Agenda packet — Economic Development and Revitalization Committee, March 19, 2025

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION

STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
March 19, 2025
9:00-10:30 AM
City Hall – Conference Room 1
130 Cremona Drive, Suite B
Goleta, California
Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín
Councilmember James Kyriaco
Robert Nisbet, City Manager
Jaime Valdez, Assistant City Manager
JoAnne Plummer, Neighborhood Services Director
Shannon Kirn, Assistant to the City Manager
Cassidy Le Air, Senior Management Analyst
Melissa Cure, Management Assistant

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AGENDA
I. Public Comment (5 Minutes)
II. Review of Fiscal Year 2025-26 City Grant Applications (60 Minutes) Americans with Disabilities Act: In compliance with the ADA, if assistance is needed to participate in a City Council meeting (including assisted listening devices), please contact the City Clerk's office at (805) 961-7505. Notification at least 72 hours prior to the meeting helps to ensure that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting.

Page 1 of 2 ends

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

TO:

FROM:

March 19, 2025
Economic Development & Revitalization Standing Committee JoAnne Plummer, Neighborhood Services Director
CONTACT: Cassidy Le Air, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Item II. Review of Fiscal Year 2025-26 City Grant Applications ITEM I. Public Comment
ITEM II. Review of Fiscal Year 2025-26 City Grant Applications (60 Minutes)

BACKGROUND
The 2025-26 Combined Goleta City Grant and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant cycle opened on December 12, 2024, and closed on January 31, 2025. For this grant cycle, the City received ninety-four (94) applications requesting $873,156 in funding. This is an increase over last year’s 88 applications totaling $721,522.81. Applications were divided into eleven (11) categories: CDBG, Educational Programs, The Arts, Food/Nutrition, Programs for Low Income & Homeless, Programs for Seniors, Recreational Activities, Youth Programs, Environmental/Wildlife and Animal Programs, Community Engagement, and Miscellaneous Programs.

Of the ninety-three (93) applications, sixteen (16) requested CDBG funding, forty-eight (48) will be reviewed by the Human Services Standing Committee, three (3) will go to the Homelessness Issues Standing Committee, twenty (20) will go to the Parks and Recreation Commission, and the remaining six (6), in the Community Engagement category, will go to the Economic Development Committee. This committee has an allocation of $25,000 in funding to award.

The Committee’s funding recommendations will be presented to the City Council at a meeting in June. The City Grant application binder has been provided for public viewing in the City Hall Lobby during regular City Hall business hours. In addition, to conserve resources and allow for a longer grant application period, all Committee members have been given online access and copies via email to review the applications individually to discuss publicly at the scheduled Committee meetings.

Page 2 of 2 ends

Grant Applications
Applicant Project/Program
FY 25-26
Amount
Requested
Ceylon International Film
Festival Foundation International Film Festival $10,000 Goleta Education Foundation Lemon Run 2025 $10,000
Juneteenth Santa Barbara Juneteenth 2026: Hope for the People $5,000 NatureTrack Foundation 2025 NatureTrack Film Festival $10,000 The Starfish Connection The Power of Storytelling Talk-o-Truck $8,500 Coastal Housing Coalition Community Education Event $5,000 Total $48,500

DISCUSSION
Review and make recommendations regarding six (6) City Grant applications totaling $48,500 in requested funding. The requested funding is higher than the $25,000 total allocated funds for the Community Engagement Category.

Please note that the Starfish Connection also applied for a grant through the Old Town Pride of Place (POP) grant opportunity that recently closed, and the Committee will be reviewing those grant applications at the next Committee meeting in early April.

Please also note that the Ellwood Friends funding request has been removed from the list above because the event will be occurring this FY in May 2025, therefore making it ineligible for FY 25-26 funding. However, staff are looking into sponsoring this event through the City Manager’s Office budget.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. City Grant Applications

2. Grant Application Summary Worksheet

ATTACHMENT I
City Grant Applications
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City of Goleta
2025-2026 Combined CDBG & Goleta City Grant Application Deadline: 1/31/2025
NatureTrack Foundation Inc.
2025 NatureTrack Fillm Festival - Igniting passion for nature through film Jump to: Application Questions Budget Documents
$ 10,000.00 Requested
Submitted: 1/31/2025 8:42:06 AM
(Pacific)
Project Contact
Sue Eisaguirre
[email protected]
Tel: 805-886-2047
Additional Contacts
none entered
NatureTrack
Foundation Inc.

PO Box 953
Los Olivos, CA 93441
United States
Founder & Executive
Director
Sue Eisaguirre
[email protected]
Telephone805-886-2047
Fax
Web www.naturetrackfilmfestival.org
Application Questions top
Organization

1. What is your organization's mission statement?
The NatureTrack Film Festival - Igniting Passion for Nature through Film inspires audiences to explore, appreciate, and protect the natural world through the power of film. We showcase compelling documentaries and stories celebrating nature, outdoor adventure, and environmental stewardship, fostering a deeper connection to the planet and encouraging active conservation efforts. By bringing together filmmakers, outdoor enthusiasts, and environmental advocates, we aim to ignite curiosity, awareness, and action—ensuring that future generations can experience the wonders of nature firsthand.

Program Information

2. Describe the proposed program, activity, or event for which you are asking for funding.

Please share how it will operate (days, hours, eligibility, etc.), how it will be monitored, and the people you intend to serve (target population).

Please be specific about the hours and total days that people will be served by the program and exactly how/for what City of Goleta funds will be used to support the program.

Proposed Program: NatureTrack Film Festival Student Screening Series– Igniting Youth Passion for Nature through Film.

The NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF), taking place October 9-12, 2025, will be a premier event celebrating nature, outdoor adventure, and environmental stewardship through the power of film. As an extension of the NatureTrack Foundation's core program array, the film festival serves as a means to connect new audiences of all ages to the organization's mission, inspiring a passion for nature through film.

Each year, more than 5,000 students—67% from underserved communities—participate in NatureTrack’s K-12 field trips. These immersive outdoor learning experiences take place on local beaches and trails throughout Santa Barbara County, fostering curiosity, scientific exploration, and a deeper connection to nature.

In 2023, NatureTrack piloted an initiative to connect our field trips to the Film Festival by hosting over 600 5th-grade Goleta Union School District students, teachers, and parents for free screening of films. We are seeking the City's support to continue and expand this program for Goleta youth during the 2025 Festival.

Program / Event Details
-Dates: October 9-12, 2025
-Hours: Varying hours each day, with multiple screenings and events throughout the festival -Eligibility: Open to the general public, including Goleta residents, visitors, students, and filmmakers -Estimated Attendance: 2,500 attendees
-Monitoring: Attendance will be tracked through ticket sales, school participation numbers, and event registrations. Social media engagement and advertising analytics will also measure the festival's reach and impact.

Benefit to Goleta Residents:

NTFF provides Goleta residents the unique opportunity to attend a world-class film festival in their own backyard, eliminating travel costs while offering access to inspiring, thought-provoking films about the natural world. Residents can engage with filmmakers, participate in Q&A sessions, and take part in special events, fostering a stronger sense of community and environmental awareness.

Economic Benefit to the City of Goleta:

The festival is expected to draw 2,500 attendees, including local residents, regional visitors, and international filmmakers. This influx of visitors will generate significant economic benefits by supporting Goleta’s businesses, including:

Hotels & Lodging: Increased bookings from filmmakers, tourists, and festival attendees Restaurants & Cafés: More customers dining out before and after screenings Shops & Retailers: Festival attendees exploring and shopping in Goleta Local Attractions: Increased tourism to parks, trails, and cultural sites The NatureTrack Film Festival’s marketing and advertising efforts will bring widespread visibility to Goleta, elevating its profile as a vibrant destination for arts, culture, and eco-tourism. The festival’s promotional reach includes:

Social media campaigns & advertising, generating upwards of 90,000 impressions Media coverage & press features, including articles, interviews, and festival spotlights International exposure from attending filmmakers, further solidifying Goleta’s reputation as a hub for film, nature, and adventure tourism
City funds will directly support the transportation costs for approximately 600 fifth-grade students from Goleta Union School District, ensuring equitable access to an educational film experience. Specifically, funding will be allocated to:

Bus transportation to and from the festival venue for all participating students Program coordination to facilitate school involvement, ensuring smooth logistics and an impactful experience
By supporting the NatureTrack Film Festival, the City of Goleta will not only enhance educational opportunities for local students but also boost the local economy, increase tourism, and elevate Goleta’s visibility on a national and international stage. This event aligns with the city's commitment to education, environmental awareness, and economic growth—offering both cultural enrichment and tangible benefits to Goleta’s businesses and residents.

3. Please provide the approximate number of Goleta residents your program, activity, or event will serve (or benefit) in the following year if funded.

Please be specific about the number Goleta residents who will be served. If your project serves more than only Goleta residents, please specify that breakdown.

At the 2024 NTFF, 69% of attendees were Goleta residents. As we grow, we aim to attract 2,000–2,500 attendees in 2025, with at least 50% (1,250) from Goleta, ensuring strong local engagement while expanding the festival’s reach and impact.

4. Please check the box(es) that most accurately reflect the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding:

5. Does the program, activity, or event satisfy an unmet or under-met need in the community? If yes, please explain.

Yes, the NatureTrack Film Festival meets an under-met need in the Goleta community.

The demand for outdoor, nature-centric films is clear—each year, the UCSB Arts & Lectures Banff Film World Tour sells out its evening events at the Arlington Theatre, demonstrating a strong local appetite for inspiring adventure and environmental films. However, this event is limited in scope and accessibility, leaving a gap in year-round opportunities for Goleta residents to experience world-class nature films.

NatureTrack Film Festival fills this gap. By bringing an internationally recognized selection of films to Goleta, NTFF provides access to many of the same high-quality films featured at major festivals such as Banff Film Festival (Canada), Wild & Scenic Film Festival (California), and MountainFilm Festival (Colorado). Instead of requiring residents to travel out of town—incurring significant costs for tickets, lodging, and transportation—Goleta now has its own premier nature film festival in its backyard.

Now in its seventh year, and its third year in Goleta, NTFF has seen strong attendance growth, with many local residents returning year after year. This repeat participation is a clear indication that the festival is meeting a cultural and educational need that was previously lacking.

Beyond entertainment, NTFF serves a broader purpose by:
*Providing environmental education opportunities to local students, with dedicated screenings for Goleta Union School District 5th graders.
*Encouraging outdoor recreation and stewardship, aligning with the city's values of environmental sustainability and public engagement with nature.

One-time or annual community event (concert, creek cleanups, festival, etc.) Youth programs
Senior programs (food/nutrition, education programs, day activities, etc.) Environmental/wildlife/animal welfare programs
Public services for low-income residents/homeless
Educational programs
Arts (music, dance, theater, art)
Economic development
Recreational activities
Other:
*Strengthening Goleta’s identity as a cultural hub, drawing tourists, filmmakers, and eco-conscious travelers who contribute to the local economy.

By hosting the NatureTrack Film Festival in Goleta, we are not only filling an under-met need but also enhancing the city’s cultural offerings, increasing access to world-class storytelling, and reinforcing Goleta’s connection to nature and outdoor adventure.

6. Does the program, activity, or event aid in the prevention of future problems or conditions? If yes, please explain.

Yes, the NatureTrack Film Festival plays a crucial role in preventing future environmental disengagement, loss of natural stewardship, and declining conservation efforts.

The NatureTrack Foundation's mission—and, by extension, the NatureTrack Film Festival—is to connect more people to the natural world through hands-on experiences, accessibility initiatives, and the power of film. By fostering a deep appreciation for nature, NTFF helps create future stewards of our environment, ensuring that natural resources and public lands are valued and protected for generations to come.

How NTFF Prevents Future Problems
Inspiring Future Conservationists
*Research shows that people are more likely to protect what they understand and love. By showcasing breathtaking and thought-provoking films about nature, wildlife, and outdoor adventure, NTFF sparks curiosity, appreciation, and a sense of responsibility toward the environment. *Many festival attendees, including students, leave with a greater awareness of environmental challenges and a desire to take action—whether through personal lifestyle choices, advocacy, or careers in conservation.

Counteracting Nature-Deficit Disorder & Over-Reliance on Technology *In today’s digital age, people—especially younger generations—are spending less time outdoors and more time in front of screens. This growing disconnect threatens future conservation efforts, as fewer individuals develop a personal bond with the natural world.

NTFF helps bridge this gap by using film as an engaging medium to rekindle a sense of wonder and adventure in nature, encouraging audiences to explore the outdoors and become more environmentally conscious.

