Ventura County AIDS Partnership (VCAP) announces grants totaling $68,000 for HIV prevention services in Ventura County for 2011.
This year, VCAP partners are not only receiving much needed funding to support their work, they are also benefitting from a six month planning process facilitated by the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Ventura County Community Foundation, VCAP reported in a media release. The partners include: Arts for Action, El Concilio Family Services, Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project, Planned Parenthood, Straight Up, Ventura County Public Health.
“During a time of drastic funding cuts for AIDS programs, this Strategic Planning Institute grew out of the desire for VCAP’s funding to have greater impact in our community, to infuse local programs with advocacy, volunteerism and collaboration, all of which strengthen an organization’s ability to deliver effective programs,” Madhu Bajaj, executive director of the AIDS Partnership, stated in the release.
“The Strategic Planning Institute will improve service delivery because it is building relationships among service providers at the program planning level. The resulting collaborations have tremendous potential to reduce costs and build capacity among VCAP grantees,” Katie Deutschman, CEO of Turtle Type Inc., stated in the release.
“The VCAP partners are an avid group of leaders enthusiastic about increasing their organizational capacity to fulfill their goals. They seek more than a grant; they are eager to improve their programs by learning how to assess the needs of the populations they serve; and they are excited to learn about ways in which to raise the voices of their constituents and advocate for changes that will improve the conditions that affect their communities. It has been a tremendous opportunity to work with this engaging group of leaders to help pave the path towards stronger, more effective nonprofit organizations,” said Karen Escalante-Dalton, consultant to nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
Lin Daniel, a woman living with AIDS and Speaker with Positively Speaking says of her participation, “I have never felt as supported as I do working with VCAP and the involved organizations working so hard to make living with AIDS an opportunity to make a difference rather than a hardship. My heartfelt thanks.”
“Participating in Ventura County AIDS Partnership’s Strategic Planning Institute is arming me with tools much needed in the nonprofit world, where we are constantly in search of grants to support the work we do. In the recent past, VCAP has called for “innovative” proposals/programs, recognizing that it is those that are more likely to be financially supported by other funders. Rather than allowing monies allocated to Ventura County HIV/AIDS programs to diminish due to lack of innovation, VCAP has stepped up, and through SPI, is fostering collaboration between seemingly-unrelated community non-profits, while providing us with training to design sound and effective advocacy programs. That SPI comes during a very difficult economic climate makes it that much more valuable. There is a great energy for change in the air, and I am thrilled to be in the midst of it all,” said Anna Lopez of Planned Parenthood.
Margaret Sawyer and Nicolasa Revolledo from Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project said “The Strategic Planning Institute has been very helpful to us. It is a “timeout” from the usual grind, allowing our leaders identify new ideas and strategies to strengthen indigenous access to HIV testing and medical providers. This expanding and deepening of our program, and making needed changes will strengthen our health promoters ability to teach HIV prevention.”
Doug Green, chair of VCAP said, “VCAP is proud to partner with so many local organizations who are striving to be more effective in building programs and networks for AIDS advocacy. The result will surely be a stronger local response to the HIV epidemic. Translation: More precious lives saved!”
Local support for our grant making is matched 2:1 by AIDS United, through support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Grants for 2010 have been made possible with the generosity of AIDS United through support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, The Wood Claeyssens Foundation, Ruth Daily Livingston Fund, Swift Memorial Healthcare Foundation, as well as numerous corporate and individual donors.