Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Partnerships topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sunnyside Foundation outlines Southside investments, HUD grant plans and fundraising gains
Summary
Elizabeth Sotero told the board the Sunnyside Foundation invested about $243,000 in education programs last fiscal year, administered mini grants and emergency relief during COVID, is serving as ARPA organizing agency for the Southside and expects a HUD grant next fiscal year to support El Pueblo Neighborhood Center work.
Elizabeth Sotero, representing the Sunnyside Foundation, updated the Sunnyside Unified School District board on Nov. 7 about the foundation's work on the Southside of Tucson, its emergency relief efforts during COVID and its current fundraising and program priorities.
"Our mission is to advance an intergenerational culture of learning by investing in projects rooted in courage, community, equity and imagination in Tucson's South Side," Sotero said. She described three priority funds — excellence in education, emergency relief and community investment — and said the foundation has dedicated more than 30 years to serving students and families.
Sotero reported the foundation invested "over $243,000" in educational programs in fiscal year 2024, awarded 58 mini grants totaling $44,570 last year, and provided more than $1,000,000 in cash assistance during the pandemic in collaboration with community partners. She said the foundation is the Southside organizing agency for ARPA dollars and expects to receive its first HUD grant in the coming fiscal year, which will focus on El Pueblo Neighborhood Center and mural restoration and activation efforts.
Sotero described fiscal sponsorships the foundation provides to grassroots groups (including a memorial foundation supporting youth sports and a nascent community land trust), partnership work on bike fleets and community rides, and a recent fundraiser (GizWeek) that exceeded its $125,000 goal by raising $128,000. She said the foundation is a small staff of four and has a nine‑member board.
Board members thanked the foundation for partnerships that support scholarships, mini grants, food distributions and community programming, and noted that the foundation operates as a separate nonprofit while collaborating closely with district schools.
