By Virginia Gaglianone, La Opinión

By Jacqueline García, La Opinión

By Cal State LA News Service

The latest funding cycle heavily prioritizes educational retention, helping low-income college students navigate the unexpected non-tuition emergencies that threaten graduation.

By Dan Schnur, The Fresno Bee

The California Community Foundation (CCF) believes in a future where all Angelenos have the opportunity to contribute to the productivity, health and well-being of our region. Our common fate will be determined by how successfully we improve the quality of life for all our residents. Our children represent the future of our community and their well-being is one of our primary concerns. If we want them to realize their potential, we need to ensure they have high-quality educational experiences and opportunities to succeed. CCF’s mission is to create lasting change to serve the most vulnerable in our communities. We must ensure that the second largest school district in the county has the resources to tackle the challenges facing our students and communities.

That is why we support the Los Angeles Unified School District Parcel Tax, Measure EE, that will go before voters on June 4, 2019. The measure, if approved by voters, will generate approximately $500 million annually for LA Unified schools.

A parcel tax of $.016 per square foot tax – a tax of $240 a year for an owner of a 1,500-square-foot home, is the difference between a student thriving in a classroom versus being invisible because of unwieldy classroom sizes. This critical funding is the difference between students who have the space to grow and dream versus students who are in under resourced schools that diminish their hopes. Through decades of underfunding, we’ve asked our students and teachers to do more with less. We’ve applied band-aids through one-time funding or grant programs.

Now is the time for an investment to retain and attract quality teachers. We need decisive action steps to realize the deep transformation necessary for the district to deliver the quality education our children deserve. But first let’s establish a stable foundation of teachers along with additional counselors, school nurses, principals and important support staff. A dedicated revenue stream is essential to help meet the mental, physical and academic needs of students, as well as expand arts and music programs in neighborhood schools.

Community engagement and support is critical for any Measure with this level of significance. Currently, the Measure is supported by the LAUSD School Board, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 and Los Angeles affiliates of the Million Voters Project.

Accountability for this Measure is also important. We are encouraged by the Measure’s strong fiscal accountability and oversight. A public oversight committee, whose membership is to be decided by the LAUSD Board of Education will also be established.

Educators, students and families in Los Angeles need more resources and support, and we collectively have a responsibility to ensure our schools receive the funding needed to help every student learn and grow to their full potential. Together we can ensure that all our students have the educational opportunities to meet their full potential.

CONTACT
Roshin Mathew
rmathew [@] calfund [.] org
(213) 452-6229

Philanthropy News Digest

LOS ANGELES, CA – March 19, 2019 — A new grant opportunity to support and expand local youth development services and programs centered on healing, learning and opportunity in high-need areas across Los Angeles County opened today. This collaboration will expand opportunities and resources for programs that keep youth out of the criminal justice system and help those in the system successfully transition back into the community.

This funding opportunity signals an innovative partnership between the California Community Foundation, Liberty Hill Foundation and the Los Angeles County Department of Probation. The grant program is made possible through funding from the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA).

Grantees will receive funding for critical work advancing education, mental health, cultural and workforce programs. The partnership is looking at the full spectrum of service provision—a whole child approach—while recognizing nonprofits can also benefit from training and support that will build their own organizational effectiveness. All grantees of this program will receive capacity building support, including coaching and cohort-based training.

“We are building a bridge between the nonprofits and the County,” said President and CEO of the California Community Foundation, Antonia Hernández. “Foundations have long been a driver of resources for innovative, evidence-based programs, but when it’s time to go to scale these programs benefit from local government funding.”

An effective community-based model focused on prevention and treatment not only decreases the number of youth incarcerated, but also improves chances for more youth to earn their high school diplomas, become gainfully employed, and decreases the likelihood of being incarcerated as an adult.

“Our youth need support and encouragement to fulfill their potential. We know that the solutions to support youth who have experienced trauma and other challenging circumstances have always been grown and nurtured in communities,” said Liberty Hill President & CEO Shane Murphy Goldsmith. “This program invests in prevention rather than punishment and will build the capacity of community organizations to do the work they do best, drawing on the strengths young people already possess.”

For more information on the Request for Proposal, including eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions, and to apply, please visit this link. Informational webinars will also take place on March 26^th and April 3^rd, click here for more information.

Applicants must register an online account and provide program service area information by April 12, 2019. Complete application responses are requested by August 30, 2019.

CONTACT
Liberty Hill
Courtney Kassel, Chief Communications Officer
ckassel@libertyhill.org
(323) 556-7230

California Community Foundation
Roshin Mathew, Director of Marketing and Communications
rmathew@www.calfund.org
(213) 413-4130

By Ross Brenneman, USC Rossier newsroom

San Fernando Valley Sun