Apply for a Grant

Supports programs that make an investment in the community and improve the lives of Ventura County residents. The CRF also funds proposals to strengthen the capacities of Ventura County's nonprofit organizations.

In fall of each year, priorities are selected for the following year. Please check back at a later date for 2010 program priorities.

Previous priorities have included:

• Disaster Preparedness for Vulnerable Populations
• Organizations in Transition
• Mental Health Initiative
• Capacity Building
• Endowment Building
• Strategic Planning
• Service Delivery

$90,000 in Grants to Nonprofit Organizations

The purpose of the ArtsLIVE grants program is to highlight the depth and breadth of the arts produced in Ventura County, with an emphasis on art programming produced by- or for- youth, seniors, and traditionally underrepresented groups. Preference will be given to organizations that can demonstrate a plan for using the grant to raise the visibility of the proposed program and the organization’s work to leverage additional funds for the organization and its programs. The Grants to Nonprofit Organization Program will be administered in two years at $90,000 per year. The 2009 cycle focused on Visual, Media and Literary Arts.

The 2010 cycle will focus on Performing Arts and Traditional & Folk Arts.

Proposal Deadline: 1:00 p.m. February 5, 2010.
Click here to download the RFP
Click here to download a list of 2009 ArtsLIVE Grants to Nonprofits Grantees

Visit ArtsLIVE in Ventura County

The purpose of the Dr. Maxine Crossley Fund is to provide support for needed services for physically or mentally handicapped children in Ventura County. Schools and nonprofit organizations serving children and adolescents with special education needs are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted from 501(c)(3)-designated public charities, public schools and school districts.

History: The Dr. Maxine Crossley Fund was established in 1998 in honor of Dr. Maxine Crossley, and was originally established with the primary purpose of providing support to Dean Triggs School to carry out its mission in serving children and adolescents with various special education needs. In 1990, following the closure of Dean Triggs School, the fund purpose was modified to its current focus.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Please allow at least 3 months for processing and notification of decisions.

Please click here to download the application.

The Ventura County Community Foundation’s Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund has established an endowed grantmaking fund to provide opportunities for the economic, educational, physical, emotional, social, artistic and personal growth of Latinos in Ventura County. Each year, founders and donors to the Fund review the needs of the community and vote to select issues of importance to Latinos in the County.

Destino will not be awarding grants in 2010.
Destino will resume grantmaking in 2011 with two year grant cycles.

Visit Destino; The Hispanic Legacy Fund

The Ventura County Community Foundation’s Heritage Fund was established as an endowed grantmaking fund to provide opportunities for local nonprofits to have the resources and time to study and document the County’s heritage, share who we are, and how our county has grown and prospered. The Heritage Fund celebrates Ventura County’s unique history beginning in the early times and will continue throughout the years in the future.

Heritage will not be awarding grants in 2010.
Heritage will resume grantmaking in 2011 with two year grant cycles.

Visit Heritage Fund

Supports efforts that will preserve, enhance and increase the supply of decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing for agricultural workers in Ventura County. This program was launched with a generous grant from Washington Mutual and contributions from other donors. The fund is currently depleted, but will re-issue another RFP when new funds are available.

No RFP currently available.
A new RFP will be issued when funds are available.

Visit Farmworker Housing Fund

The Smith-Hobson Foundation, a small family foundation established in 1964, became a donor advised fund at the Ventura County Community Foundation in 1991. The Smith-Hobson Foundation focuses primarliy on arts and cultural projects and activities of locally based organizations in the cities of Ojai and Ventura.

Deadline: September 30, 2010
Click here to download the Smith-Hobson Foundation Fund Application

The Barbara Barnard Smith Fund for World Musics was established in 1992 to enhance understanding of global intercultural and local multicultural environments through expanding acquaintance with artistic heritages beyond those of Euro-American concert traditions. The donor-advised fund will consider applications from schools and from organizations established to present concerts for the public to support performances of non-Western classical and folk musics by bearers of these traditions, and of contemporary compositions for traditional or Western instruments inspired by and incorporating elements of these musics.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Time from receipt of application to decision is approximately 2-3 months. If funding request is related to a specific event or concert, please submit your proposal at least 3 months before performance date.

Click here to download the Barbara Barnard Smith Fund for World Musics Application

The Bobbie Steindler Beatty Academic Opportunity Fund supports youth between the ages of 12-18 who reside in Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo, to further their academic progress. The minimum grant amount is $250 and the maximum is $750. Grants may benefit one or more students. Funds may be used for a variety of expenses such as books, school supplies, clothes, eyeglasses, or for expenses that, if not funded, could stand in the way of an education for students who are from low-income families. Non-profit organizations and public entities (such as schools and/or school districts) are eligible to apply (one application per organization with exception of fiscal sponsors.) Individuals are not eligible to apply.

