At the end of 2024, Rise Together members shared how recent grants advanced their work to build a county where all can thrive and how the coalition supports them as community leaders. The funding, totaling $320,000, was distributed equally between 16 local nonprofits. Since 2021, the Community Foundation’s Rise Together Fund for Racial Equity has awarded $1.3 million thanks to generous donations made by community members from all walks of life.
These projects—born from the dreams and aspirations of our leaders—propels positive change in our community and is a testament to the power of collective action and shared vision.
Amah Mutsun Land Trust
The Amah Mutsun Land Trust (AMLT) was founded in 2013 as a way for the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to reengage with the stewardship and conservation of their ancestral lands and waterways. The Rise Together grant has helped the organization grow and work toward a long-term, multi-generational vision of healing Mother Earth. In the last year, the land trust developed a strategic plan which completed a year-long comprehensive and community-based process to create a plan that directly aligns with the core values and objectives of the tribal community, reflects tribal sovereignty, will guide AMLT over the next three years, and support their continued progress.
Aztecas Youth Soccer Academy
Aztecas was founded in 2008 to provide a gang prevention and intervention program alternative for youth in Watsonville who are involved in the juvenile court system. Staff members coach its soccer program while teaching unity on and off the field.
The academy also runs a clubhouse which serves as a safe space for youth to hang out and get homework help as well as group and one-on-one mentoring. The Rise Together grant funding helped pay rental fees for the clubhouse and to continue their gang prevention outreach work.
“I've learned that leadership extends beyond advocating for my own cause; it involves supporting and collaborating with fellow leaders to uplift their initiatives as well.” -Gina Castañeda, founder
Black Surf Santa Cruz
Black Surf Santa Cruz is breaking down barriers by providing surf classes aimed at BIPOC locals, and in 2024 became the first nonprofit surf program in Santa Cruz County. Rise Together funding provided operational support for BSSC’s programs including 10 Pop-Up Programs (PUPs), serving over 140 participants and also launched the Prepare to Pop Up Program, a multi-week ocean and water relationship building course. BSSC is also BIPOC-led, with 80 % of coaches identifying as BIPOC, and 40% identifying as women.
The Liberation Paddle Out is held every year in celebration of Juneteenth and has become the organization’s flagship event. In 2024 the organization provided 100 sets of free equipment for participants, many of whom were entering the ocean for the first time.
“Rise Together has helped me build partnerships and connect with other values-based leaders, fostering a sense of community that aligns with my mission. As a young, emerging leader, it’s valuable to be able to share space and learn from other professionals within our community. One of the most valuable connections was with my buddy/ mentor—although they are no longer part of Rise Together, our relationship continues to thrive and be a source of guidance.” - Esabella Bonner, Founder & Executive Director
California Film and Cultural Center
The California Film and Cultural Center is dedicated to allowing access to film for everyone and to use the medium as an educational tool while removing the financial barriers to visual storytelling and learning. The center hosts various community projects, including Westside Video and Mystery Coast Productions. Our Rise Together grant helped CFCC secure a physical location and get all their programs under one roof. The move also expands services for BIPOC, neurodiverse, and LGBTQ+ youth, adding over 400 new clients and in this new space they could make theirs.
“Being a member of Rise Together has helped us bridge to other organizations, make better resources referrals, and connect our served populations. All this has been an enormous help for staff and for our clients. Having space where everyone shares values has been both healing and empowering, allowing us to recognize each other and more organically build toward major projects we could only achieve together,” Ashlyn N. Adams, chair of CFCC
Campesina Womb Justice
Campesina Womb Justice is a mutual aid organization that provides traditional medicinal and reproductive care for indigenous campesinas and immigrant farmworkers in Santa Cruz County. With the Rise Together grant, the project was able found the Watsonville Community Hospital Doula Program, which held trainings in English and Spanish for nearly 50 doulas in 2024. The collective specializes in traditional indigenous birthing practices, including traditional post-partum care, like "cerradas de cadera" (hip closing), and led training in this for 40 people. The organization also led healing clinics that offer alternative, traditional Mexican medicine for farmworkers. Campesina Womb Justice also provides food and interpretation services, as well as rental assistance.
“Through Rise Together I’ve gotten the privilege to connect with other BIPOC leaders. It's helped me boost my confidence and helped me see how unique this mutual aid project is in the county.” - Maria Ramos Bracamontes, co-founder, Campesina Womb Justice
Community Action Board
Community Action Board’s mission is to eliminate poverty and create social change through advocacy and essential services. The organization runs various community resource centers and programs throughout Santa Cruz County. CAB has also been instrumental in disaster response and recovery efforts in the area.
The Rise Together grant helped their leadership team create individual professional development plans that prioritized self-care. By boosting staff wellness, CAB hopes to better serve clients in a calming environment. CAB also invested some of the funds to bolster their communications strategy by commissioning headshots and other media to better connect with the community at a grassroots level.
"Being part of the Rise Together Coalition has helped me build personal and professional relationships with community leaders I hadn't connected with before. It set a safe space for us and come together. It helped me feel more confident and continue growing in my role while helping other leaders develop."- MariaElena De La Garza, Executive Director
Estrellas de Esperanza
Estrellas de Esperanza was founded in 2006 by Ruby Vasquez, a bilingual educator based in Watsonville to connect young people with their Mexican heritage through the art of baile folklorico. The organization serves 40+ students with ages ranging from 5 to 18 and performs regularly in the Pajaro Valley and beyond. The Rise Together grant will be used to bring the dance troop to Mexico for a 2025 summer alongside Esperanza del Valle, an adult baile folklorico company and close collaborator.
