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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLiteracy for Life HSG 2024-25 ApplicationHuman Services Grant Application 2024-25 Application Questions Part 1 Basic Information 1. Organization Name * Literacy for Life Organization 2. Fiscal Agent (if different than above)* Literacy for Life Organization 3. Project/Program Name * The Literacy Program 4. Requested Amount * 10,000 5. Name of Person Completing Application * Bernadette Bernardi 6. Name of Person for Grant Communication and Contract for Grant Cycle (if different from above)* Bernadette Bernardi 7. Organization Mailing Address * P.O. box 1023 8. Phone * 8055414219 9. Email * bernadette@literacyforlifeslo.org Part 2 Organizational Information 1. Purpose/Mission Statement * Mission: Literacy for Life transforms the community, empowering individuals by removing barriers to success and strengthening relationships through the power of literacy. 2. Briefly describe your organization’s purpose, vision, primary activities, and operating structures * Literacy for Life’s purpose is to provide free one-on-one instruction in basic English language skills to adults sixteen and older. The instruction is monolingual English based. To give the instruction, we recruit and train community members, many Seniors, to become volunteer tutors. The top three qualities we require of our volunteer tutors are comfortable in their knowledge of English, patience, and compassion. Our vision is that the SLO residents served by our program improve their ability to become contributing, viable members of their communities. Low-level literate adults sign up for tutoring because they cannot compete in today’s job market. They become better equipped to attain a job or be promoted to a better one. They are far more comfortable speaking for their children and understanding the benefits and challenges of their children’s circle of friends, other parents, and teachers. They become better neighbors. They can better understand the intricate processes of democracy and make knowledgeable choices by exercising their right to vote in a well-informed manner. They acquire tangible skills that can provide real hope out of homelessness. The primary activities of our program are:1. To recruit and train volunteer tutors. 2. To provide free one-on-one instruction in basic English language skills to anyone over 16 in our community, regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, religion, education, or financial status, who wants and needs to improve their reading, writing, and speaking English skills. 3. To assess all learners who enter the program to determine their English language learning needs. 4. To provide free books and materials to all learners and tutors in our program. 5. To help individuals identify and attain their literacy learning goals. 6. To provide safe and comfortable learning environments. 7. To celebrate successes. 8. To promote a supportive community of fellow learners and their tutors. 9. To recognize the priceless value of volunteer tutors. 10. Encourage learners to share their stories and culture within our learning centers and community. The CEO manages the organization and reports to a board of directors. Contract staff, including an administrative assistant/data manager, a bookkeeper, and IT support, assist the CEO. Each of the eight learning centers is assigned a volunteer center director to manage the activities at the center, which include- opening and closing the center, matching tutors with learners, and making sure books and materials are readily available. Each tutor reports their hours, learner hours, goals, and progress monthly via a simple online form directly to the data manager. 3. Name of Executive Director * CEO- Bernadette Bernardi 4. Name of Board President or Chair * William Herrerras 5. Number of paid staff (full or part-time)* 4 6. Number of volunteers * 70 7. Describe the community(ies) your organization supports * We support all communities in San Luis Obispo County. We have learning centers in San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Nipomo, Los Osos, Morro Bay, Cambria, Paso Robles, and Atascadero. To date, countywide, in this current fiscal year 2023-24 we serve 78 individual learners. 41 are Hispanic. 17 are Asian. 10 are Caucasian. 6 chose the option of Other. 2 are Black. 2 chose not to answer. Twenty-four identify as cisgender male. Fifty-four identify as cisgender female. Twenty-two are between the ages of 50-59. Eighteen are between the ages of 30-39. Seventeen are between the ages of 40-49. Seven are between the ages of 20-29. Five are 70 plus. Five did not answer. Four are between the ages of 60-69. To date, in the City of San Luis Obispo, in this current fiscal year 2023-24 we serve 26 individual learners. 10 are Asian. 6 are Caucasian. 5 are Hispanic. 4 chose Other. 1 is Black. Seven identify as cis gender male. Nineteen identify as cisgender female. Eight are between the ages of 50-59. Seven are between the ages of 30-39. Five are between the ages of 40-49. Three are between the ages of 20-29. Two are between the ages of 60-69. One is age 70plus. 8. Approximate Annual Budget * 153,000 9. Major Sources of Funding * Grants Donations Events Part 3 Project/Program Information 14. In the table below include a minimum of four (4) metrics or performance outcomes that relate to the implementation/success of the project. Examples include: # of SLO City residents served, # of referrals provided to individuals seeking social services. Methods of Evaluation Indicators of Success / Measurable Outcomes Adult Learner Files in computer data management system number of learners Tutor Information Files computer data management system number of tutors trained and working Monthly On-Line Reports Number of tutor and learner hours submitted by each individual tutor Monthly On-Line Reports Number of goals set, in progress, and met. Submitted by each individual tutor. 