SOLANA BEACH — For the second consecutive year, all Community Grant Program requests will be fully funded thanks to additional money from Santa Fe Christian Schools, the Public Arts Commission and the city.
Ten nonprofit organizations were seeking a combined total of $48,000, which was initially $13,000 short of the available funding.
The annual program receives $5,000 each from Coast Waste Management and EDCO Waste and Recycling Services, the city’s two waste haulers, and $15,000 from the city.
Since 2012, Santa Fe Christian Schools has donated another $15,000 to help nonprofit organizations serving the Eden Gardens community.
This year the private school originally committed to a $10,000 donation but increased it by $5,000 after the groups made presentations at last month’s meeting.
As it has done for the past few years, the city tapped the Public Arts Commission to fund a $5,000 grant request from North Coast Reparatory Theatre.
That left a $3,000 gap this year. City Manager Greg Wade said the city currently has adequate revenue with which to fill that gap.
The Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito will receive $3,000 to once again buy shoes and socks for up to 75 preschoolers at St. Leo’s Head Start.
The remaining nine organizations will be awarded $5,000.
The money will help La Colonia de Eden Gardens pay for a one-week summer leadership and life-skills camp. The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito will provide no-cost enrichment activities for at-risk and disadvantaged Latino youth through La Colonia Clubhouse.
Community Resource Center’s grant money annually goes toward Holiday Baskets, a distribution program that provides a dignified and free “shopping experience” for families who might otherwise receive nothing for the holidays.
Casa de Amistad will implement its Dreams + Tech initiative, which will increase the time low-income students, from preschool through high school, will have to access design, research, engineering, art, math, science and technology activities outside of school.
North County Immigration and Citizenship Center will use the grant to help low-income, eligible applicants become citizens.
The award will help fund Reality Changers’ College Apps Academy, which will guide approximately 25 low-income youth through a yearlong course that will help them with applications for college, financial aid and scholarships.
The American Association of University Women sought up to $5,000 for Tech Trek STEM camp, a program that allows middle school girls to attend a weeklong summer camp at the University of California San Diego in an effort to increase the number of females who study and later pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
Councilman Dave Zito requested scholarships focus on economically disadvantaged children.
The grant will help the Solana Beach Civic & Historical Society begin converting archived documents such as scrapbooks and newspaper articles about Solana Beach, many of which are not available for public viewing because they are starting to deteriorate.
Before the unanimous vote to fully fund all requests at the Dec. 13 meeting, Councilwoman Jewel Edson acknowledged Santa Fe Christian for closing the funding gap.
“They’re all very worthy organizations, and we’re so fortunate to be able to award these every year,” Mayor Ginger Marshall said. “It’s a wonderful cause.”
The grant program is available to nongovernmental groups and civic or youth organizations serving Solana Beach and its residents.
Beginning in 2018 the grant cycle will coincide with the fiscal year — July through June — because under the current system, during an election year, different council members may analyze applications and hear presentations while others allocate funds.
Accordingly, the next round of applications will be due in June, with awards granted in July.
