2024 Grant Recipients

Below are our 2024 Impetus Grant recipients. These 13 organizations will receive a $25,000 Impetus Grant in 2024 for their proposals, listed below. They have 2 years to expend the funds.

In addition, one organization -Sonoma Immigrant Services- was selected to also receive our inaugural Encore Grant. In 2025, Sonoma Immigrant Services will receive a second grant amount of $25,000 to expand upon their Citizenship Program services. They will have 3 years to expend the total of $50,000. 

Congratulations to all 2024 grant recipients!

Member FAQ about Grants 2024

See a listing of past grant recipients

Cumulative Grant Recipient Spreadsheet

Art Escape

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Salary for Art Escape’s Program Director

To support the salary for Art Escape’s Program Director, who is an integral member of staff, overseeing the design and implementation of the organization's creative educational programs.

Mission: To provide a vibrant, welcoming, inclusive, and non-judgmental sanctuary where Sonoma Valley students of all ages gather to explore and develop their creative potential.

Type of Support Specific Operating Expenses.

Focus Areas: 1. Arts, Culture & Humanities. 2. Education.

Proposal Summary: Art Escape provides a safe, creative gathering space, inspiration, and art classes for 2,000 to 3,000 valley residents (mostly children and teens) every year. Over 12 years of operation, it has become a central hub of the Springs community. Kids grow up sharing classes, building relationships, and gaining self confidence. Some have even returned as young adults to volunteer. Art Escape is currently transitioning from being volunteer-led by its original, passionate founders to becoming a mature, sustainable nonprofit with a salaried director. Grant funds would help support the director’s salary.

Why this Proposal?: Since the end of the pandemic, it has become more difficult to secure funding for operating costs because an increasing number of foundations fund only restricted grants. Funding some of Art Escape’s operating expenses would not only help to alleviate salary costs in the 2024 fiscal year, but also help to inspire other community funders to consider grants for operating costs and ensure that this well-loved center continues to provide art classes, inspiration, and a sense of community.

Website artescapesonoma.com

Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Mental Health Program at Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley

To expand Club’s free mental health services program by taking on new clinician partners who will provide individual therapy and group therapy sessions at all seven club locations.

Mission: To provide positive opportunities for our community’s youth and teens, especially those who need us most, to learn, succeed, and discover their full potential.

Type of Support: Program/Project.

Focus Area: 1. Health.

Proposal Summary: A study funded by the Community Foundation Sonoma County revealed that 70 percent of Sonoma County high school students and 50 percent of middle school students report feeling stress, depression, or anxiety, affecting their ability to do well in school. Addressing this mental health crisis is key to the BGCSV mission of providing youth and teens every opportunity to succeed. In 2021, BGCSV began to offer free mental health care services in the form of individual and group therapy sessions. The success of this program and the continued growing need for services have outpaced the capacity of the current partnership with Petaluma People Services. 

BGCSV now has established two new partnerships with mental health care counselors from Sonoma Valley Family Therapy and Hanna Center, enabling the program to serve approximately 280 members in 2024. BGCSV also now has an on-staff, dedicated mental health clinician who oversees the program and manages the other clinicians. Grant funds would help offset clinician salaries and furnish each of the seven club locations with an evidence-based set of therapeutic “play” tools and games, allowing members to be treated at their preferred location.

Why this Proposal?: By providing accessible, zero-cost mental health care for youth and teens who need help, BGCSV can transform the future of Sonoma Valley. Mental wellness is essential to creating stronger, fuller lives for our young people, and supports their successful transition to adulthood. This program has a proven track record of engagement and success, and it is imperative to grow the number of members served, because mental health care can quite literally save lives. By strengthening the mental health of our young people, we can also strengthen families, schools, and our community.

Website: bgcsonoma.org

Ceres Community Project

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Healing Meals for Healthy Communities in Sonoma Valley

To fulfill the specific nutritional needs of people struggling with serious illness who are too sick to shop, cook, and prepare healthy meals for themselves.

Mission: Ceres Community Project’s mission is to create health for people, communities, and the planet through love, healing food and empowering the next generation.

Type of Support: Program/Project.

Focus Areas: 1. Health. 2. Human & Social Services.

