Santa Cruz City Council
November 19, 2024

Below in green is a list of awards recommended through the CORE RFP process (pages 1 – 12). The awards as recommended would be distributed across CORE Conditions and Tiers.

Refer to Appendix A for City Focus Areas & Strategies and HiAP Pillar.

CORE CONDITION
Lifelong Learning & Education:

Equitable access to high-quality education and learning opportunities.

Tier I ($150,001-$500,000)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Ventures Semillitas Ventures will continue to expand its countywide Semillitas College Savings Account program that includes providing seed deposits and milestone contribution opportunities for children from working-class households. This innovative program approaches Lifelong Learning & Education through a multi-generational approach that addresses equitable
access to high-quality education and learning opportunities for parents and their children. During the grant, Semillitas is poised to impact 6,000 Medi-Cal eligible households in
Santa Cruz County (SCC).
$500,000
Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Community Action Board of
Santa Cruz County, Inc.

Day Worker Center Day Workers, who are primarily Spanish speaking, undocumented Latino immigrants, average 7 years of
education and have few lifelong learning opportunities in SC County. They have the added barrier of the need to
unceasingly search for and provide largely manual labor $150,000

LIST OF RECOMMENDED AND NOT RECOMMENDED AWARDS FOR CORE INVESTMENTS CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Recommended Awards, Fall 2024

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with little time for a classroom. CAB’s Day Worker Center will increase access to lifelong learning opportunities through the Center’s quality learning opportunities that fit into day workers’ schedules. These learning opportunities will lead to an increase in confidence, income and a sense of inclusivity.

Tier III ($25,000 and Under)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Volunteer Center of Santa
Cruz County
Literacy Program California ranks 49th in Adult Literacy rates, with 1 in 4 California Adults unable to function at an 8th grade
competency. Our Literacy Connection engages well trained volunteers providing intensive, targeted instruction one to one and in very small groups to help local people learn rapidly, study subjects that are immediately helpful to their families using a mix of standard curricula and Survival English Skill Units. We meet learners where they are, when they need services with customized strategies that deliver measurable results using California Standardized Adult Skills tests.
$23,000
Homeless Garden Project Educational Workforce
Development and Job
Search Skills Training for
People Experiencing
Homelessness
Providing workforce development and job search skills
training sessions to people experiencing homelessness. We are requesting support for the educational training
component of our main transitional employment program.

Transitional employment is a proven method to reach
vulnerable populations, providing opportunity and access to training for individuals who need income to afford basic necessities. These workforce readiness sessions are critical to help individuals set career pathways and obtain steady
employment and housing.
$25,000
CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Recommended Awards, Fall 2024

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CORE CONDITION
Thriving Families:

Increased resilience of children and youth
Tier I ($150,001-$500,000)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Community Bridges Family Resource
Collective
Our Family Resource Centers provide evidence-based
solutions to prevent child welfare involvement by
strengthening families and preventing childhood adversity.

CORE funding will improve the lives of children trapped in the abyss of poverty, academic challenges, child abuse and mental health struggles. Our program is critical to provide these families with the tools to build better futures. By investing in culturally competent mental health services, academic support, and resource brokering, we help them
steer away from violence, incarceration, and a lifetime trapped by circumstances.
$247,500
Encompass Community
Services
Youth & Family Partners:

Bridging Gaps in Services
Awareness, Engagement
and Advocacy
To improve youth & family’s equitable access and
engagement with resiliency-building behavioral health
services and elevate staff with lived experience, we propose to integrate a youth peer partner into two of our programs.

Our youth peer partner would engage in activities for
services outreach, rapport building, and behavioral health literacy with youth & families participating in our Fuerte wraparound program and our comprehensive outpatient
substance use program. We expect youth and families to
report improved behavioral health literacy from interactions with the youth peer partner.
$240,765
CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Recommended Awards, Fall 2024

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Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Jacob's Heart Children's
Cancer Support Services
Jacob's Heart Children's
Cancer Support Services
Childhood cancer diagnosis affects the entire family. But Latino families who lack insurance, face language barriers, or have low-income are less likely to receive adequate care.

This program will improve access to bicultural support
services for families of medically fragile children. We will prevent immediate crises and lay a foundation for children and youth to thrive despite times of adversity or hardship.

Jacob’s Heart will deliver practical, financial, and behavioral health support to 122 children with cancer and 522 siblings and family members in Santa Cruz County - at no cost to them.
$149,227
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Agency of Santa Cruz
County, Inc
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Agency of Santa Cruz
County, Inc
In Santa Cruz County, many children face mental health
challenges without adequate support systems. At Big
Brothers Big Sisters, we uphold values of commitment and compassion, recognizing the transformative power of
mentorship in their lives. Through fostering meaningful relationships, we provide the necessary support to navigate life's hurdles, addressing social isolation and instilling confidence and resilience in the youth we serve. By
connecting children with caring adult mentors, we empower them to overcome obstacles and build a brighter future. $90,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa
Cruz County
SMART Moves: Youth
Mental and Behavioral
Health Support
Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County will deliver SMART Moves, an evidence-based program developed by Boys &
Girls Clubs of America that helps youth build foundational social-emotional skills, develop healthy coping and selfregulation strategies, build positive self-image, and gain a $115,000
CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Recommended Awards, Fall 2024

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positive view of their future.

Our dedicated Behavior Specialist will serve 120 youth ages 5-18 annually via the formal SMART Moves program, as well as 180 additional youth with ongoing, informal positive behavior skill-building and support provided during
afterschool and summer programs at our three Clubs.

Salad Para La Gente Health Equity & Resilience
for Pajaro Youth
Salud’s project ensures patients aged 0-24 yrs, many of whom reside in the highest need zip codes per SC County’s 2024 Health Equity Index (datasharescc.org), access the health and life care they need to build resilience and thrive.

With bilingual, culturally competent care we employ a
broad, evidence-based screening program using health,
social and life events screenings to identify concerns, make referrals and ensure access to care. Early and frequent health screenings, and identifying health and social factor needs, gives youth and families a pathway to flourish in an abundance of ways.
$150,000
Court Appointed Special
Advocates of Santa Cruz
County
Mentorship and
Advocacy for Santa Cruz
County Foster Children
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Cruz
County recruits, screens, and trains community volunteers to mentor and advocate for children under court jurisdiction due to abuse or neglect. Volunteers offer emotional support, and educational, healthcare, and legal advocacy to
address these adverse experiences. Our program provides supportive services to parents to address underlying issues determined by the court to endanger their children. By
providing nurturing relationships and resources to
overcome inequities, CASA builds resilience, health, and wellbeing of children and families.
$99,316
Community Action Board
of Santa Cruz County, Inc.

Youth Homeless
Response Team
The Youth Homeless Response Team (YHRT), part of the
local Youth Homeless Demonstration Project (YHDP)
$150,000
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Initiative, implements a diverse multidisciplinary service team to work across county systems, agencies and
locations, to identify and connect unaccompanied
homeless youth and young adults (YYA) to individualized services and assist them in resolving homelessness,
overcome barriers, and build on strengths. YHRT identifies, outreaches to and provides cross-system support to YYA to access housing, employment, safety net services,
education, and other supportive services to help YYA thrive.

Community Action Board
of Santa Cruz County, Inc.

Luna y Sol Familia Center CAB’s Alcance Program, through its Watsonville based Luna y Sol Familia Center (LyS), will engage 60 at-risk youth in regular and drop-in services focused on resiliency by
encouraging youth to create a relationship with a caring, competent adult, nurture confidence and self-regulation, and create opportunities to enrich the youth’s
developmental assets to elevate decision-making and
increase community connectedness. Parents in LyS Cara y Corazon sessions will also increase communications and
interactions with their children simultaneously participating in Luna y Sol Program.
$150,000
Tier III ($25,000 and Under)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Senderos Juventud saludable a
través de la cultura y
artes / Healthy Youth
Through Culture & Arts
Juventud saludable a través de la cultura y artes / Healthy Youth Through Culture & Arts will provide equitable access to Mexican folkloric dance and Oaxacan banda de viento (wind band) with free after school and weekend classes for lowincome Latino youth. Since 2001 Senderos has presented cultural arts events sharing Indigenous traditions of Mexico, strengthening youth resilience with positive activities and $25,000
CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Recommended Awards, Fall 2024

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pride in their heritage, supporting pathways to higher
education, encouraging family unity, creating community connections, and inclusively celebrating the rich diversity of our County.

Nourishing Generations
Educational Project
Starlight Elementary
School Nutrition and
Culinary Education
Program
Nourishing Generations will provide an integrated, experiential nutrition and culinary education program for all students attending Starlight Elementary School in Watsonville, grades TK-5, reaching approximately 400 students total. Students will each participate in a series of 12 one-hour long thematic classes at the Emeril Lagasse Teaching Kitchen on the
Starlight campus. The program will be integrated into the students' regular school day and children will participate together with their regular classmates and teacher.
$25,000

CORE CONDITION
Thriving Families:

Increased resilience among older and dependent adults
Tier I ($150,001-$500,000)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Community Bridges Elderday Santa Cruz County’s aging residents and their families face a growing challenge: systemic inequities that significantly worsen health outcomes for older adults, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, people of color, those who are socially isolated and unhoused. The scarcity of local,
affordable long-term care options exacerbates these
challenges, creating a critical need for Elderday, the county’s only adult day health program. It offers a lifeline to vulnerable $200,000
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older adults, allowing them to age at home, manage complex medical conditions, and provide respite to family caregivers.

Dignity Health Dominican
Hospital
The Senior and
Dependent Adult
Program
The Senior and Dependent Adult Program (SDAP) located at the Dignity Health Wellness Center provides accessible, affordable pathways for seniors and adults with disabilities, including dependent adults, to stay as active as possible to maintain independence, quality of life and resilience. The program provides exercise, education, & support under the supervision of licensed therapists, and is clinically integrated with Dominican Hospital programs, physicians, social work and community organizations to reduce barriers to healthcare and wellness access for low-income or marginalized
populations.
$314,356
Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Acupuncturists Without
Borders
Colectivo CARE - Focus
on Elders Program
The Colectivo CARE Focus-on Elders Program will provide free, integrative, trauma-informed healthcare to Latine* elders in Watsonville/Pajaro Valley. This program addresses the unique physical and emotional healthcare needs of this community. Services will include acupuncture, massage,
chiropractic care, indigenous therapies, and “Wellness
Circles” that help prevent and reduce chronic disease, pain, and stress. This program is an offshoot of CARE–Community Alliance for Resilience and Equity, currently funded by CORE. *Latine will be used as the inclusive term for Latino/a in this proposal.
$62,000
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Cabrillo Community
College District
Stroke & Disability
Learning Center
The Stroke and Disability Learning Center (SDLC) is an
educational program for adults with acquired
physical/neurological deficits. Through peer group classes, the program equips seniors and adults with disabilities to
maximize functional activity and socio-emotional wellness, remain active community members and reduce further
hospitalization. In addition, SDLC events and collaborations educate Cabrillo College students on barriers for adults with disabling conditions, advocating for creative solutions that build an accessible community and support resilience in older and dependent adults.
$79,575
Family Service Agency of
the Central Coast
Bill McCabe Senior Outreach provides free peer-counseling services in English and Spanish to seniors in Santa Cruz County. Trained peer counselors, who are also seniors themselves, offer inhome, confidential counseling tailored to each client's needs, enhancing their emotional and psychological well-being. They help seniors navigate issues like depression, anxiety, isolation, grief, and loneliness, while also helping them set goals for their futures and access community resources. By addressing
these issues, the program builds client resiliency so that they may lead more fulfilling lives.
$55,000
Community Action Board
of Santa Cruz County, Inc
Santa Cruz County
Immigration Project
To bridge the equity gap and increase emotional and
economic resilience for immigrant elder and dependent
adults to thrive, CAB’s Santa Cruz County Immigration Project (SCCIP) will annually:

1. Make 250 outreach contacts at Santa Cruz County senior centers, health clinics, and CBOs to promote our immigration legal services

2. Provide immigration services and legal case management to 150 elder and dependent adults

3. Provide immigration services and legal case management $100,000
CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Recommended Awards, Fall 2024

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to an additional 50 households that include an elder or dependent adult
Eat for the Earth Salud en tu
Plato/Community Rx
Studies show good health increases resilience in older adults, and a healthy diet—optimally across the lifespan— is key to good health. In our program, we lead people suffering from chronic disease through a 2-week immersion in a whole-food plant-based diet through education, practical support, and mentoring. We provide biometric tests at the beginning and end so participants can see measurable improvements and feel motivated to continue. Because Latinos in our county face disproportionate health barriers, our program is designed to be accessible, effective, and relevant for this population. $150,000
Tier III ($25,000 and Under)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Seniors Council of Santa
Cruz and San Benito
Counties
Project SCOUT Project SCOUT’s free tax program is dedicated to serving low-income residents in Santa Cruz County. As part of
CORE’s RFP for 2025-2028, Project SCOUT proposes CORE
funding to serve those most at-risk seniors and disabled in the county by Project SCOUT’s IRS Certified Volunteers.

Project SCOUT runs day-to-day operations of the free tax preparation for all of Santa Cruz County. As of the end of June 2024, Project SCOUT has saved 1,746 taxpayers about $248.00 per tax return, while putting back $2,387,221.00 in the wallets of our clients.
$25,000
Vista Center for the Blind
and Visually Impaired
Vision Loss Rehabilitation
Program
Vista Center’s mission is to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired to embrace life to the fullest through evaluation, counseling, education, and training.

Our grant-funded Vision Loss Rehabilitation Program
supports blind and visually impaired seniors living in Santa $24,882
CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Recommended Awards, Fall 2024

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Cruz County by teaching them skills necessary to adjust to vision loss, prevent isolation, regain independence, engage in community and live with dignity. Services are itinerant and customized by need.

CORE CONDITIONS
Healthy Environments:

Safe, affordable, accessible recreation spaces
Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Black Surf Santa Cruz Pop-Up Program (PUP) /
Keep PUP and Prepare to
Pop-Up Program (P2PUP)
BSSC requests funding for 2 impactful programs for FY 2025- 28:
-Prepare to Pop-Up (P2PUP): A multi-week ocean comfort
program tailored for or beginners, offering in-depth, guided instruction and building confidence in a supportive cohort. -Pop-Up Program (PUP) / Keep PUP: Provides single-day
community surf lessons. PUP offers immersive surf
experiences and ocean safety education, while Keep PUP
encourages continued recreation and functions as a casual meetup with similar educational elements.

These programs ensure equitable, safe, and inclusive
access to ocean recreation for BIPOC communities.
$86,870
Friends of Santa Cruz
County Parks DBA County
Park Friends
ParkRx Santa Cruz County
(ParkRx SCC)
ParkRx SCC provides targeted outdoor recreational activities to residents, improving park and health equity as a
condition of wellbeing. Trained providers screen for eligibility and prescribe ParkRx when indicated. ParkRx provides an Intake ParkRx Consultation, surveying patient interests, availability and transportation resources. Finally, ParkRx registers patients in matched programs, covering any fees. $121,074
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ParkRx SCC promotes physical and mental health through
diverse, patient-driven outdoor activities that reduce stress, increase physical activity, and enhance overall well-being.

O'Neill Sea Odyssey Tracey Weiss Climate-resilient communities require a new generation of environmental stewards. The county has prioritized
equitable access to K-12 climate literacy and readiness. The O’Neill Sea Odyssey is developing a new program to support environmental competence, confidence, connection, caring, character, and a sixth "C" contribution. We'll give teachers professional development, curriculum, and tools for diverse learners. This science, service, and solution-centered
education for life on a changing planet will give PVUSD students information, inspiration, and agency for positive community impact.
$56,865
Tier III ($25,000 and Under)
Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested
Volunteer Center of Santa
Cruz County
Healthy Connections Healthy Connections is in its 8th year of providing a whole person approach to supporting mentally ill adults in
achieving optimal health and wellness in Santa Cruz County through access to exercise opportunities and activities, specialized skill building to help participants with selfmanagement, and healthy food options in conjunction with the Food Bank and community grocery partners. 300 adults a year rely on this growing program to help them live
healthier lives by getting the support they need to access outdoor spaces, parks, beaches and healthy foods.
$25,000
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The CORE RFP was highly competitive, with over $15M worth of requests for $3.79M in available funds. The information below in blue (pages 13 – 39) provides a list of the applications that were not recommended for award. The programs are listed according to CORE Condition and Tiers (award size). Within each category they are listed in rank order with some application scores resulting in a tied rank.

Refer to Appendix B for City Focus Areas & Strategies and HiAP Pillar.

CORE CONDITION
Lifelong Learning & Education:

Equitable access to high-quality education and learning opportunities Tier I ($150,001-$500,000)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 2 Digital NEST, Inc. Career
Pathways
Digital NEST Watsonville provides free high-quality, tech-focused training for low-income Latinx youth who face systemic barriers to personal and financial success. Grant funding will support 40 youth (17-24 yrs old) who take part in Career Pathways each year. As youth engage in hands-on, project-based learning, they will gain technical and professional skills and confidence needed to launch tech-focused careers. We will integrate artificial intelligence literacy into the program to ensure the youth we serve understand AI principles, applications,
limitations, and ethical implications.
$197,597
3 Boys & Girls Clubs of
Santa Cruz County
Project Learn Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County will deliver Project Learn, an evidence-based practice that improves educational
outcomes by increasing students’ interest in learning, enhancing academic abilities, and improving school grades. We will serve $225,742
CORE Investments FYs 2025-28: Applications Not Recommended for Award, Fall 2024

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1,200 youth ages 5-18 each year via afterschool and summer programs at our three Clubs. Project Learn addresses the inequity in educational outcomes of youth living in low-income households via a range of strategies that include homework help, High Yield Learning Activities, incentives, goal setting, and collaboration with schools and parents.
4 Your Future is Our
Business
YFIOB Foster ED
Career
Exploration
Project
Your Future Is Our Business (YFIOB) is an existing 31-year-old nonprofit founded in 1993. CORE funding in FY 2025-28 will allow YFIOB to continue providing work-based learning opportunities such as expos, panels, speakers, internships for post-secondary students, and more to all students residing in SCC. The organization provides essential resources to combat the education system social and racial inequities, such as limited access to resources and support services. YFIOB ensures lifelong learning & education and equitable access to high-quality education and learning opportunities.
$500,000
5 Arts Council Santa Cruz
County
Mariposa Arts In Mariposa Arts, high school students find their voices and discover their creative gifts through training that supports the development of life and job skills through the arts.

Professional teaching artists mentor high school students who develop and deliver culturally relevant arts lessons in afterschool programs at 15+ PVUSD schools. Trained and
mentored youth co-teach lessons and share creative
experiences with students at elementary and middle schools.

Through programs in visual art, drama, and guitar, high school students become leaders, mentors, and role models. $285,317
6 United Way of Santa
Cruz County
Julio Andrade,
Director C2CSCC
C2CSCC will support families’ hopes and dreams by providing students with educational support, connecting families to vital resources, and building a community dedicated to equity. By fostering thriving school environments and supporting parents $497,360
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to find their voice, C2C will create opportunities for
marginalized and minoritized communities. We partner with schools to build strong, culturally responsive family
relationships and support three districts in overcoming educational disparities for lifelong learning and a strong, vibrant community.

Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 2 Coastal Watershed
Council
Watershed Rangers The Coastal Watershed Council’s (CWC) Watershed Rangers program provides critical learning opportunities for 225 youth annually in the Santa Cruz City Schools Elementary District, particularly Latinx and English Language Learners most in need of support. Watershed Rangers increases scientific literacy, improves problem-solving, and supports social-emotional development. Importantly, as this is a school-based program, this project ensures we reach those youth who experience barriers to accessing educational opportunities. This project impacts the CORE Condition of Lifelong Learning & Education. $135,667
3 Walnut Avenue Family &
Women's Center
Early Education
Center
Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center Early Education
Center serves children infancy- Prekindergarten in a statesubsidized childcare center. Families enroll their child, for little to no cost, if they need to work, seek work, seek housing or attend school and eligible is based on income, open child protective services case or exceptional developmental needs of a child. We support families, value diversity and celebrate dual language learning. This is accomplished with anti-bias curriculum, hiring bilingual staff that reflect the ethnicity of families and involving parents in decision making.
$128,000
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4 United Way of Santa Cruz
County
United Way of Santa
Cruz County United
4 Youth Santa Cruz
County
United 4 Youth Santa Cruz County (U4Y) is a neighborhood program offering vulnerable youth unique wrap-around
services and leadership support. It focuses on college and career readiness, health and wellness, economic mobility, and community engagement - aligning academic support, outdoor recreation, and peer-to-peer mental health activities to foster equitable access to high-quality education and learning opportunities. U4Y serves over 800 youth in Live Oak and Watsonville based on input from local youth and community partners with plans to expand to Capitola and Scotts Valley. $150,000
5 Santa Cruz Mountains
Trail Stewardship
Stewardship Corps Building upon our 7 years partnering with the City of Santa Cruz to provide the Summer Youth Trail Program, Santa Cruz
Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS) plans to expand this work into a robust workforce development program for underserved youth, aged 18-27 in Santa Cruz County. This program,
Stewardship Corps, will employ 2 cohorts of 8 youth for 6 months each (January-June and July-December), providing them with salary, technical training, work experience, and building their professional networks.
$150,000
6 - tied Santa Cruz Toddler Care
Center
Santa Cruz Toddler
Care Center
Since 1977, the Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center (SCTCC) has provided high quality, award winning, affordable childcare and wraparound services – including nutritious hot meals,
supportive home visits and parent support and education – to a diverse population of Santa Cruz families with 1-3 year olds.