Breaking Down Accessibility Barriers
*A lack of access to nature—whether due to physical limitations, economic barriers, or lack of exposure— prevents many from experiencing and appreciating the outdoors.

NTFF, alongside NatureTrack’s Trax program for wheelchair users, is committed to ensuring that nature is accessible to all. By sharing films that highlight diverse outdoor experiences and accessibility innovations, we help reshape the narrative around who can engage with and protect the natural world.

Addressing Climate Change & Environmental Inaction
*Environmental issues such as climate change, habitat destruction, and species loss require a wellinformed and motivated public to drive change. NTFF plays a vital role in educating audiences about these challenges in a way that is compelling, solution-driven, and action-oriented. *Many of the films selected focus on sustainability, conservation efforts, and inspiring success stories, proving that positive change is possible and empowering attendees to be part of the solution.

Ensuring a Future of Environmental Stewards
*Without meaningful connections to nature, future generations risk losing their sense of responsibility toward the environment. By hosting the NatureTrack Film Festival in Goleta, we are ensuring that more people—especially young students—develop a love for nature that will translate into lifelong stewardship, conservation action, and advocacy.

In a time when digital distractions are at an all-time high and environmental crises are more pressing than ever, NTFF is not just a film festival—it is a powerful catalyst for inspiring change, fostering deep connections to the natural world, and safeguarding the future of our planet.

All festival venues are ADA-compliant, including accessible seating, restrooms, and pathways. However, NatureTrack goes beyond standard compliance by offering additional support for individuals with mobility challenges. This includes:
*Providing wheelchairs and Freedom Trax devices—a motorized track system that attaches to manual wheelchairs, allowing users to navigate various terrains easily. *Assigning individual NatureTrack volunteers to assist attendees with disabilities, ensuring a seamless and comfortable festival experience.
*Offering reserved accessible seating to accommodate attendees with mobility, visual, or auditory impairments.
*Ensuring clear, well-marked signage and assisting attendees with cognitive or sensory needs.

NatureTrack is committed to removing barriers and making the festival accessible to everyone, ensuring that individuals of all abilities can fully participate in and enjoy the event.

Funding

8. Would the City's grant funding leverage other resources, such as supporting joint partnerships, matching funds, or cost sharing, or otherwise serve to catalyze other initiatives? If yes, please explain.

Please include other grant sources either received or for which you are applying.

The City of Goleta’s sponsorship of the NatureTrack Film Festival would play a pivotal role in furthering our organization's mission by ensuring Goleta Youth receive the opportunity to inspire their passion for nature through film. Additionally, the City's partnership will support the Festival team by serving as a powerful partner endorsement to support our efforts to securing additional funding and sponsorships, particularly from local Goleta businesses.

Municipal support signals credibility and community value, making it easier to attract corporate and private sponsors who want to align with a well-supported, impactful event. City sponsorship enhances NTFF’s ability to leverage funding from both returning and new sponsors, demonstrating a strong partnership between the festival and the local business community.

NatureTrack will actively engage with previous sponsors, including Honda, Yardi, The Leta, South Coast Chamber, Go Goleta, Visit Santa Barbara, Camino Real Marketplace, Berkshire Hathaway, and Boone Graphics. Additionally, we will expand outreach to new sponsors, emphasizing the economic, educational, and cultural benefits of supporting NTFF.

By securing City of Goleta sponsorship, NTFF can further grow its reach, strengthen local business engagement, and ensure the festival continues to thrive as a signature community event.

9. Are the requested funds necessary or vital in carrying out the program, activity, or event? Please specify how you will make up for any partial funding received from the City of Goleta.

If you are not awarded funding or are awarded partial funding from the City of Goleta, are there other potential funding sources your organization could pursue to ensure the program, activity, or event is successful?
Yes, the requested funds are vital to ensuring the NatureTrack Film Festival's (NTFF) success, specifically in providing free access to the festival for 600 Goleta Union School District 5th-grade students. The funding from the City of Goleta will directly support transportation costs, ensuring that all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, have the opportunity to participate in this educational experience. Additionally, requested funds for advertising, marketing, and promotion will help expand NTFF’s reach, bringing more visibility and economic benefits to the Goleta community.

If awarded partial or no funding from the City of Goleta, NatureTrack will pursue alternative sources to cover these critical costs. Potential funding solutions include:

NatureTrack will actively seek additional sponsorships from local businesses, including past supporters such as Honda, Yardi, The Leta, South Coast Chamber, Go Goleta, Visit Santa Barbara, Camino Real Marketplace, Berkshire Hathaway, and Boone Graphics.

We will also approach new sponsors who align with our mission and have a vested interest in education, community engagement, and environmental stewardship.

Fundraising & Grant Opportunities
NatureTrack will apply for additional grants that support youth education, environmental programming, and accessibility initiatives.

Regardless of funding outcomes, NatureTrack is fully committed to making NTFF successful. However, securing funding from the City of Goleta will ensure we can once again provide free access to approximately 600 Goleta Union School District students and maximize the festival’s economic and cultural impact on the Goleta community.

10. Does the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding primarily serve those with low-incomes?
If yes, does your organization obtain documentation from clients on their income (e.g. tax returns, pay stubs)?
Like our K-12 and Trax programs, the NatureTrack Film Festival is open to all ages and income levels. As such, we do not collect income data or documentation from participants.

11. When was your organization last audited? Were there any findings or concerns? If yes, please explain below.

If your organization is not required to have an audit performed, please explain that below.

NatureTrack is not required to have audits performed. However, every year our 990 tax return is reviewed by our Executive Board Treasurer (who is a Certified Public Accountant) to ensure we are meeting IRS requirements for 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

12. How often does your organization's Board of Directors review and approve financial statements?
The NatureTrack Board of Directors meets quarterly to review and approve financial statements.

13. Is there a fee charged or donation suggested for your services, event, etc? If yes, please include when the last time fee amounts were evaluated and/or updated.

Please attach a copy of the fee schedule in the Documents Tab of this application.

Yes, as is customary with film festivals, tickets, passes, and special event access require a fee. However, the NatureTrack Film Festival remains committed to offering a free program for local students.

General Admission Ticket: $15 per film block
VIP Pass: $200, which includes:
*Early entry to all film blocks
*Access to filmmaker panel discussions
*Admission to all festival parties
*Exclusive entry to the VIP area at the Festival Hub
*A festival swag bag
Fee Evaluation & Accessibility
Ticket prices are evaluated annually to ensure affordability while maintaining the quality of the festival experience. Despite rising costs, NTFF is dedicated to keeping prices consistent and accessible for the Goleta community.

Free Access for Goleta Union School District Students
A core component of the festival is its educational outreach program, where 600 fifth-grade students from the Goleta Union School District attend a special film screening at no cost. NatureTrack fully covers all expenses, including transportation, to ensure every student can participate in this enriching experience.

14. Please provide a summary of your organization's financial position (from the most recent fiscal year's financials).

15. Does your organization have any past due obligations with any funding source (e.g. disallowed costs or unearned grants from a previous contract)? If yes, please explain.

In the past 3 years, has your organization had an IRS or State levee? If yes, are you on a repayment schedule? How was the matter resolved? Explain below.

NatureTrack does not have any past-due obligations from any funding source.

NatureTrack has never had an IRS or State levee.

16. Please list two references who we may contact regarding the proposed program, service, or activity.

Include the reference's name, organization (as appropriate), and a phone number where the reference can be reached.

Daniel Hall ((770) 757-7527 | [email protected] | Harness Giving KC Thompson (805) 448-9308
CDBG Eligibility

17. Are you applying for CDBG funding?
To be eligible for CDBG funding, you MUST obtain clients' race and ethnicity, and total family income.

Applicants may access the CDBG guide online at https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/19/basicallycdbg-training-guidebook-and-slides/.

18. Please indicate whether your organization's client intake sheet or process includes obtaining any of the following information. Check all boxes that apply. 192028 Total Assets ($)
3000 Total Liabilities ($)
189028 Total Net Assets ($)
192028 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ($)
576,084.00 TOTAL
Yes
No
Name

19. Please report the number of unduplicated clients your organization served in the following income categories from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 (or for calendar year 2024).

Refer to the Library section of the main page to view a link to the FY 2024 Federal Income Limits for each of the below categories. PLEASE ENTER N/A IF YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES NOT COLLECT INCOME INFORMATION ON CLIENTS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.

N/A
Address or City last resided in
Number of family members
Total family (household) income
Race and ethnicity
Proof of age
My organization does not obtain any of the above information from clients N/A Extremely low income (0-30% MFI)
N/A Very low income (30-50% MFI)
N/A Low-moderate income (50-80% MFI)
N/A Above moderate income (Above 80% MFI)

0.00 TOTAL
Budget top
Revenue Sources
Total Program
Revenue for
Current Fiscal
Year
Projected
Program
Revenue for
Next Fiscal Year
City of Goleta Funds $ 8,500.00 $ 10,000.00
Federal $ 0.00 $ 0.00
State $ 75,000.00 $ 85,000.00
County $ 20,000.00 $ 0.00
Municipal $ 0.00 $ 0.00
School District $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Foundations/Trusts $ 355,000.00 $ 365,000.00
Donations/Fundraising $ 70,000.00 $ 75,000.00
Fees $ 65,000.00 $ 120,000.00
Other
Total $ 593,500.00 $ 655,000.00
Funding Uses/Expenses Expenditures for
Current Year
Expected
Expenditures for
Next Year
Goleta Grant
Funds:

Proposed
Uses for Next
FY
Salaries, Benefits, Payroll Taxes $ 236,000.00 $ 260,000.00 Consultants and Contracts $ 50,000.00 $ 60,000.00
Facility, Rent, Utilities, Maintenance $ 32,500.00 $ 35,000.00 Field Trip and Trax Trips/Events include - Materials,
Supplies & Equipment, Snacks, Restroom Rentals,
and Transportation**; Docent/Volunteer Program
includes - Uniforms, Appreciation Event, Marterials &
Supplies, Stipends, Training & Honorariiums.
$ 105,300.00 $ 130,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Marketing (Printing, Advertising) $ 4,000.00 $ 3,000.00 Travel, Mileage, Training $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00
Equipment (Rental/Maintenance) $ 7,500.00 $ 8,000.00
Insurance $ 5,500.00 $ 6,000.00
Other - Scholarship $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Contracts/Consultants - NatureTrack Film Festival $ 65,000.00 $ 75,000.00 Film Festival Advertising/Marketing/Promotion $ 45,000.00 $ 50,000.00 $ 5,000.00 Film Festival Lodging $ 10,000.00 $ 10,000.00
Misc. $ 500.00 $ 1,000.00
Total $ 567,300.00 $ 644,000.00 $ 10,000.00
Budget Narrative
The budget outlined above encompasses the three core programs under the NatureTrack Foundation’s overarching mission—"Fostering a Lifelong Fascination with Nature." These programs include:

1. K-12 Field Trips – Providing hands-on outdoor experiences for students.

2. Trax Trips & Events – Expanding accessibility to nature for individuals with mobility challenges.

3. NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF) – Inspiring environmental stewardship through the power of film.

This grant request is specifically for the NatureTrack Film Festival, with funds allocated to two key areas:
**Transportation Costs for Goleta Union School District 5th Grade Students – Covering bus transportation for 600 students to attend a free educational film screening on Friday, October 10, 2025. Ensuring accessibility for all students, regardless of financial background, is a priority.

Festival Advertising, Marketing & Promotion – Supporting outreach efforts to maximize community participation, attract a diverse audience, and increase visibility for NTFF and the City of Goleta.

By funding student transportation and promotional efforts, this grant will help expand NTFF’s impact—ensuring that young students experience the power of nature-focused storytelling while strengthening the festival’s role as a cultural and economic asset to the Goleta community.

Documents top
Documents Requested * Required?Attached Documents *
Nonprofit Tax Exemption Status NatureTrack Foundation, Inc. Determination Ltr
List of Board Members NatureTrack Executive Board of Directors Financial statements from the most recently
completed fiscal or calendar year
NatureTrack Financial Statements
Organizational Budget NatureTrack Foundation, Inc. Budget - Year Ending June 30, 2025
Organizational Chart
Supplemental or Additional Information NTFF 2024 Sponsor Packet Application ID: 491474
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City of Goleta
2025-2026 Combined CDBG & Goleta City Grant Application Deadline: 1/31/2025
Ceylon International Film Festival Foundation
Ceylon International Film Festival Foundation
Jump to: Application Questions Budget Documents
$ 25,000.00 Requested
Submitted: 12/12/2024 7:50:23 PM
(Pacific)
Project Contact
Aruni Boteju
[email protected]
Tel: 8052526905
Additional Contacts
[email protected]
Ceylon International Film
Festival Foundation
64 S Patterson Ave Apt 204
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
United States
Founder/ CEO
Aruni Boteju
[email protected]
Telephone805 252 6905
Fax
Web
Application Questions top
Organization

1. What is your organization's mission statement?
To educate the general public about the rich culture history and arts of Sir Lanka (Ceylon) and support the arts of the Sri Lankan community to bring awareness to the resilience of communities across cultural lines.

