Equity Impact Grant Program

Program Overview

The County of San Diego is piloting a new Equity Impact Grant (EIG) program in partnership with The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego (NPI) to address community feedback about the challenges that small, grassroots organizations led by people of color experience when applying for government contracts and philanthropic funding.

Each cycle, the EIG program will support 10 qualified San Diego-based social impact organizations/initiatives with $100,000 in general operating support grants.  Throughout the year-long grant period, NPI will provide tailored coaching and resources such as workshops on leadership, nonprofit governance, organizational resiliency and more.

The EIG program will focus on supporting community-driven efforts and community-based organizations working in the social and racial justice fields in the following areas:

  • education (early childhood through higher/continuing education)

  • civic engagement and movement building

  • arts, media & culture

  • housing, community development & mobility

  • public safety & restorative justice

  • health and healing

  • financial literacy & economic development

  • food systems and environmental justice

This is a pilot program with two cohorts currently in progress. We do not currently have a new date for when another cycle of cohorts will happen. Stay tuned and check our page for more updates.

Additional Information

For any questions or support, please email equityimpactgrant@sdcounty.ca.gov and we will get back to you.

Grantees

Take a look at the Equity Impact Grant (EIG) program grantees! These twenty organizations are engaged in amazing work throughout the San Diego region and represent a broad cross-section of our communities.

Cohort 1

May 1, 2024

  • Building Justice (HoMEwork) – A Southeast San Diego organization that supports people transitioning out of incarceration by prioritizing their personal development, creating a support system, and providing opportunities to amplify their voices and influence policy decisions.  
  • First Gen Scholars – An organization helping first-generation, low-income Black, Latinx, and Southeast Asian students navigate the college admissions process and graduate debt-free.   
  • Free Thought Revolution – A community-driven effort to “bridge the divide of humanity through storytelling, community, and social action.” In addition to their podcast, their vision includes educational initiatives and housing programs to provide a safe space for marginalized individuals to engage in healing and community-building.   
  • Garden 31 – This organization trains and mentors youth and adults that are considered at-risk, formerly incarcerated, justice-impacted, and socioeconomically disadvantaged in regenerative agriculture, sustainable food systems, and life skills to improve community health and wellness. 
  • Inner-Tribal Treatment – To address the needs of the Native American population impacted by the opioid crisis, this organization provides one of the only culturally-based treatment programs in Southern California.  
  • Lived Experiences – A North County community-based organization that utilizes data-proven methods to advocate for change by investing in people’s microsystems and addressing the root causes of physical and emotional trauma.  
  • Majdal Arab Community Center of San Diego – Through advocacy and cultural programs, this East County organization works to empower and uplift the Arab community in San Diego.   
  • Paddle for Peace – An organization conceived to create a nurturing space where BIPOC children could not only access coastal environments for recreation, physical fitness and mental healing but also envision and explore careers in Marine Biology and Environmentalism. To date, they have provided over 600 first time coastal experiences for BIPOC, underserved youth.   
  • San Diego Community Birth Center – This is the only Black-owned birth center in San Diego County, providing access to midwifery care, doula and lactation services, among other resources that ensure healthy births.   
  • San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition – A volunteer-led organization that not only serves over 500 Black LGBTQ people and families yearly but works to address the acute needs of the Black transgender community.

Cohort 2

December 11, 2024

  • Better Cuts Mental Health Alliance - Uses the deep cultural connection of barbering to address the barriers men of color face in accessing mental health care. By recognizing their struggles and unique experiences, it highlights the trust built between barbers and clients in barbershops—public spaces where men of color come together to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and gain tools to succeed in all areas of life.
  • Club FBS (Fitteds, Books & Sneakers) - A book club and mentorship program for Black male middle and high school students that seeks to improve the grade-level reading rates of Black males while elevating their social-emotional well-being through character-building and positive masculinity models.
  • Dreams+Ducats - This educational nonprofit partners with youth, educators, and entrepreneurs to connect learning to community, culture, and careers in the creative economy.
  • Greater than Tech - The organization integrates STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and business principles to help young people in underserved areas learn more about the opportunities these fields can offer the students now and in the future.
  • Lived Experience Advisors (LEA) - LEA works with people who have experienced homelessness to help advocate for positive changes in homelessness service systems.
  • Mano a Mano Foundation - Creator of the region’s first Spanish language educational program about the fentanyl crisis, Mano a Mano works with the Latino community to provide educational services and comprehensive support to families in culturally appropriate ways, including on topics like substance abuse, gangs, domestic violence, mental health, and supporting children inside and outside of the classroom.
  • Our Genetic Legacy - This organization helps young people in the Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) community tell the stories of their ancestral history in a variety of ways, including a drone program designed to record sites important in BIPOC history, a virtual museum and a history textbook that will be published in 2025.
  • RISE San Diego - RISE San Diego provides training and support for resident leaders to increase their capacity to make meaningful community change. RISE’s vision is for thriving, resident-led urban neighborhoods that provide safe and healthy opportunities for youth and families to live, work and play.
  • San Diego International Birthing Project - This volunteer organization supports women of color through their pregnancy, baby’s birth and motherhood. The San Diego International Birthing Project helps women obtain prenatal care and provides one-on-one support throughout pregnancy. It also offers parenting and life skills for mothers and fathers, mental health referrals, health education and more.
  • The Foundation for Care Integration - The foundation provides financial aid for at-risk older adults and families, including BIPOC communities and individuals with disabilities who cannot bridge the financial gap between their insurance and their health needs. Through home modifications, caregiver support and access to essential medical care, Foundation for Care Integration empowers individuals to live independently and with dignity in their own homes.