Grant Proposal to the Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation Expanding Equitable Access at the
Annenberg Community Beach House, City of Santa Monica
The Annenberg Community Beach House is grateful for the opportunity to submit this proposal for the three-year, $1 million grant opportunity. The proposal below outlines the scope of work and anticipated allocation of grant funds for the first year of the project, providing a detailed overview of how the initial funding will be utilized to achieve the proposed objectives.
Core Concept
To further Wallis Annenberg’s goal for the Beach House to be open to people from all walks of life and be a place to make memories and experience joy, community, and belonging.
To expand access to the Annenberg Community Beach House by Addressing barriers: financial, physical, social, and informational Creating pathways for broader, more inclusive community engagement and programming Program Components
The proposed initiative takes a multifaceted approach to expand community-based access to the Annenberg Community Beach House. By combining community partnerships, expanded public programming, transportation, and flexible financial support, the Beach House will create meaningful opportunities for people of all backgrounds to experience one of Southern California's most unique public coastal resources.
The initiative is designed to serve both the general public and community-based organizations through a coordinated set of strategies. It will increase free programming, strengthen partnerships with nonprofit organizations, and remove barriers to participation by providing transportation assistance, parking support, and subsidized access to the pool, classes, and other Beach House amenities. In addition, the program will maintain a flexible "on-call" pool of resources that allows staff to respond quickly to emerging opportunities and community needs throughout the year, ensuring that access remains responsive, equitable, and inclusive.
1. Beach House Major Public Events
2. Community Based Organization Self-Determined Events
3. New Free Public Programs
1) Beach House Major Public Events
Signature events will showcase the unique character of the Annenberg Community Beach House while creating opportunities for the broader community to gather, connect, and experience the site in new ways. Held seasonally throughout the year, these high-visibility public celebrations will highlight the Beach House’s connection to the beach, wellness, arts, culture, and recreation through programs such as family beach days, wellness experiences, astronomy programs, multicultural celebrations, and artsbased gatherings.
New major events are envisioned to include three to four large-scale public events annually, with each event designed to try something new, attract broad participation through community outreach, engaging programming, and coordinated City support. Anticipated attendance is approximately 250 to 400 participants per event.
Events to include a combination of food, live music and performances, specialty vendors, beach and pool activity zones, tours, and interactive experiences. The Beach House will provide event coordination, staffing, equipment, and logistical support, with grant funding supporting access strategies such as subsidized parking or transportation assistance for participating community groups.
Examples:
Winter Night Sky Stargazing
Labyrinth Walk
Summer Community Beach Day Festival
Family Pool & Beach Day
Youth Wellness Beach Day
Multicultural Beach Celebration + tours
2) Community Based Organization (CBO) Self-Determined Events The Beach House will work closely with an array of community-based organizations local to Santa Monica and regional to the Los Angeles community to support their self-determined experiences. Nan Friedman, Beach House Venue Manager, continues to conduct interviews with a range of CBOs to explore meaningful engagement and access for their varied communities. Based on these interviews, transportation and food are key components, followed by a wide range of expressed interests including water acclimation, art engagement, cultural expression, recreation at ocean, pool, volleyball and soccer courts, wellness activities, space to gather informally and formally for retreats and the like.
Several community-based organizations, including LA Commons and Art Division, expressed interest in participating in this initiative as both program partners and beneficiaries. In addition to bringing their communities to the Annenberg Community Beach House for public programming, these organizations are interested in creating opportunities for young adults and emerging leaders within their own programs.
This reciprocal approach expands community access while investing in local leadership development.
The initiative is envisioned to include approximately 12 events annually, with attendance ranging from 30 to 90 participants per event, depending on the participating organization. Transportation needs will vary and may include parking accommodations, passenger vans, or one to two charter buses.
The Beach House will provide access to the facility, staffing, vendor coordination, logistical support, and modest equity and capacity-building stipends to offset staff time required for planning and coordination.
