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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5a. 2025-26 DEI High Impact Grant Funding Recommendations Item 5a Human Relations Commission Agenda Report For Agenda of: 10/1/2025 Item Number: 5a FROM: Samantha Vethavanam, DEI Administrative Specialist Phone Number: (805) 781-7064 E-mail: svethava@slocity.org SUBJECT: 2025-26 DEI HIGH IMPACT GRANT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATION 1. Review the 2025-26 DEI High Impact Grant preliminary funding recommendations from the Human Relations Commission Review Subcommittee; and 2. Make a final recommendation to City Council for approval following the public hearing. 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 sense of belonging for all people in our community. This funding allocation is an effort to uplift and support local projects, programs, or initiatives that contribute to creating a San Luis Obispo that is welcoming, inclusive, equitable, and safe. Following the inaugural grant cycle, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force made a recommendation to Council to provide ongoing annual funding in the amount of $150,000 for DEI High Impact Grants, which have been provided on an annual basis since 2021. For the 2025-26 DEI High Impact Grant cycle, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion received a total of 20 applications with a total funding request of $321,330. The grant application opened on July 21, 2025, and closed on September 2, 2025. On August 6, 2025, the Human Relations Commission (HRC) selected Commissioner Fields, Commissioner Parker, and Vice Chair Campos to be part of the HRC Review Subcommittee. Each grant review subcommittee member reviewed each application independently, and then met as a group on Wednesday, September 17th and Tuesday, September 23rd, to discuss and provide their initial funding recommendations based on their review and the determined alignment with the DEI High Impact Grant funding priorities and criteria, overall City impact, and current community needs. Programs, projects, initiatives, etc. funded by this grant may focus on specific underserved and underrepresented communities, but must provide access to the entire City of San Luis Obispo community-at-large and contribute to a positive systemic/structural change. Page 71 of 77 Item 5a NEXT STEPS Upon completion of the Public Hearing and HRC deliberation on the preliminary funding recommendations, the final funding recommendations will be presented to City Coun cil as a consent item at one of the November meetings. ATTACHMENTS A - 2025-26 DEI High Impact Grant Subcommittee Funding Recommendations Page 72 of 77 Organization Project/ Program Description of Project/Program Req. Amount Rec. Amount Subcommittee Review Comments 1 Asian American & Pacific Islanders of SLO (AAPI SLO) AAPI SLO: Our Voices, Our Stories Project would build organizational and programmatic capacity while honoring the community's resilience. Funding would support the 5th annual festival, which is a one-day AAPI cultural celebration with food, music, and art. Leading up to the event, there will be storytelling events throughout the year. Funds will support staff training, supplies, rent, honorariums, and professional support. $15,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. While this is a great festival with an important intention, Subcommittee would like to focus on programs with a more direct impact. 2 Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of SLO County SLO CASA DEI Project Project would support and build cultural competency and expertise of CASA staff and volunteers by expanding outreach and recruitment efforts to diversify pool of volunteers for underrepresented demographics. Funds would support a portion of the CASA Training Manager's salary, a portion of one of the CASA Advocate Supervisors who leads program serving LGBTQ teens, and training for staff in best practices. $10,000 $10,000 Recommend fully funding. Direct impact to City of SLO residents was clear and the training can potentially have a lasting impact. Metrics were strong and application was responsive to past feedback. 3 Diversity Coalition of SLO County SLO Equity Podcast Program would be an episodic podcast (at least 12 per year) dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices in SLO County. Podcast will highlight the experiences of BIPOC, women of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, low- income and housing insecure individuals, and others. It will also feature the efforts of local leaders in the equity space. Each topic will align with funding priorities for this grant. Funds would support stipends, production, marketing, admin, and other expenses. $20,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Diversity Coalition is a well-known organization doing great work, however it was not clear how direct impact to City of SLO residents would be tracked. 