy
Program N
Funds will be used to support direct services, which include 150 hours of
therapy and allow for $500 of professional development for two (2)
therapists centered on cultural and linguistic competencies.$5,000 $0
20 SLO Climate Coalition Stronger Together & Resilient
SLO Accessibility Project N
Funds will be used for an equity assessment to make our organizations'
programming more inclusive to people with disabilities. The funds will be
used to purchase accessibility upgrades (using non-city funding) to
Ludwick Community Center and make modifications to their Stronger
Together meetings and ResilientSLO online climate resource.
$2,500 $0
21 SLO HILLEL Jews of Color Speaker Series
Presentation N
The funds will be used to cover the expenses of one presentation from a
speaker during the Jews of Color Spearker Series. $20,000 $10,000
22 SLO International Film
Festival (SLOIFF)
Free Shorts Program + Central
Coast Filmmaking Grant N
Funds will be used to continue the free program designed to highlight
films and storytelling from BIPOC filmmakers. Funds will cover five (5)
short films programmed through R.A.C.E. Matters SLO focusing on
BIPOC filmmakers and different perspectives. Themes for this year
include voting/activism or indigenous perspectives on water. Funds will
cover two (2) panel discussions with guest speakers.
$8,700 $0
23 SLO Museum of Art
(SLOMA)Expanding Equity Exhibitions N
Funds will be used to cover two (2) exhibitions showcasing artists from
historically underserved and excluded communities, as well as free public
programming for youths and adults presented in collaboration with
community partners. One exhibition is by artist Maria Molteni, and the
second exhibition showcases a group of BIPOC artists from the Central
Coast and the State exploring historic segregation.
$20,000 $11,424.38
24 SLO NOOR Foundation Whole Community Care Project
Funds will be used to cover the continuation of the Whole Community
Care project meant to serve uninsured, low income, and hard to reach
populations for the purpose to directly engage individuals to ongoing
healthcare, health education, and support services. The funds will cover
1) fulltime multilingual healthcare and support services, 2) deliver
continuity in care through preventive and diagnostic laboratory and
radiology service, 3) deliver regular multilingual outreach, and 4) launch
multilingual marketing campaign.
$25,000 $0
25 The San Luis Obispo Wind
Orchestra (SLOWA)
Empowering Women in Music: A
Celebration of Talent and
Diversity
N
Funds will be used to spotlight women composers and for performances
by accomplished women soloists and conductors. Funds will be used to
conduct a multi-pronged outreach approach including social media, direct
mail, posters, collaborations with local art and music organiations, and TV
commercials.
$20,000 $0
26 Transitions-Mental Health
Association (TMHA)DEI Mental Wellness Initiative Y
Funds will be used to expand the current services they offer. Funds will
cover the development and implementation of Spanish-language support
groups led by Promotores on a monthly basis using TMHA's three (3)
wellness centers. These groups will be culturally and linguistically
appropriate to engage with the Latino/Latinx/Latine/Hispanic/ and Mixteco
population and will be referred to as Charlas Educativas. This application
is a joint effort with Promotores.
$40,000 $0
TOTAL $500,976 $150,000
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