Funding Opportunity
The San Diego Foundation (SDF) Healthy Children & Families (HCF) Initiative advances community resilience through health equity. HCF is committed to increasing quality of life for children and families through expanded access to supportive services, including:
- Connection to direct financial assistance
- Equitable access to affordable and high-quality healthcare, including mental and behavioral health services
- Addressing trauma and increasing access to equity-centered, trauma-informed services for children and families
For this opportunity, SDF is awarding up to $500,000 in total funding for eligible nonprofit organizations that support the mental and behavioral wellness of children and families. Applicants may request a maximum of $40,000 per proposal.
Application Deadline: Friday, April 7, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. PDT
Building a Better San Diego for Children and Families
Mental and emotional well-being for children and youth are critical factors that contribute to educational success and lifelong well-being.
In 2021, however, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. According to a survey conducted, 66% of students reported that the pandemic negatively affected their mental health and 55% reported not having access to a counselor or therapist in the past year.
While there have been efforts in San Diego to reduce mental health stigma, many youth remain hesitant to seek support due to cultural or social stigma, shame and guilt. In addition, children and young adults lack access to important supportive services and where resources are available, there are often barriers to accessing support (shared cultural awareness, transportation, etc.).
As we work toward just, equitable and resilient communities, it is imperative to provide accessible mental and behavioral services for the children and families who need support.
Grant Goal
This grant supports projects and programs that address mental and behavioral health challenges, while promoting and destigmatizing access to care utilizing culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices for children and youth of all ages and their families.
See Grant Guidelines for more information about strategies to achieve the goal of the grant, grant criteria and eligibility and more.
How To Apply
For 2023, SDF has introduced a new grant application portal to submit your grant application(s).
Whether you have submitted an SDF grant application in previous years or not, all nonprofit applicants are required to create a new user account to submit your HCF 2023 Grant application. After creating your account, click the “Apply” button to access the application.
For additional guidance regarding creating a new user account, please see this tutorial.
Q&A Webinar
To answer your questions, we will host an optional virtual Q&A webinar at 11:00 a.m. PDT, Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
Application
To review the application questions in advance of creating an account in the grant application portal, you may view a PDF of the application. Please note we will only accept applications submitted through the grant application portal linked above.
Timeline
| March 7, 2023 | March 29, 2023, 11:00 a.m. | April 7, 2023, 5:00 p.m. | June 2023 (tentative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application Opens | Q&A Webinar. Register here. | Application Deadline | Applicants Notified |