Proposal Summary: Ceres provides organic, medically tailored meals, nutrition education, and community support to people suffering from serious illness. 83 percent of clients receive food free of charge, with the remainder paying on a sliding scale. A patient’s entire family receives meals and nutrition instruction for eight to 24 weeks. In 2024, Ceres expects to serve 55 clients and their families in Sonoma Valley. Grant funds would help support staff salaries (chef, site manager, client care coordinator, and manager), food costs, and compostable packaging. Ceres relies on a strong network of “delivery angels” and an extensive Santa Rosa-based youth volunteer team to execute its impressive program. 

Why this Proposal?: Ceres demonstrates a steady commitment to supporting those with the fewest options and resources available to manage a health crisis. While the organization is a contracted provider for MediCal patients, there are many more people needing these vital and unique services who do not qualify to receive benefits. Grant funds would help ensure that low-income Sonoma Valley residents ineligible for other services will continue to have options to support their health while managing serious illness

Website: ceresproject.org

Community Matters  

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Safe School Ambassadors Program Sonoma Valley

To support the implementation of the Safe School Ambassador Program at Adele Harrison Middle School and an additional high-need school.

Mission: To equip and empower students and adults to create schools and communities that are safe, welcoming, and inclusive.

Type of Support: Program/Project. 

Focus Areas: 1. Education. 2. Health.

Proposal Summary: Community Matters proposes to implement the Safe School Ambassadors® (SSA) Program at two high-need Sonoma Valley schools. Anecdotal evidence shows that the program empowers and equips carefully selected students with intervention skills shown to reduce bullying and mistreatment that can interfere with student learning and academic achievement. SSA creates school climates in which all students feel safe, connected, and cared for, which positively affects their academic achievement levels, behavior, and attendance, as well as their overall health and well-being. Grant funds would support the program at two schools: Adele Harrison Middle School and another middle or feeder school.

Why this Proposal?: The Safe School Ambassadors Program is designed to help students work in partnership with adults to create and maintain a positive school climate.  Students have the best vantage point to intervene in on-campus situations that adults may not know about. Training students empowers them to distract, de-escalate, and ask for help in difficult situations. It also encourages them to connect with others outside their group of friends and to learn compassion and empathy. This program can have lasting impacts on the student ambassadors as well as the student population at large.   

Website: community-matters.org

KidScoop News  

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Kid Scoop News - Sonoma Valley Literacy Project

To support Kid Scoop’s Parent Engagement program, which engages with more than 600 predominantly Spanish-speaking families to foster a culture of reading within their homes.

Mission: To open the doors of discovery for elementary schoolchildren by providing interactive, engaging, & relevant age-appropriate materials designed to awaken the magic of reading at school, at home, & throughout their lives. 

Type of Support: Program/Project.

Focus Areas: 1. Education. 2. Civic Engagement & Benefit.

Proposal Summary: In Sonoma County, 56 percent of third graders lack proficiency in reading. Unlocking the power of reading at home not only enhances students' academic performance but also transforms their literacy skills. Grant funds would help support the Parent Engagement Program. It engages with more than 600 predominantly Spanish-speaking families to foster a culture of reading within their homes by: (1) helping families understand the value of home reading; (2) providing families with training, materials, and strategies to engage their children in meaningful reading activities; (3) creating a culture of inclusivity by offering family workshops and events, outreach at community events, Awaken the Magic of Reading camps, and a Parent Ambassador at each school; and (4) providing all offerings at no cost and in both English and Spanish. Working in collaboration with the Sonoma Unified School District, teachers, the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, La Luz Center, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Sonoma Community Center, Kid Scoop News is a pivotal member of an ecosystem working to improve literacy rates in Sonoma Valley.

Why this Proposal?: The evidence on the importance of parents’ involvement in their children’s literacy activities is overwhelming, showing that it is a more powerful force than other family background variables, such as social class, family size, and level of parental education. Grant funds would enable  Kid Scoop News to continue to provide parent outreach and engagement, fostering increased literacy levels and graduation rates.

Website: kidscoopnews.org

La Luz Center 

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Uplift in Unity Project

To develop a Latino leadership network to engage with the community, identify where and why basic needs aren’t being met, and facilitate access to resources.

Mission: To support the individuals and families of the Latino communities in Sonoma Valley in attaining their dreams and aspirations by providing opportunities and access to knowledge, skill-building, and resources. The organization strives to reduce the number of Latinos with unmet basic human needs, increase the earning potential of Latino families, increase preschool readiness of young Latino children, and create interactive spaces to explore, celebrate, and share Latino cultures.