CEYIFF also aims to empower at-risk youth by providing opportunities to develop filmmaking skills and explore the art of film production. By connecting Sri Lankan youth with local and international film industries, we strive to create a platform for collaboration and growth. Through our diverse programming, CEYIFF bridges global audiences, celebrating the universal language of cinema while highlighting Sri Lankan and international films.

Program Information

2. Describe the proposed program, activity, or event for which you are asking for funding.

Please share how it will operate (days, hours, eligibility, etc.), how it will be monitored, and the people you intend to serve (target population).

Please be specific about the hours and total days that people will be served by the program and exactly how/for what City of Goleta funds will be used to support the program.

For decades, the film industry has created narratives of history and culture. Many of these narratives were built through the lenses of individuals away from the rich culture and traditions of many of the community members in this region. Building storylines with degrees of separation between function and dignified truths. Goleta represents a city of hundreds of cultures coming together to work toward economy and industry. Its rich arts bring light to the many local talents this great county is known for. With work and industry at the forefront, diverse cultures become marginalized, and a true appreciation of culture is missed. Goleta is home to many cultures, including those from cultures that derive from Indian, Ceylon, and Asian heritage. Those stories of struggles and triumph stand vastly untold. This furthers the loss of pride in identity and honor to an entire portion of humans in this rich population. This year, our film festival will be focused on the city of Goleta and we will move forward on a path to educate children, families, and the general community of Goleta. We will be utilizing arts, film, and cinema to share stories and utilize the opportunity to build unity throughout communities of BIPOC populations. In Goleta, we will partner with Direct Relief International on the week of October 13-17th to show screenings at the location for the community. Our intent is to host these educational films to BIPOC and at-large community members of the city of Goleta during that period of time.

During this period of time, we are at the Direct Relief. We intend to have the majority of the people from Goleta City residents.

This program unites communities utilizing newfound awareness and understanding. We educate on different cultures and how they work to strive against diversity. This encourages understanding and breaks barriers between cultures in order to be more accepting of each other. The humanization of this effort brings together the Asian cultures and the most advised communities of interest to create support for one fully inclusive BIPOC population.

Because we partner with Direct Relief International, the facility is ADA accessible and we provide cinema in a picture/sound form that is open to the needs of people with many differences in abilities.

The funding received by the City of Goleta will be used to leverage resources and support for the film festival in ways to grow access and reach toward all communities of interest of the City of Goleta residents.

The funding received from this grant process is key to being able to provide this educative festival to Goleta residents, free of cost, within the city of Goleta.

3. Please provide the approximate number of Goleta residents your program, activity, or event will serve (or benefit) in the following year if funded.

Please be specific about the number Goleta residents who will be served. If your project serves more than only Goleta residents, please specify that breakdown.

City of Goleta 1500 or more and City of Santa Barbara 500

4. Please check the box(es) that most accurately reflect the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding:

5. Does the program, activity, or event satisfy an unmet or under-met need in the community? If yes, please explain.

Yes, The funding received from this grant process is key to being able to provide this educative festival to Goleta residents, free of cost, within the city of Goleta.

Our program provides an unmet need for the city of Goleta residents because, unlike others, our arts festival brings awareness to the common needs of BIPOC populations and educates on unity utilizing film.

Being the only Film Festival of its kind in the city of Goleta, we bring together international understanding of needs, international cinematic productions, and our Goleta community in a very powerful way.

Our film festival brings together education for our BIPOC populations, utilizing schools and the community within the city of Goleta. Our target population is the low-income high-risk populations of this community.

Utilizing sign-ins, free and reduced lunch screenings used by Goleta Schools, and our surveys; we are able to track attendance and the populations served with our education efforts.

Also, we are looking to provide employment opportunities for the city of Goleta residents as well.

6. Does the program, activity, or event aid in the prevention of future problems or conditions? If yes, please explain.

Yes, the Ceylon International Film Festival (CEYIFF) plays a significant role in addressing and preventing future social and economic challenges by fostering education, creativity, and cross-cultural understanding.

By offering at-risk youth opportunities to learn filmmaking, CEYIFF not only equips them with valuable technical skills but also empowers them to tell their own stories, fostering self-confidence, critical thinking, and emotional expression. These opportunities provide a positive outlet for creativity and career development, reducing the likelihood of these young individuals encountering issues such as unemployment, isolation, or engagement in harmful activities.

Furthermore, CEYIFF promotes cultural diversity and inclusion by connecting the local community with the vibrant history and artistic values of Sri Lanka and other international cultures. This exposure broadens perspectives, combats stereotypes, and strengthens intercultural bonds within the community. By creating an environment where creativity thrives, CEYIFF cultivates a generation of youth and adults who are better equipped to navigate a globalized world with mutual respect and understanding.

Finally, CEYIFF fosters long-term relationships between the city of Goleta and the Sri Lankan community, encouraging ongoing collaboration in education, the arts, and cultural exchange. These connections build a foundation for economic growth, social unity, and community development, ensuring a stronger and more harmonious future. Through its programs and events, CEYIFF not only inspires but also actively contributes to solving some of the root causes of societal challenges.

The Ceylon International Film Festival (CEYIFF) is hosted at Direct Relief’s facility, which is fully ADAcompliant and designed to accommodate individuals with disabilities. The venue provides accessible parking, ramps, elevators, and restrooms to ensure ease of mobility and participation for everyone.

Educational programs
Arts (music, dance, theater, art)
Economic development
Recreational activities
Other:

Additionally, we prioritize inclusivity by offering accommodations such as reserved seating for individuals with mobility challenges, sign language interpretation for events when requested, and assistance for attendees requiring support. CEYIFF is dedicated to creating an environment where everyone, regardless of ability, can engage meaningfully in our programs, fostering a welcoming and inclusive community.

Funding

Please include other grant sources either received or for which you are applying.

Yes, the city’s grant funding would serve as a catalyst to leverage additional resources through joint partnerships, matching funds, and cost-sharing initiatives, amplifying the impact of the Ceylon International Film Festival (CEYIFF).

With support from the City of Goleta, CEYIFF can strengthen its partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and community groups that are eager to invest in cultural and educational programs. For example, the festival has already garnered interest from community sponsors, including local hospitality partners, chambers of commerce, and cultural organizations, who view CEYIFF as a valuable opportunity to promote diversity and economic growth. City funding would solidify these relationships and attract additional matching contributions.

Moreover, city funding would enable CEYIFF to secure grants and sponsorships from international film organizations and arts-focused nonprofits, as many of these require a demonstration of local government support to allocate their resources. The city’s contribution would also allow CEYIFF to expand its outreach and educational initiatives, including workshops for at-risk youth, which would inspire other regional and state organizations to support similar programs.

Ultimately, the city’s investment would not only elevate CEYIFF as a cultural bridge between Sri Lanka and the U.S., but also drive economic development, cultural tourism, and long-term partnerships, furthering the city’s mission to foster vibrant community engagement and collaboration.

9. Are the requested funds necessary or vital in carrying out the program, activity, or event? Please specify how you will make up for any partial funding received from the City of Goleta.

If you are not awarded funding or are awarded partial funding from the City of Goleta, are there other potential funding sources your organization could pursue to ensure the program, activity, or event is successful?
Yes, the requested funds are vital for the successful execution of the Ceylon International Film Festival (CEYIFF) and its associated programs. These funds are essential to cover key expenses, including venue rentals, accessibility accommodations, technical support for screenings, and outreach initiatives that ensure the community’s participation and engagement. Without the full funding, it would be challenging to maintain the high standards and inclusivity that define CEYIFF’s mission to educate, empower, and foster cultural exchange.

In the event of partial funding, CEYIFF would make every effort to secure additional resources through sponsorships, donations, and partnerships with local businesses and community organizations. While these alternative sources may help fill funding gaps, they would likely require adjustments to the program, such as scaling back on promotional activities, reducing outreach efforts, or limiting the scope of free educational workshops for at-risk youth.

However, full funding from the City of Goleta would ensure the festival achieves its full potential by reaching a broader audience, providing meaningful opportunities for youth and underrepresented filmmakers, and creating a lasting impact on the community. It would also highlight the city’s commitment to supporting cultural diversity, education, and economic growth, making the festival a source of pride for Goleta and its residents.

10. Does the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding primarily serve those with low-incomes?
If yes, does your organization obtain documentation from clients on their income (e.g. tax returns, pay stubs)?
Yes, the program primarily serves low-income communities, including individuals from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) backgrounds. The Ceylon International Film Festival (CEYIFF) is designed to be fully accessible, with all screenings and events free to the public. Additionally, we provide free snacks to ensure that attendees feel welcomed and supported, regardless of their financial circumstances.

While we do not collect or request documentation regarding income from attendees, our focus on inclusivity and accessibility ensures that individuals from underserved and low-income communities can fully participate in and benefit from the cultural and educational experiences we offer. By removing financial barriers, CEYIFF fosters a welcoming space for everyone to explore and appreciate the arts, promoting cultural diversity and community engagement.

11. When was your organization last audited? Were there any findings or concerns? If yes, please explain below.

If your organization is not required to have an audit performed, please explain that below.

Our organization is a new non-profit and has yet to be audited by the FTB or IRS. However, we do an internal audit prior to tax fillings on a yearly basis. Our board has not seen anything that provides filing concerns and we are able to reconcile our books, records, and accounts according to IRS FTB standards on a yearly basis prior to filing.

Our board meets quarterly to review and approve our expenses and budget. We reconcile our records monthly and review all financial reports at our board meetings.

12. How often does your organization's Board of Directors review and approve financial statements?
Our board meets quarterly to review and approve our expenses and budget. We reconcile our records monthly and review all financial reports at our board meetings.

13. Is there a fee charged or donation suggested for your services, event, etc? If yes, please include when the last time fee amounts were evaluated and/or updated.

Please attach a copy of the fee schedule in the Documents Tab of this application.

Our film festival is intended to be free for the community. In this way, we are able to educate all walks of life to build understanding and raise awareness of equity issues that affect us all as one globe.

14. Please provide a summary of your organization's financial position (from the most recent fiscal year's financials).

15. Does your organization have any past due obligations with any funding source (e.g. disallowed costs or unearned grants from a previous contract)? If yes, please explain.

In the past 3 years, has your organization had an IRS or State levee? If yes, are you on a repayment schedule? How was the matter resolved? Explain below.

Currently, the obligations held are not existent and we do not have obligations of repayment to entities.

0.00 Total Assets ($)

0.00 Total Liabilities ($)

0.00 Total Net Assets ($)

0.00 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ($)

0.00 TOTAL

16. Please list two references who we may contact regarding the proposed program, service, or activity.

Include the reference's name, organization (as appropriate), and a phone number where the reference can be reached.

Miguel Avila, President of the Greater Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 805-896-0581 Jacqueline Inda, La Casa De La Raza Executive Director 805- 696- 5212 CDBG Eligibility

17. Are you applying for CDBG funding?
To be eligible for CDBG funding, you MUST obtain clients' race and ethnicity, and total family income.

Applicants may access the CDBG guide online at https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/19/basicallycdbg-training-guidebook-and-slides/.

18. Please indicate whether your organization's client intake sheet or process includes obtaining any of the following information. Check all boxes that apply.

19. Please report the number of unduplicated clients your organization served in the following income categories from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 (or for calendar year 2024).

