ENCINITAS — Dozens of local nonprofits and organizations received money from Encinitas taxpayers and a local family foundation that will help them fund various projects throughout the city.
The city and the Mizel Family Foundation annually collaborate on a community grant program that doles out small grants to groups in the areas of arts and culture, the environment, economic development and recreation. The Mizel Foundation matches the city’s $75,000 annual award for a total of $150,000.
From student art programs to youth soccer and public beautification projects, the groups annually state their case to a grant selection committee, which makes its recommendations to the City Council.
This year, 46 of the 53 groups received funding, including six organizations that made their case in front of the City Council to receive funding after their initial request was not granted.
Cardiff 101 Main Street, Leucadia 101 Main Street, the Litvak Dance Arts Foundation, the Lux Art Institute, the Italian Film Festival and Flora Vista Elementary School’s parent teacher association each received $1,000, after the City Council voted to award them from their $7,500 pool of money they can award to groups at their discretion.
The Encinitas Education Foundation, the Encinitas Soccer League, the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation and the Oak Crest Parents Foundation also received money from the remaining $1,500 council discretionary fund, increasing their awards. EEF, which requested $3,000 for a band program but was set to be awarded $2,250, received $750 from the fund.
The other three organizations split the remaining $825 evenly — $275 each.