Applications due November 6, 2009.
Click here to download the Bobbie Steindler Beatty Academic Opportunity Fund Application

Funds the provision of treatment and support services for burn victims and their families, and secondarily, to fund programs for fire and burn prevention.

A total of $28,000 is available for burn treatment centers located in Southern California. Grants in any amount up to $28,000 will be considered. Funding is available for the period September 2009 – September 2010.

Deadline: 2009 Deadline has passed. Please check back in 2010 for next year's timeline.
No RFP currently available.

The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County seeks to strengthen social justice in Ventura County by providing financial grants and other support to grassroots efforts that address root causes of injustice and remove structural and institutional barriers to social, economic and environmental equity.

2010 proposals are due by 4pm, Thursday, July 22nd.

• Click here to download the RFP
• Click here for the application completeness checklist

The Social Justice Fund is a grantmaking program created and guided by a “Giving Circle” of community donors and hosted by the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF). Other institutional partners are Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and the McCune Foundation.

Visit Social Justice Fund

Provides funds that respond quickly to urgent or emergency needs where a small investment will make a big difference.
This is accomplished by providing grants up to $5,000 to support immediate, one-time needs.
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

Download SUN Fund Application

Provides grants to nonprofit organizations providing opportunities for the economic, educational, physical, emotional, social, artistic and personal growth of women and girls in Ventura County.

The 2010 program is focusing on Domestic Violence Prevention & Services and Basic Needs/Safety Net Services for women.

Proposal Deadline: has passed (5/14/10). Please check back in March 2012 for the 2012 RFP.

Visit Women's Legacy Fund

The program philosophy of the Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation is to encourage the delivery of health care services to the residents of Ventura County.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR GRANT SEEKERS:

• Grants are generally made only to nonprofit organizations that are tax exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Services.
• The Board of Directors of the Swift Foundation looks for projects that have the potential to continue beyond the Foundation’s funding and are likely to produce long-term multiplier effects.
• Organizations must be located in Ventura County or the program must serve Ventura County residents in accordance with the purpose of the Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation.
• The Foundation expects all applicant organizations to show substantial financial and voluntary support from internal and outside sources.
• The Board prefers not to fund recurrent salaried positions.
• Funds are not granted for organizational deficits, annual fund drives, general operating expenses, political activities, religious or sectarian activities, endowments, research or non-project related expenses.
• Grant sizes typically range from $2,500 to $8,500, and are usually awarded to accomplish a definite purpose within a specified time period (normally not more than one year).
• Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation requires a final grant evaluation report assessing the accomplishments of the grant’s objectives before considering any new proposal. Compliance with all reporting requirements is a condition for any future grants.
• Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation accepts and processes applications for grants twice per year. The annual deadlines are April 15 and October 15. If the 15th falls on a weekend, agencies should submit their grant applications by 5:00 p.m. the Friday before.
• No organization may receive more than one grant in any 12-month period. Grantees must keep their own calendars; reminders to apply or submit evaluation reports are not the responsibility of the Foundation.

Click here to download the official Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation Request for Assistance/Grant Application form.

NOTE: Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation scholarships are available for Ventura County students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher who are pursuing a degree or certificate in the health care field. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units per semester/quarter at California State University, Channel Islands, Moorpark College, Oxnard College, Ventura College, Oxnard Adult School, the Regional Occupational Program, or Simi Valley Adult School. Inquiries regarding Swift’s scholarship program should be directed to the scholarship coordinator at one of the approved schools. All Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation Scholarships are one time awards only; Swift scholarships are non-renewable.

The mission of the Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation is to enhance the quality of life for the residents of Ventura County, with a preference for serving the Oxnard Plains.  We do this through focused grantmaking in the following areas of interest:

Basic Needs/Safety Net Services such as food, shelter, clothing, access to health care, support for former foster youth (housing, job/life skills, education, etc.), mental health services for homeless individuals/families, and information & referral services

• Beautification of Oxnard such as open space preservation, parks, community gardens, planting trees and community clean-up projects.
• Practical Higher Education including business leadership, business education, entrepreneurship, and career & technical training (such as nonprofit trade schools, regional occupational programs and community college programs)
• Please download and review the grantmaking guidelines for additional eligibility requirements, deadlines and review timeline.

In order to apply, please submit a letter of inquiry, using the LOI form below. Those organizations invited for full proposals will be notified by March 10th. Organization’s invited for full proposals will be notified of funding decisions in mid-June.

Letter of Inquiry Deadline: 2010 Deadline has passed, please check back in November 2010 for 2011 deadline.

• Click here to download the Martin V. & Martha K. Smith Foundation Grantmaking Guidelines
• Click here to download the Martin V. & Martha K. Smith Foundation Letter of Inquiry Form

2010 Invited Full Proposal Applicants:

• Click here to download the 2010 Application Form
• Click here to download Excel Application Budget Forms (Please be sure to double-check your formulas)