N/A
Yes
No
Name
Address or City last resided in
Number of family members
Total family (household) income
Race and ethnicity
Proof of age
My organization does not obtain any of the above information from clients N/A Extremely low income (0-30% MFI)
N/A Very low income (30-50% MFI)
N/A Low-moderate income (50-80% MFI)
N/A Above moderate income (Above 80% MFI)

0.00 TOTAL
Budget top
Revenue Sources Total Program Revenue
for Current Fiscal Year
Projected Program
Revenue for Next Fiscal
Year
Application ID: 487522
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City of Goleta Funds $ 5,000.00 $ 25,000.00
Federal $ 0.00 $ 0.00
State $ 0.00 $ 0.00
County $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Municipal $ 0.00 $ 0.00
School District $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Foundations/Trusts $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Donations/Fundraising $ 0.00 $ 5,000.00
Fees $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Other- Sponsorships $ 8,688.62 $ 20,000.00
Total $ 13,688.62 $ 50,000.00
Funding Uses/ExpensesExpenditures for Current
Year
Expected Expenditures
for Next Year
Goleta Grant Funds:

Proposed Uses for
Next FY
Salaries, Benefits, Payroll
Taxes $ 0.00 $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Consultants and Contracts $ 1,500.00 $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00 Facility, Rent, Utilities,
Maintenance $ 7,737.66 $ 10,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Supplies $ 3,186.74 $ 5,000.00
Marketing (Printing,
Advertising) $ 1,819.98 $ 2,000.00 $ 2,000.00
Travel, Mileage, Training $ 868.70 $ 2,000.00
Equipment
(Rental/Maintenance) $ 0.00 $ 1,000.00
Insurance $ 0.00 $ 2,000.00
Other- Food Catering $ 2,050.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00
Printing and Postages $ 4,334.89 $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Misc - Other- Fees $ 1,656.06 $ 3,000.00
membership fees $ 828.00 $ 2,000.00
Total $ 23,982.03 $ 45,000.00 $ 25,000.00
Documents top
Documents Requested * Required?Attached Documents *
Nonprofit Tax Exemption Status Non Profit Tax Exempt
List of Board Members Board Members
Financial statements from the most recently
completed fiscal or calendar year
Most recent Financials 2024
Organizational Budget CEYIFF 2025 Budget
Organizational Chart Organizational Chart
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City of Goleta
2025-2026 Combined CDBG & Goleta City Grant Application Deadline: 1/31/2025
Coastal Housing Coalition
Community Educational Event
Jump to: Application Questions Budget Documents
$ 5,000.00 Requested
Submitted: 1/31/2025 4:43:47 PM
(Pacific)
Project Contact
Sarah Standring
[email protected]
Tel: (707) 293-3082
Additional Contacts
[email protected]
Coastal Housing Coalition
PO Box 1076
Santa Barbara, CA 93102
United States
Executive Director
Craig Minus
[email protected]
Telephone(805) 403-2752
Fax
Web
Application Questions top
Organization

1. What is your organization's mission statement?
Our Mission is to develop a coalition of professionals and stakeholders who are focused on achieving innovative workforce housing solutions in our community. We will accomplish this through conferences, education, advocating for smart housing policy, and facilitating collaborative interactions between housing developers, regulators, businesses, and the local community. Our vision is to create a future for Santa Barbara’s South Coast filled with diverse, vibrant, and sustainable communities where the workforce can afford to live in the same city where they work— and children that grow up here can afford to flourish in and contribute to their community.

Program Information

2. Describe the proposed program, activity, or event for which you are asking for funding.

Please share how it will operate (days, hours, eligibility, etc.), how it will be monitored, and the people you intend to serve (target population).

Please be specific about the hours and total days that people will be served by the program and exactly how/for what City of Goleta funds will be used to support the program.

Educational Activity/Event - discuss and educate the community on workforce housing related efforts - specific to what is going on in the city of Goleta. Work with the staff within identifying a timely and current topic for discussion. Past events we did over the past year and a half - ADU Education Mixer - Accessory Dwelling Units, Success of Stress? Santa Barbara County Housing Element Mixer 101 - Why it matters and why you should be involved. 2024 Annual Housing Conference - Keynote Speaker, Legislative Panel and Closing Panel - Navigating the Layers of Housing Implementation. Days - weekday, evening 3-4 hour event, venue TBD , eligibility open to the public.

3. Please provide the approximate number of Goleta residents your program, activity, or event will serve (or benefit) in the following year if funded.

Please be specific about the number Goleta residents who will be served. If your project serves more than only Goleta residents, please specify that breakdown. 100% Goleta residents. Workforce housing related topic. It would be specific to the south coast - residents from Goleta to Carpinteria.

4. Please check the box(es) that most accurately reflect the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding:

5. Does the program, activity, or event satisfy an unmet or under-met need in the community? If yes, please explain.

Yes! Our communities are in the middle of a housing crisis. Adequate workforce housing continues to be a challenge for local residents. The city and state have made priorities to advance all housing - including workforce housing obtainable to those households earning 120 - 200% of the area median income (AMI)

6. Does the program, activity, or event aid in the prevention of future problems or conditions? If yes, please explain.

Yes! Obtainable housing for our local workforce is a current problem and will exacerbate to a future problem if solutions are not found. Our event will continue to educate and advocate for workforce housing solutions to prevent worsened conditions.

Please include other grant sources either received or for which you are applying.

The City’s grant funding for our proposed educational event would provide the ability to address the workforce housing crisis which is occurring throughout the South Coast of Santa Barbara County. The education and problem solution advocacy would be applicable to other jurisdictions throughout the South Coast. Given so, the City’s grant funding could serve as a catalyst for other South Coast participation.

9. Are the requested funds necessary or vital in carrying out the program, activity, or event? Please specify how you will make up for any partial funding received from the City of Goleta.

If you are not awarded funding or are awarded partial funding from the City of Goleta, are there other potential funding sources your organization could pursue to ensure the program, activity, or event is successful?
Yes, this is vital and necessary. WE want the event to be free to the public. IF you were not able to fund it - we would have to find other funding sources to put the event on.

10. Does the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding primarily serve those with low-incomes?
If yes, does your organization obtain documentation from clients on their income (e.g. tax returns, pay stubs)?
Technically not low income - but it does serve a restricted income category - the workforce - 120 - 200% AMI

11. When was your organization last audited? Were there any findings or concerns? If yes, please explain below.

If your organization is not required to have an audit performed, please explain that below.

As an organization we have never been audited.

12. How often does your organization's Board of Directors review and approve financial statements?
Once a month at the BOD meeting

13. Is there a fee charged or donation suggested for your services, event, etc? If yes, please include when the last time fee amounts were evaluated and/or updated.

Please attach a copy of the fee schedule in the Documents Tab of this application.

No - these educational events are free to the public.

14. Please provide a summary of your organization's financial position (from the most recent fiscal year's financials).

15. Does your organization have any past due obligations with any funding source (e.g. disallowed costs or unearned grants from a previous contract)? If yes, please explain.

In the past 3 years, has your organization had an IRS or State levee? If yes, are you on a repayment schedule? How was the matter resolved? Explain below.

No & No

16. Please list two references who we may contact regarding the proposed program, service, or activity.

Include the reference's name, organization (as appropriate), and a phone number where the reference can be reached.

Matt Riley - Dignity Moves - (805) 708-9291
$114,188.7 Total Assets ($)
$0 Total Liabilities ($)
$99,215.72 Total Net Assets ($)
$114,188.7 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ($)
327,593.12 TOTAL
Michael Becker - SBCAG - (831) 915-9466
CDBG Eligibility

17. Are you applying for CDBG funding?
To be eligible for CDBG funding, you MUST obtain clients' race and ethnicity, and total family income.

Applicants may access the CDBG guide online at https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/19/basicallycdbg-training-guidebook-and-slides/.

18. Please indicate whether your organization's client intake sheet or process includes obtaining any of the following information. Check all boxes that apply.

19. Please report the number of unduplicated clients your organization served in the following income categories from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 (or for calendar year 2024).

0.00 TOTAL
Budget top
Revenue Sources Total Program Revenue
for Current Fiscal Year
Projected Program
Revenue for Next Fiscal
Year
City of Goleta Funds $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Federal
State
County
Municipal
School District
Foundations/Trusts
Application ID: 489753
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Donations/Fundraising
Fees
Other
Total $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Funding Uses/ExpensesExpenditures for Current
Year
Expected Expenditures
for Next Year
Goleta Grant Funds:

Proposed Uses for
Next FY
Salaries, Benefits, Payroll
Taxes $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00
Consultants and Contracts $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Facility, Rent, Utilities,
Maintenance $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00
Supplies $ 250.00 $ 250.00 $ 250.00
Marketing (Printing,
Advertising) $ 150.00 $ 150.00 $ 150.00
Travel, Mileage, Training
Equipment
(Rental/Maintenance) $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00
Insurance $ 100.00 $ 100.00 $ 100.00
Other - Beverages and
Small Bites $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00
Total $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Budget Narrative
$5,000 - venue, panelists, audio/visual, dissemination to public of information, small bites/refreshments.

Documents top
Documents Requested * Required?Attached Documents *
Nonprofit Tax Exemption Status Tax Exemption
List of Board Members BOD Roster
Financial statements from the most recently
completed fiscal or calendar year
Financial Statement of Activity
Organizational Budget Budget
Organizational Chart
Supplemental or Additional Information
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City of Goleta
2025-2026 Combined CDBG & Goleta City Grant Application Deadline: 1/31/2025
Goleta Education Foundation
Lemon Run 2025
Jump to: Application Questions Budget Documents
$ 10,000.00
Requested
Submitted:
1/31/2025 12:26:27
PM (Pacific)
Project Contact
Bethany Sutherland
[email protected]
Tel: 8052527169
Additional
Contacts
none entered
Goleta Education Foundation
PO Box 1177
Goleta, CA 93116
Executive Director
Bethany Sutherland
[email protected]
Telephone8052527169
Fax
Web goletaeducationfoundation.org
Application Questions top
Organization

1. What is your organization's mission statement?
The Goleta Education Foundation (GEF) engages the community to invest in and enhance an excellent educational experience for all students attending schools in the Goleta Union School District (GUSD).

Our values include:

Opportunity
GEF believes that every child should have the opportunity to excel academically, socially, and emotionally.

GEF pursues resources with equity in mind, taking into account the unique needs of the Goleta Valley community. We promote experiences that nurture the whole child.

Community
GEF embraces a vibrant community, including GUSD students, teachers, administrators, families, donors, businesses, and beyond. We build awareness of our schools and the importance of supporting our students.

Service
GEF serves the community’s changing needs. We fundraise to meet the goals and visions articulated by our stakeholders to support our students, families, and schools. GEF promotes the diversity and strengths of our schools in the District.

Transformation
GEF engages people and ideas. We evaluate the impact of our investments and adapt to the needs of children in the Goleta Valley. We embrace the transformational power of an engaged community.

Program Information

2. Describe the proposed program, activity, or event for which you are asking for funding.

Please share how it will operate (days, hours, eligibility, etc.), how it will be monitored, and the people you intend to serve (target population).

Please be specific about the hours and total days that people will be served by the program and exactly how/for what City of Goleta funds will be used to support the program.

This grant will provide essential funding for GEF's 10th annual Lemon Run. The City of Goleta has been a lead sponsor for the past three years, and we are thrilled to have City staff support and generate enthusiasm about the event. The Lemon Run is a beloved community event that brings together students, families, and educators from all the elementary schools in the Goleta Union School District and the larger Goleta Valley community. In 2024, The Lemon Run raised a record-breaking $65,000, with over 1,000 attendees and 815 runners. That’s nearly 150 more runners than in 2023! The City of Goleta’s lead sponsorship and collaboration has been pivotal in helping us expand this event and grow our reach in the Goleta Valley.

In addition to providing this family-fun event, GEF uses all net proceeds from The Lemon Run, particularly from corporate sponsorships, to support GEF’s Innovation Grants & Professional Development program.

Innovation Grants are funds put directly into the hands of our local GUSD educators who are bringing new ideas, skills, and techniques to the classroom and beyond to better reach all levels and types of learners.

Again in 2025, the Lemon Run will be held in conjunction with Goleta’s Lemon Month. GEF will host the run on Sunday, September 21, 2025 as a kick off to the Chamber of Commerce’s Lemon Festival the following weekend September 27-28, 2025.

The Lemon Run encourages families to participate in a 10k, 5k, and/or 1k run or walk. The races begin in the early morning and conclude by early afternoon. Food and children's activities are provided after the run at Goleta Beach Park, the starting point of the run. The run is open to the entire community and is promoted within the elementary schools as a healthy, family-fun event. We have been working with the City to achieve similar goals in terms of inclusivity for all demographics. This year we hope to break our record again by registering even more runners than last year and working to reach more Spanish-speaking families. Students are able to register for the 1K for free and scholarships are available for students and parents to participate as a family. This is one of the few family activities that parents can have children participate at no cost.

Every GUSD school participates in the Lemon Run and support is also garnered from each of the Parent Teacher Associations. Last year, we had PTA’s participate with their school mascots, and hosted a community tabling area for students and families to learn about the important resources available in our community. With so many students in one place for the run, we have also used this as an opportunity to give out school supplies and important resources for families.

