•Ecosystem Community, Initiative
Community Giving Initiative
Student success extends beyond the school day. Our Community Giving Initiative is one way we support nonprofit organizations that serve youth across our community.
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We encourage nonprofit organizations that provide direct service to West Contra Costa youth to apply today!
Application deadline: Thursday, November 2, 2023
View FAQ section below for eligibility info and more!
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Overview
The Community Giving Initiative (CGI) supports our goal to advance student success by supporting youth development programs that directly serve West Contra Costa students.
We proudly support local, mission-aligned organizations — particularly those that prioritize the needs of Black, Latinx, and other underserved student populations — to ensure that local youth can access creative, enriching, and culturally-affirming learning opportunities beyond the school day.
45,000+
Youth served by CGI organizations annually
41
Organizations funded in 2024
$1.5 million
In CGI grants since 2017
Eligibility & Evaluation
Nonprofit organizations that provide direct-service to West Contra Costa youth are eligible to apply. See detailed eligibility info and FAQs below.
Our team uses an evaluation rubric to help determine funding amounts for CGI grants up to $15,000.
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Featured CGI Recipients
Frequently Asked Questions: CGI
Your organization is eligible to apply for a Community Giving Initiative grant if it:
- Is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity organization in good standing (or fiscally sponsored by one)
- Provides direct-service to youth (ages 0-21) in West Contra Costa County, CA (Richmond, San Pablo, El Sobrante, El Cerrito, Pinole, Hercules, and unincorporated portions of West Contra Costa)
- Is not a school (public or private), a faith-based organization, a parent teacher association, a booster club, or other school or alumni fundraising organization.
Grant funds must be used to support the overall mission of the organization in service to West Contra Costa youth. Funds can be used for general operating expenses or specific programmatic initiatives. CEF does not require grant reports for CGI grants.
No. In the past we required a community member to complete a nomination, but this year you’re encouraged to express interest (in the blue section at the top of this page) on behalf of your own organization, or on behalf of any other organization you think may be eligible for a CGI grant. A member of our team will follow up once we receive your name and email.
An online application form link will be delivered via email, and the electronic application must be completed in full and submitted by the Application Deadline. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. We will send an automated confirmation of receipt of your application after it is successfully submitted. Our team will contact you once we have determined your CGI grant amount (if applicable).
The CGI evaluation rubric affords transparency in our grantmaking process. It helps our team determine the grant amount (up to $15,000) based on key characteristics of the organization and the youth it serves.
Eligibility
Subject to the additional restrictions below, the Community Giving Initiative (the “Grant Program”) is only open to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in good standing (or organizations that are fiscally sponsored by one) that provide direct service to youth ages 0-21 in West Contra Costa. West Contra Costa is an area in Contra Costa County that incorporates the cities of El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, North Richmond, Pinole, San Pablo, Richmond. Schools, parent-teacher associations, booster clubs, other school-based or alumni fundraising organizations, and faith-based organizations are not eligible for a CGI grant.
Application Period
The Application Period will begin at 12:00 AM Pacific Time (“P.T.”) on October 24, 2024 and end at 11:59PM P.T. on November 12, 2024 (the “Application Period”). The Application Period consists of a submission period for grant applications.
How to Apply
To apply, during the Application Period, the Applicant must complete an official application on behalf of an organization (the “Applicant Organization”). Applicant’s responses should describe how the funds will benefit the youth served by the Applicant Organization. The official application form is available online only by visiting CEF’s Community Giving Initiative page at https://chamberlinfoundation.org/community-giving-initiative/ and clicking the “Apply now!” link which directs visitors to the Temelio online application platform. Applicants are required to create a Temelio account using their official email account associated with the Applicant Organization. Complete the application form with all required information and file uploads, then submit the entry by clicking on the “SUBMIT” button. Sponsors reserve the right to require substantiation of the claims and stated facts contained in any application, and to disqualify an applicant if such claims cannot be substantiated. Sponsors also reserve the right to require evidence of employment verification by the Applicant at any time. Sponsors will not be responsible for incomplete, lost, late, misdirected or illegible applications. All applications become property of Sponsors and none will be returned. Your computer must accept cookies, or any successor or similar technology, which may be used for the purpose of application tracking. Ad blocking software on your computer needs to be disabled so that it doesn’t interfere with processing your entry. By entering, applicants agree to the terms of these Official Guidelines and to receive emails from Sponsors or those directed by Sponsors regarding Sponsors’ products and services as well as Chamberlin Education Foundation’s digital newsletter.