1. Please provide an executive summary of proposed project/program * Literacy for Life, since its inception in 1982, supports learners and tutors of all identities: including all races, gender expression, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic background. We teach non or low-literate adults to read, write, and speak English. We serve as the first step in English language acquisition for non-English speakers. With this first step, they can strengthen their relationships in the community through the higher self-esteem that comes with communicating in it. We assist parents in becoming literate and active participants in their children’s learning. This begins a positive cycle of family-wide literacy that carries through generations. We assess each learner ’s literacy level and guide them to meet their individual literacy learning goals. They can then pursue increased employment opportunities, housing, health, and education. To accomplish our mission, we recruit and train community members to become volunteer tutors. Tutors work one-on-one with learners and guide them to set and meet their individual literacy learning goal (s). The goals can be as varied as our learners are. A goal for one learner might very well be to learn the alphabet, while another’s goal is to become a U.S. Citizen. Our service, books, and materials are free to all who participate. 2. Total Project Cost?* $153,000.00 3. Requested Project Amount * $10,000.00 4. Please provide a detailed description of proposed project/program * In the 1970s, a group of local educators decided to offer their expertise to teach English to newly arrived Vietnamese immigrants in San Luis Obispo County. In 1982, these concerned community members formed a 501 (c) 3, The Literacy Council. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion were the core values of the newly formed entity decades before the need to publish DEI Statements, and they remain so at this writing with the 2016 renamed Literacy for Life. Literacy for Life provides individualized, free one-on-one tutoring in basic English language skills for adult learners 16 and older. Our program serves individual adults who are either speakers of English as a first language or speakers of English as a second language. For our learners, various emotional, circumstantial, cultural, and environmental factors contribute to their inability to read, write, or speak English well enough to be self-sustaining in today 's world. Our program offers the essential tools for individuals to develop competent literacy skills to become contributing members of our community. They learn about us from family members, friends, co-workers, employers, social service workers, and educators. Our speakers of English as a Second Language fall into a wide range of prior knowledge and learning. Some have advanced degrees but must learn English to thrive in San Luis Obispo County. Any adult who has attempted to learn a second language can attest to how complex that process can be. Most of our English as a Second Language learners are Hispanic. However, many are not. Many languages are represented throughout our eight learning centers in SLO County. Not all English as a Second Language learners are literate in their language. They begin with us by learning the alphabet in English. Our instruction is monolingual English based, and we highly discourage any tutor who might know their learner's first language from using it. We work with parents of young children who otherwise could not communicate with their child's teacher, friends, and parents of friends. Public school teachers reach out to us for help for the parents of their students when they realize that communication is not effective, and the parents need help understanding what is going on in their child's school environment. On a referral basis from organizations that work day-to-day with people experiencing homelessness and disenfranchisement in our communities, we offer literacy instruction with the realization that those individuals bring distinctive challenges to their ability to learn and improve their lives. Even though they typically have many obstacles to self-sufficiency, we can be a positive step in their journey. Our program addresses the problem of low literacy rates in our County, which is a direct cause of low-income levels. Seventeen percent of San Luis Obispo County 's population falls in the lowest two literacy levels, as determined by the National Literacy Institute. At the lowest level, an adult can read a little but not well enough to fill out an application, read a food label, or read a simple story to a child. At the next level, an adult can compare and contrast but not at higher reading levels and needs help to solve problems. Most of our learners fall in the two lowest economic categories HUD defines. To them, a book is a luxury item. Through our family literacy program, we introduce children's books to adult learners who have children. Once the adult can read the children's book, we model how to read to their child and give them the new book to take home, read to their child, and keep. Research shows that books in the home are essential to break the cycle of illiteracy in families. The ability to read, speak, and write in English dramatically increases the chances for an adult in our County to communicate effectively and to have much more significant job opportunities that pay above the lowest income levels. Knowing basic English language skills allows families to function more successfully within their households and the community. The more significant result is a county with fewer people needing already over-extended support services, employees who can read, write, and speak English at a productive level, and a community that can take pride in an improved literacy level. Literacy for Life trains volunteers to become tutors to learners in a one-on-one setting optimal for learning. Our volunteers are active community members with diverse cultural, educational, and work backgrounds who bring their vast life experiences and wisdom to our organization and share them with our learners. Tutors also benefit by directly and positively interacting with learners who bring their intrinsic culture as they learn English in their new community. Our goal is to have our learners move up in their educational training. We often help them set the goal of finally completing their GED and going on to college. Sometimes, learners stay with our program while progressing through a college or trade school. The tutor/learner relationship becomes so vital to the learners that it is often difficult to relinquish the bond they have formed completely. The tutor becomes a treasured mentor the learner knows can be counted on. Learners give a gift to their tutor every time they have a wide-eyed learning “ah ha” moment. 