The Yerba Buena Community Benefit District (YBCBD) is in its eleventh year of providing grants to nonprofits working to improve the Yerba Buena neighborhood. Unlike previous years, a global pandemic required us to approach FY21 differently. The pandemic quickly and significantly changed our daily lives, our neighborhood, and the economy. In order to respond to this situation in the Summer of 2020, the YBCBD Community Benefit Fund initially focused its efforts on support for long-term grantees by offering general operating versus project-based support. They considered best practices for disaster grant-making and streamlined the application and reporting process. As a result, six (6) grants of $15,000 were given to neighborhood nonprofits.
A year ago we assumed the pandemic would be behind us at this point and that we would resume our normal grant-making process. The feedback we received confirmed that things have not yet returned to normal and that general support is still needed. In response to that feedback, the committee granted last year’s pandemic grant recipients $10,000 each to use for general operations.
The committee also expressed a desire to support more organizations in FY22, especially as conditions change and our neighborhood continues through the stages that will bring us to a full reopening. In order to be able to respond to neighborhood needs throughout the year, the committee will accept grant requests on a rolling basis for the remainder of FY22 (ending June 30, 2022). While funding priorities remain the same, activities that draw people to the neighborhood, are safe (having appropriate COVID protocols as determined by the Department of Public Health), and have an outdoor component will be prioritized.
We will accept proposals on a rolling basis so submit your plans when you’re ready. The Community Benefit Fund Committee will review all requests and commit to responding within 2 months of submission. Below are the forms needed for submission.
Grant Announcement
Grant Guidelines
Full Grant Application
Mini-Grant Application
