At its most recent board meeting, the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board approved the allocation of $1 million for a special initiative and $268,000 to two organizations through its regular grant program.
The District & Foundation staff requested the allocation of $1 million in grants over the next two years, and the Board approved it. This new initiative, titled “Empowering Resilient Youth and Families: Advancing Mental and Behavioral Health Support,” will soon be launched in the form of a request for proposals (RFP).
As background, in early December 2024, the District & Foundation hosted a lunch-and-learn session with staff from the five organizations that received funding through the initial RFP. It was an opportunity to reflect upon outcomes, lessons learned, insights and feedback they provided. A significant takeaway from that event was the need to continue supporting the effort and build upon its successes.
The District Board also approved the following grants:
- Grant #1511: $193,145 for Visión y Compromiso to expand access to mental health services for children and families in the Coachella Valley. Funds will directly support the salaries of the two new promotoras, also known as community health workers, as well as partial salary support for a project coordinator. Other uses include tablets for program delivery, wellness materials for family engagement activities, mileage for community outreach, printing of educational materials, and indirect expenses to support overall project implementation.
- Grant #1519: $75,000 for Alianza Nacional de Campesinas to address food insecurity within farmworker communities in the Coachella Valley that are in food-deprived areas. Recognizing food insecurity as a social determinant of health, the grant supports the delivery of boxes of food and essential items to underserved families in mobile home parks, farmworker camps, and other traditionally vulnerable communities.
The combination of the newly announced grants and the initiative brings the total funding approved in July by the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board to $1,268,145.
Those interested in applying for a District & Foundation grant can learn more about the grants program at dhcd.org.
The Desert Healthcare District is a local government agency formed in 1948. Its mission is to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all residents of the District. The District includes more than 400,000 residents and encompasses the entire Coachella Valley. The District and Desert Healthcare Foundation, together, are one of the largest funders in the valley. These funds are used to assist residents — especially those who are underserved — in accessing vital resources, such as primary and behavioral healthcare. Learn more.