Grant Recipient Selection
The criteria for getting approved for a grant award will be (i) the applicant’s eligibility; (ii) an explanation of how funds will be used in furtherance of the Applicant Organization’s mission in service of West Contra Costa youth; and, (iii) an evaluation of the Applicant Organization’s qualifications based on the CGI Rubric (the “Rubric”). Decisions of Sponsors shall be final and binding in all respects. Each Grant Recipient will receive a grant in the amount determined by the CEF team.
Grant Recipient Notification and Acceptance
Selected grant recipients will be notified on or before November 22, 2024. Sponsors will notify selected grant recipients through their Temelio account and e-mail notifications sent through their Temelio account. Grant Recipients may waive their right to receive the grant award. Grant awards are nonassignable and nontransferable. No substitutions allowed by Grant Recipients. Each Grant Recipient may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility/liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law), which must be returned as directed by Sponsors. Failure to sign and return the affidavit or release, or to comply with any term or condition of these Official Guidelines, may result in a Grant Recipient’s disqualification, and the forfeiture of his or her interest in the grant award. Except where prohibited, acceptance of any award constitutes a Grant Recipient’s consent to the Sponsor’s publication of his or her name, biographical information and likeness in any media for any promotional purpose, without limitation, or further compensation. Any Grant Award not redeemed and claimed by eligible Grant Recipients in accordance with these Official Guidelines will not be awarded and will remain the property of Sponsors.
Participation
By participating, each applicant agrees to be bound by these Official Guidelines and the decisions of Sponsors. Sponsors reserve the right to disqualify persons found tampering with or otherwise abusing any aspect of this Grant Program as solely determined by Sponsors. In the event the Grant Program is compromised by a virus, non-authorized human intervention, tampering or other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsors, which corrupts or impairs the administration, security, fairness or proper operation of the Grant Program, Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Grant Program. Should the Grant Program be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, Sponsors reserve the right to award grants based on the applications received before and/or after the termination date, or in such manner as deemed fair and appropriate by Sponsors. Sponsors will not be responsible for incomplete, lost, late, misdirected or illegible applications, or for failure to receive applications or other electronic communications due to transmission failures or technical failures of any kind, including, without limitation, malfunctioning of any network, hardware or software, whether originating with sender or Sponsors. The authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of applying will be considered the entrant. An “authorized account holder” shall mean the natural person assigned to such e-mail account by the Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with such email account.
Release
By applying to the Grant Program (and, if applicable, by receipt of grant), each entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsors and each of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective officers, directors, members, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Grant Program or, for each Grant Recipient, receipt or use or misuse of any grant award.
Limitations of Liability
The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Grant Program; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the application process or the Grant Program; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Grant Program or the processing of applications; (5) late, lost, undeliverable, damaged or stolen grant awards; or (6) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Grant Program or receipt or use or misuse of any grant award. If for any reason an entrant’s application is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrant’s sole remedy is another application in the Grant Program unless it is not possible to award another application due to discontinuance or completion of the Grant Program.
Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Grant Program or any grant awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for California or the appropriate California State Court located in Richmond, CA U.S.A.; (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Grant Program, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Guidelines, or the rights and obligations of the Grant Recipients and Sponsors in connection with the Grant Program shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of California or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of California.
Construction
The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these guidelines shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these guidelines shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein.
Sponsors, Grant Recipient List and Official Guidelines
The Community Giving Initiative is sponsored by the Chamberlin Education Foundation located at 855 Marina Bay Richmond, CA 94804 (collectively, “Sponsors”). The decisions of Sponsors regarding the selection of Grant Recipients and all other aspects of the Grant Program shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsors will not be responsible for typographical, printing or other inadvertent errors in these Official Guidelines or in other materials relating to the Grant Program. For a copy of these Official Guidelines, visit https://chamberlinfoundation.org/community-giving-initiative/.
If you have any questions regarding this Grant Program, please contact Chamberlin Education Foundation at CGI@chamberlinfoundation.org.