4 GALA Pride and Diversity Center Queer Leadership and Civic Engagement Initiative Program would empower LGBTQ+ individuals in San Luis Obispo County to become effective community leaders, advocates, and changemakers. The cohort will include 8-10 emerging LGBTQ+ leaders (with an emphasis on recruiting youth and young adults ages 18-35) who will participate in monthly workshops, mentorship, and projects. Funds would support staffing, training, stipends, events, reporting, admin, and other. $20,000 $20,000 Recommend fully funding. Program can potentially have a lasting impact and the investment in staffing was appreciated. If funded, the Subcommittee would, however, like to stipulate that at least 75% of the cohort must be from City of SLO or have a strong tie to the City. Page 73 of 77 5 Hospice of SLO County Volunteer Training & Community Outreach Program would include comprehensive DEI training for new volunteers and outreach initiatives to spread awareness about services to hard-to- reach populations. Funding would support staff salaries, volunteer onboarding, training materials, technology, and marketing. $20,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Organization is doing critical work; however, the application was not as City of SLO-specific as it could have been and it was unclear how diversity, equity, and inclusion improvements would be tracked. 6 Literacy for Life Literacy Program Program teaches non- or low-literate adults to read, write, and speak English. Program assesses each learner's literacy level and guides them to meet their individual literacy learning goals. Tutors work one-on-one with the learners. Funds would support all aspects of the program. $15,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Literacy programs are important, however the City impact was not as high as other applications. Subcommittee suggests this organization does a partnership application in the future to increase impact. 7 Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) Housing/ Wellness Navigator Program Program provides direct housing support, eviction prevention, and rental assistance to Indigenous migrant families facing housing insecurity. Funds will also assist families in accessing wraparound services such as Medi-Cal, SSDI, etc. Funds would support an Admin Assistant salary. $20,000 $20,000 Recommend fully funding. Application was able to show the need (increased requests for support).If funded, Subcommittee would like to ensure that a majority of outreach is done within the City of SLO. 8 One Cool Earth Salud y Conocimiento en el Jardín - One Cool Earth School Garden Program at Pacheco Elementary School Program provides culturally-sensitive garden- based education to students at Pacheco Elementary School during the 2026-27 school year. Includes a campus garden and a trained garden educator who delivers a minimum of 6 lessons in both English and Spanish. Funds would support the cost of the bilingual garden educator and gardening supplies. $10,000 $10,000 Recommend fully funding. Strong application. Subcommittee liked that the program provided fun activities for children and included a connection to the family unit. Program feels innovative and collaborative. 9 RACE Matters SLO County Advancing Community Belonging and Cultural Representation Through Signature Events Project would support two annual events: 1) Stories Matter (a live storytelling showcase that features community members’ stories in addition to local musicians) and 2) Day with Santa (a family event with a Black Santa). Funds would support presenter fees, rentals, admin, decor, labor, and more. $6,600 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. While program is innovative, the application did not demonstrate the success and impact of the Stories Matter series. Page 74 of 77 10 SLO Disabled American Veterans Memorial Chapter 45 2026 Ability Fair and Expo Project would be a two-day event gathering federal, state, and local benefit agencies, assistive technology vendors, health providers, and peer- support organizations in a one-stop hub. Funds would support food and beverage, set-up, transportation, printing, and postage. $17,703 $4,475 Recommend partial funding. If funded, Subcommittee would stipulate that funds cannot be spent on food (would recommend finding a partner to donate or subsidize food costs). Event brings many resources together to have a more direct impact on participants. Application recognizes intersectionality within the population. Veteran programs are also losing federal funding. 11 SLO for Home & Church World Services SLO for Home Program would support resettlement for refugees of war-torn countries, including housing, culturally appropriate food, healthcare referrals, legal services, transportation, education, and technology support. Financial support is provided in the first year, which is gradually reduced as the family gains financial independence. Funds may support rent and transportation. $20,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Application lacked detail about the success of the program and the impact on City of SLO was unclear. 