Type of Support: Program/Project.

Focus Areas: 1. Human & Social Services.

Proposal Summary: Grant funds would enable La Luz to develop a cohort of Latino community leaders to serve as an engine for social change. Many Latinos are reluctant to seek assistance and find it difficult to navigate the system, and any delay can cause them to fall further behind. Leaders, who will be known and respected by peers, will be trained to identify and engage with those in need and help them to navigate the available network of resources. This network of leaders will act as the bridge between the Latino community and La Luz, and will actively participate in the development of the program. La Luz will convene a collaborative of other area nonprofits to direct services where they are most needed. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of people and families facing unmet basic needs, as well as to develop strong leaders from within the Latino community.

Why this Proposal?:  This project could have a transformational effect on our community’s efforts to attain equity by efficiently directing resources. A strong grassroots network of Latino community leaders partnering with La Luz and other direct services providers could reduce the number of individuals and families facing unmet basic needs, thereby helping them to gain self-sufficiency and begin to break the generational poverty cycle. 

Website: laluzcenter.org

North Bay Children's Center

IMPETUS

$25,000 for NBCC's Classroom Development at Sassarini Elementary

To fund the development of a new Infant and Toddler Center at Sassarini Elementary School, integrating a whole family connection across the entire campus.

Mission: To provide culturally rich programs that prepare children from diverse backgrounds to succeed socially, emotionally, and academically. The Garden of Eatin' program weaves a culture of health and wellness throughout the organization and serves as a model for other communities to emulate. Strong family, school, and community partnerships support a shared belief in each child's ability to succeed.

Type of Support: Program/Project. 

Focus Area: 1. Education. 2. Human & Social Services.

Proposal Summary:  NBCC plans to open an Infant and Toddler Center at Sassarini Elementary for 12 infants and 12 toddlers. It is intended to integrate the family experience across the entire school campus, which already has a preschool program, and hopes to receive state funding for Transitional Kindergarten. NBCC already runs a subsidized preschool at Prestwood, but the Sassarini center will be the organization’s first program for this age range in Sonoma Valley. The NBCC early education program is a research-based, whole-child curriculum that connects families to what the child is learning.

Program funding comes from the California Department of Social Services, which has requirements for eligibility that prioritize children from low-income families, and those that have experienced neglect, disability, or trauma. Ten percent of state funding must go to children with special needs. The curriculum aligns with the California Preschool Foundation and the California Department of Education’s six “Desired Results.” Impetus Grant funds would primarily go toward high-quality furnishings and educational play equipment for the new classroom, which is expected to open in September.

Why this Proposal?: The need for infant and toddler care in Sonoma Valley has been heightened by the pandemic. NBCC has a sound educational philosophy, a proven track record of success, and strong state and local partnerships. This new center would provide high-quality early education and care to 24 low-income children and their families. These resources for families can help set children up for lifelong success and help break the cycle of poverty over the long-term.

Website: nbcc.net

Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation 

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Larson Park Reconstruction

To promote opportunity and access by supporting a revitalized outdoor gathering space at Larson Park that will welcome children, families, and seniors in an underserved neighborhood.

Mission: To raise funds, foster partnerships and advocate on behalf of Sonoma County Regional Parks. The foundation supports 62 parks and trails, including popular destinations such as Maxwell Farms, Sonoma Valley Regional Park, Hood Mountain, Doran Beach and Spring Lake, plus other area neighborhood parks. The foundation also supports park programs that serve 10,000+ children annually, including educational field trips, summer camps, swim lessons and water safety training.

Type of Support: Capital Expenditures.

Focus Areas: 1. Ecology, Environment & Animals. 2. Health.

Proposal Summary: Larson Park is a vital neighborhood park nestled in the vibrant Springs community. It is in dire need of upgrading to meet current and future needs. Through numerous meetings with neighbors and stakeholders, community members expressed a strong desire to maintain and improve the park’s current uses and revitalize this important outdoor community gathering place. The updated park will provide a safe, welcoming space for children, families, and seniors in an underserved neighborhood, replacing unsafe courts and fields, adding a much-needed restroom, improving designated picnic and gathering spaces, and expanding the community garden and opportunities for art and public programs. The park will better serve neighborhood children with improved walkways to adjacent Flowery Elementary School and a regulation-size soccer field, and will better serve seniors with four dedicated pickleball courts. A current $100,000 Larson Park challenge grant would double the impact of the $25,000 Impetus Grant.

