Community Grants Awarded

2008 Community Grants Awarded

$10,500 was made available through the Forestville Community Fund (FCF) for this current round of grants. $1400 was designated (by the funding source) for riparian restoration and education; $9100 was designated for “downtown improvement.”

Ten grant applications for total requests of $23,000 were received. Each was unique, was well thought through, and offered a significant contribution to Forestville.

The FCF Advisory Committee carefully considered each and gave priority to those proposals that would: impact the most people, and/or “match” dollars from other sources, and/or involve collaboration with other groups or projects, and/or have a volunteer component within the project. Finally, six projects were recommended to the FPA Board which approved all six.
The six recipients of the grants are (in random order):

$500 to the United Methodist Church for Abuse Prevention Policy Implementation to help protect children and youth involved in activities at the Church facility from abuse. Such activities include the 4-H Club, Boy Scout and Cub Scout Troops, a new after school tutoring program, as well as Church-related children’s groups. The grant will purchase a windowed door which will meet current child protection standards.
$1000 to the Forestville Chamber of Commerce and JD Kaiwi for a Downtown Maintenance Project. This demonstration project will monitor the downtown (Mirabel Road/Hwy 116 to Covey Road/Hwy 116) on a twice a month basis for six months to remove trash and debris.
$2000 to The Friends of Forestville School Foundation for Patrick Amiot Sculpture for Forestville School. The grant in addition to matching volunteer donations will put up a large lighted sculpture in front of the Forestville Academy and will be visible from Hwy 116. The School’s art program will involve students and parents in decorating the foundation.
$1400 to Larry Hanson for Green Valley Creek Restoration Maintenance. This grant will fund a project coordinator and materials to support volunteers for the next six months to maintain the Green Valley Creek Restoration Project, which was previously funded for over four years by Federal grants. Volunteers will help ensure the survival of sapling riparian trees, establish new plantings, and provide basic fish habitat protection measures like shading and aeration of rearing ponds.
$600 to the Forestville Fire District for Fire Station Re-Landscaping. This grant will go towards the removal of flammable juniper bushes and the installation of a new, back lit, community message Board.
$5000 to the El Molino All Weather Track Committee for the El Molino All-Weather Track. This is the final $5000 needed to fully fund the $199,000 project. The newly surfaced track will not only benefit High School students but also the many adults who exercise there.
Obviously, a small amount of money can go a long way in supporting the health and development of our Community. Hopefully, each of us will see and benefit in one way or another from these diverse projects.

Money for the Forestville Community Fund initially was established through a Good Neighbor Agreement between the BoDean Company (owner of the Blue Rock Quarry), Forestville Citizens for Sensible Growth and the Forestville Planning Association.

The BoDean Company has agreed to make a yearly contribution to this fund based on ton of product sold for the next twenty years. We are grateful to the BoDean Company for its generosity.

In addition, other public funds (such as a pollution settlement from the City of Santa Rosa — earmarked for riparian restoration and/or environmental education) and private donations go into the Fund.

The Forestville Planning Association, trustee of the Fund, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Donations to the Forestville Community Fund (through the FPA) are tax deductible.

We anticipate that the next grant application process will occur in February with grants being made in March. Start imagining what would help Forestville and what you would like to propose!