Monterey Peninsula Foundation Grants

The Monterey Peninsula Foundation Grants support local nonprofits and K-12 schools in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. With a responsive grantmaking strategy, the foundation prioritizes applications that address pressing community needs across various focus areas, including arts, education, and health. This initiative has awarded over $200 million in lifetime funding, aiming to strengthen community services and promote sustainable development. Organizations applying must demonstrate effective management, collaboration, and a clear plan for achieving measurable outcomes.

NOTE: K-12 schools (public, private and charter) and school districts must apply in the Spring Cycle (December 1 application deadline). We ask that you contact the Philanthropy Office in advance of applying to discuss your funding request.
Our Approach
Monterey Peninsula Foundation operates a place-based, responsive grantmaking strategy that spans a broad range of ages and community needs. The community focus is our primary strategy to strengthen the web of services, programs, and supports that contribute to healthy vibrant communities. We fund organizations over the longer-term, however, we work to minimize dependence on annual support grants whenever appropriate and prudent. Our policies requiring board giving and external financial oversight are designed to help organizations capitalize on best practices in the field.
We view funding as a partnership. We realize that there are gaps that exist and we care about filling the need in all the communities we serve.
What We Support
Since its inception, Monterey Peninsula Foundation has given millions of dollars to support local nonprofits and schools in the tri-county area we serve. In 2022, the Foundation reached the charitable milestone of $200 million in lifetime giving.
Focus Areas
Monterey Peninsula Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that benefit the community in the focus areas of arts & culture, community & environment, education, health & human services, and youth.
Monterey Peninsula Foundation places a higher priority on applications that offer creative responses to the community’s most pressing, unmet needs and show promise of building ongoing local support for needed services.
Organizations seeking funding should have a broad base of funding support, management capacity to effectively execute the project, a clear plan for project evaluation, outcome measurement, and collaboration among other service providers. Organizations seeking funding for a specific program should showcase a significant funding gap or critical opportunity, a long-term impact, preventive intervention and education, and produce measurable results.
Arts & Culture
Grants in the Arts & Culture focus area foster the creative environment and inspire curiosity, imagination, and appreciation of the arts.
Community & Environment
In the Community & Environment focus area, grants leverage collaboration and partnership for increased impact. We look for opportunities to increase equity and to build healthy, thriving communities appropriate to the needs of the counties we serve. We seek to protect, conserve, and nurture our environmental, natural, and agricultural resources.
Education
In the Education focus area, grants build skills and knowledge for students that carry the capacity to change lives.
Health & Human Services
Grants in the Health & Human Services focus area seek to improve health and wellness for body, mind, and spirit.
Youth
In the Youth focus area, we look to support organizations that help young people grow into their individual potentials, building resiliency along the way.
Operating Support
Across our focus areas, we offer trusted partners the opportunity to receive operating support, providing the greatest degree of flexibility for delivering quality services and programs. Unrestricted funds are an important tool in community funding strategies aimed at building a resilient sector and consistent service. We see operating support as a key way to strengthen the web of organizations supporting the spectrum of needs in communities we serve.
Program Support
Program support provides specific funding to achieve a small set of goals. For this restricted support, we require a specific budget that outlines the program or project. Reports provided give Monterey Peninsula Foundation the ability to compare projected costs with actual expenditures. Strategically, program support ensures that communities have access to important services and experiences that enrich lives.
Capital Support
We look for opportunities to contribute toward important community resources in each of our focus areas, supporting infrastructure for whole communities. Grant applications should show strong and realistic financial planning that includes a variety of income streams. The Foundation may make matching or challenge grants to help organizations attract wider support.
Grant Size
Monterey Peninsula Foundation receives approximately 225 grant applications a year for local support, and the Grant Committee awards about 175 grants annually that range widely from $1,000 to $500,000. The amount requested from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation should be proportional to the budget, and should include income from other sources. While there are no restrictions for the maximum grant amount applicants may request (other than for public K-12 schools), Monterey Peninsula Foundation will take into consideration the applicant’s track record in implementing projects of a similar size and scope.

Eligibility

Grants are open to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (including universities, colleges, and charter and private schools), public K-12 schools, and public agencies serving residents of Monterey, Santa Cruz, or San Benito Counties.All requested funds must directly benefit residents of Monterey, Santa Cruz, or San Benito Counties.All applicants should be current on reporting obligations for any past grants.Only one grant per applicant will be considered annually, while exceptions are considered in response to an emergency or for a one-time significant, community-wide benefit.K-12 schools (public, private and charter) and school districts must apply in the Spring Cycle

Ineligibility

Grant funds will not be considered for the following:Activities that solely promote a religious doctrineAcademic researchCreation of, or addition to, an endowment fundExpenses incurred before the grant award dateFundraising campaigns or eventsOrganizations classified as private foundationsOrganizations that discriminate in its employment practices, volunteer opportunities or delivery of programs and services on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by lawOrganizations that do not have 100% board financial giving (except for public K-12 schools and public agencies)Organizations that have been in operation less than three yearsPayment of debt or legal settlementsPolitical or partisan purposesStaff salaries for school or public agency employees