12 SLO Hillel Central Coast Jewish Heritage Festival Project would support Central Coast Jewish Heritage Festival, which includes the Jews of Color free speaking event. Funds would support artists fees, honorariums, venue costs, advertising, and reception costs. $20,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Would like to see a bigger emphasis on the Jews of Color Speaker Series. Hillel is also well-known and a connected organization on their own. 13 SLO Museum of Art Peter Krashes Exhibition and Public Programming Project would present a Spring 2026 exhibition by artist and community activist Peter Krashes as well as free public programs to engage historically marginalized communities. Funds would support exhibition production, public programming, marketing, and staff time. $10,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Although art is very important, there was not as direct of an impact as other applications. 14 SLO Noor Foundation Accessible Healthcare for All - City of SLO Project Program would provide underserved residents with free medical, dental, vision, and mental health services through brick and mortar and telehealth access. Program would also provide translation services and community resources as well as medical training opportunities for students. Funds would support staffing costs and supplies. $20,000 $20,000 Recommend fully funding. Comprehensive application and high impact/connection to City of SLO residents. Healthcare is a critical gap currently in the City, especially for marginalized populations. Page 75 of 77 15 SLO People's Kitchen SLO People's Kitchen Program provides a hot meal at noon for anyone that needs it in San Luis Obispo, with increasing numbers. Funding would support paper goods and food. There are no screenings or preconditions for meals. $10,000 $10,000 Recommend fully funding. Organization is doing a lot of work with little funding. Low- barrier, hot meals are needed . If funded, Subcommittee would request the organization provide more detailed breakdown of funding when reporting. 16 SLO United Methodist Church Beacon Art Show Project would be a venue for local artists to show their talent, vision, and interpretation of the show's theme - which this year is "DEI - Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion." $1,500 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Budget was incomplete and the scope was not clear. 17 SLO Wind Orchestra Movement to Music: An Equitable Concert Series for Seniors Project would expand the Movement to Music concert series, which is designed to provide accessible cultural experiences that promote physical and mental well-being for seniors. Funding would increase the number of concerts and provide a licensed PT to guide light, seated movement. Funds would support stipends, outreach, venue costs, and marketing. $10,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Music is therapeutic and the program sounds innovative but felt equity gaps were higher elsewhere. 18 Smart Share Housing Solutions Creating Inclusive, Welcoming, Accessible Community: Connecting the Past, Present, & Future Project would be done in two phases: 1) gather input and inform community members on inclusivity and 2) design and incorporate interpretive signs into residents' social networks in below market rate housing. Funds would support the production of the workshop series and the interpretive signs. $20,000 $0 Not recommending for funding this grant cycle. Housing is an important need but the impact to City of SLO residents was unclear. 19 Transitions Mental Health Association Fear-Less: A Spanish- Language Course on Managing Anxiety Program would support parents of children ages 6- 14 who experience anxiety and help them learn new cognitive behavioral strategies for anxiety management. Bilingual instructors will work with Pacheco Elementary to provide free Spanish- language versions of the course. Funding would support personnel costs and some operating costs. $15,526.5 0 $15,525 Recommend almost fully funding. Program was innovative and the inclusion of the family unit is important. TMHA has a broad reach. If funded, the Subcommittee would like to stipulate that any expansion of the program starts within the City first. Page 76 of 77 20 UndocuSupp ort & Corazon Latino, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, Womenade SLO Connected Resources: Schools and Nonprofits in Partnership for Families Program would support families in SLO City who have concerns related to emotional well-being, mental health, and basic survival needs. Services include Emotional Support Groups and one-time financial support for basic needs. Connections to families will be made through the school district. Funds would support staff salary, supplies, direct aid, and admin costs. $40,000 $40,000 Recommend fully funding. Subcommittee appreciated the multiple partnership and multi- pronged approach, as well as the use of schools as schools are a safe space. Addressing a current need. TOTAL $321,330 $150,000 Page 77 of 77