Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Grant Program Benefiting Nonprofit Groups Reinstated
The city has reinstated to its general fund a $75,000 grant program for nonprofit agencies that was cut from the budget last year.
The Community Services Grant Program was established in 1990 and offered annually until last year, when the funds were used for recreation activities at the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center.
“It’s terribly important,” Santa Clarita Mayor Jan Heidt said. “You can give organizations $1,000 and it can make a difference between making it and failing.”
Past awards include $8,000 to the Santa Clarita Food Pantry to buy refrigerators to store groceries for needy families, $6,000 to the Santa Clarita Valley YMCA to provide child care for low-income families, $2,500 to the Assistance Guild of Santa Clarita to purchase clothing for needy children and $2,500 to the Tri Valley Games to fund sports training and competition for handicapped residents.
“It is better for the city to be a facilitator and give a few thousand dollars to help these groups,” Heidt said. “It extends our dollars.”
A seminar for nonprofit agencies on how to apply for the funding is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall. The agencies must demonstrate financial need and benefit to the city and its residents.
“We hope to award the funds by the end of December,” said Raquel Garcia, who is coordinating the program for the Santa Clarita Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. “The funds do need to be spent by June.”
Applications are available at City Hall and must be submitted by Nov. 5.
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