Our robust scholarship program has allowed us to serve
hundreds of low income children. Funding from CORE
Investments would allow SCTCC to expand enrollment and
further subsidize our high quality childcare program for low income Santa Cruz County families by 25% – over FY 2025 - 2028.
$107,462
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6 - tied Save Our Shores Save Our Shores
Junior Sanctuary
Stewards Program
Save Our Shores Junior Sanctuary Stewards (JSS) is an existing 12-week afterschool program for middle school students.

Developed with a high-school Youth Advisory Board, JSS offers weekly field trips to different ecosystems, engaging students in hands-on environmental education. The program addresses transportation barriers, ensuring safe supervised experiences.

Key objectives include increasing access to coastal
ecosystems, fostering environmental stewardship, and
introducing youth to conservation careers in underserved communities, aiming to inspire the next generation of ocean leaders.
$72,421
7 Santa Cruz Children's
Museum of Discovery
Santa Cruz
Children's Museum
of Discovery
Science Playdate in
the Park/Cita de
Juegos Científicos
en el Parque
The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery proposes an extension of our 10-years of providing robust science education in our county by taking our early childhood learning into South County Parks. Our proposed “Science Playdate in the Park/ Cita de Juegos Científicos en el Parque” Program would set up monthly, bilingual playdates in popular South County Parks where families (especially those with preschool-aged children) would engage in open-ended exploration fostering curiosity, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking–crucial for equitable access to future academic success.
$56,517
8 - tied El Sistema Santa
Cruz/Pajaro Valley
El Sistema Santa
Cruz/Pajaro Valley
As a well-established afterschool music program serving 1,200 preK-12 students in Watsonville, we recognize that our youth are potential leaders who may not yet realize their full potential.

To support their growth, we propose starting a Youth Elevate Cohort to achieve the following goals through music:
- Cultivate leaders who can advocate for themselves and their peers, driving positive change within the community.
- Strengthen community ties, increase youth visibility and contributions, and foster a sense of belonging and pride. $32,712
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8 - tied Santa Cruz Museum of
Natural History
Santa Cruz Museum
of Natural History
SCMNH’s Education Program serves thousands of SCC youth annually with hands-on learning experiences both on-site & at local parks. We provide K-5 nature science school programs and youth programs for students across Santa Cruz County.

Programming includes: Our Animal Neighbors (K-2nd Grade), The First Peoples of Santa Cruz (K-4th Grade), Nature Rangers (4th Grade), & After School Programs (K-8th Grade). In 2024, we provided over 6,000 SCC youth with education experiences through 293 school programs.
$50,000
9 Community Action Board
of Santa Cruz County,
Inc.

Floreciendo en
Comunidad
In Santa Cruz County (SCC) & Pajaro Valley (PV), poverty harms Indigenous language speakers (ILS) at a disproportionately higher rate than other demographics, remaining least
connected to systems & services. Language barriers
compound existing inequities for ILS & exacerbate their inability to access high quality education & learning opportunities.

Through Floreciendo en Comunidad, CAB will mentor & develop leadership skills of ILS promotores and connect them & their ILS contacts to yearly quality learning opportunities, increasing their access to resources & sense of community
connectedness.
$120,000
Tier III ($25,000 and Under)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 3 Senderos Plaza Comunitaria:

Aprendiendo a su
proprio ritmo /
Learning at your
own pace
Plaza Comunitaria (PC) is a free education and resource center for adults that presents different activities throughout the year. The primary goal for PC is promoting literacy with Spanish speaking adults who may have little or no formal education. PC offers basic education skill building in Spanish literacy, basic English, computer literacy training, financial $25,000
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education, and a pathway to further learning at Adult
Education or Cabrillo College. Activities are presented in Spanish and English in person and online at an accessible school location provided by Santa Cruz City Schools.
4 X Academy X Academy The X Academy requests operating support for middle school Math Circle and Math Festivals for 5th to 8th grade students.

Funds will enable the Executive Director to build trusted relationships with school administrators, teachers and parent clubs at underserved schools to identify and personally invite talented students to benefit from STEM offerings. Staff will mentor a Digital NEST intern to supplement outreach with parent communications and organize a network of STEM
program providers to expand student participation
countywide through collective efforts.
$25,000
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CORE CONDITION
Thriving Families:

Increased resilience of children and youth
Tier I ($150,001-$500,000)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 3 Pajaro Valley Prevention
and Student Assistance
Renforzando
FamiliasReinforcing
Families
“Together we do much more” this is how the idea of
Renforzando Familias (Reinforcing Families) came about. The implementation of Renforzando Familias will be a two-part process. With the implementation of strengths and evidence based, culturally community accepted programming via the utilization of both La Cultura Cura and Positive Discipline curriculums. Participants will take part as a family in multiple programming depending on their age. Part one will
compromise in engaging in La Cultura Cura curriculum part two will be the continuum with Positive Discipline.
$315,582
4 SANTA CRUZ BARRIOS

UNIDOS INC
Barrios Unidos
Youth Program
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos requests funding for FY 2025-28 to support our Youth Program under the Thriving Families grant through CORE. Our program aims to provide comprehensive support to children and adolescents, focusing on academic enrichment, emotional well-being, economic support,
leadership development, and cultural empowerment. We
serve diverse, underserved populations, promoting equity and inclusion through culturally relevant activities. Our goal is to foster a safe, supportive environment where youth can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
$166,666
5 Housing Matters Childcare
Navigation &
Assistance for
Families
Our childcare navigation and assistance program builds on the foundational support provided by our Rebele Family
Shelter, which offers safe, temporary shelter for families with children who are experiencing homelessness. Our new
$156,141
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Experiencing
Homelessness
initiative will enhance our shelter’s core services by
addressing the critical need for early, after-school, and summer childhood care. The program will help families
secure subsidized childcare for children aged 12 and under, allowing parents to focus on finding stable housing and employment while ensuring their children receive essential education and stability.
6 Santa Cruz Community
Health Centers
Advancing
Pediatric Health
Equity: Preparing
for School Success
Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) will support the
resilience of SCC youth by increasing the engagement of patients ages 3-17 in pro-health activities linked to resiliency and school success. These evidence-based practices include well-child visits, screening and preventive care, counseling, chronic disease management, mental health integration,
family-centered care, and care coordination. During the grant period, SCCH will ensure that an increased percentage of their children/adolescent patient population engage in these activities and receive additional services, as necessary. $400,000
7 Second Harvest Food
Bank Santa Cruz County
Program Alimenta Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County (SHFB SCC) is a nonprofit founded in 1972. CORE funding for FY 2025-28 will enable SHFB SCC to: 1) address the high percentage of
children in Santa Cruz County (SCC) experiencing food
insecurity; 2) promote health and wellness programs in SCC schools & increase participation; 3) tackle the poor health outcomes children in SCC face due to food insecurity; and 4) improve equitable access to anti-poverty benefits for at-risk families in SCC. SHFB SCC aims to support thriving families, ultimately enhancing the resilience of SCC children and youth.
$500,000
8 United Way of Santa Cruz
County
United Way’s
Santa Cruz County
United Way’s Santa Cruz County Youth Action Network (YAN) empowers youth and transforms communities by connecting them to resources, catalyzing positive change, and
$300,001
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Youth Action
Network
amplifying their voices in decision-making. YAN cultivates leadership through workshops and mentorship, equipping
young citizens to influence local governance and civic affairs.

It bridges generations through collaborations that foster innovative solutions and mutual growth, promoting equity and inclusion for all youth. YAN sparks community resilience and address social issues, shaping a future where every young person can thrive.
9 Families In Transition -
Santa Cruz
Guaranteed
Income Pilot:

Project Cosecha"
Guaranteed Income projects are being rolled out across the nation to assess efficacy in their use as a means to help close California’s racial wealth gap. The project will serve children 0-18 years of age and 18-24 year old head of
households with $1,000 monthly cash payments for up to 3 years with no restrictions on how funds are spent. Outcome goals are to increase participant resilience and well-being by reducing stress caused by income volatility, food insecurity and uncertain time available for participants to access community resources and experience community
interconnectedness.
$180,000
Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 6 Community Action Board
of Santa Cruz County, Inc.

Rental Assistance
Program
CAB’s Rental Assistance Program (RAP) is a long-standing eviction prevention program that assists low-income people, primarily families with children, across the County and City of Santa Cruz who struggle to make rent. RAP’s vital rent
assistance is an effective homelessness prevention program that allows families with children and low-income
households to stay housed and thrive in our high cost of living area through temporary challenges to housing and family $150,000
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stability such as unplanned medical or car bills, or other financial crises such as job loss/reduction or family
transitions.
7 Community Action Board
of Santa Cruz County, Inc.

Davenport
Resource Service
Center
CAB's Davenport Resource Service Center will offer 45 rurally isolated, low-income North County youth a spectrum of
Youth Resiliency building services/programs to counter the inequities and barriers they face. Based on the Search
Institute's Youth Developmental Assets Framework,
services/programming will include: Homework Club
(Tutoring), Teen Center (Mentoring support), Summer
Recreation/Food Program, Leadership Development
(Ambassadors ages 18-24 and Youth Congress ages 8-18),
and monthly Food Distributions. Case management will also enable parents to support their youths to thrive.
$125,000
8 - tied LATIN ADVOCACY

NETWORK-LATINAN
Claudia Abasto LATINAN will be the first nonprofit in Santa Cruz County, specifically in Watsonville, offering free family law services.

Unaccompanied minors, who have faced abandonment or
violence, must navigate both family law and immigration processes to stay in the U.S. Currently, we refer these children to family law attorneys before assisting with their
immigration needs. By hiring a family law attorney, LATINAN will provide seamless legal support, ensuring these
vulnerable minors get comprehensive help without being
referred elsewhere.
$131,844
8 - tied Mountains 2 Sea Inc. Mountains 2 Sea Mountains 2 Sea (MTNS2SEA) partners with alternative high schools to support youth with a weekly, off-campus healing experience in nature. MTNS2SEA is designed to provide youth with tools to manage stress and anxiety, learn ways to enjoy the benefits of nature, build confidence through challenging activities, and develop healthy relationships with peers and caring adult mentors. To achieve lasting impact, each group $28,762
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leaves campus to adventure in nature one day per week for 12-weeks to develop sustained personal growth and
increased resilience.
8 - tied Walnut Avenue Family &
Women's Center
Youth Violence
Prevention
Program
Walnut Avenue's Youth Prevention Program utilizes EB
curricula and a Positive Youth Development framework to increase resiliency in children and youth, amplify youth voices, and raise expectations for healthy relationships, equipping marginalized youth with the necessary tools for equity and positive social change for themselves and their community. Our programs use a gender-inclusive, antiracist, strengths based, and healing centered perspective to support participants to overcome the impact of ACE's,
strenghten family bonds and increase safety for the
community.
$134,354
9 FoodWhat Incorporated FoodWhat
Incorporated
At FoodWhat (FW), we provide a meaningful space where
youth define and cultivate their empowerment, liberation and well-being by developing relationships with land, food, and each other. FW youth use organic farming, nourishing food, and loving community as vehicles to grow on their own terms and in lasting ways. On the farm, youth access growth
opportunities related to 1) deep relationships with healthy food 2) economic security through paid whole-person job training 3) socioemotional health 4) environmental
connectedness and 5) personal empowerment.
$145,000
10 Santa Cruz City Schools Family
Engagement
Initiative
Santa Cruz City Schools seeks funding for the Family
Engagement Initiative to boost parent involvement in
combating chronic absenteeism, youth violence, and
adverse childhood experiences linked to poverty. This
initiative aims to improve student and family wellness by helping connect the community with support and resources.

A Family Engagement Coordinator will lead the district-wide $150,000
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implementation of new and existing programs, prioritizing outreach to our highest-need families, with a focus on our Latino and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. 11 NAMI Santa Cruz County Mental Health
Support for
Thriving Youth
Requested funding will support inclusive and equitable nocost mental health services for youth and their families which foster empowerment, build resilience, and strengthen
supportive connections so that youth can thrive and have healthy futures. NAMISCC’s Youth Mental Health Program
provides educational presentations for youth, in-depth multiweek classes for caregivers, and support groups for caregivers of youth who struggle with their mental health. All services are led by trained “peers” who have lived experience of mental health challenges, either their own or those of a child/loved one.
$108,756
12 Monarch ServicesServicios MonarcaSalud y Monarca We are requesting funding for a Salud y Monarca, a youth empowerment, safety, and wellness enrichment program
designed for middle and high school students in Santa Cruz County. This school-based initiative aims to enhance selfconfidence, safety, and leadership skills among students, with a special focus on at-risk Latinx youth. These students statistically face higher risks of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and adverse childhood
experiences.
$139,978
13 - tied Monarch ServicesServicios MonarcaTheraupetic Services for
Children and Youth
Individual therapeutic services for child and youth survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Family therapeutic services for child and youth survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault. $141,589
13 - tied Paws Helping People DBA:

UnChained
Caines Teaching
Compasion
Our Canines Teaching Compassion (CTC) program pairs
dogs in need of training with at-promise youth to build selfesteem and empathy. Youth train dogs in basic skills, while developing values of patience, respect and responsibility for $99,890
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themselves and others, through the trust and relationship building with their program dogs.

Our goal is to prevent youth from becoming involved in the juvenile justice system and to keep them from re-entering, by supporting their life skill development. The number one indicator of adult incarceration is juvenile incarceration. 14 Safe Families for Children
Monterey Bay
Safe Families for
Children Monterey
Bay
Safe Families for Children is a community based program dedicated to keeping kids safe and
families together. Stepping in upstream, volunteers come alongside families facing inequity and
crisis to provide stabilization and support with the mission of adverting potential child abuse
and neglect, deflecting children from foster care. Our free program is predicated on the belief
that the well-being of children is the responsibility of all of us, and by expanding our volunteer
mobilization program we will effectively serve the ever growing number of families seeking our
help so they can thrive.
$53,500
15 Advocacy-Inc Patient Rights
Advocacy
The Patient Rights Advocate Program (PRA) at Advocacy-Inc has been in operation since 1975. PRA is a state mandated program charged with rights protection and advocacy for all mental health consumers. The program consists of two staff members who serve these facilities: Been Lomond, Wheellock, Casa Pacifica, Telos, 7th Avenue and Front Street. The
program conducts hearing representations and complaint
resolution at Telecare’s Crisis Stabilization Program. We’re preparing for the opening of the first 25 bed inpatient county crisis unit, for minors and assisting with 5150 hearings. $108,384
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16 Positive Discipline
Community Resources
Less Stess More
Joy with Positive
Discipline
Positive Discipline (PD) is a relationship-based program providing a reflective, inter-generational healing space for adults and youth to gain social-emotional support and life skills. PD facilitates shifting from punitive punishment, disconnection and shame-based strategies, to strategies that promote mutual respect, dignity and connection. Going beyond changing behavior to viewing all behavior as
purposive, PD helps children (and adults) develop a sense of belonging and belief in themselves to develop healthy
relationships resulting in happier, healthier families and communities.
$35,000
17 MENtors Driving Change
for Boys, Men and Dads
Deutron Kebebew Our Thriving Families initiative aims to create safe, nurturing environments that promote optimal health and well-being for all family members across generations. This MENtors program focuses on developing assets, social-emotional
regulation, and addressing childhood trauma, abuse, and neglect. By offering comprehensive support, we strive to enhance family resilience, fostering a community where
every member can thrive. Our evidence-based strategies are designed to build stronger, healthier families, ensuring longterm positive impacts on their well-being. $149,999
18 - tied Community Health Trust
of Pajaro Valley
Roxanne Porter Community Health Trust (CHT) requests $150,000 from CORE Funding to support the growth and transformation of the Diabetes Health Center (DHC) into a Healthy Living Center.

This process entails a focus on empowering individuals to make daily choices that truly impact their well-being. This evolution will allow the Diabetes Health Center to guide and support individuals in cultivating lifestyles characterized by healthy eating habits, consistent physical activity, and mindful decision-making. We aim to inspire a communitywide embrace of wellness as a way of life. $50,000
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18 - tied Family Service Agency
Central Coast
Suicide Prevention
Services
We are requesting funding to support Family Services Agency Central Coast, Suicide Prevention Services Education and Training Program.

Suicide Prevention Awareness presentations and trainings (delivered in Spanish and English) will focus on three primary at-risk groups; teenagers, Spanish speaking and suicide loss survivors. Attendees will learn about suicide warning signs, how painful feelings escalate into suicidal thoughts, and how to get help for themselves and/or others.
$42,525
19 Parents Center Rooted Support:

Thriving Parents
Create Thriving
Families
Our new program would address the gaps that we have
observed both in our own services and county-wide to
support struggling families. This program would provide:
psychoeducational groups to parents of children and teens that are struggling with their mental health;
psychoeducational support groups for parents involved with Family and Children’s Services (FCS); psychoeducational groups for resource (formerly “foster”) families; and Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM) groups. Each group would include food and therapeutic childcare, and a flex fund to address families’ financial needs.
$149,155
Tier III ($25,000 and Under)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 3 Girls Inc. of the Central
Coast
Education and
Leadership
We will offer our ECHO Leadership and Mentoring program to young women, ages 15-18, facilitated by trained peer leaders, that focuses on providing them opportunities to explore and envision a future that includes educational attainment and economic self-sufficiency, while helping them overcome
substantial cultural and economic barriers to their success. $14,000
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This program inspires girls to achieve lifelong wellness, develop leadership and public speaking skills, advocate for themselves and others, and avoid unhealthy behaviors and relationships that may deter them from accomplishing their goals.
4 Girls Inc. of the Central
Coast
Embracing
Leadership and
Educational Goals
We will offer a week-long summer program for girls entering high school, held on the UC Santa Cruz college campus. This program, updated from our previously funded Smart Choices, offers girls opportunities to experience college life while gaining multiple skills that will help them plan for high school, college and a career, attain optimal health and wellness, and embrace their roles as leaders. The program inspires girls to see themselves as leaders who are educated, self-confident, and healthy young women, capable of overcoming cultural and economic obstacles to their success.
$19,800
5 Girls Inc. of the Central
Coast
Making Healthy
Choices
We will offer two programs to girls, ages 9-14, that inspire them to set health and wellness goals that include
developing healthy relationships, practicing assertive
communication skills, avoiding unhealthy behaviors,
managing stress, handling conflict, gaining knowledge of reproductive health, and learning how to identify and stand up for their values. Programs are facilitated by two Youth Leaders who are guides and role models for the younger girls. $12,400
6 Girls Inc. of the Central
Coast
Communication
and Exploration
We will offer two programs for girls, ages 8-12, that (1) develop skills in and enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and career exploration, fitness, nutrition, media literacy, art, and personal development activities; and (2) increase positive communication between mothers, fathers, or guardians and their 10 -12-year-old daughters, helping them discuss questions about sexual
behavior and puberty without embarrassment.
$8,150
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CORE CONDITION
Thriving Families:

Increased resilience among older and dependent adults
Tier I ($150,001-$500,000)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 3 -
tied
Community Bridges Meals on Wheels
for Santa Cruz
County
As our aging population soars, so does the hidden struggle of food insecurity. Meals on Wheels fosters resilience among older adults who are facing systemic inequities. About 55% are isolated and live alone, and 59% are nutritionally at-risk. Our dedicated staff and volunteers deliver prepared meals to older adults who can no longer afford or make their own meals due to poverty, illnesses and disabilities. We also serve meals at four congregate dining halls to encourage socialization and provide free transportation. Our meals adhere to Dietary Guidelines for Americans over 60 years of age.
$500,000
3 -
tied
Dientes Community
Dental Care
Equitable Dental
Care for Seniors
Oral health is essential to your overall physical well-being. Yet, 73% of seniors with Medi-Cal are not going to the dentist.

Dientes is a critical part of the healthcare safety net, providing 17,000 appointments yearly to approximately 3,000 older adults aged 60+. The ‘Equitable Dental Care for Seniors’ program offers affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive dental care to seniors with low incomes, removing common barriers like cost and transportation to achieve equitable access to care and provide the dignity that comes with a healthy smile. CORE would fund a critical 1,000 visits.
$250,000
4 Grey Bears Healthy Food
Program
The Grey Bears Healthy Food Program combats food insecurity and social isolation to achieve improved health and well-being $462,025
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for Santa Cruz County’s growing senior population (33% of residents) by offering a consistent source of healthy, low/no cost, mostly organic food through weekly Healthy Food Bag delivery, a free grocery market and daily hot meals onsite. The spectrum of food provision options ensures diverse needs of seniors are met, and as volunteers (67% seniors) engage participants in each food delivery aspect, both build social connections by activating their own whole-person health. 5 Institute on Aging Elder Abuse
Prevention
Program
Institute on Aging’s Elder Abuse Prevention Program will provide education, outreach, and strategic partnerships to prevent and respond to the elder and dependent abuse in SCC. EAP holds Multidisciplinary Team meetings for members of the
community, services providers, and local senior programs to present cases and to learn about resources available to elder abuse victims. EAP also provides mandated reporter training and public education sessions virtually and in-person to allow for questions and engagement in English and Spanish, building resilience to support older and dependent adults.
$347,515
6 Senior Network Services Aging and
Community
Senior Network Services (SNS), a 50 year old nonprofit, is submitting for Aging in Community. The funds will support seniors living in skilled nursing and residential facilities (Ombudsman), seniors on Medicare (HICAP), seniors seeking to remain in their own homes and those seeking a place to live Shared Housing Program (SHP), and Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) that provides grants to informal, unpaid, family caregivers to support the caregiving relationship, and the critical Information and Assistance Program (I&A), the starting point and referral source for seniors in the County.
$206,939
7 Institute on Aging Friendship Line The Institute on Aging Friendship Line (FL) has been operating for 51 years and is California’s largest warmline for older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers who are
$273,371
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experiencing social isolation and loneliness. The FL is supported by highly trained staff and peers and volunteers that are fluent in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin,
Vietnamese, Korean and Tagalog. The call center staff are trained in emotional support as well as crisis intervention, APS reporting, and suicide assessment and intervention.
8 Institute on Aging Senior Injury
Prevention
Program
The Senior Injury Prevention Program (SIPP) aims to reduce falls among older adults, especially in underserved rural areas. It adapts successful elements from Alameda County to Santa Cruz County, focusing on community engagement,
partnerships, education, and individualized home assessments.

