Twenty-one local organizations were recently approved for funding this year from the Environmental and Community Investment Agreement (ECIA) grant program.
The Richmond RotaCare Free Clinic, Youth Code Now and the Richmond Museum of History & Culture are among the organizations receiving grants this year from the annual program, which 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 over 10 years, the ECIA program includes $6 million in grants 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 51 applicants for grants in fiscal year 2020-21, 21 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, including several bolstering STEM education for local youth. Youth Code Now provides high-quality STEM after-school and academic intervention programs. Scientific Adventures for Girls, an afterschool STEM program for K-5thgrades, also received a grant, along with the Watershed Project’s STEM-based service learning program in Richmond.
Grant funding has also been awarded to the West Contra Costa Mandarin School PTA for a healthy schools program, a Richmond Public Library SAT learning program, and a Mira Vista Elementary eco-literacy and mindfulness program at Mira Vista Elementary.
The mobile grocery truck, Fresh Approach, which provides access to healthy foods in Richmond, additionally received funding this year, along with House of Loving Hands, Inc., which provides services to local domestic violence survivors.
Last year, ECIA grants supported programs from the West County Robotics Team, the East Bay Center for Performing Arts, Camp Achieve’s free Richmond summer camp serving underserved neighborhoods, the recently built BMX track DirtWorld on the Richmond Greenway and LifeLong Medical Care’s efforts to help community members with health insurance enrollment.
The full list of ECIA grant 2020-21 recipients follows:
