HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5a. Human Services Grant Funding Public Hearing Item 5a
Human Relations Commission
Agenda Report
For Agenda of: 5/7/2025
Item Number: 5a
FROM: Samantha Vethavanam, DEI Administrative Specialist
Phone Number: (805) 781-7064
E-mail: svethava@slocity.org
SUBJECT: REVIEW OF THE 2025-26 HUMAN SERVICES GRANT SUBCOMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL FOR
APPROVAL
RECOMMENDATION
Review preliminary recommendations from the Human Services Grant Review
Subcommittee and provide a recommendation to the City Council for final approval.
BACKGROUND
The Human Services Grant (HSG), formerly titled Grants-in-Aid, had a Council approved
name change in 2022 to better reflect the objectives of the grant program. The HSG
program provides financial support to non-profit organizations that promote the economic
and social well-being of the community members of San Luis Obispo. Grant-funded
programs must be available to all City residents, without regard to the resident’s race,
religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or physical, mental, or economic
status.
The for the 2025-26 grant year, City Council directed that the main funding priority for the
HSG would be homelessness prevention, including affordable, alternative, and
transitional housing as well as supportive services. Secondary funding priorities (not listed
in order of importance), which may receive funding if available, include 1) hunger and
malnutrition prevention, 2) supportive physical and mental health services for those in
need, 3) services for seniors, veterans, and/or people with disabilities in need, 4)
supportive, developmental, and care services for children and youth in need , and 5)
services encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusivity in marginalized communities,
including access to language services. The Human Relations Commission (HRC) will
first fund all qualified applications that meet the main funding priority. After qualified main
priority applications are funded, the HRC will consider applications for the secondary
funding priorities.
The 2025-26 HSG application cycle opened on January 20, 2025, and closed on February
28, 2025; a total of 27 applications were received for $150,000 of available funding. Three
Commissioners from the HRC met as a Review Subcommittee on March 17, 2025, and
March 19, 2025, to review and provide initial funding recommendations which will be
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Item 5a
considered by the entire HRC before final recommendations are considered by the City
Council at their June 3rd, 2025 meeting.
NEXT STEPS
Receive preliminary funding recommendations, discuss the subcommittee's findings,
and vote on the final funding recommendations for City Council.
ATTACHMENTS
A - 2025-26 Human Services Grant Review Subcommittee Funding Recommendations
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# Organization Project/Program
Name Description of Project/Program Requested
Amount
Recommended
Amount
1 5 Cities Homeless
Coalition
Homeless Prevention
Assistance
This program will provide homelessness prevention
housing stabilization services using time-limited financial
assistance to help people remain in housing or be re-
housed. It will also provide targeted supportive services
to identify and address barriers to stable housing. Funds
will be used for rental assistance, staff, and stabilization
fees.
$20,000 $0
2
Big Brothers & Big
Sisters of SLO
County
SLO Bigs Community
Mentorship Program
This program will match youth ages 7 to 17, who face
academic struggles or social difficulties, with adult
volunteers who share common interests. Bigs commit to
spending 6-8 hours per month with their Little, engaging
in activities that build relationships and foster growth.
Funds will be used to support matches including
recruitment and community engagement, enrollment,
introductions, support, and operating costs.
$20,000 $0
3
Community Action
Partnership of
SLO County
(CAPSLO)
Homeless
Prevention/Stable
Housing Program
This program will provide emergency financial assistance
to City of SLO households that are at risk of being
evicted and need assistance with a rental payment, or
who need financial assistance to secure housing. The
program will also provide case management for 6
months. Funds will be used for financial assistance
payments and some indirect expenses.
$20,000 $20,000
4 City Farm
Expansion of
Therapeutic
Horticulture
Programming for
Students with
Disabilities
This project will expand City Farms' existing Therapeutic
Horticulture Program to provide over 850 hours of
instruction to more than 50 children and adults with
disabilities in SLO County. Adults will have access to on-
farm programming and will allow for additional weekly
sessions. Funds will be used to support two farm
instructors.
$15,000 $0
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5
Community
Counseling Center
(CCC)
Inner Abode:
Addressing the Mental
Health Counseling
Needs of the
Unhoused in San Luis
Obispo
This project will increase and enhance CCC's presence
at 40 Prado Homeless Shelter by increasing hours of
service and access to bilingual/bicultural therapists, as
well as providing clinical training for CAPSLO and CCC
staff working with the unhoused population. This includes
motivational interviewing, trauma informed care, etc.
Funding will also subsidize CCC's ongoing, no cost in
person counseling for the unhoused, support for
unhoused students, and unhoused families. Funds will
be used to support a bilingual clinical supervisor and a
bilingual homeless services mental health clinical
counselor.
$7,500 $0
6 Family Care
Network, Inc.
TAY Estelita Housing
Project
This project will provide improvements for safe and
stable housing for former foster youth ages 18-24. The
project needs additional improvements to meet the
youth's needs, such as improving the existing
picnic/outdoor area, adding a retaining wall, and
improving the front walkway. Funds will be used for
property frontage improvements, expanding the picnic
area and adding a bike rack, landscaping, and removing
storage units.
$20,000 $0
7 Housing Authority
of SLO (HASLO)
Housing Stability with
Supportive Services
This program will provide transitional housing support to
individuals transitioning out of homelessness and to
prevent homelessness. It will provide funding for
essential items and other costs and provide tools to
maintain housing, including case management. This
program will also provide hunger and malnutrition
assistance to low-income individuals facing food
insecurity. It will also provide transportation assistance to
residents who are medically vulnerable. Funds will be
used for transitional housing, food, and transportation.
$20,000 $20,000
8 Hospice of SLO
County Caregiver Support
This program will provide a variety of services for home
caregivers. This can include providing a temporary
break, emotional support and companionship,
housekeeping assistance, meal preparation, or resource
connection. Volunteers will provide these services up to
4 hours per week. Funds will be used to offset the cost of
the Volunteer Services Manager's salary.
$10,000 $0
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9
Independent
Living Resource
Center
Community Living and
Transition Services for
People with
Disabilities
This program will provide comprehensive community
living support services to individuals of all ages and
income levels with disabilities, ensuring they have the
resources and skills to live independently. This program
will offer housing assistance, assistive technology
access, benefits advisement, and personal assistance
coordination, among others. Funds will be used to
partially cover occupancy expenses, allowing redirection
of additional resources to staff salaries and to reduce
administrative burden.
$20,000 $0
10 Kesem Cal Poly
SLO
Camp Kesem at Cal
Poly
This program will be an overnight summer camp that is
led by a team of volunteer college students for children
ages 6-18 who are impacted by a parent or primary
caregiver’s cancer. The camp will be one weeklong and
host 45 campers in July.
$5,000 $0
11 Literacy for Life Literacy Program
This program will teach non or low-literate adults to read,
write, and speak English. The program assesses each
learner’s literacy level and guides them to meet their
individual learning goals. Funds will be used in all
aspects of the program including for data management,
books, wages, and rent.
$10,000 $0
12
Long Term Care
Ombudsman
Services of SLO
County
Ombudsman Services
This program will provide advocacy, facility monitoring,
complaint investigation and resolution, information and
assistance, advanced healthcare directive witnessing for
skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), community education,
and systemic advocacy to residents of SNFs and
residential care facilities throughout SLO City and
County. The program is also committed to homelessness
prevention. Funds will be used to partially cover salaries
for staff.
$5,000 $5,000
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13 Lumina Alliance
Emergency Shelter
Program for Sexual
Assault and Intimate
Partner Violence
This program provides emergency shelter at two sites in
SLO County. The shelters are for survivors of sexual
assault and intimate partner violence. The shelters help
residents find permanent housing and provide services
such as a 24-hour crisis hotline, individual and group
therapy sessions, assistance filing temporary restraining
orders, case management, skills training, childcare,
financial assistance, and more. Funds will be used for
operating expenses including payroll, benefits, facility
expenses, and repair and maintenance expenses,
among others.
$20,000 $20,000
14 Meals that
Connect
Nutrition for Healthy
Seniors
This program will provide nutrition, social interaction, and
early intervention for seniors in SLO County. The
program delivers daily meals, offering wellness check-ins
and fostering social connection. Funds will be used for
food costs, kitchen staff labor, supplies, transportation
costs, rent, and insurance.
$15,000 $0
15 Middle House
Early Recovery
Assistance to Alumni
Housing Portal
This program will provide 6 week stays at a Sober Living
Facility and provide direct financial assistance after
completing one year in the program. The funding will
help these individuals secure stable housing. The
programs also help individuals in recovery obtain
employment and create a portal for addicts experiencing
homelessness to become contributing members of
society. Funds will be used to support individuals in
recovery and to provide financial assistance after one
year.
$20,000 $0
16
Mixteco Indigena
Community
Organizing Project
(MICOP)
Housing/Wellness
Navigator Program
This program provides direct housing support, eviction
prevention, and rental assistance for families facing
housing insecurity. Housing Navigators also assist
families in accessing critical wraparound services such
as Medi-Cal, SSDI, CalFresh, and utility relief. The
Housing Navigators also assist families in securing and
maintaining housing and educating tenants on their
rights. Funds will be used to support 1 FTE Admin
Assistant.
$20,000 $20,000
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17 People's Self-Help
Housing (PSHH)
City of SLO Supportive
Housing Program
This program will provide comprehensive homelessness
prevention services to residents in all PSHH properties
within SLO, which includes 73 units with an expansion to
217 units with the completion of Tiburon Place and Calle
Joaquin. Licensed social workers will deliver clinical case
management and address housing stability needs.
Funds will be used to deliver homelessness prevention
services, including through salaries, mileage, workshops,
meals, etc.
$20,000 $20,000
18 Restorative
Partners Opportunity to Fund
This program will support formerly incarcerated
individuals facing multiple challenges, including
homelessness, substance use recovery, and mental
health issues. Stable housing is prioritized, and the
program removes barriers to housing such as obtaining
documentation, providing rental assistance, and
supporting employment related needs. Funds will be
used to support the emergency needs of the individuals.
$10,000 $10,000
19 Shower the People Shower the People
This program will provide mobile shower services to
unhoused individuals 5 days a week, 3-4 hours per day
in four different locations. Guests are offered a 15-minute
hot shower which is cleaned and disinfected by
volunteers before the next guest. Shower guests also
receive a new t-shirt, new undergarments, new socks, a
toothbrush/toothpaste, comb, razor, and hand sanitizer.
Funds will go to support the programs continued
operation for one year.
$20,000 $20,000
20 SLO CASA General SLO CASA
Program Support
This project will allow volunteers from the community to
complete a training, so they are able to work with
children and families in crisis. Volunteers provide support
for children throughout the life of their child welfare case.
Funds will go to support part of the cost of rent for their
SLO office complex, which is a hub for staff and
volunteers to convene.
$20,000 $0
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21
SLO Child
Development
Resource Center
Child and Family Play
Therapy
This program will offer tailored, evidence-based
interventions to support children and families facing
poverty, trauma, and other adversities. The program
integrates mental health services with early education.
Funds will be used to expand services to serve 25
additional therapy clients by subsidizing therapy
sessions provided by an associate therapist and
providing 8 hours of training.
$10,000 $0
22
SLO Legal
Assistance
Foundation
Senior Homeless
Prevention
The program will provide homelessness prevention for
SLO City seniors through eviction prevention, eviction
defense, and assistance to residents in SNFs and
residential care facilities. Funds will be used for salaries,
insurance, operating expenses, program supplies, and
admin overhead.
$20,000 $10,000
23 SLO Noor
Foundation
City of San Luis
Obispo Care Project
This program will include a free mobile clinic and
established brick and mortar locations which provide free
medical, dental, vision, and mental health care to low-
income, uninsured, and underinsured SLO City
residents. Funds will go to support clinical support
staffing, laboratory diagnostics, and clinical supplies.
$20,000 $0
24 Smart Share
Housing Solutions
Senior Homeless
Prevention & Housing
Navigation
This program will work through multiple approaches:
providing inspiration, training, and one-on-one technical
assistance to help residents meet current and future
housing needs through four areas - continued
HomeSharing training and TA; accessory dwelling unit
(ADU) production support; mentoring; and incorporating
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enhancements.
Funds will go to support community events, virtual e-
blasts, ADU and home visits, trainings, research,
advertising, technical support, and ADA planning.
$14,380 $0
25 Tolosa Children's
Dental
Tolosa Children's
Dental Center SLO
Office Expansion
This project will seek to expand care through four
initiatives: community outreach; targeted community
partnerships; additional dentists and support staff; and
expanded operations from one day to four days a week
in the SLO Office. Tolosa provides oral healthcare to
underserved and underinsured children. Funds will
support costs to hire a dentist and support staff.
$20,000 $0
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26 Transitions Mental
Health Association
Transportation
Solutions for
Transitional Housing
This project supports a 6-bedroom house with 12 clients
who are chronically homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The project will provide transportation options for the
residents to medical, behavioral health, employment, and
social appointments through the acquisition of 4 bicycles
for each house and monthly regional bus passes. Funds
will go to client expenses, insurance, and admin.
$13,062 $0
27 United Way of SLO
County
211 Homeless Intake
and Homeless
Prevention Screening
Services
This program will provide a dedicated homeless intake
and assessment initiative within the existing 211
program. This initiative will provide immediate support to
individuals facing homelessness and housing insecurity
by connecting them with local resources. The line is
available 24/7. Funds will go to creating the new line.
$5,000 $5,000
TOTAL $419,942 $150,000
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