Thrive

Thrive Grant Program

Funder: Community Foundation for Monterey County

Purpose: Through data-driven, strategic investments, Thrive grants aim to reduce barriers and create pathways to success for all Monterey County residents.

Strategic Focus Areas

#### Housing Stability

Address housing affordability and sustainability challenges

Context: Since 2014, median home prices increased by 95%, while median income for a family of four increased 50%

#### Educational Attainment

Improve academic competencies

Context: Only 21.4% of 7th grade students meet or exceed math competencies; 38.9% meet or exceed English/Language Arts competencies

Priority: Grades 4th-6th intervention (middle school already too late)

#### Workforce Development

Support employment pathways

Context: Only 57.6% of Monterey County households have income level needed to afford basic costs of living (ALICE threshold)

#### Mental Health Support

Address mental health challenges

Context: More than half (51.2%) of Monterey County adults have had two or more years when they felt depressed or sad on most days

Geographic Scope

Monterey County, California

Eligibility

• Invitation-only: Grant applications are by invitation only
• Organizations must have existing programs
• Demonstrated ability to collect and manage data
• Recent successful outcomes
• As this grant program grows, additional grant applications may be accepted

Award Timeline

• Due Date: July 31, 2026
• Award Date: End of September

Contact Information

Janet Shing Director of Grantmaking 831.754.5880 x137

Recent Two-Year Grants (Examples)

• Bright Futures for Monterey County (Mi Vida Mi Futuro Expansion): $100,000
• Brighter Bites (Nutrition & Education): $50,000
• Digital NEST (Monterey County Internships): $90,000
• Eat REAL (Strengthening Education Outcomes Through Real Food Access): $50,000
• El Pajaro Community Development Corporation (Childcare Business Incubation): $80,000
• Epicenter of Monterey (Our Gente): $42,000
• Family Service Agency of the Central Coast (Suicide Prevention): $50,000
• Hope Horses & Kids (Forge Program): $40,000
• Housing Resource Center of Monterey County (Prop 47 Leveraged Funds): $200,000
• Junior Achievement of Northern California (Personal Finance for College Students): $50,000
• Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower (Safety Skills): $50,000
• Mindful Life Project (Mental Health Programming): $90,000
• NAMI Monterey County (Peer Leadership Initiative): $50,000
• Olinga Learning (Agronomist Engineer Internships): $80,000
• The Village Project, Inc. (Education Academy and Freedom Reins): $50,000
• University Corporation at Monterey Bay (Education Workforce): $60,000
• Ventures (Familias Con Mas: Financial Capability Rural Leadership Project): $200,000