Why this proposal?: This project represents a unique opportunity to rebuild a popular park serving one of the most diverse, economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Sonoma Valley. The Impetus Grant would be matched, dollar for dollar, by funds from a challenge grant, and, combined with contributions from local donors and funding from Sonoma County, would ensure that the Regional Parks Foundation can rebuild a safe, welcoming space for the community, a move that would benefit thousands of Springs children and families each year and make a difference in their lives for generations .

Website: sonomacountyparksfoundation.org

Sonoma Immigrant Services (SIS)

IMPETUS/ENCORE

$25,000 for Citizenship Program

To fund participation in the Citizenship Program and to help fund additional immigration services such as green cards, VISAs, and work permits.

Mission: To strengthen the community through education and advocacy by providing accessible educational and legal services.  

Type of Support: Program/Project. 

Focus Areas: 1. Civic Engagement & Benefit. 2. Education.

Proposal Summary: SIS offers a Citizenship Program to help foreign-born residents of Sonoma Valley become naturalized U.S. citizens. Many valley residents fear losing their Lawful Permanent Resident status and possibly being deported but don’t trust a process they do not understand and cannot afford. The Citizenship Program includes legal advice, assistance with forms and study, practice interviews, and an SIS representative to accompany the participant to hearings on request. SIS offers a 15-week session twice per year. Grant funds would be used to cover program participation costs and any necessary governmental filing fees.

Encore Summary: A second year of funding would enable SIS to continue offering discounts to clients for additional immigration services such as green cards, visas, and work permits. SIS has applied for government funding for such services, but Encore funds would bridge the gap and ensure continuation until 2026.

Why this proposal?: Through prior funding, SIS offered its Citizenship Program and successfully assisted some 250 new citizens. That funding is exhausted. Without a new source, SIS will be unable to continue to provide the same level of services to valley residents for little or no cost. Classes, if any, would be offered only via video calls, with no financial assistance. Ultimately, residents with citizenship strengthen the community by having increased security, stability, options for employment, and trust in law enforcement and other governmental systems.

Website: sonomaimmigrant.org 

Sonoma Overnight Support (SOS)  

IMPETUS

$25,000 for SOS Food Program

To provide meals and community connection for unhoused and food-deprived people of Sonoma Valley. 

Mission: To feed the unhoused and food insecure community members in Sonoma and Sonoma Valley.

Type of Support: Program/Project. 

Focus Areas: 1. Human & Social Services. 2. Health.

Proposal Summary: SOS seeks to offset the costs of its Food Program, which serves meals to hungry Sonoma Valley residents out of its recently opened Unity Kitchen on Highway 12. Rising food costs combined with weakening of governmental resources means that the population of food-insecure residents has continued to grow. The number of meals served by SOS has increased by more than 400 percent since 2019, and the average cost per meal has risen from $5 to $6.25. SOS reliably partners with other community organizations such as Pets Lifeline (to distribute pet food), Vintage House (to deliver meals in the Springs), Art Escape (to provide lunches for campers), and Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund (to help coordinate resources via the Food Insecurity Roundtable). The work of SOS is essential to the health and well-being of our most vulnerable Sonoma Valley neighbors, and the organization’s deep ties to the community enable it to serve as a conduit to provide resources where they are most needed.

Why this proposal?: With rising food costs and increasing numbers served, SOS urgently needs funding to ensure that it can keep pace with demand. A grant award would significantly improve the ability of the organization to serve effectively, as well as the ability of unhoused and food-deprived residents to meet their basic needs.

Website: sonomaovernightsupport.org

Sonoma Valley Education Foundation

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Empowerment Academy at Sonoma Valley High School

To support after school enrichment programs to Valley teens offered by a collaborative of youth serving valley nonprofits.

Mission: To cultivate community support and raise funds to enable the potential of every student.

Type of Support: Program/Project. 

Focus Areas: 1. Education.

