Over $1.7million Awarded to Inspiring, Resilient, Local Nonprofits

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Over $1.7million Awarded to Inspiring, Resilient, Local Nonprofits

Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF) is proud and pleased to announce our 2023 grants. Thank you to our donors who make these significant grants totaling $1.725M possible, and to the extraordinary people in our local nonprofit organizations who deliver hundreds of essential services and life-changing programs to our community of Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. 

2023 Trends and Concerns

Our local nonprofit partners have continued to feel the effects of the pandemic. Cost of living—especially high housing costs—makes it challenging for many nonprofit staff to live in our area. Simply put, the need for nonprofit services has increased, but the hiring pool has shrunk. In addition, the price of nearly all supplies and services has risen over the last 12 months. Rising costs and hiring challenges not only strain an organizations’ ability to meet the needs of the community, but also increases the demand for even greater fundraising and operational support. 

Palo Alto Community Fund’s 2023 Grants

See our full list of grantees with focus areas here.

PACF grants include:

3 Impact Grants, $100,000 each

PACFs Dave Mitchell Impact Grants provide larger, unsolicited, general operating support to nonprofit organizations that deliver transformative solutions to critical issues in our community in a way that achieves both immediate impact and longer-term systemic change. This year, our Impact Grants were awarded to:

Environmental Justice/Climate Resilience: Climate Resilient Communities in support of their exceptional work in advocacy and collaboration at the local and regional, as well as state levels, and in building resilient programs that address housing, community, and education inequities.

Economic Mobility: JobTrain, in support of their innovative approaches to fuel economic mobility. Their new Center for Economic Mobility in East Palo Alto and Innovation Fund provide pioneering job training programs through deep collaboration, including shared office space for nonprofit partners.

Transitional Housing: Lifemoves, (awarded Fall 2022) in support of their Homekey Palo Alto facility, an 88-unit interim housing program with ongoing wraparound support services for those seeking permanent housing at 1237 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto.

26 Multi-Year Grants 

PACF introduced multi-year grants in 2022 with the goal of providing nonprofit organizations with secure funding for a two-year period. In 2022, we awarded 15 grants within this structure, and we are pleased to offer 26 more grants in 2023.

84 Annual Grants, $1M in total

We are very grateful to the dedicated nonprofits that work every day to uplift the most vulnerable in our neighborhoods and improve the lives of everyone in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. From vital, long-standing services to innovative programs, these organizations and their teams bring life and love to our community. Seventeen of our 2023 grantees are new to PACF, and we are enjoying getting to know them and their work. See below for a full list of grantees.

Emergency Grant for flood victims

In January 2023, we were able to give immediate help to our neighbors whose housing and livelihoods were impacted by the horrendous flooding this winter, through a grant to local nonprofit, El Comité de Vecinos del Lado Oeste, in East Palo Alto.

2 Executive Director Grants, $10,000 each

PACF’s Cammie Vail Executive Director grants are unsolicited awards given for exceptional leadership and program innovation. Lisa Van Dusen, executive director of PACF, awarded two grants in 2023 to: 

El Comité de Vecinos del Lado Oeste in support of their dedicated work in providing safety net services and supporting tenant rights amidst a planned relocation. 

LifeMoves in support of their Vehicle Maintenance Fund Pilot Program at the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto to provide financial and logistical support for vehicle repairs.

Our Work Beyond the Dollars

Collaboration and community are key to the success of our nonprofits and those they serve. By working together, we are stronger and more effective at meeting local needs. A significant share of PACF’s work is dedicated to connecting with our local nonprofit leadership teams, and offering spaces and events for people to come together to meet, get to know each other, and share ideas. Most recently, 130 nonprofit professionals gathered for our Rise and Shine breakfast. 

Join us at our annual Community Celebration

Please join us for an evening of celebration and connection over food and wine on Monday, June 5 from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, honoring the many grantees, donors, and supporters who help our community thrive.

Palo Alto Community Fund’s 2023 Grantees

Addressing Affordable Housing and Homelessness

  • CORA – Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse

  • Downtown Streets Team

  • El Comité de Vecinos del Lado Oeste

  • Heart and Home Collaborative

  • HIP Housing (Human Investment Project, Inc.)

  • LifeMoves

  • Rebuilding Together Peninsula

  • WeHope

Addressing Food Insecurity and Nutrition

  • Ecumenical Hunger Program

  • Fresh Approach

  • La Comida de California

  • Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen

  • Peninsula Food Runners Organization

  • St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room

Special Needs Services 

  • AchieveKids

  • Ada’s Cafe

  • Jasper Ridge Farm

  • PARCA

  • Via Rehabilitation Services, Inc.

  • Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Supporting Seniors

  • Avenidas

  • East Palo Alto Senior Center

  • Fit To The Core Inc

  • Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County, Inc

  • Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. (PVI)

  • TeleVisit

Accessible Healthcare (Physical / Dental)

  • Ravenswood Family Health Network

  • Peninsula Healthcare Connection

  • San Mateo County Health Foundation

Mental Health Support

  • Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS)

  • Children’s Health Council (CHC)

  • Counseling and Support Services for Youth (CASSY)

  • Friends for Youth, Inc.

  • Kara

  • Palo Alto University

  • Peninsula Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower

  • The Grateful Garment Project

Addressing Racial Equity

  • Center for Excellence in Nonprofits

  • Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center

Climate Action and Environmental Justice

  • Climate Resilient Communities

  • Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto

  • Belle Haven Community Development Fund

Supporting Culture and Community

  • Anamatangi Polynesian Voices

  • Christmas Bureau of Palo Alto

  • East Palo Alto Community Archive

  • Quinteto Latino

Supporting Equity and Accessibility in the Arts

  • Art in Action

  • EPACENTER

  • Kids and Art Foundation

  • Pacific Art League of Palo Alto

  • Palo Alto Art Center

  • Palo Alto Players

  • TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

Providing Accessible Community Services

  • Tax-Aid

  • Women’s Achievement Network and Development Alliance (WANDA)

Providing Accessible Legal Services

  • Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto

  • Elevate Community Center

Supporting Children & Youth (Beyond the Classroom)

  • Able Works

  • Ambition Angels

  • Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula

  • Bring Me a Book

  • Camp Kesem at Stanford

  • CASA of San Mateo County

  • Cooline Team of East Palo Alto

  • DreamCatchers

  • East Palo Alto Academy Foundation

  • East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT)

  • Innovate Public Schools

  • P.I.E.F.E.S.T. Limited

  • Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC)

  • Peninsula Bridge

  • Positive Alternative Recreation Teambuilding Impact

  • San Francisco 49ers Academy

  • Vida Verde Nature Education

  • Youth Community Service

Supporting Education (School-Based)

  • All Five

  • East Palo Alto Kids Foundation

  • Eastside College Preparatory School

  • Environmental Volunteers

  • Health Connected

  • JobTrain

  • Learning Home Volunteers

  • Ravenswood Classroom Partners

  • Ravenswood Education Foundation

  • Rosalie Rendu Center

  • Science is Elementary

  • Silicon Valley Urban Debate League

  • StreetCode Academy

  • The Circuit EPA

  • The Institute for Families and Nannies

Providing Accessible Athletic Programs

  • Beyond Barriers Athletic Foundation

  • East Palo Alto Razorhawks Rugby Football Club

  • Rich May Foundation

Supporting Equity in Higher Education

  • Foundation for a College Education

  • Gunn Foundation

  • Live in Peace

  • Rise Together Education

  • The Peninsula College Fund

  • Upward Scholars