Impact100 awards $300k to 13 local nonprofits

New format for 2021 grants spreads the wealth.|

At Impact100’s annual meeting on March 31, more than $300,000 was provided in grant funding to 13 Sonoma Valley nonprofits.

Impact100 Sonoma adopted a new Impetus Grants Model for 2021 - awarding up to $25,000 to more than a dozen nonprofits rather than one large $100,000 grant, as had been the giving circle’s tradition.

The organization determined that this grant-making strategy, as well as an expedited grant review process, would provide the best response to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Valley nonprofits, by spreading funds for maximum effect and allowing for flexibility as conditions evolve.

Since its founding in 2009, Impact100 Sonoma has awarded almost $3 million to nonprofits serving Sonoma Valley, making it one of the Valley’s largest funders.

The following nonprofit organizations were awarded 2021 Impetus Grants ranging from $5,786 to $25,000:

● Boys and Girls Club Sonoma Valley (BGCSV) — $20,000 to use toward costs associated with the merger of Teen Services Sonoma with BGCSV, integrating their programs and merging marketing and web services.

● Cancer Support Sonoma — $5,786.36 (unrestricted).

● Ceres Community Project — $25,000 to provide 40 low-income and medically vulnerable Sonoma Valley clients and their families with 3,700 low or no-cost organic, medically tailored home-delivered meals, as well as nutrition education and connection to the community.

● Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) — $25,000 to provide rental assistance for approximately 37 families and utility assistance to about 15 families.

● Kid Scoop News — $25,000 to improve widespread and effective use of Kid Scoop’s monthly bilingual newspaper in Latinx households, by funding a part-time parent outreach and engagement coordinator and 350 subscriptions for the highest-need households in Sonoma Valley.

● La Luz Center — $24,505.64 to establish a digital lending library with the necessary technology for La Luz’s clients to take online courses in workforce development, language acquisition and citizenship preparation, at home and in an outdoor computer lab at La Luz Center.

● Social Advocates for Youth — $25,000 to increase outreach to homeless and housing insecure youth in Sonoma Valley.

● Sonoma Ecology Center — $25,000 to help support in-school climate science and land education lessons, a seasonal teen employment program for “enviro leaders” and “ambassadors,” a scientist-in-training program to support a post-fire community research project, and a summer Science Discovery Days program for in-person outdoor education.

● Sonoma Overnight Support — $25,000 to pay for the cost of meals to feed over 250 people for one month and offset rising costs involved in bringing food to the growing number of individuals and families who are turning to SOS for support.

● Sonoma Valley Education Foundation — $25,000 to support an expanded summer school program organized by the foundation and the school district to address the increased needs of students due to the lack of in-person education during the past year.

● Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance — $25,000 to support the 300 young people mentored each year, by helping to cover expenses and maintain staff at the eight mentoring centers in Sonoma Valley schools.

● Valley Vibes Youth Orchestra — $24,708 to help fund a director, coordinator and teacher for a new intensive music education program created by Valley Vibes to serve Sonoma Valley High School students.

● Vintage House — $25,000 to help provide 350-450 meals per week from June to December 2021 for Sonoma Valley seniors living on a limited income through both pick-up and delivery services.

Grants Oversight Chair Dana Simpson-Stokes and co-Grants Chairs Robin Layton, Kathy Bloch and Mary Jane Stolte led the process of narrowing applications down to 17 finalists for the 2021 Impetus Grants, according to the grant announcement. The finalists were selected after review by more than 60 Impact100 Sonoma members who served on financial and grant review committees. The grant recipients were selected by a vote of the entire Impact100 Sonoma membership.

Impact100 Sonoma is a women’s collective grant-making organization, whose mission is “to empower Valley women to invest in a more sustainable nonprofit community through collective giving and responsible stewardship.”

Joining Impact 100

Impact100 Sonoma welcomes all women to join the organization. Information about the nonprofit giving circle can be found at impact100sonoma.org or by calling 939-5007.

Contact Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.

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