Deadline: 31-Mar-25
Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s Community Action Grants Program identifies and supports organizations across issue areas to promote an equitable, economically secure and vibrant Silicon Valley.
Focus Areas
- This application is open to organizations engaged in the following focus areas:
- Arts and Culture: Community Action Grants Program aims to support arts organizations that are working to strengthen the social fabric of communities and deepen civic engagement. In this focus area, SVCF will support arts organizations that nurture artistic and cultural expressions, and partner to create community-driven solutions and catalyze social change.
- Environment: Community Action Grants Program aims to fund organizations that demonstrate an understanding of environmental policy processes and are defining pathways for underserved communities to participate. In this focus area, SVCF will support organizations that are building the power of communities most impacted by environmental disparities. These organizations should be creating roles for community in the design and implementation of solutions to change environmental policy and build a resilient and just environment for all.
- Faith and Neighborhoods: Community Action Grants Program recognizes that faith communities can provide a moral frame for seeking community-led solutions in neighborhoods where many have suffered the impact of systemic injustices. In this focus area, they aim to support faith-based organizations working with underserved communities, invest in community leadership, and increase community participation in civic life to address housing and immigration issues.
- Health: Community Action Grants RFP aims to address health disparities. This grant program is administered in partnership with The Health Trust, a foundation dedicated to building health equity through investments in organizations, programs, and projects that tackle disparities affecting the most impacted communities in Santa Clara and northern San Benito counties. In this focus area, SVCF will support organizations that prioritize community-based, equity-driven solutions to improve access to care, strengthen primary care systems, and expand culturally responsive mental health services.
- Local Journalism: Community Action Grants Program aims to address the gaps in news and information in underserved communities by supporting coverage of hyper-local issues. In this focus area, grants prioritize local nonprofits working on accurate and inspiring community stories designed to inform, engage and activate residents to strengthen the democracy.
- Movement- and Power-Building: Community Action Grants Program aims to fund organizations that utilize strategies central to building power, including policy advocacy, voter engagement and others. In this focus area, SVCF supports organizations working to address systemic disparities and increase civic participation through base-building strategies that engage people in dialogue, decision-making and collective action.
Funding Information
- The average grant is likely to be around $30,000. Organizations that apply to multiple areas and make an exceptionally strong case for funding in each may be awarded up to $80,000 in total.
Eligible Funding
- Funding is primarily for general operating support. Funding will not be provided for:
- Capital improvements or budget shortfalls
- Event sponsorship or fundraising events
- Funding gaps due to organizational emergencies, such as office vandalism, the resignation of an executive director, or sudden loss of funding
Eligibility Requirements
- Geographic Requirement
- Organizations must serve San Mateo and/or Santa Clara counties. Organizations headquartered outside the two-county region may apply but should demonstrate significant service to these areas or partner with a local organization that does.
- Entity Eligibility
- Organizations with a 501(c)(3) designation, those that have a fiscal sponsor with a 501(c)(3) designation, public agencies, collaborations of nonprofit and public agencies, or other entities that have a designated charitable purpose will be considered.
- The following organization types are not eligible to apply for this RFP:
- Fiscally sponsored projects that are established solely to support the work of one individual.
- Foundations with the sole purpose to raise funds to support a public entity (such as education foundations).
- Equal Opportunity
- Organizations must not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship status, creed, religion, religious affiliation, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.
- Religious Affiliations
- Organizations with religious affiliations will be considered for funding only if the project for which they seek support addresses the needs of the wider community without regard to religious beliefs.
- Organization Budget
- Organizations with current fiscal year (FY) budgets under $3 million are eligible for funding. Budgets for FY 2025 or FY 2024-2025 are required in the application.
For more information, visit SVCF.