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Local non-profits serving Goleta residents are reminded to apply for some of the $250,000 available in grant funding from the City of Goleta. A competitive application process is underway for both the Goleta City Grant and Community Development Block Grant programs. Applicants can apply online through Friday, January 26, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
For the first time, the City is holding a Grant Application Workshop to help those applying with the process. Anyone who will be applying, or is interested in applying, is invited to attend the workshop on January 9, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in City Council Chambers (130 Cremona Drive). The workshop will include a presentation and Q&A session and will cover information on the City Grant and Community Development Block Grant, the application review process, awarding of grants, and more.
Recipients of the City Grant may receive up to $10,000 for programs that benefit Goleta residents and the general community. Organizations involved in educational and cultural activities, such as music, art, dance, and recreation, as well as Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta are encouraged to apply.
Each year, the City of Goleta sets aside a portion of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support non-profits serving low-income residents, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. CDBG funds are dispersed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which strictly regulates the use of these funds. The City of Goleta reserves these funds for agencies who qualify for CDBG funding, serve the goals of the City’s 5-Year Consolidated Plan, and apply for a minimum of $10,000. For the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, the City is distributing approximately $40,000 to public services from its CDBG allocation.
Grant applications for both programs are available online via the ZoomGrants program. Once all applications are received, they will be reviewed by the City’s Human Services, Homelessness Issues, and Economic Development Standing Committees, as well as the Parks and Recreation Commission. These groups will evaluate the applications and make funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council then awards the grants at a meeting in the spring, likely in May of 2024.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help your non-profit or community group. Apply here by January 26, 2024.
For additional information on the grant programs visit www.CityofGoleta.org/Grants, attend the Grant Application Workshop on January 9, or contact Melissa Cure in the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Department at 805-961-7554 or mcure@cityofgoleta.org.