Proposal Summary: Empowerment Academy is an after-school enrichment series at Sonoma Valley High School that offers educational and social-emotional learning opportunities for youth through a range of creative, engaging, and empowering programs. Current offerings include tutoring and academic support, Homework Club, Ready to Work training, boys’ and girls’ as well as LBGTQ empowerment groups, arts opportunities, social-emotional support, mental health services, and, notably, the only driver education program in Sonoma.  These after-school programs are offered through a collaboration between Sonoma Valley High School, the Sonoma County Education Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, and the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance.  Each partner plays a specific role to provide student programs and services. 

Why this proposal?: Sonoma Valley students are struggling. In the wake of the pandemic, they face unprecedented academic and mental health challenges that cannot be addressed during the school day alone. Other than athletics, Empowerment Academy is the only after-school program offered at Sonoma Valley High School, providing critical resources for students outside school hours. The well-managed team is an effective force that serves as a model for successful community collaboration in providing a safe and enriching experience that gives students the academic and social-emotional support they need to succeed.

Website:  svgreatschools.org

Valley Vibes Orchestra (ViVO)  

IMPETUS

$25,000 for Expansion of Music Programs at El Verano Elementary School and Sonoma Valley High School

To support an expansion of ViVO’s instruction in string and wind instruments, exposing a wider diversity of youth to the arts by engaging them in rigorous and meaningful music education.

Mission: To change lives through music. Via nurturing safe relationships, developing mastery in music and building community, ViVO fosters development of life skills and inspires students to believe that everyone has the power to improve their life and succeed.

Type of Support: Capacity Building.

Focus Areas: 1. Arts, Culture & Humanities. 2. Education.

Proposal Summary: ViVO seeks to expand its programs at El Verano Elementary School and Sonoma Valley High School to reach up to 100 students. Instruction ranges from general music appreciation for the youngest students to strings and woodwinds. The program also provides an opportunity for high school students to work as interns, helping the instructors with younger participants. ViVO fills a gap in arts education as it is the only music program for students in Sonoma Valley. Studies have shown that students who participate in music programs perform better academically and report higher levels of self-esteem and social belonging. ViVO offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to pursue their passion for music, free of charge. These programs provide benefits beyond musical excellence and appreciation, including personal growth, academic success, community engagement, emotional well-being, and empowerment of English learners.

Why this proposal?: As the only free music education program for students in Sonoma Valley, ViVO fills a persistent gap in arts education. The benefits of this program reach beyond the development of musical excellence into positive impacts on students' academic achievement, social/emotional development, and community engagement. Grant funding would help ensure that ViVO can continue to provide music education and opportunities for artistic expression that Sonoma's youth deserve.

Website: vivosonoma.org

Vintage House 

IMPETUS

$25,000 for myRide: Transportation Services for Seniors in Sonoma Valley

To provide free transportation to isolated seniors no longer able to drive on their own, keeping them active and connected to the community.

Mission: To help support, preserve, and enhance the quality of life for residents of Sonoma Valley as they age. Vintage House accomplishes this by fostering well-being, connection, and a sense of purpose and enjoyment through opportunities for lifelong learning, personal growth, and support.

Type of Support: Program/Project. 

Focus Area: 1. Human & Social Services. 2. Health.

Proposal Summary: It is critical for seniors to have the support they need to access services and continue to live independently as their mobility decreases. For seniors who are no longer able to drive themselves to shopping, medical appointments, classes, physical therapy, and other activities, life can become increasingly isolated. The myRide program allows seniors to request up to two rides per week from volunteer drivers who are screened and trained. Not only do the rides allow seniors a level of freedom, but interaction with drivers and the myRide Volunteer Coordinator are essential lifelines for people very often living alone. The myRide program has been supported by CalTrans in the past, and expects to receive the same funding in the fall. Vintage House seeks to bridge the gap until CalTrans support is secured. Grant funds would partially support the salary of a Volunteer Coordinator who recruits, screens, trains, and schedules drivers, conducts intake of new clients, and coordinates every ride. Funds would also finance background checks for drivers.

Why this proposal?: Studies show that isolation reduces life expectancy by eight years. The myRide program provides vital transportation, human connection, and access to essential services to seniors who might otherwise be disengaged. Many of the program’s clients only leave their homes when provided a ride. The Impetus Grant would enable Vintage House to sustain this essential program until expected funding is received from Caltrans.

Website: vintagehouse.org