These resources are intended to reduce administrative barriers and support successful implementation.
Participating organizations will shape each experience to meet the needs of their communities by identifying the audience, desired activities, and operational requirements. Programming will include pool or beach experiences, water acclimation, arts and cultural activities, wellness, recreation, or other mission-aligned enhancements. Organizations will also identify any accessibility, transportation, language, food, and scheduling needs to ensure each event is welcoming and responsive to participants.
Examples:
LA Nature for All: Work with their partner organizations to introduce the Beach House and what it has to offer; provide water acclimation, water familiarity, floating, water safety, yoga, and culturally relevant programming in Spanish.
LA Commons: Provide programs focusing on connection to self that could include working with naturalists, engaging in mindfulness and self-reflection workshops. Other areas of interest include Indigenous connection, music, dance, yoga as well as LA Commons partnering with the Beach House to provide public programs.
Art Division: Interested in summer retreat for small groups, student appreciation gatherings, fun day at the beach, having an Art Division workshop for their students, and hosting public workshops as a way for their students to develop their leadership and teaching abilities. Mujeres de la Tierra: Support their Vamos a la Playa program to connect their intergenerational community to the Beach House and beach. Lean into culturally relevant planning for possible beach clean-up, art trash workshop, water safety, stand-up paddleboard lessons and similar activities.
Ready to Succeed: Support transition age foster youth in college by providing gathering space, a graduation event, bringing them into existing programs like pool days and other public events, providing networking opportunities and practice job interviews, and possibly host a large fundraiser.
Homeboy Industries: Support trainee program participants in groups of 10-40 with a relaxed day at the beach and/or pool, offer athletic games and water acclimation and safety support, and lunch. A budget for bathing suits might be included.
3) New Free Public Programs
Grant funding will be used to add seven additional free public programs, bringing in artists, vendors, instructors, partner organizations and city staff offering one-off experiences and ongoing class series.
For CBOs that would like to participate in public events, services such as transportation, parking, translation services, and refreshments can be included. Additionally, vouchers for existing classes will be made available for local community groups and nonprofits, totaling $5,000.
Classes and experiences could include:
Water acclimation / water safety workshop by staff or outside vendors Beach House and Guest House guided tours
Drum circles
Writing workshops (i.e. Saved by a Story, Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, and others) Open wellness programming (stretching, yoga, dance, mindfulness walks/meditation, sound baths)
Cultural arts workshop (drumming, storytelling, visual art) Environmental education / coastal stewardship activity Budget Model: $333,333 / Year
Category Expense Cost per
Event/Unit
Anticipated
Events/Units
Annual Total
Cost - Grant
Funded
In-Kind City
Contribution
Artists, entertainment, facilitation, activations $ 10,000.00 4 $ 40,000.00 Food (300 people @$20) $ 6,000.00 4 $ 24,000.00
Equipment rentals & supplies $ 4,000.00 4 $ 16,000.00
Transportation support for CBOs $ 6,000.00 4 $ 24,000.00 Marketing, printing, outreach $ 2,500.00 4 $ 10,000.00
Beach House Staff 2,200.00 $ 4 - $ 8,800.00 $
Subtotal $ 8,800.00 114,000.00 $
Transportation (based on coach bus)
Budget provides flexibility for larger groups and/or longer travel distances $ 12 18,000.00 1,500.00 $ Food (50 people @$25) 1,250.00 $ 12 15,000.00 $
Equipment rentals & supplies 300.00 $ 12 3,600.00 $
Accessibility: ASL and language interpretation, ADA transport support, sensory kits $ 12 12,000.00 1,000.00 $ Artists, vendors, workshop leaders, other staffing per program design 1,200.00 $ 12 14,400.00 $ CBO Planning Stipends 500.00 $ 12 6,000.00 $