SIPP offers home modifications, prioritizing rural and
underserved community members (e.g. CalAIM participants) and leveraging evidence-based practices like Bingocize. The program enhances safety, independence, and quality of life for seniors, addressing inequities in access to care and support. $326,614
9 Encompass
Community Services
Health Equity II The “Health Equity II” proposal seeks to improve health equity and lifespans of persons served in our residential treatment service lines. A majority of premature deaths of people who struggle with severe mental illness and substance disorders due to physical medical conditions are preventable.

Environments that promote physical activity, healthy eating habits, and community support can have protective effects. $373,359
10 -
tied
People First of Santa
Cruz County
The Village River Village is a partnership between Downtown Streets Team (DST), People First of Santa Cruz County (PFSCC), The Homeless Garden Project (HGP), the Association of Faith Communities (AFC), and the Coastal Watershed Council (CWC). The
proposal is a 24/7, non-congregant, transitional housing Village of 30 Pallet shelters of under 100 sq. ft. for living and community space for sanitary needs and meetings. The area will be fenced and admittance will be controlled. The
$500,000
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community will focus on collaboration, sanitation, structure, and social services.
10 -
tied
Santa Cruz Art League Ageless Arts
Initiative
Santa Cruz Art League's Ageless Arts Initiative uplifts Santa Cruz County's seniors, including BIPOC and economically
disadvantaged individuals, through subsidized arts access. Our Ageless Arts initiative placemaking efforts address seniors' social, emotional, and cultural needs, fostering creativity, connection, and inclusivity. By mitigating loneliness and isolation through ongoing arts workshops, classes, and
community projects, we enhance mental health, cognitive function, and overall well-being, strengthening our diverse community and improving seniors' quality of life.
$498,200
11 Senior Legal Services Jude Bedel Senior Legal Service's Eviction Prevention Collaborative (EPC) seeks funding for FY 2025-28 to provide no-cost legal
assistance and eviction protection for underrepresented, lowincome, and undocumented populations in Santa Cruz County.

Partnering at no cost with Community Bridges' Family Resource Centers for referrals and the Conflict Resolution Center (CRC), the EPC approach includes negotiating new leases, ensuring habitability, and preventing illegal evictions. We leverage local advocacy, legal expertise, and mediation skills to promote stable housing and prevent homelessness.
$300,000
12 Mental Health Client
Action Network
Mental Health
Client Action
Network
The Living in Dignity program enhances services due to added pressure of laws criminalizing homelessness and includes safe transportation and all essential self-care and self-sufficiency needs and appointments. Maintains a healthy community by providing essential shower and laundry services. The Program addresses the community barriers to access to hygiene
services due psychological states. Builds on the availability of a full spectrum of services from prevention and early intervention $286,482
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to episodic and ongoing treatment services, including best practice models..

Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 6 Vets4Vets Santa Cruz RESILIENCE

BUILDING OF

ELDERLY VETERANS
Vets4Vets is a non-profit 503(c)e in Santa Cruz providing a range of services to veterans across the county. Our goal is to expand services to benefit more veterans, especially those who are isolated, unhoused, experiencing chronic physical or mental health challenges/crisis, and disconnected from
community life due to poverty or disability. Our expanded programs aim to address veterans’ social determinants of health, increase access to physical and mental health, and create pathways to build their resilience, quality of life, reintegration, and ability to thrive in society after service. $50,000
7 NAMI Santa Cruz
County
NAMI Santa Cruz
County
Requested funding will support mental health services for older adults including outreach to people in the community who may need our services, classes to learn about mental health conditions and the resources available, and support groups to build coping skills and reduce isolation. These essential services help older adults to build resilience in the face of mental health challenges, either their own or that of an adult child or loved one. All services are led by trained “peers” (people with lived experience of mental health challenges, either their own or those of a loved one).
$132,964
8 -
tied
Volunteer Center of
Santa Cruz County
Empowered Aging The Empowered Aging Programs offers a pathway of services that promote healthy aging and allow seniors to remain
independent, physically active and engaged in community.

Aging in place and living independently is possible for many people, but doing so requires resources that a lot of our older $60,000
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adult neighbors need support with. Without targeted, easy to access interventions and support, our senior neighbors who are living alone, lower or fixed income, have physical mobility challenges will experience loss of independence, poor quality of life, die younger and have more injuries.
8 -
tied
Walnut Avenue Family
& Women's Center
Family Fortification
Project
The Family Fortification Project addresses the gap in support that survivors of interpersonal violence encounter when crisis intervention services fail to meet all their needs. Walnut Ave. uses a strength-based approach to service provision and by adding case management to our already robust survivor
services, we can help navigate the survivor and their families through the myriad of systems designed to support family growth. Walnut Ave has been providing support to families for over 90 years and is well known to provide inclusive, culturally responsive and trauma informed care to survivors.
$128,201
9 -
tied
Senior Citizens
Organization of the
San Lorenzo Valley
Highlands Park
Senior and
Community Center
The Highlands Park Senior and Community Center (HPS&CC) serves the San Lorenzo Valley. We help the whole community, especially older adults, remain engaged and involved by offering education, recreation and social programs. CORE funding will (1) expand the utilization of our facility from currently 15 hours per week to 30 hours; (2) support more outreach to partners and Valley residents, increasing
participation; and, (3) provide more targeted, effective programming to meet participants' needs. We will add .75 FTE for outreach and program coordination, and 1/2 FTE for facility assistant.
$50,000
9 -
tied
Teen Kitchen Project Teen Kitchen
Project
Teen Kitchen Project (TKP) provides home-delivered, medically tailored meals to critically and chronically ill people in Santa Cruz County. Demographics of meal recipients: 60% seniors, 87% low-income. The program has been proven to improve
health outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Meals are
$150,000
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designed by our in-house Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Executive Chef, prepared by teen chefs (who learn valuable workforce and life skills while giving back to their community), and delivered by volunteer adults who perform weekly wellness checks for meal recipients.
10 New Way Homes Housing Santa
Cruz County
Housing Santa Cruz County (HSCC) seeks funding for the
Affordable Housing Advocacy Training Program, which aims to empower nonprofits and community members with the skills and knowledge needed to advocate for affordable housing solutions. This program will offer workshops, advocacy toolkits, and resources to align efforts with local government initiatives, enhance policy influence, and drive community engagement.

We aim to build a strong, informed network capable of
advancing housing equity and ensuring sustainable, affordable housing for all.
$75,000
Tier III ($25,000 and Under)
Rank Agency Program Program Description Amount Requested 3 Association of Faith
Communities of
Santa Cruz County,
Inc.

Mobile Shower
Program
AFC’s mobile shower program provides the dignity of hot showers to individuals who otherwise wouldn’t have access. It primarily serves unhoused residents but also has served children and teen camps, theater groups, and more. Shower guests receive a clean towel, soap and shampoo, clean socks, if needed, and access to resources to help them move
forward. The program has historically served north and midcounty, but is shifting to focus on south county, where the program currently serves as the only shower option for
unhoused residents.
$25,000
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4 Urban Works Santa
Cruz
ryan althaus Seniors and adult children living with a disability share a common theme of loneliness in our fast-paced, tech heavy, world—a world that has largely passed them by. This program pairs the two despondent populations through art, recreation and gardening in a way which allows the unique gifts of each neighbor to heal the other in a compassionate and
companionship-oriented way. We will be starting accessible gardens and leading yoga at various senior centers alongside our disabled clientele that unite and empower two subgroups that battle isolation and discrimination.
$20,000
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CORE CONDITION
Healthy Environments:

Safe, affordable, accessible recreation spaces
Tier II ($25,001-$150,000)
Rank
Agenc
y Program Program Description Amount Requested
4 Santa Cruz Lesbian and
Gay Community Center
The Diversity
Center’s Health
and Wellbeing
Initiative
Recreation space is defined as a place that provides
recreational activities including classes, arts, sports, special events and workshops for youth and adults in the surrounding communities. The Diversity Center is an intergenerational wellbeing recreational center that faces the challenge of disproportionately high levels of mental and physical health issues including isolation, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, depression, and suicide in the LGBTQ+ community by creating access to safe and affirming recreational activities such as outdoor experiences, physical exercise, and recreation therapy. $149,900
5 Central Coast YMCA Healthy Family
Homes
In FY2025-28, Central Coast YMCA will address gaps in health equity among low-income residents in the Watsonville area by establishing its existing Healthy Family Homes program at its Watsonville branch location. During each year of the grant period, Central Coast YMCA will engage 30 low-income families in no-cost exercise, preventive wellness, healthy cooking and eating classes, and community-building events and activities aimed at promoting health and wellness while strengthening community bonds in the Watsonville area.
$30,000
6 Coastal Watershed
Council
River Stewards
Program
The Coastal Watershed Council’s (CWC) River Stewards
Program engages unhoused individuals in enhancing the public Santa Cruz Riverwalk as they chart a path out of homelessness.

This program impacts the CORE Condition of Healthy
$149,991
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Environments by creating safe, affordable, and accessible recreational spaces that support the health and well-being of all community members. The program impacts the primary
focus population of 25 unhoused individuals per year who participate in the program, and the secondary focus population of 10,061 people living in neighborhoods along the lower San Lorenzo River.
7 Volunteer Center of Santa
Cruz County
YouthServe Service Camps engage youth in environmental stewardship at parks, nonprofits and open spaces throughout Santa Cruz County. This program improves public parks and recreation areas, while youth connect with their community, develop skills, and build meaningful relationships with supportive adults and peers. Each Service Camp brings together 10-15 kids for meaningful community service, paired with outdoor recreation and environmental education, during school holidays and weekends, building the lifetime habit of service and
experiencing the benefits of social connection!
$35,000
8 Farm Discovery at Live
Earth
Farm Discovery
at Live Earth
Farm Discovery seeks $450,000 over three years for the Open Fields Access Program, providing equitable opportunities for local youth and families to engage in farming, hiking, and environmental stewardship. We aim to create a safe
environment for connections with nature, using farming for conservation and stewardship. Located on 150 diverse acres in the Pajaro Valley, we restore ecological balance through the ecological justice framework. CORE funding will support farm field trips, summer farm camps, overnight farm school
experiences, and community engagement days for
underserved neighbors.
$150,000
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Appendix A – List of Recommended, Strategic Plan Focus Areas, and HiAP Agency Program City Focus Areas & Strategies HiAP Pillars Acupuncturists
Without Borders
Colectivo CARE -
Focus on Elders
Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being: This
program improves both physical and mental
health outcomes for vulnerable Latine elders,
enhancing community well-being by
preventing chronic disease and reducing
reliance on more costly healthcare services.

Equity: The program specifically addresses the
healthcare needs of Latine elders, a
traditionally underserved and marginalized
community, thereby working to reduce health
disparities.

Sustainability: The focus on integrative and
preventative healthcare reduces long-term
health costs and supports sustainable health
outcomes.

Public Health: By improving the overall health
of elderly residents through accessible,
trauma-informed care, the program
promotes healthier aging and reduces the
need for acute medical interventions.

Big Brothers Big
Sisters Agency of
Santa Cruz County,
Inc
Big Brothers Big
Sisters Agency of
Santa Cruz County,
Inc
Public Safety & Community Well-Being:

Mentorship fosters resilience and socialemotional skills in youth, providing the foundation for well-being and positive life
outcomes. By offering mentorship to children,
Big Brothers Big Sisters contributes to building
healthier, more resilient communities,
reducing risks of criminal behavior and
improving public safety.

Equity: By providing mentorship to children
facing adversity, particularly those in lowincome or marginalized communities, this program fosters equal access to positive role
models, enhancing life opportunities for atrisk youth. The program actively works to reduce disparities in mental health, education,
and social mobility among youth, ensuring
that all children, regardless of background,
have the support to thrive.

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Sustainability: Mentorship creates lasting
impacts on individuals and communities by
empowering youth to make healthier life
choices, contributing to future social and
economic sustainability. By helping children
build resilience and confidence, the program
fosters a self-sustaining community where
future generations are equipped to overcome
challenges and contribute positively to
society.

Public Health: Children who are connected
with mentors often experience better mental
health outcomes, improved emotional wellbeing, and enhanced coping skills. By addressing childhood adversity, the program
contributes to healthier, more resilient
communities over the long term, promoting a
holistic view of public health that goes beyond
physical health to include mental and
emotional well-being.

Black Surf Santa Cruz Pop-Up Program
(PUP) / Keep PUP
and Prepare to PopUp Program (P2PUP)
Natural & Built Infrastructure: By offering
ocean safety education and surf lessons to
underserved communities, Black Surf Santa
Cruz improves access to recreational spaces
and builds community resilience through
physical activity. This program fosters access
to the natural environment, promoting public
health and well-being while supporting equity
and inclusivity in outdoor recreation.

Equity: Ensures equitable access to surfing
and ocean safety education, particularly for
BIPOC communities, offering safe and
inclusive recreation.

Sustainability: Builds community resilience
and promotes long-term health through
ocean activities and environmental
education.

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Public Health: Supports mental and physical
health by offering active, stress-relieving
recreational opportunities and education on
ocean safety.

Boys & Girls Clubs of
Santa Cruz County
SMART Moves: Youth
Mental and
Behavioral Health
Support
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes youth mental health and resilience,
providing emotional and behavioral support
that improves community safety and wellbeing.

Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: Engages youth in afterschool
programs that develop positive socialemotional skills, helping to foster a safe, vibrant, and resilient downtown and broader
community.

Equity: Provides equitable access to socialemotional and behavioral health education for youth, particularly in low-income
communities.

Sustainability: Builds long-term resilience
through skill development in coping, selfregulation, and problem-solving.

Public Health: Enhances mental health by
promoting positive self-image and healthy
coping strategies for children and teens.

Cabrillo Community
College District
Stroke & Disability
Learning Center
Housing: Supports seniors and adults with
disabilities to stay active, remain in their
homes, and reduce the need for long-term
institutional care.

Natural and Built Infrastructure: The program
is integrated into community assets,
promoting accessibility and infrastructure
that supports independence and
participation for individuals with disabilities.

Equity: Offers education and rehabilitation for
adults with acquired disabilities, ensuring
equitable access to lifelong learning and
independence.

Sustainability: Promotes long-term health
outcomes by supporting functional
independence and reducing reliance on
medical services.

Public Health: Enhances quality of life for
adults with disabilities by improving socioemotional wellness and reducing hospitalization rates.

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Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc
Youth Homeless
Response Team
Homelessness Response: By providing direct
outreach and case management to
unaccompanied youth and young adults,
YHRT connects individuals with housing,
employment, and other services.

Housing: This program directly supports the
city’s homelessness response strategy by
offering specialized, cross-system support to
youth and young adults, promoting long-term
housing stability and self-sufficiency.

Equity: The YHRT program provides equitable
access to housing, education, and supportive
services for unaccompanied homeless youth,
addressing the unique needs of marginalized
populations.

Sustainability: By offering multidisciplinary,
cross-system support, the program
empowers youth to overcome barriers to
stability, promoting long-term resilience and
self-sufficiency.

Public Health: YHRT supports the mental and
physical well-being of homeless youth by
connecting them with critical services,
fostering healthier outcomes through stable
housing and access to care.

Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc
Santa Cruz County
Immigration Project
Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: By supporting immigrant elders
and dependent adults, the program
strengthens the economic capacity of the
community, benefiting local businesses
through a more resilient workforce.

Housing: The legal services provided help
stabilize immigrant families, preventing
displacement due to immigration-related
issues and supporting housing stability.

Equity: This program addresses the systemic
inequities faced by immigrants, particularly
elders, ensuring that they have access to
legal resources and support to navigate
complex immigration challenges.

Sustainability: By stabilizing immigrant
families, the program contributes to longterm economic resilience for individuals and communities.

Public Health: Legal services reduce the stress
and instability caused by immigration-related
challenges, thereby improving the mental

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health and well-being of immigrants in Santa
Cruz County.

Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Day Worker Center Strong Business Communities & Vibrant Downtown: This program offers quality
learning opportunities for day workers, many
of whom are undocumented immigrants with
limited educational backgrounds. These
services improve their ability to access
higher-paying jobs, enhancing their financial
and social standing. By providing workforce
development and education to day workers,
this program strengthens the local workforce,
making it more competitive and better able to
contribute to the economic growth of the
community. This aligns with the city's strategy
of building a strong and resilient local
business community.

Equity: Focuses on providing educational and
workforce development opportunities for
marginalized, often undocumented,
immigrant populations.

Sustainability: Equips workers with valuable
skills that can help them transition to more
stable employment and improve their
economic sustainability.

Public Health: Improves overall health and
well-being by providing pathways out of
poverty, which is directly linked to better
health outcomes.

Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Luna y Sol Familia
Center
Public Safety and Community Well-Being: The
program helps reduce youth delinquency and
strengthens family dynamics, which in turn
reduces the future burden on public safety
and health systems.

Equity: The program serves at-risk youth from
marginalized communities, offering them
access to resources, mentorship, and
community engagement opportunities that
would otherwise be unavailable to them.

Sustainability: By focusing on resiliencebuilding and youth leadership, the program works to create lasting impacts in the lives of
young people and their families, fostering
long-term community stability.

Public Health: Luna y Sol improves the mental
and emotional well-being of youth and their

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families, providing a foundation for positive
social development and reducing the
likelihood of future health and safety
challenges.

Community Bridges Family Resource
Collective
Housing: Helps families access resources to
prevent homelessness and build stable
housing by addressing poverty, academic
challenges, and mental health struggles.

Homelessness Response: By focusing on early
intervention, the program supports families at
risk of homelessness through mental health
services, poverty alleviation, and resource
access.

Equity: Strengthens families, especially those
facing poverty and adversity, by providing
access to academic, mental health, and
resource support.

Sustainability: Prevents childhood adversity
and strengthens family resilience, creating
long-term social stability.

Public Health: Reduces childhood trauma and
associated health risks by supporting mental
health and academic success for families in
need.

Community Bridges Elderday Thriving Organization: Elderday provides essential care to older adults, empowering
caregivers and seniors alike. By offering
services tailored to vulnerable populations,
Elderday helps improve the health and wellbeing of seniors, supporting an organization that delivers vital services to the community.

This program enhances the capacity of the
organization to provide critical services,
empowering seniors to live independently
while promoting the overall health and
resilience of the community.

Equity: Provides adult day health services to
seniors, particularly those from low-income,
marginalized backgrounds, ensuring
equitable access to care.

Sustainability: Supports long-term aging in
place by improving seniors' health and wellbeing, reducing institutional care reliance.

Public Health: Promotes health and well-being
by managing complex medical conditions
and reducing caregiver burden, improving
quality of life for seniors.

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Court Appointed
Special Advocates of
Santa Cruz County
Mentorship and
Advocacy for Santa
Cruz County Foster
Children
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Provides crucial advocacy for foster children,
ensuring their safety, well-being, and access
to education and healthcare, which supports
a stronger, safer community.

Homelessness Response: Prevents housing
instability for children in foster care by
ensuring they have the resources, support,
and advocacy they need to maintain stable
living conditions.

Equity: Provides advocacy for foster children
from marginalized communities, ensuring
they receive the care and support they need
to thrive.

Sustainability: Builds resilience in children by
addressing their immediate needs and
helping them navigate long-term challenges,
such as education and family reunification.

Public Health: Improves mental health and
well-being for children by providing stable,
nurturing relationships and advocating for
healthcare and social services.

Dignity Health
Dominican Hospital
The Senior and
Dependent Adult
Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes senior health through accessible
wellness services, reducing the risk of
emergency room visits and hospitalizations,
contributing to overall community health and
safety.

Natural and Built Infrastructure: Focuses on
the built environment, providing accessible
wellness programs under the supervision of
licensed therapists, fostering a healthier, more
resilient community.

Equity: Provides affordable wellness services
to seniors and dependent adults, including
low-income and marginalized populations.

Sustainability: Supports long-term health by
improving mobility, strength, and overall
wellness, reducing the need for acute care.

Public Health: Enhances health and resilience
by promoting physical activity and providing
clinical support for chronic conditions and
aging.

Eat for the Earth Salud en tu
Plato/Community Rx
Public Safety and Community Well-Being: This
program directly contributes to the well-being
of Santa Cruz residents by addressing chronic
disease management through diet. By helping
participants manage their health and chronic
Equity: The program addresses health
disparities by specifically targeting the Latino
population, which experiences
disproportionate rates of chronic illness and
limited access to healthcare. It ensures that

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conditions through a plant-based diet, it
promotes overall health, reduces the burden
on local healthcare systems, and increases
resilience among older adults.

Homelessness Response: As chronic disease
management and health literacy are key
aspects of long-term stability, this program
could have a complementary effect on
homelessness prevention. By focusing on
health improvement and prevention, it
reduces future healthcare needs and
associated costs, which can be particularly
beneficial for individuals at risk of
homelessness due to chronic health
conditions.

Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: Healthy, resilient residents are
more likely to contribute to and participate in
the economic and social life of the
community. By supporting the health of older
adults, the program helps reduce healthcare
costs and absenteeism in the workforce,
thereby contributing to a more vibrant and
sustainable community.
the benefits of a healthy, plant-based diet are
accessible to underserved groups, promoting
health equity by providing the tools,
resources, and support necessary for longterm change.

Sustainability: By promoting a whole-food,
plant-based diet, the program also
emphasizes environmental sustainability.

Plant-based diets are not only healthier for
individuals but also contribute to
environmental sustainability by reducing the
carbon footprint associated with animalbased food production. This dual focus on human and planetary health supports the
community’s sustainability goals.

Public Health: Chronic disease prevention and
management are core components of public
health. By teaching participants how to
prevent and manage chronic conditions
through diet, the program contributes to
improved health outcomes, reducing reliance
on medications and the healthcare system.

The program also builds health literacy and
self-care, empowering participants to take
control of their health, which is vital for both
individual and community well-being.

Encompass
Community Services
Youth & Family
Partners: Bridging
Gaps in Services
Homelessness Response: By providing
wraparound services for youth and families,
this program helps prevent homelessness by
Equity: The program increases equitable
access to behavioral health services for
marginalized youth and families through

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Awareness,
Engagement and
Advocacy
addressing behavioral health, mental health,
and family stability.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Integrates peer support and behavioral health
services, building resilience and fostering
safer communities for youth and families.
culturally relevant peer support and
advocacy.

Sustainability: By integrating peer partners
and promoting self-advocacy, the program
builds long-term engagement and
empowerment in managing behavioral health
needs.

Public Health: Youth and families gain
increased behavioral health literacy, leading
to better mental health outcomes and
reduced long-term risks of crisis,
hospitalization, and system involvement.

Family Service
Agency of the
Central Coast
Bill McCabe Fiscal Sustainability and Transparency: The program reduces long-term healthcare costs
by addressing mental health and emotional
well-being, helping seniors maintain
independence and reduce hospital visits.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being: The
peer-counseling service promotes seniors'
mental and emotional health, preventing
isolation and increasing resilience, fostering
overall community well-being.

Equity: Focuses on providing educational and
workforce development opportunities for
marginalized, often undocumented,
immigrant populations.

Sustainability: Equips workers with valuable
skills that can help them transition to more
stable employment and improve their
economic sustainability.

Public Health: Improves overall health and
well-being by providing pathways out of
poverty, which is directly linked to better
health outcomes.

Friends of Santa Cruz
County Parks DBA
County Park Friends
ParkRx Santa Cruz
County (ParkRx SCC)
Natural and Built Infrastructure: This program
connects individuals to outdoor recreational
activities in parks, which promote physical
Equity: Promotes equitable access to parks
and outdoor activities for underserved
populations, including those with health

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and mental health while enhancing
community well-being. ParkRx promotes
environmental stewardship and public health
by making natural spaces accessible to all,
especially those in underserved communities.

This aligns with the city’s goal of investing in
natural and built infrastructure to improve
community health and sustainability.
conditions.

Sustainability: Encourages sustainable,
health-promoting behaviors through outdoor
physical activities, fostering long-term
wellness.

Public Health: Enhances physical and mental
health by encouraging outdoor activity,
reducing stress, and improving overall wellbeing.

Homeless Garden
Project
Educational
Workforce
Development and
Job Search Skills
Training for People
Experiencing
Homelessness
Strong Business Communities and A Vibrant
Downtown: This transitional employment
program provides people experiencing
homelessness with work in a farm-to-table
setting, giving them job skills and income to
support their housing needs. The program
also helps individuals build long-term
employability through its workforce
development services. Supporting a healthy
local economy by creating opportunities for
marginalized communities, this program
helps reintegrate individuals into the
workforce, thereby contributing to the overall
economic health and vitality of the
community.

Housing: The Homeless Garden Project’s
workforce development services are closely
tied to housing stability. By offering
transitional employment and skill-building
Equity: Provides workforce development and
job skills training for people experiencing
homelessness, empowering them to secure
stable jobs and housing.

Sustainability: Helps individuals achieve longterm housing stability and financial independence through meaningful work and
job training.

Public Health: Reduces homelessness-related
health issues by improving access to
employment, income, and housing.

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opportunities, the program helps people
experiencing homelessness increase their
income and secure stable housing. This
program directly contributes to the goal of
increasing affordable and workforce housing
by providing the tools and resources that
individuals need to move from homelessness
to self-sufficiency.

Homelessness Response: This program’s focus
on transitional employment helps individuals
move toward stable housing by increasing
their income, which is key for securing and
maintaining housing. This program supports
positive outcomes in homelessness by
providing a bridge to employment, which
ultimately helps individuals secure housing
and regain self-sufficiency.

Jacob's Heart
Children's Cancer
Support Services
Jacob's Heart
Children's Cancer
Support Services
Housing: Jacob’s Heart assists families in need
by offering financial support, reducing
housing instability for families navigating a
child’s cancer diagnosis.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Provides critical behavioral health and
support services to children with cancer and
their families, ensuring their well-being during
a time of crisis.

Equity: Provides essential support services to
low-income, Latino families of children with
cancer, addressing language barriers and
lack of access to care.

Sustainability: Provides financial and
emotional support to families, ensuring they
can thrive during challenging times and build
resilience.

Public Health: Reduces the health burden on
families by offering practical and behavioral

30.58

support, improving both physical and mental
health outcomes.

Nourishing
Generations
Educational Project
Starlight Elementary
School Nutrition and
Culinary Education
Program
Natural and Built Infrastructure: The program
promotes sustainability by educating
students about healthy, locally sourced foods,
which supports the City’s climate adaptation
and sustainable food system goals.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being: By
teaching children healthy eating habits and
cooking skills, the program helps prevent
chronic diseases and promotes long-term
health.

Equity: The program provides equal access to
nutrition education to all students at Starlight
Elementary, helping to address health
disparities in underserved communities.

Sustainability: By focusing on locally sourced,
sustainable foods and healthy eating, the
program fosters environmental sustainability
while promoting healthier food choices.

Public Health: The program directly
contributes to improved public health by
reducing the risk of childhood obesity and
promoting better nutrition in the community.

O'Neill Sea Odyssey Tracey Weiss Natural and Built Infrastructure: The program educates students on climate resilience,
preparing them to contribute to the City’s
sustainability goals and to develop
environmentally friendly infrastructure and
policies.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being: The
program fosters a sense of environmental
stewardship among youth, which leads to a
more sustainable community that is better
prepared for climate challenges.

Equity: The program ensures that all students,
regardless of their background, have access
to climate literacy education, helping to
bridge the environmental education gap.

Sustainability: By teaching students about
climate change and resilience, the program
encourages sustainable practices and
prepares the next generation of
environmental leaders.

Public Health: The program helps raise
awareness of environmental health issues,
promoting actions that contribute to cleaner,
healthier communities.

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Salud Para La Gente Health Equity &
Resilience for Pajaro
Youth
Public Safety and Community Well-Being: This
program provides health screenings and
social support to youth in high-need areas,
fostering resilience and reducing health
disparities.

Natural and Built Infrastructure: Incorporates
health and life care in community centers,
using infrastructure to promote health equity
and wellness in underserved areas.

Equity: Provides culturally competent health
services to youth in the highest-need areas of
the county, addressing health disparities.

Sustainability: Promotes long-term health and
resilience through early health screenings and
referrals, fostering healthy habits for youth.

Public Health: Identifies and addresses health
risks early, leading to improved health
outcomes for youth and families.

Senderos Juventud saludable
a través de la
cultura y artes /
Healthy Youth
Through Culture &
Arts
Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: Promotes local cultural events that
create opportunities for community
engagement, showcasing diversity and
contributing to the vibrancy of Santa Cruz’s
downtown and local businesses.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Fosters youth resilience through cultural
expression, providing a healthy outlet for
emotional well-being and reducing risk
behaviors.

Equity: Provides free access to cultural arts for
low-income Latino youth, promoting inclusion
and cultural pride.

Sustainability: Fosters long-term youth
resilience and academic success through
artistic expression and cultural engagement.

Public Health: Reduces youth mental health
risks by engaging them in positive, creative
activities and building a sense of community.

Seniors Council of
Santa Cruz and San
Benito Counties
Project SCOUT Fiscal Sustainability & Transparency: Project SCOUT offers free tax preparation services for
low-income seniors and disabled individuals.

This program improves financial literacy and
ensures that residents who are most at risk
receive every possible benefit from tax
returns, effectively enhancing their financial
well-being. This program directly contributes
Equity: Provides equitable access to college
savings opportunities for children from
working-class families, supporting long-term
educational attainment.

Sustainability: Builds long-term financial
resilience by providing seed money and
milestone contributions toward education.

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to fiscal sustainability by returning over $2.3
million in tax refunds to vulnerable
populations, ensuring that low-income
seniors can maintain financial independence
and stability. Furthermore, it helps the city’s
transparency efforts by providing services
that make it easier for vulnerable populations
to access financial resources.

Public Health: Investing in education fosters
better long-term health outcomes by
improving access to high-income jobs and
reducing stress related to financial instability.

Ventures Semilitas Fiscal Sustainability & Transparency: Semillitas is a college savings account program
designed for children from low-income,
working-class households. It supports
financial independence and upward mobility
by giving children the opportunity to build
savings and learn about financial planning
from a young age. By facilitating financial
education and access to savings programs,
Semillitas helps create a foundation for longterm economic stability and resilience, directly aligning with the city’s strategy to
foster fiscal sustainability through forwardthinking financial planning.

Equity: Provides equitable access to college
savings opportunities for children from
working-class families, supporting long-term
educational attainment.

Sustainability: Builds long-term financial
resilience by providing seed money and
milestone contributions toward education.

Public Health: Investing in education fosters
better long-term health outcomes by
improving access to high-income jobs and
reducing stress related to financial instability.

Vista Center for the
Blind and Visually
Impaired
Vision Loss
Rehabilitation
Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Helps blind and visually impaired seniors
remain independent and reduce the risks
associated with isolation and accidents,
ensuring their health and well-being.

Natural and Built Infrastructure: Supports
accessible built infrastructure that ensures
visually impaired individuals can participate
Equity: Supports individuals who are blind or
visually impaired, ensuring they have
equitable access to the tools needed to live
independently.

Sustainability: Promotes long-term
independence and self-sufficiency through
personalized rehabilitation and community
engagement.

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fully in community activities, fostering
inclusion and resilience. Public Health: Improves mental and physical health by addressing vision loss-related
challenges and fostering independence and
dignity.

Volunteer Center of
Santa Cruz County
Literacy Program Fiscal Sustainability and Transparency: By improving adult literacy, the program enables
participants to access better job
opportunities, increasing personal financial
stability and contributing to the city’s overall
economic health.

Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: Enhances workforce readiness by
improving literacy, enabling adults to
participate in the local economy and
contribute to the business community’s
vitality.

Equity: Provides literacy tutoring for lowincome adults, ensuring equitable access to essential education services.

Sustainability: Supports long-term economic
stability by improving adults' literacy skills,
enhancing employability and self-sufficiency.

Public Health: Promotes health literacy, which
improves individuals' ability to navigate
healthcare systems, understand medical
information, and manage personal health.

Volunteer Center of
Santa Cruz County
Healthy Connections Public Safety & Community Well-Being: This program supports mental health and wellbeing through physical activity, social connections, and self-management training
for mentally ill adults. By improving overall
health, it contributes to greater public safety
and community well-being. Healthy
Connections builds community resilience by
helping individuals with mental health
challenges live healthier, more engaged lives.

This aligns with the city's strategy of
promoting well-being and healthy
communities.

Equity: Offers mentally ill adults equitable
access to health and wellness activities,
supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

Sustainability: Builds long-term wellness by
integrating exercise, healthy eating, and skillbuilding into daily routines, promoting lasting improvements.

Public Health: Supports mental health
recovery by addressing physical health, self30.62

management, and providing a sense of
community.

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Appendix B – List of Not Recommended, Strategic Plan Focus Areas, and HiAP Agency Program City Focus Areas & Strategies HiAP Pillars Advocacy-Inc Patient Rights
Advocacy
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Protects the rights of mental health
consumers and ensures equitable access to
care, supporting community well-being and
fostering inclusive care.

Equity: Advocates for vulnerable populations,
particularly those who face discrimination in
healthcare, such as individuals with
disabilities, ensuring they receive the care and
treatment they are entitled to.

Sustainability: By advocating for patient rights,
the program helps individuals navigate the
healthcare system and ensures that their
rights are upheld, fostering long-term health
security.

Public Health: Promotes better health
outcomes by ensuring patients receive fair,
ethical, and timely care, thereby reducing
disparities in the healthcare system.

Arts Council Santa
Cruz County
Mariposa Arts Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant Downtown: Contributes to the local economy
through cultural programming, helping make
Santa Cruz a vibrant, artistic community that
attracts residents and visitors.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes youth leadership and community
engagement, fostering social-emotional
development and positive community
contributions.

Equity: Provides arts programming to youth,
especially targeting BIPOC and underserved
communities, enhancing cultural expression
and inclusion.

Sustainability: Fosters long-term engagement
with the arts, which can support sustainable
economic and cultural development.

Public Health: The program can help with
mental and emotional well-being by offering

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creative outlets that reduce stress, anxiety,
and isolation.

Association of Faith
Communities of
Santa Cruz County,
Inc.

Mobile Shower
Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports the dignity, hygiene, and health of
unhoused individuals, which can have a
significant impact on overall well-being and
public health.

Equity: The Mobile Shower Program provides
homeless individuals with access to basic
hygiene facilities, addressing a critical need
for those experiencing homelessness who
often lack access to showers and clean
clothing. This helps reduce stigma and
promotes dignity.

Sustainability: By offering a reliable mobile
service that reaches homeless individuals
across the county, the program supports
long-term health and well-being by ensuring
access to hygiene services.

Public Health: Hygiene is critical to preventing
the spread of infectious diseases. By providing
access to showers, the program helps prevent
illnesses, promotes better physical health, and
improves overall public health in the
community.

Boys & Girls Clubs of
Santa Cruz County
Project Learn Public Safety and Community Well-Being: By supporting at-risk youth with academic and
social development, this program promotes
positive youth engagement, reducing the risk
of future social issues.

Equity: Provides after-school programs,
homework assistance, and enrichment to
youth in underserved communities, ensuring
all children have access to educational
support.

Sustainability: The program encourages
lifelong learning and helps students build skills
to thrive in both school and future careers.

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Public Health: By keeping youth engaged in
productive activities, the program reduces risk
factors like juvenile delinquency, substance
abuse, and mental health challenges.

Central Coast YMCA Healthy Family
Homes
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes health equity by offering families
access to preventive wellness programs,
supporting physical and mental health, and
building community connections.

Equity: The program targets low-income
families in Watsonville, providing no-cost
wellness, cooking, and fitness classes. It
reduces barriers to health access for
underserved communities and helps to
ensure that all families, regardless of income,
have opportunities for healthy living.

Sustainability: By empowering families with
the knowledge and skills needed for longterm healthy eating, exercise, and community-building, the program
encourages lifelong healthy habits that
contribute to family stability and resilience.

Public Health: Directly impacts public health
by promoting physical activity, healthy eating,
and preventive wellness practices among
low-income families.

Coastal Watershed
Council
Watershed Rangers Natural and Built Infrastructure: Promotes environmental stewardship and the
protection of local natural resources, aligning
with the City’s infrastructure goals for
sustainability and climate adaptation.

Equity: Engages underserved communities in
environmental stewardship, creating
opportunities for people from marginalized
backgrounds to participate in conservation
and outdoor activities.

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Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Enhances youth development and provides
educational opportunities that improve
social-emotional well-being, helping to create
a sense of community responsibility and care
for the environment.

Sustainability: Directly contributes to
environmental sustainability by protecting
and enhancing local watersheds and
ecosystems.

Public Health: The program improves public
health by promoting access to green spaces,
environmental education, and reducing the
environmental impact of pollution, which can
have adverse health effects.

Coastal Watershed
Council
River Stewards
Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Improves the safety and accessibility of public
spaces while providing meaningful work and
social connections for individuals
experiencing homelessness.

Equity: Works with unhoused individuals to
enhance public spaces while helping them
transition out of homelessness, addressing
equity by providing employment
opportunities and social inclusion.

Sustainability: Focuses on environmental
sustainability by engaging the community,
including unhoused individuals, in
maintaining public spaces and the river
ecosystem, while providing personal
empowerment and skill-building
opportunities.

Public Health: Improves both environmental
and community health by engaging
unhoused individuals in the stewardship of
public spaces, improving the ecological
health of the region while providing
meaningful work and social inclusion.

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Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Floreciendo en
Comunidad
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Provides access to culturally relevant
resources and mentorship, fostering a sense
of community and belonging among
Indigenous language speakers.

Equity: This program provides critical support
and services to Latinx and immigrant
communities, addressing barriers to access
and ensuring equitable opportunities for all.

Sustainability: Focuses on building strong
community networks, which can lead to longterm social and economic sustainability.

Public Health: Improves public health by
offering services that support well-being, such
as health resources, education, and legal
support for marginalized communities.

Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Rental Assistance
Program
Housing: Directly addresses housing instability
by preventing eviction and helping families
remain in their homes, contributing to longterm community stability.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Prevents homelessness, reduces family stress,
and promotes a sense of security, leading to
stronger, more resilient communities.

Equity: Provides rental assistance to lowincome individuals and families, addressing housing instability and preventing
homelessness.

Sustainability: Preventing homelessness
contributes to long-term social stability and
helps families achieve economic
sustainability.

Public Health: Housing stability is a
fundamental determinant of health,
improving both physical and mental wellbeing by providing a safe and secure environment.

Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Davenport Resource
Service Center
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Provides critical services that support at-risk
youth and families, ensuring they have the
Equity: Provides services to a rural,
underserved community, addressing the
unique needs of residents who may face

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resources to thrive and engage positively in
their communities.
geographic and socioeconomic barriers to
services.

Sustainability: Supports long-term community
resilience by offering resources that help
individuals and families stabilize and thrive.

Public Health: Improves health outcomes by
providing access to critical services, such as
food, health care, and housing support.

Community Bridges Meals on Wheels for
Santa Cruz County
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Addresses food insecurity among vulnerable
populations, promoting the health and wellbeing of older adults and reducing isolation.

Equity: Ensures that homebound and lowincome seniors have access to nutritious meals, addressing food insecurity in
underserved communities.

Sustainability: Helps improve seniors' health
and independence, ensuring they can remain
in their homes and maintain their well-being
for as long as possible.

Public Health: Provides essential nutrition to
improve health outcomes, reducing the risks
associated with malnutrition and isolation in
elderly populations.

Community Health
Trust of Pajaro Valley
Roxanne Porter Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes wellness and disease prevention,
supporting community health through lifestyle
changes that reduce chronic conditions and
enhance overall quality of life.

Equity: This program addresses health
disparities in the Pajaro Valley, a region with
high needs, by advocating for equitable
access to healthcare, healthy food, and
community resources.

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Sustainability: Focuses on strengthening the
capacity of local communities to manage
their own health and well-being, thus
promoting long-term sustainability.

Public Health: Improves public health by
addressing social determinants of health,
such as access to healthcare and nutritious
food, which directly impacts community
health outcomes.

Dientes Community
Dental Care
Equitable Dental
Care for Seniors
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes equitable access to health services,
specifically dental care, to improve health
outcomes and quality of life for older adults.

Equity: Dientes provides affordable, culturally
competent dental care to seniors, particularly
those from low-income or underserved
communities, who may have limited access
to dental services.

Sustainability: By improving access to dental
care, the program helps seniors maintain oral
health, reducing the risk of systemic diseases
and promoting long-term health.

Public Health: Good oral health is integral to
overall health. The program reduces dentalrelated health disparities and improves the quality of life for seniors, which impacts both
individual and community health.

Digital NEST, Inc. Career Pathways Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant Downtown: Supports the development of a
skilled workforce in tech, contributing to a
thriving local economy and potential growth
in Santa Cruz's tech sector.

Equity: The program provides career
development opportunities in tech for
underserved youth, focusing on improving
access to high-paying, stable jobs for

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communities of color, low-income families,
and rural populations.

Sustainability: By providing skills for the tech
industry, the program supports sustainable
economic development for the participants
and the community.

Public Health: Promoting economic stability
through career pathways indirectly supports
mental and physical health by providing a
sense of purpose, financial security, and
reducing stress associated with economic
uncertainty.

El Sistema Santa
Cruz/Pajaro Valley
El Sistema Santa
Cruz/Pajaro Valley
Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: The program fosters youth
leadership and strengthens community ties,
which has a positive impact on local
economic and cultural vitality.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being: The
program reduces the likelihood of youth
engaging in risky behaviors by providing
structured, positive activities that promote
personal growth and community
engagement.

Equity: The program provides access to music
education to underserved youth, promoting
equal opportunities for personal growth and
leadership development.

Sustainability: By fostering youth leadership
and community engagement, the program
contributes to the long-term sustainability of
a vibrant, well-connected community.

Public Health: Music education has proven
benefits for mental health, helping to improve
emotional well-being and social skills among
youth participants.

Encompass
Community Services
Health Equity II Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Addresses health disparities by promoting
physical activity and healthy eating among
Equity: This program works to improve access
to health services and reduce disparities
among underserved populations, particularly

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vulnerable populations, improving overall
well-being and longevity.
in marginalized communities, by addressing
systemic barriers.

Sustainability: Focuses on building sustainable
health systems that prioritize equity and longterm well-being for underserved groups, including those affected by poverty or mental
health issues.

Public Health: Aims to reduce health
disparities, improve access to care, and
promote preventive health practices in
communities that are disproportionately
affected by poor health outcomes.

Families In Transition
- Santa Cruz
Guaranteed Income
Pilot: Project
Cosecha"
Housing: Supports housing stability by
providing a guaranteed income, reducing the
financial volatility that often leads to eviction
or homelessness.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being
Reduces stress and improves well-being by:
offering financial support, which leads to
better mental health, stronger community
ties, and increased participation in social
services.

Equity: Provides financial support to lowincome families, particularly those in need, aiming to reduce economic disparities and
ensure access to basic needs.

Sustainability: Provides families with the
economic stability necessary to thrive,
supporting long-term well-being.

Public Health: Financial stability is directly
linked to improved health outcomes, including
reduced stress, better access to healthcare,
and improved mental health.

Family Service
Agency Central
Coast
Suicide Prevention
Services
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Provides critical suicide prevention training
and support, promoting mental health
Equity: Offers suicide prevention services to
at-risk populations, particularly those from
underserved communities or who face social,
economic, or mental health challenges.

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awareness and safety for vulnerable
populations. Sustainability: Focuses on long-term
prevention by equipping individuals with
coping strategies and support systems to
reduce suicidal behaviors over time.

Public Health: Preventing suicide is a critical
aspect of public health, as it addresses
mental health challenges that can otherwise
lead to devastating consequences for
individuals and communities.

Farm Discovery at
Live Earth
Farm Discovery at
Live Earth
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Improves mental and physical health by
fostering connections with nature, promoting
outdoor recreation, and teaching
environmental stewardship.

Equity: Farm Discovery provides equitable
access to farming, hiking, and environmental
stewardship for underserved youth and
families, especially in the Pajaro Valley. The
program ensures that these communities can
connect with nature, engage in farming
activities, and develop a better understanding
of ecological justice.

Sustainability: Emphasizes sustainable
farming practices, environmental
stewardship, and ecological justice, which
benefits the environment and educates youth
and families about sustainable agriculture.

Pubic Health: Emphasizes sustainable farming
practices, environmental stewardship, and
ecological justice, which benefits the
environment and educates youth and families
about sustainable agriculture.

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FoodWhat
Incorporated
FoodWhat
Incorporated
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes food security, health, and
socioemotional well-being by providing youth
with meaningful connections to food, nature,
and community.

Equity: Provides food justice and nutrition
education to youth, focusing on underserved
communities.

Sustainability: Encourages sustainable food
systems and local food production, helping
communities become more self-reliant.

Public Health: Improves physical health by
providing access to healthy food and
teaching nutrition, which is critical for both
short-term and long-term health.

Girls Inc. of the
Central Coast
Education and
Leadership
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Empowers young women to overcome
barriers, build self-confidence, and achieve
success, contributing to a safer and more
inclusive community.

Equity: Provides leadership training and
educational opportunities for girls from
underserved communities, empowering them
to become leaders and advocates for
themselves and others.

Sustainability: Supports long-term success by
preparing girls for careers, leadership roles,
and higher education, creating future leaders
in the community.

Public Health: Promotes positive mental and
physical health by building confidence,
resilience, and a sense of agency in young
women, which improves overall well-being.

Girls Inc. of the
Central Coast
Embracing
Leadership and
Educational Goals
Equity: Focuses on developing leadership skills
in young girls, particularly those from
marginalized backgrounds, ensuring they
have equal opportunities to succeed.

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Sustainability: Equips girls with the skills they
need to succeed academically and
professionally, ensuring long-term
opportunities and success.

Public Health: Builds resilience, mental health,
and self-esteem, which positively impacts
both their educational and personal lives.

Girls Inc. of the
Central Coast
Making Healthy
Choices
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes healthy behaviors, emotional
regulation, and assertiveness, contributing to
safer communities and healthier youth.

Equity: Provides nutrition and health education
to girls from underserved communities,
ensuring they have the tools to make
informed choices about their well-being.

Sustainability: The program helps build
lifelong habits around nutrition, exercise, and
mental health that will sustain healthy
lifestyles in the long term.

Public Health: Promotes physical and mental
health by addressing issues such as nutrition,
exercise, and self-care, which contribute to
overall well-being.

Girls Inc. of the
Central Coast
Communication and
Exploration
Equity: Provides opportunities for girls to
explore their interests and develop
communication skills, empowering them to
advocate for themselves and others,
especially from marginalized backgrounds.

Sustainability: Helps girls build strong
communication skills that are essential for

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leadership, advocacy, and success in their
personal and professional lives.

Public Health: Enhances emotional and
mental health by building confidence,
communication skills, and self-advocacy.

Grey Bears Healthy Food
Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Addresses food insecurity and promotes
social connections, improving the physical
and mental health of older adults.

Equity: Works to reduce food insecurity among
seniors in Santa Cruz County by offering
healthy, low-cost, organic food options, and
leveraging volunteerism to build community
connections. The program targets seniors,
who often face higher levels of poverty and
food insecurity.

Sustainability: Provides organic, locally
sourced food to seniors, supporting
sustainable agriculture practices while
addressing food insecurity and promoting
long-term health.

Public Health: Improves public health by
providing nutritious food and reducing food
insecurity, which has direct positive impacts
on seniors' overall physical and mental wellbeing.

Housing Matters Childcare Navigation
& Assistance for
Families
Experiencing
Homelessness
Housing: Supports families in transitioning out
of homelessness by providing essential
childcare services, which allows parents to
focus on securing stable housing.

Equity: Supports families experiencing
homelessness by providing access to
childcare and other essential services,
ensuring that these vulnerable families can
stabilize and thrive.

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Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes family stability and child
development, preventing the negative
impacts of homelessness on children’s wellbeing and educational outcomes.

Sustainability: By addressing the immediate
needs of families, this program helps them
regain stability, promoting long-term success
and reducing future homelessness.

Public Health: Access to childcare is critical for
both physical and mental health, allowing
parents to work or attend appointments while
ensuring their children are cared for.

Institute on Aging Elder Abuse
Prevention Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Protects older adults and dependent
individuals by preventing abuse and
providing critical resources for victims.

Equity: Focuses on protecting vulnerable
seniors from abuse, particularly those who are
marginalized or at higher risk due to isolation,
economic status, or disability.

Sustainability: Provides education and
resources to prevent elder abuse and
promote safe living environments for seniors,
which has long-term effects on their health
and security.

Public Health: Preventing elder abuse is a
critical public health issue, as it directly
impacts seniors’ physical, emotional, and
mental health, leading to better overall
outcomes for the aging population.

Institute on Aging Friendship Line Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Combats loneliness and social isolation,
which can have negative impacts on mental
and physical health, through ongoing
emotional support and crisis intervention.

Equity: Provides emotional support and crisis
intervention services to isolated and
vulnerable seniors, many of whom face
barriers to traditional mental health services.

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Sustainability: Offers ongoing emotional
support to help seniors cope with loneliness
and isolation, which contributes to long-term
mental health and emotional stability.

Public Health: Reduces the risks associated
with social isolation, such as depression and
cardiovascular diseases, promoting mental
and physical health for seniors.

Institute on Aging Senior Injury
Prevention Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Enhances the safety and independence of
seniors, especially those in underserved areas,
by reducing the risk of falls and improving
home environments.

Equity: Focuses on preventing injuries among
seniors, particularly those who are at higher
risk due to physical limitations, socioeconomic status, or lack of access to preventative services.

Sustainability: By reducing injuries, the
program helps seniors maintain their
independence and reduces healthcare costs
related to preventable injuries, thus promoting
long-term health and quality of life.

Public Health: Injury prevention is key to senior
health, reducing hospitalizations, long-term
care needs, and improving overall life
expectancy and quality of life.

LATIN ADVOCACY

NETWORK-LATINAN
Claudia Abasto Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Ensures vulnerable minors receive critical
legal support, reducing stress and trauma
and promoting their safety and well-being.

Equity: Advocates for the rights of Latinx
individuals, ensuring they have access to
services and opportunities that promote
social and economic equity.

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Sustainability: Focuses on creating systemic
change that benefits Latinx communities,
which contributes to long-term social and
economic resilience.

Public Health: By addressing legal, social, and
economic barriers, the program improves
overall health by reducing stress and
providing access to needed services.

Mental Health Client
Action Network
Mental Health Client
Action Network
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Addresses basic needs, hygiene, and health
services for individuals experiencing
homelessness, supporting their dignity and
resilience.

Equity: Supports individuals with mental
health conditions by advocating for their
rights and providing peer support, particularly
for marginalized groups.

Sustainability: Empowers individuals with
mental health challenges to advocate for
themselves and access long-term mental
health services, promoting independence and
stability.

Public Health: The program improves mental
health outcomes by fostering peer support
and advocacy, which helps reduce stigma
and improves the quality of mental health
services.

MENtors Driving
Change for Boys,
Men and Dads
Deutron Kebebew Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Builds emotional resilience and fosters
positive family relationships, helping to
prevent family breakdowns and reduce
incidents of violence.

Equity: Focuses on empowering boys and men
from underserved communities, particularly
by providing mentorship and leadership
opportunities to break cycles of violence and
inequality.

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Sustainability: The program works to create
lasting positive change in the lives of men and
boys by teaching valuable life skills,
leadership, and responsible behavior, which
can contribute to the long-term health of the
community.

Public Health: Promotes emotional well-being
and reduces violence by teaching emotional
intelligence and conflict resolution, which are
essential for public health.

Monarch ServicesServicios MonarcaSalud y Monarca Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Enhances safety and empowerment for atrisk youth, reducing vulnerability to trauma and providing tools for leadership and
resilience.

Equity: Provides culturally appropriate mental
health services for Spanish-speaking
individuals and families, particularly
addressing the needs of survivors of domestic
violence and trauma.

Sustainability: The program works towards
empowering survivors to rebuild their lives,
creating lasting social and economic stability.

Public Health: Focuses on the mental and
physical health of survivors, offering therapy,
legal advocacy, and support services that
lead to improved well-being.

Monarch ServicesServicios MonarcaTheraupetic Services
for Children and
Youth
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Offers critical therapeutic support for survivors
of trauma, helping to foster recovery,
emotional well-being, and community safety.

Equity: Provides trauma-informed therapy for
children and youth, particularly those who
have experienced domestic violence, offering
services that are culturally responsive and
linguistically appropriate.

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Sustainability: By supporting children and
youth through therapeutic interventions, the
program aims to prevent long-term
psychological trauma and foster resilience,
which can result in better life outcomes.

Public Health: Focuses on improving mental
health outcomes for children and youth,
which are essential for overall well-being. The
program reduces the impact of trauma and
promotes positive mental health.

Mountains 2 Sea Inc. Mountains 2 Sea Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Enhances youth mental health by promoting
resilience, stress management, and positive
peer relationships, which can contribute to
safer communities.

Equity: Provides outdoor recreational
opportunities to underserved youth, ensuring
equitable access to nature and
environmental education.

Sustainability: Contributes to environmental
sustainability by promoting conservation and
stewardship, while also fostering youth
engagement in environmental issues.

Public Health: Outdoor activities promote
physical health, reduce stress, and improve
mental well-being by fostering a connection
with nature.

NAMI Santa Cruz
County
Mental Health
Support for Thriving
Youth
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Improves youth mental health, builds
resilience, and strengthens social
connections, contributing to better
community outcomes and well-being.

Equity: This program focuses on improving
mental health outcomes for youth, especially
those from underserved or marginalized
communities, by providing support,
education, and resources.

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Sustainability: By providing early intervention
and mental health education, it supports
long-term resilience and well-being in youth,
which helps them thrive in their educational
and social environments.

Public Health: Addressing mental health is
crucial for public health, especially among
youth. The program reduces the stigma
around mental illness and provides strategies
to improve emotional well-being and overall
health.

NAMI Santa Cruz
County
NAMI Santa Cruz
County
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes mental health and resilience for
older adults, helping to reduce stigma and
support their well-being through peer-led
services and education.

Equity: Addresses mental health challenges
among older adults, providing peer-led
support groups, reducing stigma, and
promoting equity in mental health care.

Sustainability: NAMI’s programs empower
individuals to live independently and improve
their quality of life by offering tools for
managing mental health.

Public Health: Focuses on mental health,
reducing stigma, and providing peer support
to older adults, helping them manage mental
health challenges and improving overall wellbeing.

New Way Homes Housing Santa Cruz
County
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes housing stability and affordability,
ensuring that everyone has access to safe,
Equity: This program addresses housing
instability by providing affordable housing
options for low-income individuals and
families, with a focus on those facing

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sustainable housing, which is foundational to
community health and safety.
homelessness. It helps bridge the gap in
housing availability, promoting greater equity
in access to safe, stable living environments.

Sustainability: By providing permanent
supportive housing and services, the program
helps individuals and families regain stability,
promoting long-term self-sufficiency and
reducing the cycle of homelessness.

Public Health: Stable housing is a key
determinant of health. By addressing
homelessness, the program improves access
to healthcare, mental health services, and
overall well-being for individuals and families,
reducing public health risks related to living
without a stable home.

Pajaro Valley
Prevention and
Student Assistance
Renforzando
Familias-Reinforcing
Families
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Strengthens family bonds and builds
community resilience, which can reduce
youth involvement in risky behaviors and
improve social stability.

Equity: The program provides support to
families in the Pajaro Valley, addressing
challenges faced by immigrant, low-income,
and Spanish-speaking populations.

Sustainability: Helps families develop coping
strategies and access resources that support
long-term family stability, promoting
community well-being.

Public Health: Focuses on mental health and
family support, improving both mental and
physical health outcomes by addressing

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issues like substance abuse, trauma, and
family dysfunction.

Parents Center Rooted Support:

Thriving Parents
Create Thriving
Families
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports mental health and resilience in
families, promoting well-being and stability
through education and support for parents.

Equity: Focuses on providing resources and
support for parents, particularly from
marginalized or underserved communities, to
help them create thriving families.

Sustainability: Helps parents build sustainable
skills and resources to support their children's
health, education, and overall well-being,
leading to long-term community benefits.

Public Health: Promotes family well-being,
which in turn supports the health and
development of children, positively impacting
both mental and physical health.

Paws Helping People
DBA: UnChained
Caines Teaching
Compasion
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports youth development by fostering
empathy and responsibility, helping at-risk
youth build positive behaviors and
connections to prevent future involvement
with the justice system.

Equity: Provides service dog training and
emotional support to underserved individuals,
including those with disabilities, youth at risk,
and those in need of therapy animals.

Sustainability: The program fosters long-term
emotional support and builds a sense of
responsibility and community for individuals
in need of assistance.

Public Health: Service dogs provide
therapeutic benefits, including emotional
stability, reduced stress, and enhanced wellbeing, which directly impacts mental and physical health.

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People First of Santa
Cruz County
The Village Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports the unhoused population by
providing safe housing and necessary
services, reducing homelessness and
improving community safety.

Equity: Provides advocacy and peer support
for individuals with developmental disabilities,
ensuring they have access to community
resources, health services, and opportunities
for social inclusion.

Sustainability: By empowering individuals with
developmental disabilities, the program
supports long-term independence and the
creation of inclusive communities.

Public Health: Ensures that individuals with
developmental disabilities receive the
necessary support to live healthy, active lives,
reducing the risk of social isolation, mental
health challenges, and poor physical health.

Positive Discipline
Community
Resources
Less Stess More Joy
with Positive
Discipline
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports healthier relationships and
emotional regulation, reducing conflict and
promoting community safety and family wellbeing.

Equity: Promotes equitable, positive parenting
strategies that are inclusive of diverse
families, especially those from lower-income
or underserved backgrounds.

Sustainability: Provides parents with tools that
foster long-term positive child development
and reduce behavioral problems, contributing
to more stable families and communities.

Public Health: By reducing stress and
promoting positive parenting, the program
enhances the mental health and emotional
well-being of both parents and children.

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Safe Families for
Children Monterey
Bay
Safe Families for
Children Monterey
Bay
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Prevents child abuse and neglect, ensuring
children remain safe in their families and
communities, while supporting family stability
and resilience.

Equity: Supports families facing crises by
providing temporary care for children,
ensuring that all families—especially those
from marginalized communities—have
access to safe, supportive resources.

Sustainability: By preventing family separation
and providing support during difficult times,
the program helps families stabilize and
ultimately thrive.

Public Health: Ensures the safety and
emotional well-being of children by providing
them with stable, temporary homes, thus
addressing both immediate and long-term
health needs.

Santa Cruz Art
League
Ageless Arts Initiative Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Reduces social isolation and promotes
mental well-being by providing creative
outlets and fostering social connections
among seniors.

Equity: Promotes access to the arts for seniors,
particularly BIPOC and economically
disadvantaged seniors, addressing social and
emotional needs through creativity and
inclusivity, helping mitigate the impacts of
isolation and exclusion.

Sustainability: Encourages lifelong learning
and creative expression, which are beneficial
for mental health and can have long-term
positive effects on seniors' well-being.

Public Health: Promotes mental health and
reduces isolation by offering art programs to

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seniors, which has been shown to improve
cognitive function and emotional well-being.

SANTA CRUZ BARRIOS

UNIDOS INC
Barrios Unidos Youth
Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports youth in developing emotional
intelligence and leadership skills, which can
help reduce youth violence, improve mental
health, and foster community cohesion.

Equity: Offers mentorship, leadership
development, and cultural education to youth,
especially from marginalized communities,
helping them navigate challenges and reach
their potential.

Sustainability: Supports long-term positive
outcomes for youth, fostering community
resilience and reducing the likelihood of
involvement in the criminal justice system.

Public Health: By promoting positive youth
development and providing a sense of
belonging and purpose, the program
contributes to both mental and physical
health.

Santa Cruz
Children's Museum
of Discovery
Santa Cruz
Children's Museum
of Discovery Science
Playdate in the
Park/Cita de Juegos
Científicos en el
Parque
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes early childhood development and
strengthens families by providing access to
enriching educational activities in a safe,
outdoor environment.

Equity: This program provides hands-on
science activities and educational
experiences to children, especially those from
underserved communities, ensuring all
children have access to quality early learning
opportunities.

Sustainability: Promotes lifelong learning and
scientific curiosity, which can lead to better
educational and career opportunities,
supporting the long-term well-being of
participants.

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Public Health: Engaging children in science
and outdoor activities supports cognitive and
physical development, which are crucial for
overall health and well-being.

Santa Cruz City
Schools
Family Engagement
Initiative
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Strengthens families by addressing
absenteeism and trauma, supporting student
success, and promoting overall family health
and stability.

Equity: Focuses on engaging families in their
children's education, particularly those from
low-income or marginalized backgrounds, to
ensure all students have the support they
need.

Sustainability: Strengthens the foundation for
student success, leading to long-term
educational and career opportunities.

Public Health: Family engagement has been
shown to improve mental health and
educational outcomes, promoting a holistic
approach to youth development.

Santa Cruz
Community Health
Centers
Advancing Pediatric
Health Equity:

Preparing for School
Success
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Improves health outcomes for youth,
enhancing their ability to succeed in school
and life by ensuring access to essential health
and wellness services.

Equity: Focuses on addressing disparities in
pediatric health, particularly for low-income
and underserved children, by offering
preventative health care and educational
resources.

Sustainability: By supporting children’s health
and preparing them for school, the program
fosters long-term health and academic
success.

Public Health: Improves public health by
ensuring that children have access to

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necessary health services, which in turn
supports their development and academic
success.

Santa Cruz Lesbian
and Gay Community
Center
The Diversity
Center’s Health and
Wellbeing Initiative
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Reduces isolation and promotes mental and
physical health through affirming recreational
activities tailored to the needs of LGBTQ+
seniors.

Equity: The Diversity Center offers safe,
affirming recreational activities to the LGBTQ+
community, which often faces
disproportionate health disparities, mental
health issues, and social isolation. This
program directly addresses these inequities
by offering safe spaces for physical exercise
and recreation.

Sustainability: Promotes sustainability by
fostering long-term community connections,
improving mental health, and supporting
active living through physical exercise and
recreation, contributing to long-term wellbeing.

Public Health: Physical exercise, social
connections, and mental health support are
critical components of public health,
particularly for communities facing higher
rates of depression, substance abuse, and
suicide. The program addresses these issues
by fostering positive well-being through
physical and mental health activities.

Santa Cruz
Mountains Trail
Stewardship
Stewardship Corps Natural and Built Infrastructure: Supports the maintenance of public parks and outdoor
spaces, contributing to the City’s efforts to
Equity: Provides opportunities for local
residents, particularly from underserved
communities, to engage in outdoor
stewardship and conservation efforts.

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protect and enhance natural infrastructure
and recreational assets. Sustainability: Directly contributes to the sustainability of the local environment by
maintaining and protecting trails, ecosystems,
and public lands.

Public Health: The program promotes physical
health by encouraging outdoor activities,
which reduce stress, improve cardiovascular
health, and support mental well-being.

Santa Cruz Museum
of Natural History
Santa Cruz Museum
of Natural History
Natural and Built Infrastructure: The program
promotes environmental literacy,
encouraging the youth to become active
participants in sustainability efforts and
conservation of natural resources.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being: By
fostering an understanding of the
environment, the program helps children
appreciate and protect natural spaces,
contributing to a healthier community.

Equity: The program provides access to
environmental education for all students,
ensuring that underserved communities have
equal opportunities to engage with nature
and environmental sciences.

Sustainability: Through environmental
education, the program encourages
sustainable behaviors that contribute to longterm ecological balance.

Public Health: The program promotes physical
and mental well-being by encouraging
outdoor activities, which have proven benefits
for youth health, including reduced stress and
improved cognitive function.

Santa Cruz Toddler
Care Center
Santa Cruz Toddler
Care Center
Housing: Supports low-income families by
reducing barriers to work and education,
helping ensure greater financial stability and
contributing to long-term housing stability.

Equity: Provides high-quality early childhood
care for low-income families, ensuring that all
children have access to early learning
opportunities.

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Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Provides early education and family support,
which fosters the well-being of both children
and their families, helping create healthier,
more stable communities.

Sustainability: Supports long-term success for
children and their families by providing a
foundation for academic and personal
development.

Public Health: Promotes healthy development,
both physically and emotionally, through
high-quality caregiving and educational
experiences in the early years.

Save Our Shores Save Our Shores
Junior Sanctuary
Stewards Program
Natural and Built Infrastructure: Supports
environmental education and stewardship,
contributing to the city’s goals for sustainable
infrastructure, especially regarding coastal
ecosystems.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes engagement with nature, which has
proven mental and physical health benefits,
creating a safer and more connected
community.

Equity: Provides environmental education
opportunities to youth, particularly from
underserved communities, encouraging a
deeper connection to local ecosystems.

Sustainability: Directly contributes to the
protection and preservation of the
environment through hands-on conservation
efforts.

Public Health: Reduces pollution, which has
direct benefits for public health by improving
water quality and the safety of the
environment.

Second Harvest Food
Bank Santa Cruz
County
Program Alimenta Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Alleviates food insecurity, which has a direct
impact on children's health, academic
performance, and overall well-being, helping
families thrive.

Equity: Provides nutritious food to low-income
families, ensuring that all individuals have
access to the resources they need to
maintain their health.

Sustainability: Reduces food insecurity, which
in turn promotes long-term stability and
community resilience.

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Public Health: Improves physical health by
providing access to nutritious food, which is
fundamental to maintaining good health and
preventing chronic diseases.

Senderos Plaza Comunitaria:

Aprendiendo a su
proprio ritmo /
Learning at your own
pace
Housing: By promoting literacy and financial
education, this program helps participants
access better job opportunities, which can
lead to improved housing stability.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Empowers Spanish-speaking adults with
critical skills, fostering social inclusion,
reducing barriers to community participation,
and promoting family stability.

Equity: Offers educational programs for
Spanish-speaking adults, promoting literacy,
language skills, and job readiness for those
who may face language or immigration
barriers.

Sustainability: Strengthens the local economy
by equipping participants with skills that can
help them secure better employment,
creating lasting change.

Public Health: Education is linked to better
health outcomes. This program contributes to
public health by addressing the social
determinants of health, such as economic
stability and education.

Senior Citizens
Organization of the
San Lorenzo Valley
Highlands Park
Senior and
Community Center
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Fosters senior engagement and social
inclusion, reducing isolation and improving
quality of life through community-based
programming.

Equity: This center provides services and
social opportunities for seniors in the San
Lorenzo Valley, particularly benefiting those
who may not have access to other senior
services in more urban areas. It ensures that
rural seniors have access to the same
opportunities for engagement, health, and
socialization.

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Sustainability: The program promotes aging in
place by creating a supportive and accessible
environment for seniors, fostering community
connections that reduce isolation and
improve long-term health outcomes.

Public Health: Social connections and
engagement are key for mental and physical
health in older adults. The center supports
seniors' well-being by providing opportunities
for exercise, socialization, and education,
which are vital for aging healthily.

Senior Legal Services Jude Bedel Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Ensures housing stability and legal protection
for vulnerable populations, preventing
homelessness and supporting overall
community well-being.

Equity: Focuses on preventing illegal evictions
and ensuring housing stability for
underrepresented, low-income, and
undocumented seniors, directly addressing
housing inequities.

Sustainability: Legal services ensure that
seniors can protect their rights and assets,
reducing the risk of exploitation and
promoting long-term security.

Public Health: Ensuring that seniors' legal
needs are met is vital for their well-being, as it
reduces stress and protects them from
physical and emotional harm associated with
legal challenges.

Senior Network
Services
Aging and
Community
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports seniors in maintaining their health
Equity: Focuses on improving the well-being of
seniors, especially those from low-income or
marginalized backgrounds, by providing

30.93

and independence, preventing isolation, and
ensuring access to necessary resources.
services and resources that help them remain
active and engaged in their communities.

Sustainability: Supports seniors' long-term
independence and health by offering services
like transportation, socialization, and health
education that promote aging in place.

Public Health: Encourages healthy aging and
community involvement, which improves
mental and physical health outcomes and
reduces social isolation.

Teen Kitchen Project Teen Kitchen Project Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Improves health outcomes for seniors and
vulnerable individuals by providing nutritious
meals, contributing to better physical health
and reducing hospitalizations.

Equity: The Teen Kitchen Project offers culinary
training and food distribution to underserved
youth, especially those from low-income or
marginalized backgrounds. The program
empowers teens by providing job skills and
leadership opportunities while addressing
food insecurity in the community.

Sustainability: By teaching culinary skills and
providing job readiness training, this program
helps youth build skills that support long-term
career growth. Additionally, it promotes
sustainability by using local, healthy
ingredients and distributing meals to
community members.

Public Health: Access to healthy food and
nutrition education is a key public health
issue. This program promotes better nutrition

30.94

and overall health by providing meals to
those in need and empowering youth to make
healthy food choices and understand
nutrition.

United Way of Santa
Cruz County
Julio Andrade,
Director C2CSCC
Housing: By helping families build financial
stability and support structures, this program
indirectly contributes to preventing
homelessness and housing insecurity.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Strengthens families and communities,
leading to safer, more stable neighborhoods
and fostering positive outcomes for children
and families.

Equity: Likely focuses on providing support to
marginalized or underserved individuals and
families, improving access to resources and
services.

Sustainability: The work of the United Way is
often focused on systemic solutions that
create long-term positive impacts in
communities.

Public Health: United Way's programs typically
include components that improve both
physical and mental health through social
service support, food security, and emergency
assistance.

United Way of Santa
Cruz County
United Way of Santa
Cruz County United 4
Youth Santa Cruz
County
Public Safety and Community Well-Being: By
supporting youth with wrap-around services,
this program promotes positive development,
reduces risks, and builds a healthier, safer
community.

Equity: Offers youth programs that aim to
reduce disparities in access to opportunities,
providing a network of services for at-risk
youth.

Sustainability: Supports youth development,
helping young people succeed in education
and career paths, which benefits the longterm health and economic stability of the community.

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Public Health: Promotes public health by
preventing risky behaviors, providing
mentorship, and supporting social-emotional
well-being for youth.

United Way of Santa
Cruz County
United Way’s Santa
Cruz County Youth
Action Network
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes civic engagement and leadership
among youth, helping to create a more
connected, resilient community where young
people are active participants in societal
change.

Equity: Supports youth engagement and
leadership, particularly for those from lowincome and marginalized communities, promoting equal opportunities for all youth.

Sustainability: Builds community leadership
and engagement, which can have lasting
positive impacts on social and economic
outcomes.

Public Health: Promotes mental health and
well-being by providing opportunities for
youth to connect with their peers and build
skills, reducing isolation and stress.

Urban Works Santa
Cruz
ryan althaus Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Combats social isolation and promotes
mental health through creative activities and
intergenerational connections.

Equity: This program addresses loneliness and
social isolation among seniors and people
with disabilities by pairing them with young
people through art, recreation, and gardening.

This helps foster mutual understanding,
compassion, and reduces discrimination
among these marginalized groups.

Sustainability: The program encourages longterm relationships through community building and mutual support. It promotes
sustainable social engagement and helps
build lasting connections that improve overall

30.96

mental and emotional well-being for both
seniors and people with disabilities.

Public Health: By promoting social
connections through art and gardening, the
program can reduce mental health
challenges such as depression and anxiety,
especially for isolated individuals. The
physical activity involved in gardening and
recreation also improves physical health and
overall well-being.

Vets4Vets Santa
Cruz

RESILIENCE BUILDING

OF ELDERLY VETERANS
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Enhances the health and well-being of elderly
veterans, particularly those who are isolated
or struggling with chronic conditions, through
comprehensive support and community
reintegration.

Equity: Expands services to elderly veterans,
especially those isolated or facing health
challenges, providing them with access to
critical physical and mental health support.

Sustainability: The program helps veterans
build long-term resilience and coping skills,
reducing the risk of mental health crises and
promoting well-being.

Public Health: Improves public health by
addressing both physical and mental health
needs of veterans, particularly those who are
aging or facing chronic health issues.

Volunteer Center of
Santa Cruz County
Empowered Aging Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Promotes the health and independence of
seniors by providing essential support
services to maintain their well-being and
prevent isolation.

Equity: This program works to empower
seniors by providing them with resources,
volunteer opportunities, and a sense of
community. It helps seniors from all
backgrounds access opportunities for
engagement and advocacy, particularly

30.97

focusing on those who may face barriers due
to socio-economic status or isolation.

Sustainability: By promoting active aging and
volunteerism, it encourages seniors to remain
engaged in their communities, fostering longterm well-being and reducing the risk of social isolation, which has long-term health
benefits.

Public Health: Supports public health by
helping seniors age in place, remain
physically active, and maintain social
connections, which are crucial for mental and
physical well-being.

Volunteer Center of
Santa Cruz County
YouthServe Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Provides youth with opportunities for
community service and environmental
education, fostering leadership skills and
social connections while contributing to the
well-being of the community.

Equity: This program engages youth in
environmental stewardship and community
service, providing opportunities for them to
contribute to public parks and recreation
areas. It specifically targets youth from
diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of
belonging and purpose.

Sustainability: YouthServe not only improves
local parks and open spaces, but it also instills
a lifelong habit of community service and
environmental stewardship in young people.

This has long-term benefits for both the
individuals involved and the community as a
whole.

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Public Health: By providing outdoor recreation,
environmental education, and opportunities
for social interaction, YouthServe promotes
physical and mental health. It also supports
environmental sustainability, which is linked to
broader public health outcomes such as
cleaner air, better access to nature, and
improved community well-being.

Walnut Avenue
Family & Women's
Center
Early Education
Center
Housing: Supports housing stability by
providing childcare that allows parents to
work or attend school, thereby contributing to
family financial stability and reducing the risk
of homelessness.

Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Ensures that young children have access to
early education, laying the foundation for
lifelong learning and positive community
engagement, which strengthens social
cohesion.

Equity: Provides early childhood education to
low-income and underserved children,
helping level the playing field and reduce
disparities in educational outcomes.

Sustainability: By offering high-quality
education at a young age, the program
promotes long-term academic success,
economic opportunity, and social stability.

Public Health: Ensures healthy developmental
outcomes for children, promoting mental,
emotional, and physical health in the early
years, which can have lifelong impacts.

Walnut Avenue
Family & Women's
Center
Youth Violence
Prevention Program
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Focuses on youth violence prevention,
building resilience, and creating safe
environments through empowerment and
healthy relationship-building.

Equity: Focuses on preventing youth violence,
particularly in communities of color and other
underserved groups, addressing the root
causes of violence and creating opportunities
for positive development.

Sustainability: Works to create long-term
behavioral changes in youth, contributing to
safer communities and social stability.

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Public Health: Preventing violence improves
both physical and mental health, reducing
trauma and the risk of injury while promoting
emotional well-being.

Walnut Avenue
Family & Women's
Center
Family Fortification
Project
Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Strengthens families impacted by
interpersonal violence by providing support,
case management, and resources to help
them rebuild and thrive.

Equity: This program aims to strengthen
families, particularly those in low-income or
marginalized communities, by providing
support and resources for family resilience.

The focus is on reducing the risk of family
violence and improving child development
through parenting education and
empowerment.

Sustainability: By building family strength and
resilience, this program creates long-term
benefits for families, helping break cycles of
poverty, violence, and disadvantage.

Public Health: Strengthening families and
promoting positive parenting practices have
a direct impact on children’s mental,
emotional, and physical health, leading to
better public health outcomes in the
community.

X Academy X Academy Public Safety and Community Well-Being:

Supports the academic development and
emotional well-being of students, reducing
disparities in educational outcomes for
underserved youth.

Equity: Offers education and mentoring to atrisk youth, helping them build skills for future success in their academic and professional
lives.

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Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: By increasing access to STEM
programs, this initiative builds a pipeline of
students prepared for careers in technology
and innovation, contributing to the local
economy.

Sustainability: By providing pathways to
success for marginalized youth, X Academy
fosters long-term community resilience.

Public Health: Prevents negative health
outcomes by addressing issues like school
disengagement, violence, and mental health
concerns among youth, while promoting
positive developmental outcomes.

Your Future is Our
Business
YFIOB Foster ED
Career Exploration
Project
Strong Business Communities and a Vibrant
Downtown: Supports local economic vitality
by preparing the future workforce for various
career paths, including in the business sector.

Equity: YFIOB focuses on addressing the
educational and career exploration gaps
faced by underserved and marginalized
students, particularly those from communities
that have historically had limited access to
career opportunities. This is central to the
program’s mission of promoting equitable
access to high-quality education and workbased learning.

Sustainability: The program contributes to
long-term community sustainability by
preparing students to enter the workforce with
the skills necessary to thrive in various
industries. By supporting career exploration,
YFIOB fosters a sustainable pipeline of skilled
workers who will contribute to the region’s
economic growth and resilience.

Public Health: Youth engagement through
career exploration and mentorship provides a
positive alternative to the pressures of

30.101

economic instability, unemployment, and
educational inequities. In doing so, it
promotes mental and emotional well-being
by giving students a sense of purpose,
confidence, and connection to their
community, which is foundational to overall
public health.

30.102
Attachment B
1 Analysis of Recommended Awards
The foundation of the CORE Investments RFP is to center equity and align County and City values with a collective impact funding model that allows organizations to apply for limited local funding to support innovative or existing programs supporting lower income county residents in ways that are evidence based and lead to equitable health and well-being.

The FY 25/26-28 RFP cycle prioritized four CORE Conditions and Impact areas for the next round of funding: 1) Lifelong Learning & Education – Equitable Access to High Quality Education & Learning Opportunities, 2) Thriving Families - Increased Resilience among Older and Dependent Adults, 3) Thriving Families - Increased reliance among Children and Youth, 4) Healthy Environments – Safe, Affordable, Accessible Recreation Spaces. Proposals could be submitted for different funding amounts (Tier 1 = $150,001 - $500,000; Tier 2 = $25,001 - $150,000; Tier 3 = up to $25,000).

This document analyzes the distribution of CORE funding recommendations across CORE Conditions and grant size, community demographics served, and geographic area. It also provides a comparison of recommended awards to current programs funded by the FY 22/23-25 CORE RFP cycle.

Table. 1 - Distribution of Recommended Awards by CORE Condition and Tier Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Total
Lifelong Learning & Education $500,000
1 Awards
$150,000
1 Award
$48,000
2 Awards
$698,000
4 Awards
Thriving Families: Children & Youth $488,265
2 Awards
$903,543
7 Awards
$50,000
2 Awards
$1,441,808
11 Awards
Thriving Families: Older &
Dependent Adults
$514,356
2 Awards
$446,575
5 Awards
$49,882
2 Awards
$1,010,813
9 Awards
Healthy Environments $264,809
3 Awards
$25,000
1 Award
$289,809
4 Awards
Total Cost $1,502,621 $1,764,927 $172,882 $3,440,430
Total Recommended Awards 5 16 7 28
Out of 100 proposals submitted in response to the CORE RFP, 28 proposals are recommended for award across the priority CORE Conditions and Tiers, totaling $3,440,430 of funding. The funding allocations across the CORE Conditions and Tiers were driven by the number of applications received in each category. The highest concentration of funding requests were in the Thriving Families: Children & Youth category, followed by the Thriving Families: Older & Dependent Adults

30.103
Attachment B
2 category. The recommended awards closely reflect the proportion of proposals received, and funding allocated to each category, as seen in Table 1 above, and Table 2 below.

Table 2. – Percentage of funding recommended compared to funding allocated CORE Condition & Impact Area % Allocated %Recommended*
Healthy Environments 9% 8%
Lifelong Learning & Education 21% 20%
Thriving Families
-Children & Youth 40% 42%
-Older & Dependent Adults 30% 29%
*Totals do not align exactly due to rounding
Table 2 shows that the distribution of recommended funding closely represents the funding allocated to each CORE Condition based on the funding distribution formula approved by the County Board of Supervisors (Board) and Santa Cruz City Council (City Council).

Table 3. – Proposal Scores by Core Condition & Tier
Proposal Scores
(Average/Lowest Funded)
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Lifelong Learning & Education 88 avg
97 lowest funded
89 avg
100 lowest funded
80 avg
83 lowest funded
Thriving Families: Children & Youth 78 avg
92 lowest funded
87 avg
96 lowest funded
80 avg
89 lowest funded
Thriving Families: Older &
Dependent Adults
82 avg
96 lowest funded
79 avg
82 lowest funded
69 avg
76 lowest funded
Healthy Environments 89 avg
95 lowest funded
85 avg
85 lowest funded
Due to the fact that requested funding was over 4 times the available funding, there were many highly rated proposals that unfortunately could not be recommended for funding. Table 3 shows the average score, and the lowest score that is recommended based on the objective scoring criteria and available funding in each CORE Condition/Tier Category as approved by the Board and City Council.

30.104
Attachment B
3 Table 4. – Distribution of Recommended Awards by Geographic Area Watsonville/
South Co
Santa
Cruz
North
(not
SC)
Mid County SLV Other County
% of Total Funding 53% 23% 3% 14% 5% 3% 100%
% of funds within each area by CORE Condition
Lifelong Learning 26% 17% 20% 12% 6% 0% 20%
Thriving Families: Children/Youth 43% 39% 41% 29% 54% 90% 42% Thriving Families: Older/Dep Adults 23% 38% 28% 44% 32% 2% 29% Healthy Environments 7% 7% 11% 15% 9% 9% 8%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Overall the recommended awards align geographically and demographically with where there are higher concentrations of poverty and other needs. The first row of data in Table 4 shows that majority of funds, 53%, would support services in Watsonville and South Santa Cruz County, followed by 23% of the funds supporting services in the City of Santa Cruz. The bottom four rows show the distribution of funds by Core Condition within each geographic area. Of the funds going to South County, which has a relatively large concentration of youth relative to seniors, there is a higher percentage of funding for Lifelong Learning & Education and Children & Youth. By contrast, the City of Santa Cruz and Mid County, which has a higher concentration of seniors than youth, is recommended to receive a greater percentage of funds toward older adults than is recommended for most of the other areas of the county.

Table 5. Distribution of Recommended Awards by Geographic Area Compared to Current COREfunded Programs Watsonville/ South
Co
Santa Cruz North
(not SC)
Mid
County
SLV Other
Recommended Awards 53% 23% 3% 14% 5% 3%
Current CORE Programs 47% 23% 3% 9% 4% 14%
*All current CORE funding comparison data taken from FY 22-23 CORE Investments Annual Report Table 5 demonstrates that if the Recommended Awards are approved, the proportion of funds awarded to specific areas of the county would remain similar to the proportion being funded by CORE programs now. The exception being slight increases in the number of people served in Watsonville/South County, Mid County and a small increase to SLV. To note, “other” indicates the current CORE Program or recent applicant indicated other areas to be served within the county that were not explicitly listed.

30.105
Attachment B
4 Table 6. – Distribution of Recommended Awards by Race/Ethnicity Latine White Black Asian Native
Am/Ak*
Native
HI/PI** Multiracial Other All
% of Total Funding 65% 26% 4% 1% 1% 1% 8% 2% 100%
Distribution of funds within Race/Ethnicity by CORE Condition Lifelong Learning 26% 10% 4% 19% 6% 3% 5% 0% 20%
Thriving Families:

Children/Youth 46% 33% 30% 21% 30% 31% 76% 41% 42%
Thriving Families:

Older/Dep Adults 20% 53% 12% 48% 26% 54% 8% 27% 29%
Healthy
Environments
8% 4% 54% 12% 37% 12% 11% 32% 8%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
* Native American/Alaskan
**Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
The first row of data in Table 6 shows that nearly two-thirds of all funding, 65%, is anticipated to serve community members who are Latine. Within the Latine population, over 70% of funds are recommended to support toward Lifelong Learning and Children & Youth. Other populations, such as white and Asian, are recommended to receive relatively more funding for older adults than for children.

Table 7. – Distribution of Recommended Awards by Race/Ethnicity Compared to Current COREfunded Programs* Latine White Black Asian Native
Am/AK
Native
HI/PI Multiracial Other
Recommended Awards 65% 26% 4% 1% 1% 1% 8% 2%
Current CORE Programs 57% 30% 1% 4% 1% 0% 2% 6%
*All current CORE funding comparison data taken from FY 22-23 CORE Investments Annual Report Distribution or recommended awards has slight variations from the CORE programs currently funded, with the most notable increase in the percentage of community members who are Latine and multiracial.

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Attachment B
5 Table 8. Distribution of Recommended Funding by Age Group Across CORE conditions. 0-5 6-18 19-59 60+
Lifelong Learning & Education 35% 2% 61% 2%
Thriving Families: Children and Youth 17% 56% 22% 5%
Thriving Families: Older and dependent adults 0% 1% 16% 83% Healthy Environments 2% 56% 34% 7%
% of Total 14% 29% 29% 28%
Table 8 demonstrates that the greatest proportion (61%) of CORE funding for Lifelong Learning will support adults ages 19-59. The greatest proportion of funding for Youth (56%) will support kids ages 6-18, and the greatest proportion of funding for Older and Dependent Adults (83%) will support adults 60 and over. The proportion of funding across all age groups is relatively similar at 28-29% per group, with the exception that funds for young kids under 5 represents 14% of the funding.

Table 9. – CORE Recommended Awards Compared to Current funded Programs and Older Adults # of Programs
Older Adults
% of Total
Programs
Dollars
Allocated
% of Total
Dollars
Allocated
% of CORE
clients
Served
Recommended Awards 18 out of 28 64% $948,668 28% 20%
Current CORE Programs 40 out of 57 70% $1,918,671 32% 16% Table 9 provides a comparative analysis of the number of programs and funding amount for older adult programs recommended for award, compared to current CORE funded programs.

This also shows that of all community members served by CORE, older adults will represent about 20% of those served.

Current CORE funded programs are part of the FY 22/23-25 RFP funding cycle, which meant they received funding and contracts for a 3 year period, that will end June 2025. Some currently funded organizations applied for the FY25/26 – 28 RFP funding, along with many new organizations that are not currently funded.

30.107
Attachment B
6 Table 10. – Agency and Program Funding Changes Between CORE RFP Cycles Table 10 shows the number of new organizations recommended for funding, as well the number of currently funded organizations that will continue to receive CORE funds, and currently funded organizations that applied but were not recommended for continued CORE funding. Some organizations submit multiple applications for different programs, so the number of new programs and continuing programs are listed separately.

Recommended & not
currently funded
Recommended &
currently funded
Not recommended &
currently funded
Organizations 15 7 19
Programs 18 10 22

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Attachment C
1 Analysis of CORE Fund Leveraging
As a part of the FY 25/26-28 CORE RFP, proposals submitted in Tiers 1 or 2 were eligible for 5 bonus points if they planned to leverage CORE funding, and stated how the funding would be leveraged. It should be noted that leveraging can be interpreted different ways by different community based organizations, government entities, and funders. For the purposes of the CORE RFP, leveraging was defined broadly as several categories of resources that would be brought in to be used with CORE Funding including:
• Other Funding (any money coming from different sources than CORE) • Other Receivables (donated equipment or goods, participant fees, etc) • Technical Assistance (any TA provided for the program) • Donated Services (includes volunteer hours and other services) • Other Resources (anything that did not fall into other categories) The information below summarized how all applicants proposed to leverage CORE funding, and how recommended awardees proposed to leverage CORE funding.

Leveraging information for all Tier 1 and Tier 2 proposals • 74 out of 85 (88%) eligible proposals submitted leveraging information. • Across all applications that proposed to leverage CORE funding, the CORE dollars represented about 26% of the proposed program budgets.

CORE Funds
Requested
$12,523,001
26%
Other
Funding
$25,603,106
53%
Other
Receivables
$6,492,667
14%
Donated
Services
$2,253,149
5%
Other
Resources
$852,179
2%
Technical
Assistance
$220,326
0%

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Attachment C
2 Leveraging Information for Tier 1 and Tier 2 Recommended Awards • 19 out of 19 (100%) Tier I and II recommended proposals submitted leveraging information
• CORE funding would represent 24% of all Tier 1 and Tier 2 recommended program budgets.
• CORE funding would be used to leverage other funding to support the CORE funded program, totaling over $8M in additional funds.

CORE Funds
Requested
$3,017,548
24%
Other Funding
$8,326,520
65%
Donated
Services
$308,269
2%
Other
Receivables
$569,470
5%
Other
Resources
$525,379
4%

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Attachment E
1 CORE Proposal Review Panelists Demographics
Panelists were recruited to include people with subject matter expertise and/or life experience in one or more of the CORE conditions and who were free of conflicts of interest to provide a fair and objective review of the submitted proposals.

Selection of panelists was based on alignment of expertise to the CORE conditions of submitted proposals as well as diversity with respect to race/ethnicity, gender, age, lived experience, professional experience, geographic area of expertise, and whether the applicants lived in Santa Cruz or an adjacent county. The goal of the review was to select a local panelist pool of subject matter experts who reflected the diversity of Santa Cruz County as much as possible.

Panelist Overview
 80% of panelists stated they had lived experience within one of the CORE conditions  87% of the panelists had professional experience with one or more of the CORE conditions.
 85% of the panelists live in Santa Cruz County
 35% of the panelists identified as Latino/a/e
 55% of the panelists identified as people of color
Table 1. Panelists by region
South County North County San Lorenzo
Valley
Mid County
Greater than 2 years
experience living or
working in region
47% 62% 20% 41%
Table 1 shows the percentage of panelists who stated they had lived and/or had relative work experience in the various regions of the county for at least 2 years.

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Attachment E
2 Table 2. Panelists professional experience in the CORE conditions CORE Condition Panelists
Lifelong Learning & Education 29%
Thriving Families: Children & Youth 52%
Thriving Families: Older and Dependent Adults 38%
Healthy Environments 29%
Table 2 demonstrates the percentage of panelist with work experience in the identified CORE conditions. Professional experience was defined by having at least 2 years of experience in the CORE condition.

Table 3. Panelists lived experience in the CORE conditions CORE Condition Panelists
Lifelong Learning and Education 52%
Thriving Families: Children and Youth 50%
Thriving Families: Older and Dependent Adults 45%
Not Applicable 20%
Table 3 demonstrates what percentage of panelists had lived experience in the CORE conditions. Panelists were able to select multiple CORE conditions as appropriate based on their individual experiences.

Table 4. Panelist Race/Ethnicity
Panelist Race/Ethnicity # of Panelists % of Panelists
White 26 45%
Hispanic/Latino/Latinx 22 35%
Asian 5 8%
Native American/Alaskan 1 2%
Black or African American 1 2%
Decline to State 2 3%
Other People of Color 3 5%
In addition to lived and work experience, panelists were asked to identify their race/ethnicity. Table 4 demonstrates the self-reported race/ethnicity of the panelists.

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Attachment E
3 Table 5. Panelists by Affiliation
Affiliation Type Panelist % of Panelists
Community Member of Santa Cruz 18 22%
County of Santa Cruz Employee 33 60%
Other Jurisdiction 4 6%
City of Santa Cruz 4 8%
City of Watsonville 1 3%
Grand Total 60 100%
The CORE RFP requires a large pool of potential panelists. Table 5 is a summary of the panelist connection to the RFP process. The majority of panelists were from the County of Santa Cruz or a local city (60%), followed by community members (34%).

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Attachment E
1 CORE INVESTMENTS PROPOSAL REVIEW PROCESS
The diagram below represents the deliberative CORE Investments proposal review method that involved a transparent process with a large variety of stakeholders. This process is described in detail below.

Proposal Submission
Proposals were submitted electronically via Reviewr, a web-based platform specifically designed to collect, manage, and review online proposal submissions.

After the proposal due date, HSD staff reviewed proposals for completeness and clarified any discrepancies between the proposal and the RFP.

Identification of Objective Review Panel
Panelists were recruited to include people with subject matter expertise and/or life experience in one or more of the CORE conditions and who were free of conflicts of interest to provide a fair and objective review of the submitted proposals. Panelists were recruited through general and targeted emails to individuals, communitybased organizations, funding entities, local and other Bay Area government departments or programs, or other entities with expertise relevant to CORE conditions. The recruitment email provided background on the CORE RFP and a link

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Attachment E
2 to a brief panelist application questionnaire. The email encouraged recipients to consider serving as a panelist and to share the invitation with other potential panelists. See attachment of email.

HSD received 73 applications from potential panelists. All applicants were screened for conflict of interest, which was defined as whether the potential panelist or any immediate family members employs or is about to employ any of the agencies or has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from an agency making a proposal. Ultimately, 3 potential panelists were removed from consideration because of conflict of interest.

Selection of remaining panelists was based on alignment of expertise to the CORE conditions of submitted proposals as well as diversity with respect to race/ethnicity, gender, age, lived experience, professional experience, geographic area of expertise, and whether the applicants lived in Santa Cruz or an adjacent county. The goal of this review was to select a local panelist pool of subject matter experts who reflected the diversity of Santa Cruz County as much as possible.

Ultimately, 60 people served as panelists. They included people with lived experience, community members, staff from community-based organizations, researchers, City and County government staff including several panelists from jurisdictions outside Santa Cruz County.

Assignment of Proposals to Panelists
Once all proposals were received and screened for completion, HSD staff grouped them by tier and by the CORE condition selected by the applicant. Given available numbers of qualified panelists without conflict of interest, HSD determined that all proposals would be reviewed by three panelists.

Drawing on information captured via the panelist questionnaire, HSD assigned proposals to panelists based on the alignment of panelists’ expertise with proposals’ primary CORE condition(s). When possible, HSD assigned at least one panelist with geographic expertise to review proposals targeting particular areas of the County (e.g., South County, San Lorenzo Valley, etc.). Finally, HSD sought to ensure diversity of panelists across tiers and within grouped proposals. This step was designed so each proposal was reviewed by panelists who represented some diversity with respect to demographics, lived and professional experience, and/or area of residence.

All panelists participated in a Rubric Scoring online training provided by HSD staff along with an external consultant and signed Conflict of Interest forms and Confidentiality Agreements before receiving the proposals for review.

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Attachment E
3 Panelist Training
Panelists participated in a virtual 2-hour training. The training provided background on CORE, the CORE RFP and application, the scoring process, the Reviewr scoring platform, and a mock proposal developed in the Reviewr scoring platform to aid panelists in understanding the proposal and scoring process. Throughout the orientation panelists had opportunities to ask questions. Panelists were also able to ask questions by email throughout the proposal review process.

The panelist training was offered twice via Zoom and archived recordings were provided to those panelists unable to attend either live session. All panelists received links to copies of training slides, the scoring matrix, glossary of key terms as well as the CORE RFP and application. Forty-two panelists participated in the live training and the remainder watched the recording. Panelists who completed an optional post-training survey following the live Zoom sessions (n=33) indicated a high level confidence to begin reviewing proposals, ranking their confidence at an average of

4.1 on 5-point scale (0 = Not at All Confident to 5 = Completely Confident).

Proposal Scoring: Independent Scoring and Variance Discussions After completing training and signing conflict of interest and confidentiality agreements, panelists independently scored each assigned proposal using the scoring matrix provided in the RFP. The scoring matrix was based on the RFP scoring criteria, application questions and instructions. It was designed to provide guidance to panelists, ground scoring in the RFP and application, minimize bias, and create greater consistency in scoring. In addition to numeric scores, panelists provided qualitative comments for each proposal that identified areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

After panelists completed their independent review of proposals, HSD staff analyzed scores to identify any large variations between panelists scoring the same proposal.

When variant scores were identified in a specific proposal, all panelists scoring that proposal were invited to attend a virtual discussion about the specific question(s) that had variances in scoring. Discussions allowed panelists to share their rationale and thought process for scoring, learn from one another, and to adjust scores if they wished.

In total, 22 variance meetings were convened and facilitated by HSD staff and an external consultant. All meetings followed the same format. Panelists were provided a brief orientation to the process, which described the purpose of the meeting, ground rules for discussion and confidentiality, and assurance that after discussion panelists could choose to adjust scores or leave them as is. Panelists then discussed

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Attachment E
4 each identified scoring variance proposal and reviewed the individual question(s) sequentially. Discussion was guided by PowerPoint slides presenting quantitative scores, associated qualitative comments, and the relevant scoring matrix of the specific question(s). After panelists discussed their rationale for the scores, they stated whether they intended to adjust their scores or leave them as is. HSD noted panelists’ intentions and sent follow-up reminders to panelists about these intentions and confirmed that scores were updated.

Final Score Review and Funding Recommendations
After panelists finalized their scoring, staff analyzed the scores by tier and CORE Condition in relation to available funding. Recommended awards were determined using the average panelist scores, requested funding, and the amount of money allocated to each CORE Condition and tier category.

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Attachment E
5 APPENDIX A: Panelist Recruitment Announcement
CORE Investment Review Panel Recruitment Announcement
Are you willing to help the County of Santa Cruz (County) and the City of Santa Cruz (City) review and score proposals for the Collective of Results and Evidence-based (CORE) Investments? Please share this announcement with others who may be interested in this opportunity.

CORE Investments is a collective impact funding model and movement to achieve equitable health and well-being in Santa Cruz County.

The County and the City will be awarding nearly $3.79 million dollars per year for three years (2025-2028) to programs that focus on improving the well-being of community members experiencing the greatest challenges and barriers in the County. More information about the CORE Request for Proposals can be found here and information about CORE Investments as a movement can be found here.

Who are we looking for?
• Individuals who are willing to commit to a total of approximately 20-30 hours over the course of 8 weeks to read and score proposals and participate in a virtual review panel from August to September 2024.
• Individuals who represent the diversity of our community. • People and/or their immediate family members who do not have a financial interest or a tangible personal benefit from an agency making a proposal.

Have concerns around participating? Accommodations are available to create a space where otherwise eligible individuals can participate regardless of physical or technological barriers.

Next Steps
If you are interested in participating as a reviewer, please complete a brief 10-minute questionnaire here as soon as possible or by 7/26/24. If you know someone who may be interested in participating, please forward them this invitation. Once the proposals are submitted, we will reach out to all potential reviewers with more information and any follow up questions.

If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected] and include a phone number where we can reach you during normal business hours.

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Attachment F
1 Options for Allocating Set Aside Funds
CORE funding is awarded and distributed at the discretion of elected officials. In this FY25-28 RFP cycle, set-aside funds for emerging needs or priorities not funded through the competitive process is a new funding tool. This document takes the information regarding not recommended proposals and organizes it in three different ways as options for allocating the funds based on different priorities. The options are listed below. No specific option is recommended, they are provided only with the intention of supporting the examination of different funding priority scenarios and how those scenarios would result in additional programs within the available funding. Each scenario only lists proposals that met the minimum scoring thresholds in each Tier. (ie. proposals scored 80 or higher for Tiers 1 & 2, and 60 or higher for Tier 3) Where there is a tie between proposals, all tied programs are listed.

If the Board and Council align their set aside funding, the funding overall would stretch further, similar to the CORE awards; however, as the set aside is at the discretion of each separate elected body, the breakdown of funds between each elected body is shown.

Total County Funds $828,847
Total City Funds $189,576
Total Combined Funds $1,018,423
As noted in the board memo/staff report, in addition to the set aside amounts above, there is up to 5% flexibility built into the RFP to ensure all CORE funds are expended when piecing together multiple awards of various sizes. The funding flexibility would come from reducing grants by up to 5%. Reducing already recommended awards by 5% provides up to $172,021 of flexibility ($141,057 County/ $30,964 City). The funding scenarios below provide information on what the totals would be for be for these potential additional awards based on what is requested, and what could be funded with a 5% reduction.

Option A - Apply the funds to the next highest ranked proposals regardless of CORE Condition or Tier

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Attachment F
2 The Board/Council could prioritize funding the highest ranked proposals overall, by looking at all proposals collectively as a single group, and funding those with the highest rank.

Organization Program Name Requested
Funding
5%
Reduction
Tier CORE Condition Score
Coastal Watershed
Council
Watershed
Rangers
$135,667 $128,884 Tier II Lifelong Learning & Education 98 Digital NEST, Inc. Career Pathways $197,597 $187,717 Tier I Lifelong Learning & Education 96 Dientes Community
Dental Care
Equitable Dental
Care for Seniors
$250,000 $237,500 Tier I Thriving Families: Older & Dep Adults
95 Boys & Girls Clubs of
Santa Cruz County
Project Learn $225,742 $214,455 Tier I Lifelong Learning & Education 95 Community Bridges Meals on Wheels
for Santa Cruz
County
$500,000 $475,000 Tier I Thriving Families: Older & Dep Adults
95 Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Rental Assistance
Program
$150,000 $142,500 Tier II Thriving Families: Children and Youth
95 Walnut Avenue
Family & Women's
Center
Early Education
Center
$128,000 $121,600 Tier II Lifelong Learning & Education 95 TOTAL $1,587,006 $1,507,656

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Attachment F
3 Option B - Apply the funds to the next highest rank in a priority CORE Conditions The Board/Council could choose one of the CORE condition areas as a priority (ie. Lifelong Learning, Thriving Families:

Adults, Thriving Families: Children, or Healthy Environments) and then fund the next highest ranked proposals in that CORE Condition.

CORE CONDITION: Lifelong Learning & Education
Organization Program Name Requested Amount 5% Reduction Tier Score Coastal Watershed Council Watershed Rangers $135,667 $128,884 Tier II 98 Digital NEST, Inc. Career Pathways $197,597 $187,717 Tier I 96 Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa
Cruz County
Project Learn $225,742 $214,455 Tier I 95
Walnut Avenue Family &
Women's Center
Early Education Center $128,000 $121,600 Tier II 95
United Way of Santa Cruz
County
United Way of Santa Cruz County
United 4 Youth Santa Cruz County
$150,000 $142,500 Tier II 91
TOTAL $837,006 $795,156

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Attachment F
4 CORE CONDITION: Thriving Families: Children and Youth Company/ Organization Submission Name Requested Amount 5% Reduction Tier Score Community Action Board of
Santa Cruz County, Inc.

Rental Assistance Program $150,000 $142,500 Tier II 95
Community Action Board of
Santa Cruz County, Inc.

Davenport Resource Service Center $125,000 $118,750 Tier II 93 LATIN ADVOCACY NETWORKLATINANClaudia Abasto $131,844 $125,252 Tier II 92 Mountains 2 Sea Inc. Mountains 2 Sea $28,762 $27,324 Tier II 92 Walnut Avenue Family &
Women's Center
Youth Violence Prevention Program $134,354 $127,636 Tier II 92 FoodWhat Incorporated FoodWhat Incorporated $145,000 $137,750 Tier II 87 Santa Cruz City Schools Family Engagement Initiative $150,000 $142,500 Tier II 86 Pajaro Valley Prevention &
Student Assistance
Reforzando Familias-Reinforcing
Families
$315,582 $299,803 Tier II 86
TOTAL $1,180,542 $1,121,515
CORE CONDITION: Thriving Families: Older and Dependent Adults Company/ Organization Submission Name Requested Amount 5% Reduction Tier Score Dientes Community Dental Care Equitable Dental Care for Seniors $250,000 $237,500 Tier I 95 Community Bridges Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County $500,000 $475,000 Tier I 95 TOTAL $750,000 $712,500

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Attachment F
5 CORE CONDITION: Healthy Environments*
Organization Submission Name Requested Amount 5% Reduction Tier Score Santa Cruz Lesbian and Gay
Community Center
The Diversity Center’s Health and
Wellbeing Initiative
$149,900 $142,405 Tier II 91
Central Coast YMCA Healthy Family Homes $30,000 $28,500 Tier II 89 Coastal Watershed Council River Stewards Program $149,991 $142,491 Tier II 88 Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz
County
YouthServe $35,000 $33,250 Tier II 83
TOTAL $364,891 $346,646
*NOTE: This is all of the remaining eligible "Healthy Environments" proposals Option C - Apply the funds to the next ranked proposal(s) by Tier The Board/Council could choose to prioritize applying the set aside money towards larger grants, meaning fewer additional awards, or to fund as many proposals as possible by funding small and/or medium sized grants.

Tier 1
Organization Program Name Requested
Funding
5%
Reduction
CORE condition Score
Digital NEST, Inc. Career Pathways $197,597 $187,717 Lifelong Learning & Education 96 Dientes Community
Dental Care
Equitable Dental
Care for Seniors
$250,000 $237,500 Thriving Families: Older & Dependent
Adults
95 Boys & Girls Clubs of
Santa Cruz County
Project Learn $225,742 $214,455 Lifelong Learning & Education 95 Community Bridges Meals on Wheels for
Santa Cruz County
$500,000 $475,000 Thriving Families: Older & Dependent
Adults
95 TOTAL $1,173,339 $1,114,672

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Attachment F
6 Tier 2
Organization Program Name Requested
Funding
5%
Reduction
CORE condition Score
Coastal Watershed
Council
Watershed Rangers $135,667 $128,884 Lifelong Learning & Education 98 Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Rental Assistance
Program
$150,000 $142,500 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 95 Walnut Avenue Family
& Women's Center
Early Education
Center
$128,000 $121,600 Lifelong Learning & Education
opportunities
95 Community Action
Board of Santa Cruz
County, Inc.

