ANNOUNCING OUR 2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS
INSPIRATION GRANTS
Inspiration Grants do not have a specific focus, thereby inspiring nonprofits to identify and address our community’s most pressing needs.
Housing El Dorado
www.housingeldorado.org
916-380-9352
Program: El Dorado Jump Start Cottage/ADU(Accessory Dwelling Unit)Project
Amount Requested: $25,908
El Dorado County (EDC) has a substantial homeless population, a severe shortage of affordable/workforce housing, and rapidly rising rents. Efforts to house the homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless are hindered by the lack of affordable housing. According to EDC Housing Element, the county needs to construct 2,163 very low & low-income housing units on the unincorporated West Slope. Nearly 51% of EDC's workers live outside of the county, largely because they can't afford and/or find available housing within the county. Business leaders and employers are losing employees or job applicants because of the lack of affordable housing.
The Jump Start Cottage/ADU(Accessory Dwelling Unit) project (JSADU) is designed to adapt and replicate established and proven strategies to accelerate the construction of ADU housing units on the West Slope of El Dorado County. The project will leverage new state financial incentives; county investments in pre-approved ADU building plans; reduced building permit/impact fees; recently approved county policy that encourages ADU construction; and breakthroughs in manufactured housing, modular, and prefabricated housing units to accelerate the construction of ADU's.
The project will develop a website, outreach materials and services tailored to EDC and modeled after the Napa-Sonoma ADU project that will serve to accelerate achieving EDC's goal of constructing 338 ADU units by 2029, as adopted as EDC Board of Supervisor (EDC BOS) policy in the 2021-2029 EDC Housing Element, Measure HO-9 (page 4-111).
The project will focus initial ADU marketing/public outreach, engagement and pre-development support services on specific, targeted in-fill properties with a more likely rate of project completion. The project will engage rapid rehousing service providers, El Dorado Association of Realtors, senior (50+) single family residential property owners, EDC Planning Department and the Placerville Planning Department in the development of the JSADU Project.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Sierra
www.bbbsns.org
916-626-1222
Program: Bigs in Blue
Amount Requested: $26,000
Bigs in Blue is a one-to-one mentoring program that connects youth with law enforcement and probation officers in communities throughout our region, building strong, trusting, lasting relationships. These relationships can help children develop into confident adults and help build stronger bonds between law enforcement and the families they serve.
We are pleased to roll out this initiative across the region, successfully running two sites, one at the Sherriff's Department and the other with the Probation Department at a local church in Cameron Park. Our goal is to expand the program to a third site in El Dorado Hills. These matches meet bi-weekly at their designated site one-on-one with their match. We have a total of 30 current matches and look forward to growing that number with an additional site.
ACORN GRANTS
Acorn Grants (3 total awarded in 2023): for any new western slope nonprofit or a nonprofit that has never received a grant from the Women’s Fund.
Mother Teresa Maternity Home, Inc.
motherteresamaternityhome.com
530-295-8006
Program: Improving Infrastructure and Meeting Rising Costs at the County's Only Perinatal Extended Residential Program
Amount Requested: $8,000
Mother Teresa Maternity Home provides extended perinatal residency for the pregnant population experiencing crisis in our county. In the Housing Matters study titled "Pregnant and Homeless: How Unstable Housing Affects Maternal Health Outcomes", it is shown that 48% of women seeking emergency shelter are pregnant. Unfortunately, emergency shelters providing 1-16 nights of shelter in general are not adequately positioned to assist pregnant women to consistently access the unique medical and mental care they require, resulting in the additional statistic that women experiencing homelessness during pregnancy are twice as likely to suffer from birth complications that adversely affect maternal health as well as the health of their child.
Mother Teresa Maternity Home provides longer term shelter for unhoused pregnant women. Our clients can remain in the program throughout their pregnancy and for the first three months after their baby is born. They are connected with community opportunities for physical and mental health care, sobriety support, child care, housing, employment and other needs, while living in a safe stable environment.
Funds from this grant would go to repairing damage from the recent storms, as well as helping to pay for increased utility costs faced by our facility.
Hands and Hoofs
https://www.handsandhoofs.com/
530-647-2049
Program: Hands and Hoofs Project Expenses
Amount Requested: $8,000
Hands & Hoofs offers opportunities for youth to connect with horses, nature, discover Miwok culture, and be creative through hands on art projects. Our program, supported by local volunteers, is a full day outdoor experience in El Dorado National Forest.
