Two dozen local organizations have been approved for funding this year from the Environmental and Community Investment Agreement (ECIA) grant program.
The annual ECIA grant program is part of a $90 million community benefits agreement between the city of Richmond and Chevron connected to the $1 billion Refinery Modernization Project.
Disbursed annually over 10 years, the ECIA program includes $6 million for nonprofits and community organizations focused on programs benefiting community members, youth and youth sports. Grants range from $2,500 to $50,000.
Out of 47 applicants for grants in fiscal year 2019-20, 24 organizations were awarded funding following review by the ECIA Grant Review Ad Hoc Committee.
The latest ECIA grants support a wide variety of projects in the community, with well over a dozen going toward programs benefiting Richmond youth. Grants were awarded to the West County Robotics Team, as well as an in-school music program by the East Bay Center for Performing Arts. Recipients also included YES Nature to Neighborhoods’ youth leadership pathway program, Camp Achieve’s free Richmond summer camp serving underserved neighborhoods, and Rosie’s Girl’s Summer Camp 2019.
Richmond Swims, the Richmond Art Center, the Mindful Life Project, the West Contra Costa Salesian Boys & Girls Club, the Richmond Main Street Initiative and West County DIGs all received grants bolstering programs serving local youth.
For adults, grants were awarded to program serving locals in need of housing and pathways to employment.
Last year, the same number of grants also touched various parts of the community, including the newly built BMX track Dirt World on the Richmond Greenway, local literacy projects and a youth technology training project with the Richmond RYSE center. In previous years, these grants assisted LifeLong Medical Care’s efforts to help community members with health insurance enrollment, and supported Urban Tilth’s garden education partnership with Verde Elementary in North Richmond.
The full list of ECIA grant 2019-20 recipients follows:
