MENDOCINO Co., 3/29/22 — Community organizations provide a wide range of essential services are in Mendocino County, and The Community Foundation of Mendocino County provides support through a number of grant cycles throughout the year. Most recently, 30 Community Enrichment Grants were allocated across the county, towards increasing access to healthy food, programs for youth and seniors, disaster preparedness, and more.
Here’s the announcement with descriptions of the individual grant awards:
Ukiah, CA – The Community Foundation is pleased to announce that we awarded $222,150 in local community grants this month, including 30 Community Enrichment Grants to fund projects from across Mendocino County. Among the focus areas in this year’s grants are programs that will provide healthy food, prepare for future disasters, support environmental education and positive activities for vulnerable youth, help local seniors, and enhance opportunities to improve people’s lives. Grants were also awarded from the Fund for Round Valley, and the Textile and Fiber Arts Fund. Grantees included:
- Anderson Valley Community Services District
- Arena Theater Association
- Art Center Ukiah
- Covelo Fire Protection District
- Covelo Public Cemetery District
- Friends of Coast Community Library
- Friends of the Round Valley Public Library
- Garden Friendly Community Fort Bragg
- Grapevine Quilters of Mendocino County
- Laytonville Healthy Start Family Resource Center
- Mendocino Area Parks Association (MendoParks)
- Mendocino Art Center
- Mendocino Coast Cyclists
- Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center
- Mendocino County Fire Safe Council
- Mendocino County Public Broadcasting (KZYX)
- Mendocino Film Festival Inc.
- Mendocino Land Trust
- North Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council
- Noyo Center for Marine Science
- Nuestra Alianza de Willits
- Pacific Textile Arts
- Pinoleville Pomo Nation
- Potter Valley Cemetery Auxiliary
- Redwood Coast Recreation Center
- Redwood Empire Food Bank
- Round Valley Community Water District
- School of Performing Arts and Cultural Education
- Seabiscuit Therapeutic Riding Center
- Symphony of the Redwoods
- United Disaster Relief of Northern California
- Willits Center for the Arts
- Willits Community Theatre & Performing Arts Center
- Yorkville Community Benefits Association
The Community Foundation conducts a comprehensive grant review process that includes several stages of review including regional advisors, our Strategic Grantmaking committee, as well as the Community Foundation staff and Board of Directors. Grants were made in all regions of the county, and funded grassroots as well as more established nonprofit organizations. In awarding these grants, reviewers considered the potential impact of the project on the community and prioritized projects that met community needs.
The Community Enrichment Grant program is made possible by the Community Endowment, a collection of gifts of all sizes contributed by individuals who want to support a broad range of projects in Mendocino County. Their gifts help nonprofits develop healthy communities, vibrant arts programs, economic and leadership opportunities, and projects that honor our special sense of place and rich natural environment. This grant program included grants from the Community Endowment Fund, the Fund for Round Valley, and the Textile and Fiber Arts Fund.
For more information about the grants and about how you can make a gift to the Community Endowment Fund, visit www.communityfound.org.
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2022 Community Enrichment Grants
Countywide
Mendocino Area Parks Association (MendoParks) – $7,500
For the purpose of supporting two trips for up to 100 Native community members to state parks in order to work with tribal Culture Carriers to offer traditional ecological knowledge activities (i.e. gathering and processing plant medicines, seaweed, basket materials).
Mendocino County Fire Safe Council – $6,500
For the purpose of conducting 9 Wildfire Safety Community Meetings with the goal of increasing awareness of the realities and dangers of wildfire, MCFSC’s services and resources, the importance of micro-local organizing, and specific ways for households to prepare.
Mendocino County Public Broadcasting (KZYX) – $7,500
For the purpose of supporting a Bilingual News Director who would produce programs designed to address the goal of weaving together Spanish and English language programming to support cross-cultural communication.
Multi-Area
Redwood Empire Food Bank – $7,500
For the purpose of supporting the Senior Basket program in Mendocino County which provides low-income seniors a monthly box of groceries that includes shelf-stable staples as well as fresh produce, protein, eggs, and dairy in order to help alleviate food insecurity.
Mendocino Land Trust – $6,000
For the purpose of offering families of low-income/under-served preschool-age children free weekend field trips to connect them with nature in local preserves, allowing them to experience the benefits of spending time outdoors and exploring nature together.
Anderson Valley
Anderson Valley Community Services District – $5,500
For the purpose of supporting phase two of the firebox project by adding fireboxes on additional road sheds, including signage for roads that have been renamed, added, or newly named, and creating updated maps in order to improve emergency response in Anderson Valley.
Yorkville Community Benefits Association – $7,500
For the purpose of assisting with the initial phases of construction by purchasing additional steel, concrete, and labor for the reinforced foundation for the new four-bay fire apparatus building.
Laytonville/Leggett
Laytonville Healthy Start Family Resource Center – $7,500
For the purpose of providing benches and trash cans at the Laytonville Skate Park.
North Coast
Garden Friendly Community Fort Bragg – $4,700
For the purpose of developing a community garden at South Lincoln Street by building tables and wooden flats for gardeners to start their own plants, purchasing compost sifters and bins, securing a picnic table, and supporting events and educational opportunities.