To increase our community engagement, we added opportunities for our community partners to be present at the event and build connections with participants and families; some partners include the City of Goleta Library, Chamber of Commerce, various PTA groups, and others. By incorporating a diversity of partners with missions focused on youth, recreation, cultural support, educational resources etc., we are also meeting the diverse needs of our families. We hope to expand the number of local organizations joining us this year, including other Spanish community organizations, to increase awareness and connection to the many vital resources available in Goleta.

To ensure the utmost safety during the race, this grant request of $10,000 will fund event expenses including any required assistance of the California Highway Patrol along the race circuit, race personnel expenses, sanitation facilities, and race insurance. Registration fees and other grants and donations collected for this event help to fund costs to manage the race, pay for fees and permits, and the provision of free food and beverages for runners. All remaining net income from the event will go directly to the Educator Grants program and to expand the reach of our current educational initiatives in the Goleta schools.

3. Please provide the approximate number of Goleta residents your program, activity, or event will serve (or benefit) in the following year if funded.

Please be specific about the number Goleta residents who will be served. If your project serves more than only Goleta residents, please specify that breakdown. 1000

4. Please check the box(es) that most accurately reflect the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding:

5. Does the program, activity, or event satisfy an unmet or under-met need in the community? If yes, please explain.

In conjunction with the Lemon Festival, this event celebrates health and wellness in our community and is a vital part of kicking off the Lemon month festivities with a fun, family-friendly activity. It is the third-largest run event within Santa Barbara County and continues to grow year after year. Registration fees are kept at a minimum and 'Sponsor-a-Kid' donations allow scholarships to be given to elementary-aged students and families who request them. We hope to continue to expand the accessibility and reach of this scholarship program.

Lemon Run brings together all the administrators, teachers, students, and families attending public elementary schools in the City of Goleta and the Goleta Valley as one community. We are particularly excited to collaborate with other community partners at this event to help raise awareness for the importance of health and wellness and the wealth of resources available in our community.

6. Does the program, activity, or event aid in the prevention of future problems or conditions? If yes, please explain.

The Lemon Run encourages community-wide participation and is presented by GEF as a community event that brings the students, families, and educators from all of the elementary schools in the Goleta Union School District together with the greater Goleta Valley.

The importance of feeling a commonality between members of the community and a sense of togetherness and belonging leads to a healthier society as a whole. We are excited to continue to involve other community partners to aid in our goal to educate the community on health and wellness best practices and raise awareness around the disparities in our school populations. GEF continues to receive positive feedback on the race and is encouraged and dedicated to bring the race back to the Goleta Valley year after year.

7. Does your facility or program have any barriers that would prevent a person with a disability (verbal, visual, physical, cognitive, etc.) from gaining employment, attending meetings, or obtaining services?
If so, what measures do you take to provide persons with disabilities alternative access to your facility or program?
The annual Lemon Run event is open to all persons. Registered “runners” can run, walk, or use a wheelchair for the duration of the race. ADA restrooms will be provided at Goleta Beach Park and the Obern Bike Trail, along where the run occurs, is accessible to people with disabilities. There are no barriers preventing a person with a disability from participating in the Lemon Run at Goleta Beach.

Funding

Please include other grant sources either received or for which you are applying.

GEF is excited to be able to present the 2025 Lemon Run during and as a part of the Goleta Lemon Festival. GEF has a strong relationship and partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and has been honored to be able to participate in the Goleta's finest event as an important community non-profit.

The race will also be an important part of the Santa Barbara Running Association's (SBRA) Grand Prix race schedule. This local Grand Prix consists of a series of local races where race results are matched up against other SBRA members in each age group and the top three are recognized at SBRA's annual banquet.

GEF is hopeful that these community relationships will create added exposure for GEF and its mission as well as provide an increase in opportunities for additional funding during the race promotion period. We plan to continue to outreach and raise awareness for our educational initiatives within the schools focused on increasing literacy through language, and culturally accessible texts, music and performing arts partnership within the schools, strategic mental health support in-school and after-school, state-of-the-art STEAM lab support and science camp scholarships for students and families who would not otherwise be able to participate, and more.

Below is a partial list of our top supporters for the 2024 event:

Allen & Kimbell, LLP
Raytheon Intelligence & Space
Chevron USA Inc. West Coast Decommissioning (WCD) Program Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Montecito Bank & Trust
UCLA Health

9. Are the requested funds necessary or vital in carrying out the program, activity, or event? Please specify how you will make up for any partial funding received from the City of Goleta.

If you are not awarded funding or are awarded partial funding from the City of Goleta, are there other potential funding sources your organization could pursue to ensure the program, activity, or event is successful?
Expenses for this event will be approximately $17,500. Registration fees will assist in providing funds to cover expenses such as mandatory government fees and permits, road closure and monitoring, sanitation facilities, race fees, and insurance. However, some of these expenses have an immediate upfront funding need in order to be guaranteed and secured to officially begin promoting and marketing the event.

Specifically, we will use this grant towards the permitting process, assured presence of CHP officers at critical locations where the run crosses public streets, application and approval of race insurance for the day of the run, and the reservation of sanitation facilities for the runners, race volunteers, and other attendees.

T-shirts are also provided to all race registrants and are for sale at the event to offset their costs.

The 2025 Lemon Run location will be determined by March 2025. We traditionally hosted the event at Goleta Beach County Park and utilized the bike path as the race course. In 2024, for the first time, we hosted the event at Lake Los Carneros, which was an excellent location for the community to gather and partners to host their booths before and after the event. We chose these locations to highlight the social and historical significance of these beautiful Goleta landmarks. We are weighing the pros and cons of the two even locations (Goleta Beach vs Lake Los Carneros) to determine the best fit for our event in 2025.

The safety of the runners, who include many younger-aged children, is key to a successful event. The race course requires the presence of CHP personnel to monitor traffic and create a safe running environment at those locations where the race crosses local roadways. This cost to provide adequate CHP presence is estimated at $1,600. Permits, fees, insurance, equipment, and essential personnel is estimated at $3,400. The balance of this grant request will pay for much-needed race supplies, materials, portable sanitation and trash.

If full funding for this grant request is not received, GEF may be required to re-evaluate budgeted program spending. This reallocation may require GEF to reduce support for other important educational programs.

10. Does the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding primarily serve those with low-incomes?
If yes, does your organization obtain documentation from clients on their income (e.g. tax returns, pay stubs)?
The Lemon Run is heavily promoted and encouraged within the Goleta Union School District. There are nine elementary schools, a family school, and State-funded preschool classrooms in GUSD. The 3,500+ students served by GUSD are diverse and represent a wide range of socioeconomic levels. The Goleta Union School District (GUSD) student enrollment of approximately 3,500 includes six Title I schools (schools with a low-income population of at least 40 percent). During the 2023-24 academic year, three schools had high populations of socio-economically disadvantaged students: La Patera 48% Socioeconomic disadvantaged; Isla Vista 50% Socio-economic disadvantaged; El Camino 55% Socioeconomic disadvantaged.

Additionally, 17% of the student population are English language learners. All children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, should be given the opportunity to participate in this event.

GEF is committed to offering a number of 'Sponsor-A-Kid' opportunities to families that might consider entry into the Lemon Run a financial hardship. We do not collect income information for run participants or sponsored families.

11. When was your organization last audited? Were there any findings or concerns? If yes, please explain below.

If your organization is not required to have an audit performed, please explain that below.

GEF has never been required to perform an audit, nor has GEF taken it upon itself to have an audit performed. The expense is too great for a small organization and it is not required until GEF exceeds $2M in gross receipts in a year.

12. How often does your organization's Board of Directors review and approve financial statements?
Monthly.

13. Is there a fee charged or donation suggested for your services, event, etc? If yes, please include when the last time fee amounts were evaluated and/or updated.

Please attach a copy of the fee schedule in the Documents Tab of this application.

Registration fees are required to participate in the event. The fees are reviewed annually to ensure that minimal race costs can be covered based on previous years' race attendees yet not so high as to discourage attendance.

Please see the attached anticipated fee schedule for the 2025 race. Any net income received from the race, after the essential costs are covered, will go towards the Innovative Grants & Professional Development program for GUSD educators.

14. Please provide a summary of your organization's financial position (from the most recent fiscal year's financials).

15. Does your organization have any past due obligations with any funding source (e.g. disallowed costs or unearned grants from a previous contract)? If yes, please explain.

In the past 3 years, has your organization had an IRS or State levee? If yes, are you on a repayment schedule? How was the matter resolved? Explain below.

GEF does not have any past due obligations. GEF has not had an IRS or State levee.

16. Please list two references who we may contact regarding the proposed program, service, or activity.

Include the reference's name, organization (as appropriate), and a phone number where the reference can be reached.

Dan Oh, President, Goleta Education Foundation, (805) 450-6551 Brandon Mowery, Director of Development, Lobero Theater, (805) 705-4431 CDBG Eligibility

17. Are you applying for CDBG funding?
To be eligible for CDBG funding, you MUST obtain clients' race and ethnicity, and total family income.

Applicants may access the CDBG guide online at https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/19/basicallycdbg-training-guidebook-and-slides/.

18. Please indicate whether your organization's client intake sheet or process includes obtaining any of the following information. Check all boxes that apply. 211889 Total Assets ($)
0 Total Liabilities ($)
211889 Total Net Assets ($)
211,889 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ($)
635,667.00 TOTAL
Yes
No
Name
Address or City last resided in

19. Please report the number of unduplicated clients your organization served in the following income categories from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 (or for calendar year 2024).

20. If your program or activity takes place on school grounds, have you received permission and approval from the appropriate school?
Please list the name and position of the person from whom permission was obtained. If the program or activity is not on school grounds, please put N/A.
n/a
Number of family members
Total family (household) income
Race and ethnicity
Proof of age
My organization does not obtain any of the above information from clients n/a Extremely low income (0-30% MFI)
n/a Very low income (30-50% MFI)
n/a Low-moderate income (50-80% MFI)
n/a Above moderate income (Above 80% MFI)

0.00 TOTAL
Budget top
Revenue Sources Total Program Revenue
for Current Fiscal Year
Projected Program
Revenue for Next Fiscal
Year
City of Goleta Funds $ 5,000.00 $ 10,000.00
Federal
State
County
Municipal
School District
Foundations/Trusts $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00
Donations/Fundraising $ 16,000.00 $ 25,000.00
Fees $ 14,000.00 $ 15,000.00
Other $ 4,500.00 $ 4,500.00
Total $ 40,500.00 $ 55,500.00
Funding Uses/Expenses Expenditures for Current
Year
Expected Expenditures
for Next Year
Goleta Grant Funds:

Proposed Uses for
Next FY
Salaries, Benefits, Payroll
Taxes
Consultants and Contracts $ 3,200.00 $ 4,100.00 $ 3,200.00 Facility, Rent, Utilities,
Maintenance $ 1,250.00 $ 1,250.00 $ 1,250.00
Supplies $ 6,250.00 $ 6,350.00 $ 2,500.00
Marketing (Printing,
Advertising) $ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 1,250.00
Application ID: 487928
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* ZoomGrants™ is not responsible for the content of uploaded documents.

Travel, Mileage, Training
Equipment
(Rental/Maintenance) $ 1,750.00 $ 1,750.00 $ 1,200.00
Insurance $ 500.00 $ 500.00 $ 500.00
Other $ 550.00 $ 550.00 $ 100.00
Total $ 16,500.00 $ 17,500.00 $ 10,000.00
Budget Narrative
Consultants and Contract: California Highway Patrol; Lemon Run Race Director & Intern for day of race; City of Goleta grant would fund the $3,200 CHP cost and race personnel costs to reserve their services in advance for day of the event.

Facilities, Rent: Group Area Reservation for Race Start/Finish at Goleta Beach County Park. City of Goleta grant would fund $1,250 to reserve location and permitting fees for the event.

Supplies: Food & Drink for runners, race t-shirts for registered runners, signage, tables, shade structures for race day. City of Goleta grant would fund $2,500 towards supplies.

Marketing: Development of press releases; T-shirt and race marketing design costs; printing costs for race flyers for distribution at schools; bike signs and race signs. City of Goleta grant would fund $1,250 towards marketing services.

Equipment (Rental): Portable Sanitation Facilities, Race Timing equipment rental. City of Goleta grant would fund $1,200 towards securing the rental of portable sanitation and trash facilities and timing equipment.

Insurance: General Liability Insurance including Day of Race Insurance. City of Goleta grant would fund $500 to secure this necessary insurance cost in advance of the race.

Other: Santa Barbara Running Association Fees and $100 budgeted to provide 10 additional Sponsor-A-Kid race registrations.

