The City of San Luis Obispo recently awarded $300,000 in grant funding to 22 local nonprofit organizations that provide critical services and programs benefitting community members in San Luis Obispo.
The City received more than 40 applications requesting more than $750,000 from two grant programs: The DEI High Impact Grant and the Human Services Grant.
“Our two grant programs are designed to support bold ideas that create meaningful and lasting change through advancing belonging, increasing access, strengthening organizational capacity, or improving community health and wellbeing,” said Matt Pennon, the City’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager. “At their core, these grant programs are about creating community where people know they matter.”
These two grant programs are administered by the City’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and provide financial support to local nonprofit organizations that strengthen the economic and social well-being of the San Luis Obispo community.
Through these programs, the City invests in efforts that expand access to resources and opportunities, foster connection and belonging, and address community needs through innovative and impactful solutions.
“One of San Luis Obispo’s Major City Goals is to make San Luis Obispo a more welcoming and inclusive community for all,” Pennon said. “The City’s investments help advance that vision by supporting meaningful opportunities for community members to thrive, connect and belong. All funded programs and projects must provide access to the entire community.”
The 2025-26 DEI High Impact Grant funding was recently awarded to the following organizations after City Council approval:
- $40,000 to One Community Fund, Corazon Latino, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, and Womenade SLO, Inc. for their Connected Resources: Schools and Nonprofits in Partnership for Families Program
- $20,000 to SLO Noor Foundation for their Accessible Healthcare for All – City of SLO Project
- $19,475 to SLO for Home for their SLO for Home Program
- $15,000 to the GALA Pride and Diversity Center for their Queer Leadership and Civic Engagement Initiative
- $14,925 to Literacy for Life for their Literacy Program
- $14,000 to the Diversity Coalition of San Luis Obispo County for their SLO Equity Podcast
- $10,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of San Luis Obispo County for their SLO CASA DEI Project
- $10,000 to One Cool Earth for their Salud y Conocimiento en el Jardín – One Cool Earth School Garden Program at Pacheco Elementary School
- $6,000 to RACE Matters San Luis Obispo County for their Advancing Community Belonging and Cultural Representation Through Signature Events
The 2026-27 Human Services Grant funding was recently awarded to the following organizations after City Council approval:
- $20,000 to the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County for their Homelessness Prevention/Stable Housing Program
- $15,000 to Shower the People for their Shower the People Program
- $15,000 to Restorative Partners for their Opportunity to Fund Program
- $14,500 to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County for their No-Cook Bags for Resident Experiencing Homelessness
- $14,500 to the Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo for their Housing Stability with Supportive Services Program
- $14,500 to Lumina Alliance for their Emergency Shelter Program for Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence Survivors
- $10,000 to Jewish Family Services of San Luis Obispo for their SLO City Emergency Homelessness Prevention & Support Program
- $10,000 to the CASA of San Luis Obispo County for their Preventing Homelessness for Vulnerable Foster Youth Program
- $10,000 to Middle House for their Community Service for Housing Grant Program
- $10,000 to the SLO Noor Foundation for their Homeless Prevention – City of San Luis Obispo Project
- $6,000 to Womenade SLO, Inc. for their Womenade SLO Housing Support Fund
- $5,500 to Mujeres De Acción for their Rent Stabilization in SLO City Program
- $5,000 to Long Term Care Ombudsman Services of San Luis Obispo County for their Ombudsman Services
Copies of all grant applications are available for review by contacting the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The next round of DEI High Impact Grant applications will likely open in late July 2026.
For more information on the City’s grants, visit www.slocity.org/Grants.