Field of Interest Grant Program- Single year Project Grants

The Field of Interest Grant Program provides competitive single-year project grants to nonprofit organizations serving San Luis Obispo County. Grants focus on uplifting marginalized communities, particularly queer and trans people of color, and addressing disparities in access to opportunities. Current funding includes the Growing Together: LGBTQ+ Fund, which supports initiatives for health care and community spaces. Eligible organizations must prioritize community needs and demonstrate a significant local presence.

CFSLOCO leads work in several issue areas that have been identified and funded by our donor community and other external funding sources. In some of these issue areas, grants are awarded through a competitive process. The competitive process includes review and decision by an external evaluation committee comprised of community experts, community volunteers, and staff. Grants awarded through our field of interest funds will be filtered using the same criteria as our community grants program:
serving San Luis Obispo County residentscentering the voices and perspectives of communities serveddismantling disparities and increasing access to opportunitiesutilizing substantiated data to inform strategy and programs
Current Field of Interest funds that award grants through a competitive process include:

• Growing Together: LGBTQ+ Fund, $5,000-$10,000

reaches out to, involves, and centers queer and trans people of color (QTPOC)advances medical and mental health care for transgender and nonbinary peoplecreates ‘queer spaces’ in currently underserved areas of the County

Ineligibility

Candidate election activitiesCapital campaignsEndowment campaignsFraternal Organizations, unless in support of a specific program which is open to or benefiting the entire communityFundraising eventsGovernmentIndividualsNational or international organizations, unless the organization operates in, and has a significant presence in San Luis Obispo CountyOrganizations that are in the first year of a two-year general operating grantOrganizations that discriminate on the basis of age, disability, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race or religionOrganizations with religious affiliations, unless the program is open to the entire community without regard to religious beliefsPartisan advocacy or activitiesReal estate purchasesSponsorships