Mendocino Coast Cyclists – $7,500
For the purpose of procuring a trailer for use in volunteer trail building in order to increase participation in volunteer leadership roles and volunteer trail workdays.
Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center – $3,600
For the purpose of purchasing a 12″x20′ covered canopy for the courtyard at the Hospitality House shelter and equipping the structure with four new weather-resistant picnic tables.
Mendocino Film Festival Inc. – $7,500
For the purpose of purchasing a projector in order to expand the capacity of the Mendocino Film Festival’s outdoor film series.
North Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council – $7,500
For the purpose of expanding the Kids Creek Care Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park pilot project to include Anchor Academy and to expand outreach to include additional youth and their families to help establish an ongoing Kids Creek Care local community group in Fort Bragg.
Noyo Center for Marine Science – $4,500
For the purpose of supporting a website redesign that will enhance the accessibility of Noyo Center’s website with the goal of accessing a greater audience, tapping into a wider market, and improving visitor experience for everyone.
Pacific Textile Arts – $5,000
For the purpose of improving Pacific Textile Arts technological capabilities for managing its book and textile collections and facilitating access to the reading room for community use.
Symphony of the Redwoods – $7,500
For the purpose of improving Symphony of the Redwoods’ capabilities for handling employed personnel, financial processes, and compliance requirements with the overall goal of moving toward best practices in each of these areas.
Round Valley
Covelo Fire Protection District – $7,500
For the purpose of purchasing radios, protective gear, and emergency equipment for volunteers.
Covelo Public Cemetery District – $7,500
For the purpose of supporting the construction of a new permanent entrance sign.
South Coast
Arena Theater Association – $7,500
For the purpose of replacing the Arena Theater carpet that was damaged during the pandemic-related closure in order to ensure that patrons have a pleasant and inviting experience gathering together to enjoy a movie or other theatrical event.
Friends of Coast Community Library – $4,200
For the purpose of supporting the StoryWalk project in Point Arena and Gualala with 30 Storywalk panels that will combine an outdoor activity with reading allowing children and families to enjoy two great things: reading and outdoor spaces at the same time.
Redwood Coast Wellness Center, DBA Redwood Coast Recreation Center – $7,500
For the purpose of supporting architectural work to acquire a building permit for the construction of a multi-use redwood pavilion with three open sides and a closed fourth side housing a commercial kitchen, a storage room, a water fountain, and two ADA restrooms.
Ukiah Valley
Art Center Ukiah – $4,800
For the purpose of supporting community art by paying for instructors and materials to hold 11 art workshops, which will be free to the public.
Pinoleville Pomo Nation – $7,500
For the purpose of providing stipends to assist in the recruitment and retention of 10 youth mentors.
Potter Valley Cemetery Auxiliary – $7,500
For the purpose of removal of the large diseased tree with the potential to damage historical grave markers and other property.
School of Performing Arts and Cultural Education – $7,500
For the purpose of covering the cost of approximately 57 two-hour classes led by a guest artist and providing mileage reimbursement to 5 artists regularly traveling from the bay area.
United Disaster Relief of Northern California (fiscally sponsored by NCO) – $7,500
For the purpose of enhancing the technology resources that UDRNC makes available to disaster survivors by purchasing four computers, a printer, and appropriate software as well as developing a streamlined, user-friendly website.
Willits
Nuestra Alianza de Willits – $7,500
For the purpose of developing capacity by building financial systems, assisting with leadership transitions, and purchasing a printer in order to address the challenges Nuestra Alianza de Willits faces due to growth from the additional services added during COVID.
Seabiscuit Therapeutic Riding Center – $7,500
For the purpose of installing permanent fencing to meet the safety standards required for accreditation with Path International as well as to remove the safety concern of having an electric fence around people who may have a medical condition, and increasing equine safety.
Willits Center for the Arts – $7,500
For the purpose of covering program expenses to host lectures on various art and humanity subjects offered free to the community bi-monthly.
Willits Community Theatre & Performing Arts Center – $5,200
For the purpose of expanding the youth theater camp, to include instruction for older teens in basic light, sound, and scenic design offering more opportunity to a wider spectrum of youth in the Willits area.
Fund for Round Valley
Friends of the Round Valley Public Library – $6,400
For the purpose of purchasing furnishings for the lobby area and trash receptacles for the community park.
Round Valley Community Water District – $3,140
For the purpose of installing security cameras on the building exterior in an area that is experiencing increased crime and vandalism.
Textile and Fiber Arts Fund
Grapevine Quilters of Mendocino County – $2,760.30
For the purpose of providing quilts, pillowcases, and other essentials for children, locally unhoused individuals, terminally ill patients, and individuals living with chronic diseases and disabilities, including Alzheimer’s and kidney failure.
Mendocino Art Center – $4,850
For the purpose of supporting one inter-generational family workshop and one teen-oriented workshop in the textile arts, which will be presented free of charge to the community targeting underrepresented and low-income youth and families.
Pacific Textile Arts – $5,000
For the purpose of building shelves/cabinetry to match the existing custom cabinet which will allow Pacific Textile Arts to expand their library and provide special shelving for the Tidball Monographs and other treasured weaving sample books for student access.