Documents top
Documents Requested * Required?Attached Documents *
Nonprofit Tax Exemption Status IRS Letter
List of Board Members Board
Financial statements from the most recently
completed fiscal or calendar year
Financial Statement
Organizational Budget Budget
Organizational Chart
Supplemental or Additional Information Fee Schedule
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City of Goleta
2025-2026 Combined CDBG & Goleta City Grant Application Deadline: 1/31/2025
Juneteenth Santa Barbara
Juneteenth 2026: Hope For the People
Jump to: Application Questions Budget Documents
$ 5,000.00 Requested
Submitted: 1/24/2025 8:38:02 AM
(Pacific)
Project Contact
Jordan Killebrew
[email protected]
Tel: 805-880-9365
Additional Contacts
none entered
Juneteenth Santa
Barbara
1111 Chapala St Ste 200
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
United States
Executive Director & CoFounder
Jordan Killebrew
[email protected]
Telephone805-880-9365
Fax
Web https://juneteenthsb.org/
Application Questions top
Organization

1. What is your organization's mission statement?
Juneteenth Santa Barbara is an annual event, where we bring community members together to celebrate the freedom of enslaved people in the United States.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, welcomed the Union Army’s declaration of freedom and immediately danced in the streets. It was not simply a joyous celebration; African Americans continued to face anti-Blackness in various forms including lynching, Jim Crow segregation, sundowner towns (racial segregation via discriminatory laws, intimidation, and violence), as well as a disconnection from family and ancestral history (many Black / African American people still cannot trace their ancestry). Today, we honor our ancestors and celebrate our freedom, showcasing Black /African American joy and culture in Santa Barbara, California.

Historically, Santa Barbara has had a thriving Black/African American community with vibrant neighborhoods, businesses, and families contributing to the diversity and culture of the city.

Over recent decades, Santa Barbara County has seen a decrease in the percentage of the population identifying as Black/African American and in the actual population. According to the SBCAG Census 2020 Summary, the Black/African American identifying population rate dropped from 1.7% in 2010 to

1.3% in 2020 in Santa Barbara County. The South County cities tell a different story in that time, where the City of Goleta gained 0.1 % to 1.4% of the population, Carpinteria stayed the same at .6%, and Santa Barbara lost 0.1% to be at 1.2%. Overwhelmingly, the three South County cities are primarily White and Hispanic and Juneteenth SB is one of a handful of organizations that aims to provide support and belonging to this small population. To that end, Juneteenth SB, in partnership with UCSB, the Santa Barbara Foundation, and the NAACP Santa Maria-Lompoc, have launched the State of the Black Community Survey, that will close at the end of February to provide more data on how we can support our Black/African American communities.

The Juneteenth SB event will serve as a public archive to share the history and triumphs of Black/African American community members in Santa Barbara County while providing an event to acknowledge the horrors of enslavement and to celebrate local Black/African American talents and culture. This event is now in its eighth year and is already a staple in the Santa Barbara County Black community; Juneteenth celebrations provide affirmation that the Black community belongs in Santa Barbara County.

The Juneteenth Committee is a Black/African American group. All leaders are ambulatory, half reside in the Santa Barbara region, and are of the working class. One member of the group is openly queer and one leader is female. The Committee is looking to grow to include Black/African American multigenerational leaders to ensure the longevity of this Black-led project.

Program Information

2. Describe the proposed program, activity, or event for which you are asking for funding.

Please share how it will operate (days, hours, eligibility, etc.), how it will be monitored, and the people you intend to serve (target population).

Please be specific about the hours and total days that people will be served by the program and exactly how/for what City of Goleta funds will be used to support the program.

We are requesting a $5,000 grant from the City of Goleta in support of our 2026 Juneteenth event.

Juneteenth 2026 will bring ALL community members together for food, performances, art, and local Black/African American history archives and oral presentation. This event recognizes the history of freeing of enslaved peoples in America and local Black history. Activities include live music, dancing, poetry readings, spoken word, artist exhibitions, local soul food, storytelling, a report on the state of the Black/African American community, and more. Attendees are encouraged to partake in their own storytelling by engaging in an oral history project of Black/African American Santa Barbara. The majority of artists identify as Black/African American.

The event will take place close to June 19, 2026 and be an all-day event (free to the public). The date will be finalized by December 2025.

Juneteenth has been celebrated by the descendants of enslaved African peoples for centuries and is known by many as Black/African American Independence Day. June 19, 1865 was the first Juneteenth Celebration (two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed). Contrary to ahistorical narratives, several states in addition to Texas refused to honor the Emancipation Proclamation without military intervention. Juneteenth marks the arrival of Union Army General Granger and the overdue enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. While there was confusion, fear, and an understanding that they were still not full citizens, the freed Black people in Texas rejoiced and danced in the streets.

Our Juneteenth celebration shares the history and triumphs of Black/African American community members. Juneteenth is about liberation and joy. It’s about the people who survived and refused enslavement. It’s also about what more needs to be done today as the Black/African American community still faces segregation and disparate outcomes and are not full citizens.

Funds from the City of Goleta will be specifically allocated to paying stipends to the artists and the cost of working with various vendors for Juneteenth. Juneteenth showcases Black/African American culture, talent, and joy. It is crucial to pay these artists and talents to compensate them for the value of their work.

The event activities (including live music, dancing, poetry readings, spoken word, artist exhibitions, local soul food, storytelling, a report on the state of the Black/African American community, and more) will be led by the artists. The majority of artists identify as Black/African American.

We expect 4,000 - 6,000 community members will attend. We will estimate attendance to measure the number of attendees, as well as engaging in informal dialogue with a diverse group of community members and partners in order to collect feedback on the event.

We are partnering with several Goleta-based businesses and organizations, which will advertise the event to their constituents in Goleta. Each of the following partnerships support Juneteenth by engaging in outreach and inviting their network in the Goleta area:
*We work with the UCSB Hosford Clinic Healing Space and UCSB Office of Black Student Development *We coordinate with the Healing Justice Santa Barbara (serves South County students); the organization encourages their network of students to attend the Juneteenth event. *We collaborate with Goleta-based Gateway Educational Services, a nonprofit organization offering educational support to at-risk youth. Gateway was founded and is led by two African American women who are leaders in the African American community Santa Barbara.

We are also aware of many Black community members who live in Goleta and plan to attend again in 2025 and 2026. Of our three co-lead organizers, two live in Goleta and three are UCSB alumni. We also work with three interns who are all UCSB students.

3. Please provide the approximate number of Goleta residents your program, activity, or event will serve (or benefit) in the following year if funded.

Please be specific about the number Goleta residents who will be served. If your project serves more than only Goleta residents, please specify that breakdown.

We are expecting between 4,000-6,000 attendees (we expect many to be Goleta residents but we do not collect this information)

4. Please check the box(es) that most accurately reflect the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding:

5. Does the program, activity, or event satisfy an unmet or under-met need in the community? If yes, please explain.

Juneteenth fulfills an unmet need for safe spaces for Black/African American community members to gather in celebration of Black history and culture. The closest celebration is a 30+ minute drive and the Cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta has no special event celebrating Black heritage or histories.

There is an unmet need for official recognition of Black history and contributions. We organized to get institutional support - we have received grants from the City of Santa Barbara and the City of Goleta for One-time or annual community event (concert, creek cleanups, festival, etc.) Youth programs
Senior programs (food/nutrition, education programs, day activities, etc.) Environmental/wildlife/animal welfare programs
Public services for low-income residents/homeless
Educational programs
Arts (music, dance, theater, art)
Economic development
Recreational activities
Other:
the last several years - this accomplishment was historic. Santa Barbara has had a string of widely publicized racist/anti-Black incidents in recent years, including events in schools during school hours, but these are only the ones told out loud by media outlets. The Black/African American community in Santa Barbara lives with struggle on a daily basis, a struggle largely untold to the greater populous. These experiences contribute to Black/African American members of the Santa Barbara community distrusting institutions which should be supporting, educating, and providing resources for all.

The enduring legacy of enslavement, a system that criminalized, exploited, displaced, and disrupted Black/African American people, is evident in the persistent inequity, racism, injustice, and erasure of Black indigenous religions and languages. In light of the nationwide reckoning with race and institutional injustice, now is the time to address systemic inequity in our community. Following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, the disproportionate number of Black folks killed by COVID-19, and the groundswell of support of the Movement for Black Lives, renewed conversation about liberation and safety are urgently needed.

In 2018, local Black/African American organizers Simone Ruskamp, Chiany Dri, and Jordan Killebrew worked together to plan the first Juneteenth in Santa Barbara in collaboration with El Centro. The free event was held at El Centro on June 19, 2018 and featured performances, interactive art displays, free Soul Food, and more. In 2019, the event was held at Santa Barbara Public Library with 400+ attendees.

The event was well-received, noted by Santa Barbara City Council Members during public forums and received wide-spread publicity from local media outlets. In June 2020, due to the pandemic, we held the celebration online and featured videos from Black/African American community members to showcase their talent for 13,000+ virtual attendees. Juneteenth 2021 had a series of events that were virtual and online. There was a Black Artisan market out on State street in front of the Melanin Gallery to support and bring thousands of folks to purchase from local Black artisans and artists.

In 2022, the event theme was, “Caring for The People,” was hosted in person in the Funk Zone and was the first Block Party Juneteenth for the South Coast. Just under 3,000 attendees joined in celebration and the format of the event was widely received and greatly appreciated. In 2023 and 2024, we replicated this format and had a theme of, “Nourishing The People” and “Joy for The People.” The 2023 event saw around 3,200 attendees, while the 2024 event saw 5,000 attendees, and engaged more local performers, organizations, and businesses.

Jordan Killebrew, Event Organizer, says:
“Juneteenth is now my Independence Day, my favorite holiday. On this historic day, my Ancestors were acknowledged for their humanity, and their survival offered me the opportunity to become their wildest dreams.”

6. Does the program, activity, or event aid in the prevention of future problems or conditions? If yes, please explain.

Educational celebrations like these bring together the Black/African Americans and all our communities, to better understand the history and contributions of the Black/African Americans locally and nationally.

This event helps our community and the broader community understand the legacy of slavery, the continued institutional racism our community faces, and the amazing resilience of our community. This understanding is required for the prevention of continued systemic racism.

Deep-seated systemic racism and inequities that disadvantaged communities of color are still woven into the fabric of our institutions today— from education and housing to our criminal legal system. The insurrection on the Nation’s Capital on January 6, 2021, is evidence that white supremacy is a threat to our community. Violence against Black people is a daily occurrence. Juneteenth acknowledges the serious threats to Black lives and Black history. These conversations about liberation are very timely and urgently needed.

This event will uplift and support the healing of the Black/African American community, who experienced disproportionate impacts on their health and economic security during the COVID-19 pandemic. We affirm that Black History is American History. All aspects of this event are centered around the voices of the Black community.

As Santa Barbara and Goleta become more gentrified (often displacing Black residents), celebrating Blackness and archiving Black history is crucial.

7. Does your facility or program have any barriers that would prevent a person with a disability (verbal, visual, physical, cognitive, etc.) from gaining employment, attending meetings, or obtaining services?
If so, what measures do you take to provide persons with disabilities alternative access to your facility or program?
We will continue to make the activities accessible to everyone by making it free and on a weekend, when the greatest number of people (especially working families and people of color) can attend. We accommodate persons with disabilities to ensure their needs are met by offering ASL interpretation and various options for seating. We have an existing relationship with the Independent Living Resource Center and will consult with them regarding best practices and procedures. The historical archive will be hosted at no cost on juneteenthsb.com and we will employ software like micCaptions to ensure that each video has captions and an accompanying image description.

In 2020, the free Juneteenth event was online and accessible to everyone with access to the internet. In 2021, we had a hybrid event, where folks were welcome to visit our in person event at the Melanin Gallery on State Street or attend virtually where we streamed the event. In 2022, the Juneteenth event was themed ‘Caring for the People’ and honored local Black artists & artisans, performers, and organizations as well as provided free food, dancing, and singing. The event took place on Sunday, June 19th, 2022 in the Funk Zone on the 200 block of Gray Ave, between E. Montecito Street & E. Yanonali Street - in front of our community partner Shalhoob’s Patio. The Funk Zone was historically a Black/African American neighborhood. We were thrilled to host more than 3,000 people for the free block party. In 2023, we decided to make the block party a tradition and had a theme of, “Nourishing The People.” We had around 3,200 community members join in the celebration and replicated the 2022 event with slight modifications.

As with past Juneteenth events, we will continue to collaborate with the City of Goleta, City of Santa Barbara, Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), Pacific Pride Foundation, Santa Barbara Independent, Gateway Educational Services, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara Foundation, Healing Justice SB, Pride & Joy Santa Barbara, UCSB Office of Black Student Development, UCSB Healing Space, and other community organizations to provide a local, family-friendly event. We will also add our community partners from 2023 (including Montecito Bank & Trust, Union Bank, Golden1 Credit Union, Montecito Bank & Trust, American Riviera Bank, Clevr Brands, and more), in addition to Island View Outfitters, and more.

