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Community Impact Grants - Strengthening Our Communities

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We support community-building activities that empower individuals and communities to act on their own behalf and that create opportunities for local problem-solving.

Interest Areas:

  • Empowering residents to lead positive change in their communities
  • Nurturing youth leadership and involvement in community building
  • Supporting citizenship programs and other immigrant services
  • Promoting volunteerism, civic participation and leadership development
     

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

We invest in activities that increase opportunities for the economic security and advancement of low-income residents.

Interest Areas:

  • Basic adult literacy and English language acquisition
  • Financial education and asset building, including homeownership and foreclosure prevention programs
  • Technological (digital) literacy and access to computers/equipment
  • Entrepreneurism and small business development support
  • Access to employment readiness support, basic skills training and other high-need employment resources
     

HEALTHY PLACES AND SPACES

We support strategies to enhance community environments so that all residents have safe, welcoming and accessible places and spaces to live, work and play.

Interest Areas:

  • Neighborhood revitalization and beautification
  • Improvements to make neighborhood parks and public spaces family-friendly and inviting for exercise and recreation
  • Access to fresh, affordable and nutritious food choices
  • Strategies to leverage access to schools, libraries and other community facilities as accessible gathering spaces
  • Emergency preparedness, response and recovery efforts
     

Guidelines & Application

Before applying for a Community Impact Grant, please carefully review the guidelines below. Note that the CFMC uses Monterey County's Common Grant Application. If you are applying to another participating funder for the same project, you may use the same application provided to that funder.

Community Impact Guidelines
 2012 Common Grant Application
 

 Neighborhood Grants Program (NGP)

Another way we strengthen communities is through NGP grants of up to $4,000 to grassroots neighborhood groups and voluntary associations. These groups come together to benefit their community in a variety of ways including arts and cultural programs, youth recreation, parent education, neighborhood improvement and community health promotion. The program also provides training and information sharing opportunities to support the development of leadership and organizational skills. Guidelines and application for Neighborhood Grants are available at www.cfmco.org/NGP.