Housing Santa Cruz County
Housing Santa Cruz County is a coalition which formed in the wake of pandemic and recent disasters that laid bare the housing insecurity many county residents face. The Rise Together grant allowed the coalition to expand outreach efforts in its housing advocacy. Among those efforts was the kickoff of Affordable Housing Month in May 2024. During that month, the coalition co-hosted workshops offering legal advocacy tools and onsite legal support for housing-related issues. These workshops have increased renters’ rights awareness and helped grow the coalition’s network.
“Overall, being part of the coalition has elevated our organizational impact, and my role as a leader committed to housing justice is a powerful catalyst for collaboration, growth, and innovation.” - Elaine Johnson, Executive Director
Positive Discipline Community Resources
Since 2009, Positive Discipline Community Resources provides training to parents, schools and community across Santa Cruz and Monterey County to engage in respectful communication and problem solving. The Rise Together grant has helped the organization expand its services to offer trilingual classes to residents in Pajaro Valley and beyond. From July 2023 to June 2024, PDCR provided 119 total programs to 1,218 families across Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. In Santa Cruz County alone, over 100 training courses were offered. Participating families report increases in self-awareness, emotional self-regulation skills, emotional intelligence, and mindful decision making.
“I really love Rise Together. It is easy to go unnoticed and kind of burn out as the feelings of ‘not enough’ start to creep in. I struggle with finding belonging in elite spaces and had never thought of the Community Foundation as somewhere I would find friendships, mentorships, and meaningful learning spaces.” - Stephanie Barron Lu, Executive Director
Santa Cruz Local
Santa Cruz County nonprofit news outlet Santa Cruz Local has been committed to keeping our community informed since 2019, and our grant funding boosted their reach for this year’s election cycle.
The outlet used the Rise Together grant to help print nonpartisan 2024 local election guides in Spanish, which were distributed to 3,000 Pajaro Valley residents ahead of the March primary election. The funds also helped fund SCL’S Noticias Watsonville initiative, a Spanish and Mixteco language audio news platform that is delivered for free on WhatsApp to hundreds of Pajaro Valley residents. This platform has bolstered resident civic engagement.
“As a news organization, our work and our success depends on the trust of the communities we serve. Rise Together members - particularly those who work with Latino communities in the Pajaro Valley - have helped our news organization earn trust and build connections with residents.” -Kara Meyberg Guzman, founder and CEO
Santa Cruz Community Health
Santa Cruz Community Health Centers is celebrating 50 years of being a nonprofit health care provider in the area committed to equity. The Rise Together grant helped fund SCCHC’s Patient Advisory Committee, which helps determine the best care solutions at the individual level and with compassion at its core. The grant also approved a sliding scale discount program for patients. SCCHC also runs a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team that organized staff training on inclusive language and building a culture of belonging.
The JEDI initiative has not only found success within the organization, as SCCH has held training for nonprofits across the county, including the Workforce Council of the Health Improvement Partnership. Encompass Community Services, Salud Para La Gente, and United Way of Santa Cruz County.
Santa Cruz County Black Health Initiative
BHI has been an advocate for physical and mental health for the area’s Black population since 2020. The organization used its Rise Together grant to help develop health programs that center the arts, group activities, and community service and leadership for youth.
The Youth Ambassadors Centered Leadership Cohort seeks to improve the mental and behavioral health for Black youth to prevent isolation, substance or alcohol use and/or dependence, and to maintain social and cultural services that combat suicidal or depressive ideation. BHI also runs an outdoor activities program, and while the organization focuses on Black health, it is open to all.
Senderos
Senderos has been a cultural and community hub for Mexican immigrants since 2001. Through dance and music classes, the organization shares traditions from Oaxaca and other regions. Senderos founded what is now Northern California’s largest Guelaguetza celebration, as well as the Latino Role Models Conference. The Rise Together grant helped provide stipends to instructors and bolster the organization’s offerings. In 2024, Senderos gave 28 community performances, with a total of 162 participants in the music and dance programs. The funds also helped secure compensation for an executive director, and other administrative positions, for the first time.
“Being in an environment with other leaders of color gave me a platform to share the economic challenges and racial disparities faced by Senderos community members daily. It made me feel seen and valued by the Community Foundation. Overall, it has been a valuable learning experience to listen to other members of the Rise Together coalition.” -Dr. Nereida Robles Vasquez
Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center
Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center was founded in 2011 as a home for artists to financially support themselves, develop their work, and forge new ideas through community support.
The Rise Together grant helped fund TWDCC’s Diaspora Performance Project, which provides opportunities for artists from the African diaspora to showcase their work and engage with a broader community. With the funds, the project offered 10 performance opportunities and workshops, directly benefiting over 30 artists and reaching an audience of nearly 1,000 attendees. The artists involved were supported through stipends, production assistance, and rehearsal space access.
“The investment has enriched both artists and audience members by fostering a deeper appreciation for the diverse experiences and artistry of the African diaspora.” - Angela Chambers, Community Engagement Director
UC Santa Cruz University Library, Community Archives
Led by Dr. Rebecca Hernandez, the Community Archives project is focused on creating programming that helps preserve stories and community memory of often-overlooked groups. The Rise Together grant helped Dr. Hernandez and Tahnee Henningsen, two Native women, co-curate a pop-up exhibit at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2). This event was the first MMIWG2 exhibit in the City of Santa Cruz, following a previous one at the American Indian Resource Center at UCSC. The MAH exhibit consisted of red dresses and information panels about MMIWG2 International Day of Remembrance. Dr. Hernandez and Henningsen are now planning a larger exhibit in May of 2025, using Rise Together funds to create an installation that will stay up for the entire month.
Watsonville Film Festival
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