Funding

Please include other grant sources either received or for which you are applying.

Yes, your grant will be leveraged to request funding from other sources. Funding from the City of Goleta, along with funding from the City of Santa Barbara, lends credibility to the event and incentivizes businesses and foundations to also contribute. We will seek grants and sponsorships from other foundations and businesses in Goleta, and your grant will be leveraged to secure those donations. Our general fundraising strategies include applying to state and local grants and pursuing sponsorships from local businesses and organizations to participate in the celebration.

For the last three years, we leveraged your grant to receive a grant from the California Arts Council towards Juneteenth. Without the credibility our event received from being funded by the City of Goleta, we may not have been awarded that grant for three years running. In addition, we will reach out to our community partners from 2024 to engage with us for the 2025 and 2026 events.

Since 2018, Juneteenth has partnered with the Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) as our fiscal sponsor, and they have provided us with opportunities to receive online donations through their website. With online donations and checks, we are able to take any donation from an individual, company or group that is large or small. In addition, SBF, as a trusted philanthropic bank, provides clout to our organization and exposure to donors who may not be aware of our efforts.

We expect that our community partners from previous years (including Union Bank, Coffee with a Black Guy, Santa Barbara Young Professionals, So Cal Gas, Cresco Labs) will sponsor the event again in 2025 and 2026. We’ve listed other potential grant sources in the next question. We will apply to the City of Santa Barbara and California Arts Council for renewed grants towards Juneteenth this year and next year.

9. Are the requested funds necessary or vital in carrying out the program, activity, or event? Please specify how you will make up for any partial funding received from the City of Goleta.

Our vendors, artists, and contractors also need to be paid (your funds will cover stipend costs for our performing artists). Before we received City of Goleta funding, many of the vendors volunteered their time.

We can no longer ask people of color from marginalized communities to volunteer their time; we need to honor their value by compensating them for their talents and contributions.

The hard costs such as garbage, staging, and other event costs need to be covered to make the event a free event. Over the last several years, there is increased awareness among the broader community of Juneteenth and a desire to better understand and support efforts towards racial justice. This is an opportunity to gather, celebrate, and uplift the Black community.

We are seeking funding from several other sources including the California Arts Council (to be submitted), Santa Barbara Foundation, Union Bank, and the Montecito Bank & Trust, among others.

We will continue to seek funding if not granted the full award amount from the City of Goleta. The earlier we can secure event funding, the better we can prepare. The better we can prepare, and the better the event will be.

10. Does the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding primarily serve those with low-incomes?
If yes, does your organization obtain documentation from clients on their income (e.g. tax returns, pay stubs)?
The event is free and open to the public. The event is primarily geared towards the African American/Black community, as it is a celebration of Black liberation. Because of inequalities in education, housing, and job opportunities, many members of the Black community are low-income. We do not track the income levels or other demographic information from event attendees.

11. When was your organization last audited? Were there any findings or concerns? If yes, please explain below.

If your organization is not required to have an audit performed, please explain that below.

Juneteenth was founded in 2018. We are a relatively small organization and have not been audited. We are fiscally sponsored by the Santa Barbara Foundation, which goes through a financial audit every year.

We plan to pursue 501(c)3 status for Juneteenth when we have the capacity to do so.

12. How often does your organization's Board of Directors review and approve financial statements?
Our event committee meets monthly throughout the year and weekly during the months leading up to the event. As a fiscally sponsored organization, we do not have a formal board of directors. Instead, financial decisions are made by an event committee.

The Juneteenth Committee is small but mighty. We are made up of Jordan Killebrew, Leticia Resch, and Simone Ruskamp.

13. Is there a fee charged or donation suggested for your services, event, etc? If yes, please include when the last time fee amounts were evaluated and/or updated.

Please attach a copy of the fee schedule in the Documents Tab of this application.

The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to make a donation to our organization.

The assets and liabilities listed below are for the Santa Barbara Foundation.

14. Please provide a summary of your organization's financial position (from the most recent fiscal year's financials).

15. Does your organization have any past due obligations with any funding source (e.g. disallowed costs or unearned grants from a previous contract)? If yes, please explain.

In the past 3 years, has your organization had an IRS or State levee? If yes, are you on a repayment schedule? How was the matter resolved? Explain below.

16. Please list two references who we may contact regarding the proposed program, service, or activity.

Include the reference's name, organization (as appropriate), and a phone number where the reference can be reached.

Wendy Sims-Moten, [email protected], (805) 884-8085
E. Onja Brown, [email protected], (805) 259-5782
CDBG Eligibility

17. Are you applying for CDBG funding?
To be eligible for CDBG funding, you MUST obtain clients' race and ethnicity, and total family income.

Applicants may access the CDBG guide online at https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/19/basicallycdbg-training-guidebook-and-slides/.

18. Please indicate whether your organization's client intake sheet or process includes 802,187,88 Total Assets ($)
37,601,881 Total Liabilities ($)
764,586,00 Total Net Assets ($)
802,187,88 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ($)
274,498,057.00 TOTAL
Yes
No
obtaining any of the following information. Check all boxes that apply.

19. Please report the number of unduplicated clients your organization served in the following income categories from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 (or for calendar year 2024).

20. If your program or activity takes place on school grounds, have you received permission and approval from the appropriate school?
Please list the name and position of the person from whom permission was obtained. If the program or activity is not on school grounds, please put N/A.
n/a
Name
Address or City last resided in
Number of family members
Total family (household) income
Race and ethnicity
Proof of age
My organization does not obtain any of the above information from clients N/A Extremely low income (0-30% MFI)
N/A Very low income (30-50% MFI)
N/A Low-moderate income (50-80% MFI)
Above moderate income (Above 80% MFI)

0.00 TOTAL
Budget top
Revenue Sources Total Program Revenue
for Current Fiscal Year
Projected Program
Revenue for Next Fiscal
Year
City of Goleta Funds $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Federal $ 0.00 $ 0.00
State $ 18,050.00 $ 18,000.00
County $ 0.00
Municipal $ 33,950.00 $ 35,000.00
School District $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Foundations/Trusts $ 0.00 $ 3,000.00
Donations/Fundraising $ 0.00 $ 2,000.00
Fees $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Other $ 1,450.00 $ 0.00
Total $ 58,450.00 $ 63,000.00
Funding Uses/Expenses Expenditures for
Current Year
Expected Expenditures
for Next Year
Goleta Grant Funds:

Proposed Uses for
Next FY
Salaries, Benefits, Payroll
Taxes
Consultants and Contracts $ 43,000.00 $ 36,500.00 $ 5,000.00 Application ID: 489268
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Facility, Rent, Utilities,
Maintenance $ 5,000.00 $ 15,000.00
Supplies $ 2,500.00
Marketing (Printing,
Advertising) $ 4,000.00 $ 4,000.00
Travel, Mileage, Training
Equipment
(Rental/Maintenance) $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Insurance
Other
Total $ 57,000.00 $ 63,000.00 $ 5,000.00
Budget Narrative
We are requesting a grant for the Juneteenth 2026 event due to the grant timeline. We expect the expenses to be similar to the Juneteenth 2025 event. We have not yet finalized our event budget for the June 2026 event. We expect to finalize the event budget by December 2025.

For the free 2025 event, attention will be paid to inviting and collaborating with local artists and performers. This will highlight the cultural gifts that exist in the Santa Barbara community, and the Black community specifically. It is vital to pay the performers, who are generally over asked to provide their services and share their work for free, and even more important that the Juneteenth celebration is able to pay a rate that supports their worth and contribution. In addition, costs for marketing the event, staging, production, seating, and safety are needed to ensure a success.

The $36,500 in consultant and contracts expenses includes the following:
$11,000 (Performer Stipends - 15-25 performing artists each receive a stipend of $500-$1500) $5,000 (Shalhoobs for food)
$14,500 (event production costs - technical support, photographer, filming, editing for virtual event) $2,500 (event costs - supplies, flowers, DJ)
$3,500 (event costs - Chocolate Baby Story Time)
Documents top
Documents Requested * Required?Attached Documents *
Nonprofit Tax Exemption Status SBF IRS Letter
List of Board Members SBF Board List
Financial statements from the most recently
completed fiscal or calendar year
SBF Audit
Organizational Budget Juneteenth Budget
Organizational Chart Juneteenth Org Chart
Supplemental or Additional Information Juneteenth Article Powered by ZoomGrants™ and
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City of Goleta
2025-2026 Combined CDBG & Goleta City Grant Application Deadline: 1/31/2025
The Starfish Connection, Inc.

The Power of Storytelling
Jump to: Application Questions Budget Documents
$ 8,500.00 Requested
Submitted: 1/29/2025 12:47:56
PM (Pacific)
Project Contact
Leonor Reyes
[email protected]
Tel: 805.722.9847
Additional Contacts
none entered
The Starfish Connection, Inc.
5730 Hollister Ave Ste E
Goleta, CA 93117
United States
Executive Director
Sarah Abrams
[email protected]
Telephone805.722.9847
Fax
Web https://www.thestarfishconnection.org/
Application Questions top
Organization

1. What is your organization's mission statement?
The Starfish Connection's mission is dedicated to building thriving communities by empowering individuals and fostering connection through crisis funding and community storytelling.

Founded three years ago and based in Old Town Goleta, our nonprofit organization envisions making a difference with our neighbors—one life at a time. Through our two core programs, Crisis Funding and Community Storytelling, we aim to provide immediate financial relief and inspire resilience.

Crisis Funding: This program addresses emergent and hardship needs within our Central Coast community. In partnership with 11 other nonprofits through formal Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), we review and approve urgent requests within 24 hours, ensuring timely assistance to those in need. Current partnerships include organizations such as the Mental Wellness Center, Friends of Fieldworkers, Hospice of Santa Barbara, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, LEAP, SBCC Basic Needs Center, Carpinteria Children’s Project, Peoples Self-Help Housing, Immigrant Legal Defense Center and Freedom for Youth.

Community Storytelling: By sharing lived experiences, we foster connection and inspire hope. These stories highlight the strength of individuals overcoming adversity and encourage a culture of empathy and support within our community.

Santa Barbara County ranks as the second-highest in poverty among California’s 58 counties. According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), many Americans—particularly those with lower incomes—are just "one medical bill away from poverty." The compounded hardships faced by our neighbors require immediate, impactful support to prevent hardships or crises from becoming a domino effect of challenges.

At The Starfish Connection, we aim to bridge the gap by providing critical infrastructure and removing barriers to stability. Whether offering emergency funding for medical bills, housing, or other essential needs, or fostering connection through shared experiences, we create hope, build resilience, and drive lasting change.

Program Information

2. Describe the proposed program, activity, or event for which you are asking for funding. Please share how it will operate (days, hours, eligibility, etc.), how it will be monitored, and the people you intend to serve (target population).

Please be specific about the hours and total days that people will be served by the program and exactly how/for what City of Goleta funds will be used to support the program.

FREE LIVE Storytelling nights and Talk-O-Truck (TOT) provide a space for individuals to share their lived histories and experiences and provide opportunities for the community to gather and connect to these experiences. Each LIVE Storytelling Night focuses on a different theme but is always open and flexible for any story that someone wants to share. TOT is the fabulous pink mobile recording studio. TALK-O-TRUCK is scheduled to attend 8 events in 2025. Last year, TOT attended events such as Earth Day, Juneteenth, Mujeres Makers Markets, Pride Festival and others! EVENT TIMEFRAME: Live Storytelling 2-3 hours, Talk-O-Truck ranges from 4-8hrs.

THEMES/LOCATIONS:

JANUARY: Seasons of Change
Date/Location: 1/18/25, La Lieff and We Want the Funk
LIVE Storytelling
As 2024 comes to a close, we invite you to reflect on the growth, transformation, and introspection the year has brought. Join us to share a story about an event, person, place, or experience that sparked change in your life this year.

FEBRUARY: Celebrating Black History Month
LIVE Storytelling
Date/Location: TBD (location potential in Isla Vista or Shalhoobs) “We must never forget that Black history is American history." – Yvette Clarke, U.S. Congresswoman. Celebrate Black History Month with us as we honor the rich histories, lived experiences, and voices of the Black community through live storytelling.