Without experiences in nature, research suggests that children miss opportunities to enhance their health and well-being and develop responsible long-term environmental behavior; regular contact with nature develops a sense of responsibility for the environment. They exhibit higher self-esteem and lower levels of aggression. Unfortunately many children do not have the opportunity to experience nature and equine in a safe manner. A lack of contact with nature can lead to social isolation and lack of respect for the environment. Feelings of isolation and anxiety have been compounded by Covid 19 and the many fires in Northern California.
Our goal is to connect youth through interactive experiences, some which may have autism, ADHD, and ACE due to trauma from childhood experiences. Our nature and equine based learning is a non-riding program that fosters social connections and cultivates life skills such as confidence, creativity, problem solving and empathy. Our innovative program provides an opportunity to increase self-awareness, improve communication skills, and build relationships.
El Dorado Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
eldorado.californiadar.org
530-306-0821
Program: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy for Women Living with PTSD and Related Mental Health Diagnoses Who Reside on the Western Slope of El Dorado County
Amount Requested: $8,000
Partnering with mental health providers in public or private practice on the western slope of El Dorado County, we will provide scholarships for eight weekly group sessions of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) at Heart's Landing Ranch for up to five women during the period covered by the grant.
IMPACT GRANTS
Impact Grants (3 total awarded in 2023): for nonprofit organizations offering direct impacts on the western slope of El Dorado County. This includes but is not limited to human services, such as those pertaining to mental or physical health, education, youth development, or services to children, families or seniors, arts, community beautification, animal welfare, or community development.
CASA El Dorado
www.casaeldorado.org
530-622-9882
Program: Court Appointed Special Advocates
Amount Requested: $8,000
CASA El Dorado is dedicated to serving and supporting the young victims of child abuse and neglect in our community, as well as addressing the root causes of this abuse. To achieve this, we recruit, train, and supervise volunteers from our community.
Our primary program is Court Appointed Special Advocates. This program was the basis of our founding in 1992, and provides volunteer advocates, or CASAs, who work one on one with the abused, neglected and at-risk children in the foster care system. A CASA visits with the assigned child on a weekly basis and establishes a nonjudgmental relation based on trust. The CASA, as a sworn officer of the court, interacts with the child's foster family, parents, teachers, therapists and others, and prepares written reports for the judge that advocate for the child's best interests. CASA volunteers are trained to work with youth ages 0-18, as well as those 18-21, who are transitioning from foster care to adulthood.
An $8,000 grant from Women's Fund will help us serve 16 children in need of a CASA.
Youth Making a Difference/Hands4Hope
hands4hopeyouth.org
916-919-5695
Program: Empowering Youth To Make Positive Change During Challenging Times
Amount Requested: $8,000
Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference is requesting $8,000 to provide support including food, clothing, toiletries, connection, and a sense of purpose to struggling students, families, and individuals on the Western Slope. During the pandemic, Hands4Hope took over EDCOE's Emergency Food Pantry, partnered with the El Dorado Community and West Slope Foundations to support Caldor Fire victims, duplicated its School Supply Distribution, partnered with ASPIRE Outfitters, took over Empty Bowls volunteer coordination, and increased volunteer support with BBBS, Food Bank of EDC, and others to serve those impacted by the challenges of the last few years. In 2022, $149,780 in supplies was collected and distributed, serving 8,000 individuals. Needs continue to grow as economic factors and storms add to layers of challenges. Hands4Hope supports those in need by training youth in skills that take ideas, and turn them into action; youth gain skills while helping fill unmet community needs that positively impact the lives of others. Women's Fund dollars will directly provide needed support through these outreach projects to 9,000 individuals. It will also provide training and mentorship for 250 youth, giving them tools and a deeper understanding of challenges faced by fellow students, families, and individuals.
El Dorado County Fire Safe Council
www.edcfiresafe.org
530-647-1700
Program: Develop Defensible Space Buffer Around Seniors', Veterans', and Families with Low-Income Homes
Amount Requested: $8,000
The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (EDCFSC) is working to develop defensible space for low-income seniors (are who both financially and physically unable to do this type of work themselves), veterans (families - widow/widowers), and families with low-income on the County's western slope. Defensible space development benefits include:
reducing fire risk to residences (CAL FIRE Public Resource Code 4291 and/or County Ordinance No. 5101 requirement),
increasing firefighters' suppression efforts to attack a house fire expediently and effectively, or an approaching wildfire,
improving work environment for emergency personnel called to the property.
protecting neighboring properties "home to home ignition", and
reducing anxiety and stress for seniors, veterans, and low-income family members in a way that improves their overall wellbeing.
In the past eight years, EDCFSC has contracted with licensed and insured land and tree service contractors to conduct 623 defensible space developments. This assistance has focused on developing defensible space up to 100 feet surrounding the homes of seniors, veterans, and families with low-income.