Water Acclimation / Water Safety Workshops 6,750.00 $ 4 27,000.00 $ Beach House Staff 616.00 $ 12 7,392.00 $
Subsidized access: pool passes 8.00 $ 400 - $ 3,200.00 $ Subsidized access: parking passes/validation- summer 15.00 $ 170 - $ 2,550.00 $ Subsidized access: parking passes/validation- winter 10.00 $ 145 - $ 1,450.00 $ Subtotal 103,392.00 $ 7,200.00 $
Artists, vendors, workshop leaders, other staffing per program design $ 3,000.00 7 $ 21,000.00 Accessibility: ASL and language interpretation, ADA transport support, sensory kits $ 1,000.00 7 $ 7,000.00 Food (per event) $ 300.00 7 $ 2,100.00
Transportation and/or parking $ 750.00 7 $ 5,250.00
Beach House Staff $ 616.00 7 $ 4,312.00
Vouchers for existing classes, individual & series, at varied costs $ - 75 $ 5,000.00 Subtotal $ 44,662.00
New program coordinator (as-needed salary) 55,000.00 $
Insurance, permits, incidentals 8,000.00 $
Contingency 8,279.00 $
Subtotal $ 71,279.00
GRAND TOTAL 333,333.00 $ 16,000.00 $
Beach House Major
Public Events
Community Based
Organization (CBO)
Self-Determined
Events
New Free Public
Programs
Grant Program
Administration
Year One Impact Summary - Connection, Engagement, Access and Opportunity In Year One, WALF grant funding will enable the Beach House to strengthen its role as an accessible community resource by deepening engagement with local and regional community-based organizations as well as the general public.
A central priority for this first year is reducing financial, physical, social, cultural and informational barriers that limit access to high‑quality coastal experiences and programming. By leveraging Beach House facilities and staff, and building intentional partnerships across diverse service areas, the Beach House will broaden community access to water safety education, recreation, health and wellness opportunities, arts and cultural programs, and inclusive community‑building activities.
Estimated Impact and Reach
Program Category & Size
Estimated
Participants
Beach House Major Public Events
4 events x 300 estimated attendees 1,200
Community Based Organization (CBO) Self-Determined Events 12 events x 40 estimated attendees 480
New Free Public Programs
7 events x 35 participants (20-50 per program) 245
Subsidized Pool Passes*
400 available 400
Subsidized Parking Passes/Validations*
315 available 315
Class Vouchers for Existing Beach House Classes
Youth: Learn to Swim, Parent & Me, Bounce
Adult: Stand Up Paddleboard, Yoga, Floating Fitness 90
Total estimated annual reach 2,730
*Subsidized access categories may overlap slightly with other categories Draft Timeline (subject to revision)
August/September 2026
Grant funds accepted by City at an upcoming City Council Meeting Contact CBOs for scheduling and planning
Work with Cultural Affairs Supervisor on ideation of 4 large scale activations within first 12- month grant period
September-October-November 2026 – Hispanic Heritage Month Take advantage of weather to host outdoor canopy, water acclimation, pool related and wellness CBO determined activities
Events and activations possibly celebrating Hispanic heritage October – March 2026-2027
Large new community event – Star Gazing at the Beach
October through March presents the best opportunity for the clearest, darkest skies between the hours of 8:30-11PM. Time of Day: 1 to 2 hours after sunset November – December 2026
Good months to offer pre-holiday meeting and retreat space Bring CBOs into regular programming such as Snowy Plover Beach Walk and Polar Bear Plunge January – 2027
Large event activation or smaller opportunities for New Year wellness events February - 2027
Honor Black History Month
March – April 2027
Possible large event activation
Possible spring break activations: large, small or CBO determined April 2027 – Art, Culture, & Creativity Month
Focus on arts and creativity for and with CBOs
May 2027 – Mental Health Awareness Month
Focus on well-being events
June and July 2027 – July is Parks Month
Focus on culmination opportunities and team buildings Focus on recreation and well-being opportunities and experiences