Davenport Resource
Service Center
$125,000 $118,750 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 93

LATIN ADVOCACY

NETWORK-LATINAN
Claudia Abasto $131,844 $125,252 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 92 Mountains 2 Sea Inc. Mountains 2 Sea $28,762 $27,324 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 92 Walnut Avenue Family
& Women's Center
Youth Violence
Prevention Program
$134,354 $127,636 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 92 Santa Cruz Lesbian and
Gay Community Center
The Diversity
Center’s Health and
Wellbeing Initiative
$149,900 $142,405 Healthy Environments 91
United Way of Santa
Cruz County
United 4 Youth Santa
Cruz County
$150,000 $142,500 Lifelong Learning & Education 91
TOTAL $1,133,527 $1,076,851

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Attachment F
7 Tier 3*
Organization Program Name Requested
Funding
5%
Reduction
CORE condition Score
Girls Inc of the Central
Coast
Education and
Leadership
$14,000 $13,300 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 82
Senderos Plaza Comunitaria:

Aprendiendo a su
proprio ritmo /
Learning at your own
pace
$25,000 $23,750 Lifelong Learning & Education 82
Grils Inc of the Central
Coast
Embracing
Leadership and
Educational Goals
$19,800 $18,810 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 81
Girls Inc of the Central
Coast
Making Healthy
Choices
$12,400 $11,780 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 76
Association of Faith
Communities of Santa
Cruz County, Inc.

Mobile Shower
Program
$25,000 $23,750 Thriving Families: Older & Dependent
Adults
72 X Academy X Academy $25,000 $23,750 Lifelong Learning & Education 69 Girls Inc of the Central
Coast
Communication and
Exploration
$8,150 $7,743 Thriving Families: Children & Youth 66
TOTAL $129,350 $122,883
NOTE: This is all of the remaining eligible Tier 3 proposals

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Attachment F
8 Option D - Apply the funds to the next ranked proposals that support childcare The Council could choose to prioritize applying the set aside money towards childcare proposals.

Organization Program Name Requested
Funding
5%
Reduction
CORE condition Score
Walnut Avenue Family &
Women's Center
Early Education Center $128,000 $121,600 Lifelong Learning & Education 95 Santa Cruz Toddler Care
Center
Santa Cruz Toddler Care
Center
$107,462 $102,089 Lifelong Learning & Education 88

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From: Adam French
To: Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson
Cc: City Council
Subject: 2025-28 CORE investments
Date: Friday, November 15, 2024 1:39:01 PM
Dear Council Member Kalantari-Johnson,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing as a resident of your district, a parent, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center regarding the recommendations for the 2025-28 CORE Investments.

A great concern to me in this year’s CORE Investments process is the lack of overall funding oriented towards supporting the provision of licensed and affordable childcare (particularly for children in the newborn to pre-elementary school age group). The County’s own data underscore the extreme deficit our community faces in the availability of such care, and this deficit is particularly acute for the least affluent among us. From a child’s perspective, the experiences one has during these formative years are likely to have crucial bearing on lifelong development and wellbeing, highlighting the universal need for a safe, stable, and enriching environment along with sustained access to healthy food and caring interaction with adults. From a parent’s perspective, without childcare, our ability to work and otherwise contribute productively to our communities beyond the boundaries of our immediate families is substantially reduced. In short, a deficit in quality and affordable childcare is a long-run recipe for a less healthy, less connected, and more unequal community—this is not the Santa Cruz we want or need!
With regard to the importance of high-quality and accessible childcare, I would like to advocate for the Toddler Care Center and other similar institutions working to make such care available to a diversity of Santa Cruz residents. Working in the education sector and with local NGOs, my wife and I were fortunate to receive generous scholarship support to be able to enroll our daughter at the Toddler Care Center; without this support the costs of enrollment would have been prohibitive for us. Having watched our child flourish at the Toddler Care Center over the last 18 months, I cannot stress enough how wonderful the work they do is for the lucky children who attend and how vital their support is to our family. Low teacher-to-child ratios, hearty organic meals, and sustained exposure to nature are a few of the highlights of their program.

Having witnessed its impact firsthand, I have no doubt that creating greater access to this kind of rich and developmentally appropriate care should be a priority for our community. Indeed, for decades, both the County and City have supported the Toddler Care Center and similar institutions, helping to fund scholarships like the one we receive to make their services more accessible to a broader group of local residents. Even with generous scholarship support, accessing quality childcare remains out of reach for many families; and, as a community, we should be seeking ways to provide greater levels of funding to the sector rather than eliminating long-standing and crucial funds from already-stretched organizational budgets.

I certainly recognize that many effective organizations doing excellent work were vying for a limited amount of CORE funding. Nevertheless, the recommendations that resulted from this year’s

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selection process err in shifting funding away from desperately needed and fundamentally important childcare. On behalf of many parents who depend on organizations like the Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center to be able to work hard to support our families and our community, I ask that you please consider how the CORE Investments and other funding mechanisms can better support these organizations providing such vital services to Santa Cruz County.

Thank you for your consideration of my perspectives on this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss these issues further.

Kind regards,
Adam French
--
Adam French, Ph.D. (he, him)
Lecturer in Environmental Studies | University of California, Santa Cruz Guest Research Scholar | International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) www.adamfrench.org

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From: Bonnie Bush
To: City Council
Subject: FW: Monarch Services
Date: Monday, November 18, 2024 1:01:51 PM
Attachments: Outlook-2te3aqsq.png
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CORE - Letter to BOS.pdf
image001.png
Bonnie Bush, CMC
City Clerk
City of Santa Cruz
809 Center St., Room 8, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: 831-420-5035
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.cityofsantacruz.com
Public Records Requests may be submitted online via the Public Records Request form, by email, or by hard copy form available at the City Clerk’s Office located at 809 Center Street, Room 9, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

Please note: Public Record Act Requests submitted via email, fax, USPS, or dropoff after 5:00 p.m. on a business day, Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays will be processed as received on the next open business day. The 10-day response period begins when the request is received.

From: Leeann L <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2024 12:30 PM
To: [email protected]; Bonnie Bush <[email protected]>; Bonnie Bush <[email protected]>; Bonnie Bush <[email protected]> Cc: Cathryn McCormic <[email protected]>
Subject: Monarch Services
****CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.**** Good afternoon,
Attached is a letter from Monarch Services in response to the CORE funding and the ask to delay the funding allocation vote. We will also be present at tomorrow's meeting.

Thank you,
Leeann Luna

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Leeann Luna | Chief Executive Officer
233 East Lake Ave. Watsonville, CA 95076 | 831.722.4532 550 Water St., Suite J3, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 | 831.425.4030 24-hour Crisis Line 1.888.900.4232
www.monarchscc.org
November is Positive Solutions Awareness month at Monarch Services. Click Here to learn more.

Our offices will be closed on November 11th for Veteran's Day, as well as November 28th and 29th for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Learn more about upcoming events and ways you can support Monarch by visiting our website event page Here.

Follow Us On Social Media

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233 East Lake Avenue
Watsonville, CA 95076
831.722.4532
CRISIS LINE: 1.888.900.4232
www.monarchscc.org
Tax ID: 94-2462783
550 Water Street, Suite J3,
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831.425.4030
November 18, 2024
Board of Supervisors and City Council
Santa Cruz County and City of Santa Cruz
Subject: Request to Delay Vote on CORE Fiscal Year 2025-2028 Funding Allocations Dear Members of the Board of Supervisors and City Council, We are writing to formally request a delay in the vote for the CORE Fiscal Year 2025-2028 funding. The current staff recommendations eliminate funding for 17 nonprofit organizations that provide critical services to the most vulnerable populations in Santa Cruz County and the City of Santa Cruz. These cuts will have devastating consequences for our community, particularly for seniors, youth, families, and survivors of domestic violence.

The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz has compiled detailed information highlighting the significant impact these cuts will have on service providers and the community. As stated by the Volunteer Center:
“The county staff conducted a long and detailed process, but when a process, no matter how well designed, results in recommendations to shift 80% of funding away from proven, highly used safety net services that seniors, youth, and families rely on with no analysis of the impact of the proposed cuts on people using services, jobs lost in those nonprofits, and no plan to deal with the community-level impacts—particularly to homebound seniors and low-income families—the community needs to demand a pause for reflection and answers before the Board takes what could be catastrophic actions for our community.” One of the most concerning outcomes is the complete defunding of all Domestic Violence Organizations in the county. This decision will have catastrophic consequences for survivors seeking support after enduring some of the most traumatic experiences of their lives.

For example, therapy provided by Monarch Services, which has been CORE-funded for the past three years, will be completely eliminated. This therapy is critical for survivors, such as a young woman who has endured rape by an adult male family member, resulting in pregnancy. Without continued funding, survivors like her—and their families—will be left without the vital mental health services necessary for healing. The long-term, generational impacts of such decisions cannot be overstated.

Monarch Services will have no choice but to cut this essential service from our budget, as there are no alternative funding sources to sustain it. Survivors will be referred to the county for

30.131
233 East Lake Avenue
Watsonville, CA 95076
831.722.4532
CRISIS LINE: 1.888.900.4232
www.monarchscc.org
Tax ID: 94-2462783
550 Water Street, Suite J3,
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831.425.4030
therapy resources, leaving gaps in service and placing further strain on an already limited system.

We are also aware that $1,018,423 remains available in discretionary CORE funding. We formally request that this funding be allocated to continue supporting therapy services and other critical safety net programs without interruption.

We urge you to delay the vote and take the necessary time to fully assess the impact of these recommendations, gather input from the affected organizations, and develop a plan to mitigate the harm these cuts will cause to the community.

Thank you for considering this urgent matter. We are available to discuss this further and provide additional information about the services at risk.

Sincerely,
Leeann Luna
CEO
Monarch Services-Servicios Monarca

30.132

30.133

30.134
• Timeline Review
• County BOS Hearing this A.M.
• Panel and Appeal Process
• Recommended Awards
• Set Aside: Direction
• Recommended Actions
Agenda

30.135
November
2024
Timeline Review
8 focus areas
reduced to 4
2 future
opportunities
for carve out
or other
priority
CORE $
separated into
3 buckets
Carve out or
other priority
RFP approved
with 14 lessons
learned
applied
Summary of
apps
Funding
distribution
formula
approved
Carve out or
other priority
MOU with City
Contracts
update
Lessons
learned
framework
Recommended
Awards
Set aside
funding
Begin
Contracts
December
2023
April
2024
September
2024
April
2025
July
2025

30.136
County BOS Hearing this A.M.

Approve recommended awards
Set Aside: Direction
Execute Contracts
County HSD to return by April 30, 2025

30.137
Panel Review and Appeal Process
Panelists 100 Applications, 60 Panelists
Trained on scoring rubric from RFP
Independent Scoring, variance discussions
~2400 unique comments
Appeals 22 Appeals received
6 Appeals upheld
2 Additional recommended awards
Checks and Balances

30.138
Recommended Awards
RFP = Clean slate each cycle
100 applications, 28 awards
$15.3M requested, $3.79M available
$$$ distributed per BOS approved formula
No carve outs
&
$828K set
aside
(County) /
$189K (City)

30.139
Recommended Awards
CORE Condition & Impact Area % Allocated %Recommended*
Healthy Environments 9% 8%
Lifelong Learning & Education 21% 20%
Children & Youth 40% 42%
Older & Dependent Adults 30% 29%

30.140
Recommended Awards Distribution
Geographic Distribution
Watsonville/
South Co
Santa
Cruz
North
(not SC)
Mid
County
SLV Other
Current CORE
Programs 47% 23% 3% 9% 4% 14%
Recommended
Awards 53% 23% 3% 14% 5% 3%
Race/Ethnicity
Latine White Black Asian Native
Am/AK
Native
HI/PI Multiracial Other
Current CORE
Programs 57% 30% 1% 4% 1% 0% 2% 6%
Recommended
Awards 65% 26% 4% 1% 1% 1% 8% 2%

30.141
Set Aside Funds
• $828,847 for County BOS
• $189,576 for SC CC
15% set aside + unspent funds =
$1M+ for BOS and SC CC Discretion

30.142
Set Aside Funds
• Option A: Fund the next highest-ranked
proposals across all CORE Conditions & Tiers.
• Option B: Prioritize funding in a specific CORE
Condition.
• Option C: Focus funding on smaller grants in
lower-tier proposals.
• Option D: Apply the funds to the next ranked
proposals that support childcare.

Council Discretion

30.143
Set Aside Funds

1. Walnut Ave Early Education Center - $128K

2. Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center - $107,462
Childcare Proposals

30.144
Approve recommended awards
Direction on recommended set aside funding
Direct staff to coordinate with County on contracts
Return by April 30, 2025 with updates
CORE RFP Recommended Actions –eminders

30.145

30.146
City Council

AGENDA REPORT
DATE: 10/30/2024
AGENDA OF: 11/19/2024
DEPARTMENT: Water/Finance/Public Works
SUBJECT: SCMU Utility Customer Assistance Program - Council Policy and Special Revenue Fund (WT/FN/PW)
RECOMMENDATION: Motion to adopt a resolution approving a Council Policy creating a Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities (SCMU) Utility Customer Assistance Program and creation of a Special Revenue Fund.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, policy makers and legislators at the local, state, and national level have been grappling with the challenges faced by customers and utility providers as the cost of utilities, especially water and wastewater, continue to rise. Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities (SCMU), like other publicly owned utilities across the US, has increased rates to fund necessary infrastructure improvements and contributions to climate resiliency. These recent Councilapproved rate increases, which have far outpaced inflation, can have a negative impact on our most financially vulnerable community members.

Approximately 30% of SCMU customers experience utility rates as unaffordable. Understanding the impacts utility rates have on lower-income customers, SCMU has been working to identify funding to create a Utility Customer Assistance Program (UCAP). The UCAP will provide ongoing financial support in the form of direct bill assistance to qualified, enrolled low-income program participants.

DISCUSSION: The UCAP will be funded using the revenues from late payment fees collected from non-program participant SCMU customers. Historically, the late fee penalty revenues collected by SCMU have been allocated proportionally to the City’s Enterprise Funds (Water, Wastewater, and Refuse) and the General Fund. Late penalty fees are an ideal funding source for the SCMU UCAP because the funds are not restricted under Prop. 218, they represent an ongoing funding source, and the Enterprise Funds and the General Fund have been successfully functioning without these revenues in recent years, due to the COVID-19 moratorium placed on late fees.

The UCAP may also be funded by other Prop. 218-exempt revenues that become available to SCMU, including but not limited to rent revenues, or other forms of public or private monies such as donations, endowments, or State and Federal assistance. The Department Heads of Water, Public Works, and Finance all support the practice of using late fee revenues to fund the UCAP.

31.1 This proposed Council Policy will ensure that the SCMU late payment penalty revenues are dedicated to the funding of this much-needed assistance program, and that a new Special Revenue Fund is created to financially administer the UCAP. The creation of a Special Revenue Fund is needed due to the cross-departmental funding of this new UCAP. Late fee revenues will be redirected from the Water, Public Works, and Finance department general ledgers into this new Special Revenue Fund. This new Special Revenue Fund is the planned distribution point for the bill credits that will be applied to the SMCU accounts of qualified, enrolled program participants.

The program will begin with single-family households then proceed to multi-family households.

Assistance will come in the form of a $25/month bill credit for utility account holders and an annual check to multi-family households who do not receive a utility bill. Customers will qualify based on participation in CalWORKS; CalFresh; Medi-Cal; Woman, Infants, and Children Program (WIC); Supplemental Security Income (SSI); general assistance; Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); and/or Pacific Gas and Electric’s California Alternate Rates for Energy (PG&E’s CARE) program.

CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) DETERMINATION: The proposed Council action is not a “Project” under CEQA because the policy to create a Special Revenue Fund and the UCAP, which will provide ongoing financial support in the form of direct bill assistance to enrolled low-income program participants, does not have the potential to directly or indirectly cause a physical change in the environment.

HEALTH IN ALL POLICIES (HiAP): Establishing this new Council Policy aligns with the three pillars of the City’s Health in All Policies initiative. In terms of equity and sustainability, SCMU recognizes the challenge of rising utility costs and the restrictions of Prop. 218, which prohibits allocating costs and revenues across customer classifications to offset rates for others, including low-income residents. The UCAP will provide financial support to low-income community members promoting continued access to reliable, high-quality drinking water to all City customers in a method that is compliant with state law and financially sustainable. By reducing water shut-offs and potential evictions, UCAP helps lessen the financial strain on lower income households and supports community diversity. Access to clean drinking water contributes to the third pillar, public health, strengthening the overall wellbeing of the community.

FISCAL IMPACT: Implementation of the UCAP will result in a slight decrease in late penalty fee revenues. Qualified, enrolled UCAP participants will receive a late payment fee waiver, which is estimated to represent a decrease in overall late fee revenues annually by approximately $150,000. This decrease in revenue will be shared proportionally between the Enterprise Funds (Water, Wastewater and Refuse) as well as the General Fund (franchise and utility taxes). It should be noted that the late payment waiver for program participants is expected to increase payment frequency and timeliness thereby actually increasing overall revenues received, while simultaneously decreasing staff time spent tracking and enforcing delinquencies.

31.2 Prepared By:

Kyle Petersen
Utilities Services Manager
Submitted By:

Elizabeth Cabell
Finance Director
Nathan Nguyen
Public Works Director
Heidi Luckenbach
Water Director
Approved By:

Matt Huffaker
City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:

1. RESOLUTION.DOC

2. DRAFT COUNCIL POLICY “SCMU UTILITY CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM”.DOCX

31.3 RESOLUTION NO. NS-30,XXX

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ APPROVING COUNCIL POLICY X.XX SANTA CRUZ MUNICIPAL UTILITIES (SCMU) UTILITY

CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the City endeavors to supply water, wastewater, and refuse utility services to customers in the most efficient, cost effective, and environmentally sustainable manner possible; and
WHEREAS, utility rates are used to fund necessary infrastructure improvements designed to provide safe and reliable utility service in the face of climate change; and WHEREAS, utility rates are found to be unaffordable to a portion of SCMU customers, jeopardizing the access of safe and reliable utility service to low-income customers; and WHEREAS, the City staff recommend the establishment of a Special Revenue Fund for the sole purpose of providing direct bill assistance to low-income customers, ensuring access to utility service for those least able to afford it; and
WHEREAS, the City staff developed Council Policy x.xx Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities (SCMU) Utility Customer Assistance Program to establish this Special Revenue Fund; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Cruz as follows:

The Council Policy X.XX Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities (SCMU) Utility Customer Assistance Program will go into effect December 1, 2024.

PASSED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of November, 2024 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

DISQUALIFIED:

APPROVED: ______________________________
Fred Keeley, Mayor
ATTEST: _________________________________
Bonnie Bush, City Clerk Administrator

31.4 COUNCIL POLICY *.**
POLICY TITLE: SANTA CRUZ MUNICIPAL UTILITIES (SCMU) UTILITY CUSTOMER

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
POLICY STATEMENT:

Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities (SCMU) Utility Customer Assistance Program (UCAP) will support financially struggling, low-income SCMU customers. The UCAP will be funded by late payment fee revenues from non-UCAP SCMU customers. The UCAP may also be funded by other Prop. 218-exempt revenues that become available to SCMU, including but not limited to rent revenues, or other forms of public or private monies such as donations, endowments, or State and Federal assistance. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2025, such revenues will be deposited in a UCAP Special Revenue Fund for the sole purpose of providing direct bill assistance to qualifying low-income SCMU customers.

31.5 Santa Cruz Municipal
Utilities (SCMU) Customer
Assistance Program
November 19, 2024
Heidi Luckenbach, Water Director
Nathan Nguyen, Public Works Director
Elizabeth Cabell, Finance Director
Kyle Petersen, Utilities Services Manager
Megan Bunch, Program Analyst

31.6 Utility Customer Assistance
Program Overview 1
2 3 Questions?
Agenda Recommendations: Adopt Council
Policy and Create Special
Revenue Fund

31.7 Needs Assessment
Federal and State
SCMU
 State = AB-401 (2016) required water board to research how to offer CAPs and SB-1225 (2024) would have required utilities offer a CAP using donations from utilities customer base  Federal = LIHWAP (2022-2024) provided one time finding for customer debt relief and LIHWAP Establishment Act (2024) would ensure permanent funding  Consultant analysis (2016-2020)—Upwards of 30% of SCMU customers may be experiencing affordability challenges
 Needs assessment survey (2024)—Survey of potential UCAP participants confirmed financial challenges with 36% of respondents stating they are only able to pay their SCMU bill in full “some of the time” or “rarely”

31.8 Program Funding
Funding Challenges
Planned UCAP Funding Sources
 Prop 218 restricts publicly-owned utilities from subsidizing customers bills with the rates of other customers
 Survey of similar CA public utilities program funding sources = Donations and General Fund  Benefits of SCMU late payment penalty fee revenues:
o Not prop 218 restricted
o Ongoing funding source
 Potential additional funding sources:
o Grants
o Donation program
o Future federal or state programs (debt support, not ongoing bill support)

31.9 The SCMU Customer Assistance Program (UCAP) will
provide qualified*, enrolled participants with:

Monthly bill
credits
Waived late
payment
penalty fee
Early leak
detection
notification
*UCAP will be open to customers who are currently enrolled in PG&E CARE and/or other government assistance programs (Cal WORKS, Medi-Cal, LIHEAP, Cal-Fresh, SSI, and/or General Assistance).

31.10 Staff Recommendation
Adopt Resolution to Enact New
Council Policy Creating the UCAP
The Council Policy will establish the UCAP and dedicate all future SCMU late payment penalty fees to the UCAP.

Create UCAP Special Revenue
Fund
The creation of a Special Revenue Fund will ensure the
UCAP has a dedicated, sheltered funding source.

Motion to adopt a Council Policy creating the UCAP and the creation of a Special Revenue Fund

31.11 Thank you.

We are happy to answer
any question.

31.12 32.1

32.2 33.1

33.2 33.3

33.4 33.5

33.6 33.7

33.8 33.9

33.10 33.11

33.12