5. Describe the community/population the project/program will support.* Our program is open to all in San Luis Obispo City and County communities who need to either learn or improve their English language literacy skills. Currently we serve individuals whose firs language is Ukrainen, Russian, Afghan, Syrian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. 6. The HRC has identified homeless prevention including affordable and alternative housing, supportive services, and transitional housing as the main funding priority. Does your grant request meet this funding priority?* Yes No 7. Which other priority of the non-ranked HRC funding priorities does your request support? Please check the appropriate boxes:* Hunger and malnutrition prevention Supportive physical and mental health services for those in need Services for seniors and/or people with disabilities in need Supportive and developmental services for children and youth in need Services encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusivity in marginalized communities 8. Provide timeline for project * One year. Our program is on-going. 9. Identify any partnerships/collaborations that are supporting this project/program and their roles * SLO4HOME- refer learners People's Self Help Housing- refer learners Lumina Foundation- refer learners Presbyterian Churches- provide learning center space Methodist Church- provides learning center space Lutheran Churches-provide learning center space Adult ED. Programs- refer learners public libraries- provide spaces. 10. Describe your plan for sustainability beyond the City’s one-year award funding * Explore new grant opportunities. Expand donor base. Hold Events. 11. Describe the plan for promoting this project, program, or service within the City of San Luis Obispo * Contact County Media. Radio, TV, Print, on-line publications, social media, our website, our enewsletters. 12. Est. Number of people served through this project/program * 150 13. Est. Number of SLO City Residents served through this project/program * 50 Attachments Copy of Organization’s most recent complete fiscal year financial statement (for the previous year because it is the middle of the current fiscal year) including a statement of financial position/balance sheet, statement of revenue & expenses/income statement, profit & loss. Financial Statement * Financials Literacy for Life Year End 2022-23.pdf 1.23MB 1-page Organization Chart * Organizational Chart January 2024.pdf 68.96KB Document Certifying Federal Tax-Exempt Status * Tax-Exempt Letter .pdf 1.14MB 1-page detailed budget for the program including how the total requested amount of grant would be spent.   Budget * Literacy for Life Projected Budget and Human Services Grant Budget 2024-25.pdf 77.63KB 1-page DEI statement that includes: Applicants’ understanding and application of DEI Affirming language that creates access and a sense of belonging in our community apart from grant Explain how this project will advance DEI in the City of SLO DEI Statement * March DEI Statement.pdf 19.25KB Organizational Chart January 2024 Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer Program Assistant Volunteers Data Manager Contract Bookkeeper Literacy for Life Budget Human Services Grant Budget 2024-25 2024-25 INCOME Grants 55,000 10,000 Special Event 25,000 Donations 73,000 TOTAL INCOME 153,000 EXPENSE Rent 7,800 507 IT Support 1000 65 Books 5000 1,383 Marketing 1,500 98 Bookkeeping 3,800 405 Data Management 2,505 1,253 Telephone/Internet 1,500 97 Equip, Maintenance 200 14 Comm Outreach/Memberships 1,500 98 Events 3,000 195 Postage 200 14 Mileage 400 26 Printing 300 19 Office/Copier 5,000 325 Staff Development 1,000 65 Volunteer Recognition 300 19 Worker's Comp InsuranceInsurance 1,400 91 Liability Insurance 3,100 202 Health Insurance 10,000 650 Tax Filing 1,200 78 Misc.100 7 Paryroll Taxes 9,800 637 Wages 92,395 3,752 TOTAL EXPENSE 153,000 10,000 Human Services Grant Budget Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion drive Literacy for Life's work. Our program continues to build on our founder's original mission to welcome all people to the community, offer them the opportunity to learn their new community's language and culture and help them become viable members of that community. Our program helps advance DEI in the City of San Luis Obispo by assisting community members to learn how to read, write, and speak English. English language skills provide individuals with increased opportunities for employment, housing, and health. They are vehicles that enhance greater constructive participation by individuals in the San Luis Obispo City community. Mission Statement Literacy for Life transforms the community, empowering individuals by removing barriers to success and strengthening relationships through the power of literacy. Our Values Inclusiveness We value each person in our community, their unique backgrounds and their relationships. Compassion We endeavor to treat all others with whom we come in contact with caring concern and empathy. Commitment We are dedicated to furthering literacy skills in everyday life within our community. Transparency We believe in honesty and openness about what we do as we involve ourselves in the community.