MARCH: Say Her Name!
LIVE Storytelling
Date/Location: 3/20/25, SB Wine Collective
Strong women are all around us. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we invite you to share a story about a woman in your life who inspires you. What makes their impact so meaningful to you? APRIL 2025: More than a Statistic: Survivor Stories
LIVE Storytelling
Date/Location: closed registration event due to sensitivity of topic In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month this April, TSC will partner with STESA and Planned Parenthood Central Coast to host an intimate storytelling event, empowering survivors of sexual assault to reclaim their narratives. **Guest pre-registration will be required**
JULY 2025: - Oh those summer nights! Golden Agers Stories Date/Location: Goleta Community Center (TBD)
LIVE Storytelling and TOT
AUGUST 2025: Growing Goleta/Creciendo Goleta
Date/Location: OTC
Sharing stories and connection to Goleta
LIVE Storytelling
SEPTEMBER: Lemon Festival (2 days) TALK-O-TRUCK only
TARGET POPULATION: Santa Barbara and Goleta communities, family friendly community oriented events.

3. Please provide the approximate number of Goleta residents your program, activity, or event will serve (or benefit) in the following year if funded.

Please be specific about the number Goleta residents who will be served. If your project serves more than only Goleta residents, please specify that breakdown.
500

4. Please check the box(es) that most accurately reflect the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding:

5. Does the program, activity, or event satisfy an unmet or under-met need in the community? If yes, please explain.

Yes, Transformational Tales, Live Storytelling & TOT address 6 key aspects for individuals and the community:

1. Fostering Community Connections:

Transformational Tales provides a platform for individuals to share their lived experiences, creating deeper understanding and empathy across diverse backgrounds. By exploring themes like growth, transformation, and resilience, guests can form meaningful connections, creating a more cohesive and compassionate community.

2. Amplifying Marginalized Voices:

This series amplifies the voices of individuals from historically underrepresented communities, including Black voices during Black History Month and survivors of sexual assault in April. Through intentional collaboration with local organizations (e.g., STESA and Planned Parenthood), we create space for these stories to be heard, validated, and celebrated. We are also actively looking for ways to collaborate with others and identify other populations to work with.

3. Inspiring Personal Transformation:

Storytelling is a powerful catalyst for self-discovery and growth. Through storytelling, people can claim their truth, selfheal, and share their life's experiences in their own words. Storytelling creates connections between people where we may not normally find commonality and preserves layers of history that inform our present lives and impact our futures.

4. Accessibility:

The events are free and open to everyone, regardless of identity or background, or socio-economic status. It is our goal that Transformational Tales brings together a diverse group with varied life experiences. Themes such as “Celebrating Black History Month” and “Say Her Name” encourage dialogue across generations and cultural perspectives. These events highlight shared challenges and achievements, while showing the interconnectedness of our experiences but also honoring the unique stories of each storyteller. 'Our experiences are different but our feelings are the same.' - Virginia Benson Wigle

6. Does the program, activity, or event aid in the prevention of future problems or conditions? If yes, please explain.

Yes, the Transformational Tales program focuses on connecting the community through storytelling which not only provides an opportunity for individuals to continue to learn resilience through their neighbors’ experiences but also strives to create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone in an increasingly lonely and isolating world. By creating an in-person gathering space, this event provides an opportunity for our guests to create new connections over shared feelings & experiences which helps to combat the epidemic of loneliness (American Medical Association classified loneliness as a public health issue).

By coming together to share real human experiences/struggles, Transformational Tales also can provide a sense of reassurance and relief for listeners and storytellers alike. When our storytellers are vulnerable about their hardships, they are sharing their stories of resilience and inspiring hope within our community. Guests may leave feeling less alone and storytellers may leave feeling heard by the community.

Storytelling is a a tool for social change:

Through the Transformational Tales series, storytelling becomes a tool to challenge stereotypes, inspire advocacy, and drive awareness. Stories like those shared during Sexual Assault Awareness Month shed light on systemic issues, while those in Black History Month uplift narratives often excluded from mainstream conversations.

Our storytelling programs are held in mostly ADA compliant locations and we are actively looking for ways we can meet the needs of anyone with disabilities. As a new organization with brand new programs, we are working with our board and collaborating organizations to consistently provide interpretation services ensuring accessibility for anyone who wishes to participate.

Our leadership team has made inclusivity and accessibility a priority. We are presently drafting our Strategic Priorities and inclusivity and accessibility are in core to each of our goals:

Create Inclusive Storytelling Programs, Build and Strengthen Community Networks, and Establish a Sustainable Organization.

Funding

Please include other grant sources either received or for which you are applying.

Yes, support from the City of Goleta would significantly enhance our ability to leverage additional resources. A partnership with the City would serve as a strong endorsement of the importance of live storytelling and crisis funding in building a resilient and connected community.

City support would demonstrate to potential funders—both national and multi-year grantmakers—that our work is recognized and valued locally. This vote of confidence would position us as a trusted and impactful organization, increasing the likelihood of attracting matching funds, multi-year investments, and other collaborative opportunities.

Additionally, this funding would strengthen our existing partnerships with 11 other local nonprofits by bolstering the infrastructure needed to deliver crisis funding and storytelling programs. It would also catalyze new initiatives, such as expanding storytelling events and further integrating live storytelling into community-building efforts across the Central Coast.

9. Are the requested funds necessary or vital in carrying out the program, activity, or event? Please specify how you will make up for any partial funding received from the City of Goleta.

If you are not awarded funding or are awarded partial funding from the City of Goleta, are there other potential funding sources your organization could pursue to ensure the program, activity, or event is successful? Yes, the requested funds are vital to the success of our programs. As a newer nonprofit, we are actively working to fundraise, build trust, and establish strong community connections to ensure the long-term sustainability of our efforts.

City of Goleta funding would provide critical support as we grow, allowing us to focus on delivering impactful programs like Crisis Funding and Community Storytelling while continuing to cultivate support from individuals, businesses, and organizations.

If partial funding is received, we will continue leveraging a diverse range of fundraising efforts, including individual donations, business sponsorships, grant opportunities, and organizational partnerships. Additionally, we will adjust program operations as needed to maintain our mission’s integrity and maximize the impact of available resources.

Your support will help us build momentum and attract future funding to sustain and grow our programs over time.

10. Does the program, activity, or event for which you are seeking funding primarily serve those with lowincomes? If yes, does your organization obtain documentation from clients on their income (e.g. tax returns, pay stubs)? Santa Barbara County ranks as the second-highest in poverty among California’s 58 counties. According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), many Americans—particularly those with lower incomes—are just "one medical bill away from poverty." The compounded hardships faced by our neighbors require immediate, impactful support to prevent hardships or crises from becoming a domino effect of challenges. Although we do not directly collect demographics we do work with 11 other nonprofits who collect that data for all Crisis Funding Clients. We do not collect data from Community Storytelling participants. As we grow we continue to partner and explore different areas to provide LIVE Storytelling events and bring Talk-O-Truck, for example looking to partner with Goleta Community Center and provide Community Storytelling event with Senior program members.

11. When was your organization last audited? Were there any findings or concerns? If yes, please explain below.

If your organization is not required to have an audit performed, please explain that below.

Our first audit will be for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.

12. How often does your organization's Board of Directors review and approve financial statements? The board reviews organization finances monthly.

13. Is there a fee charged or donation suggested for your services, event, etc? If yes, please include when the last time fee amounts were evaluated and/or updated.

Please attach a copy of the fee schedule in the Documents Tab of this application.

Fees apply to the Talk-O-Truck (TOT). The fees were evaluated this month at our Board Strategic Planning meeting.

Please see TOT Interest form document which is attached. We have not recieved any funds for TOT. To date all events TOT has attended were part of a collaboration with other nonprofits or organizations and all costs were incured by us.

14. Please provide a summary of your organization's financial position (from the most recent fiscal year's financials).

15. Does your organization have any past due obligations with any funding source (e.g. disallowed costs or unearned grants from a previous contract)? If yes, please explain.

In the past 3 years, has your organization had an IRS or State levee? If yes, are you on a repayment schedule? How was the matter resolved? Explain below.

N/A

16. Please list two references who we may contact regarding the proposed program, service, or activity.

Include the reference's name, organization (as appropriate), and a phone number where the reference can be reached.

1. Laura Capps, 805.245.5465
County Supervisor for the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, District 2

2. Marybeth Carty, 805.453.0461
Executive Director for Natalie Orfalea Foundation
[email protected]
CDBG Eligibility

17. Are you applying for CDBG funding?
To be eligible for CDBG funding, you MUST obtain clients' race and ethnicity, and total family income. Applicants may access the CDBG guide online at https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/19/basically-cdbg-trainingguidebook-and-slides/.

18. Please indicate whether your organization's client intake sheet or process includes obtaining any of the following information. Check all boxes that apply.
578,716.00 Total Assets ($)
10,393.00 Total Liabilities ($)
568,322.00 Total Net Assets ($)
578,716.00 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ($)
1,736,147.00 TOTAL
Yes
No
Name
Address or City last resided in

19. Please report the number of unduplicated clients your organization served in the following income categories from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 (or for calendar year 2024).

20. If your program or activity takes place on school grounds, have you received permission and approval from the appropriate school?
Please list the name and position of the person from whom permission was obtained. If the program or activity is not on school grounds, please put N/A.
n/a
Number of family members
Total family (household) income
Race and ethnicity
Proof of age
My organization does not obtain any of the above information from clients N/A Extremely low income (0-30% MFI)
N/A Very low income (30-50% MFI)
N/A Low-moderate income (50-80% MFI)
N/A Above moderate income (Above 80% MFI)

0.00 TOTAL
Budget top
Revenue Sources Total Program Revenue for
Current Fiscal Year
Projected Program
Revenue for Next Fiscal
Year
City of Goleta Funds $ 8,500.00
Federal $ 0.00
State $ 0.00
County
Municipal
School District $ 0.00
Foundations/Trusts $ 1,000.00
Donations/Fundraising $ 6,200.00
Fees
Other $ 0.00
Total $ 7,200.00 $ 8,500.00
Funding Uses/Expenses Expenditures for Current
Year
Expected Expenditures for
Next Year
Goleta Grant Funds:

Proposed Uses for Next
FY
Salaries, Benefits, Payroll
Taxes $ 70,000.00 $ 73,500.00 $ 6,000.00
Consultants and Contracts $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 1,525.00
Facility, Rent, Utilities,
Maintenance $ 13,200.00 $ 15,000.00 $ 475.00
Supplies $ 6,300.00 $ 7,000.00
Marketing (Printing,
Advertising) $ 1,200.00 $ 1,500.00 $ 500.00
Travel, Mileage, Training $ 500.00 $ 600.00
Equipment
(Rental/Maintenance) $ 0.00
Insurance $ 5,000.00 $ 8,000.00
Other $ 0.00
$ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Application ID: 489580
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Total $ 96,200.00 $ 105,600.00 $ 8,500.00
Budget Narrative
Funding from the City of Goleta would support our most vital expense ensuring that we pay our program staff a living wage. Our staff are the backbone of The Starfish Connection, providing critical support for both our Crisis Funding and Community Storytelling programs which operate Talk-O-Truck and Transformational Tales Live Storytelling.

Documents top
Documents Requested * Required?Attached Documents *
Nonprofit Tax Exemption Status IRS Letter
List of Board Members TSC Board
Financial statements from the most recently
completed fiscal or calendar year
Financial Statements
Financial Statements
Organizational Budget The Starfish Connection Budget
Organizational Chart
Supplemental or Additional Information TOT Interest Form Attachment 2
Grant Application Summary Worksheet
Name of Organization Project/Program FY 24-25 Grant Award FY 25-26 Grant
Request
FY 25-26 City Grant
Recommendation Reyes-Martin Kyriaco Average
Ceylon International Film Festival $ 5,000.00 $ 10,000.00 $ - Goleta Education Foundation Lemon Run 2025 $ 5,000.00 $ 10,000.00 $ - Juneteenth Santa Barbara Juneteenth 2026: Hope for the People $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00 $ - Nature Track Foundation 2025 NatureTrack Film Festival Did not apply $ 10,000.00 $ - The Starfish Connection The Power of Storytelling Talk-o-truck Did not apply $ 8,500.00 $ - Coastal Housing Coalition Community Eduation Event Did not apply $ 5,000.00 $ - Goleta Lions Club Parade Parade Expense Support $ 5,000.00 Did not apply $ - Main-Begg Farmhouse Renvoation $ 5,000.00 Did not apply $ - Amount Requested $ 48,500.00 $ - $ - $ -
Amount Granted $ 25,000.00 $ -
Totals $ (25,000.00)
$ 25,000.00

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT APPLICATIONS

Economic Development and Revitalization CommitteeMarch 19, 2025

Economic Development and Revitalization Committee
March 19, 2025