Scotts Valley council approves $50,000 in community grants for eight local programs

The Scotts Valley City Council unanimously approved the city’s 2025–26 community grant awards on March 18, authorizing the city manager to execute contracts for the eight recommended recipients.

City Manager presented the review committee’s recommendation after the Jan. 22–Feb. 20 request for proposals drew 12 nonprofit applications (about $157,000 requested) and one business application for autism‑certification training (roughly $3,000). Council had budgeted $50,000 for the program; the review panel prioritized one‑time or capital projects and recommended funding seven nonprofits and one local business so the awards could benefit a broader set of community services.

The panel recommended support for: Arukah Project (short‑term emergency hotel lodging for survivors of human trafficking), the Assisted Living Project (repair of a failing sliding glass door at a local group home), Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County (two down payments on passenger vans for youth transportation), Damien’s Ladder (materials and tools for small home repairs for seniors and people with disabilities), Grey Bears (capacity improvements including a kitchen expansion and increased on‑site food distribution), the Scotts Valley Multicultural Fair (fiscal sponsorship by the Scotts Valley Education Foundation to sustain an annual free community event), United Way of Santa Cruz County for the Pathways to Possibility program (three high‑school workshops on mental‑health and peer support), and a UPS Store in Kings Village (funding to train 10 employees in autism‑certification to improve business accessibility).

Representatives of several recommended groups addressed the council before the vote. Anne, representing Damien’s Ladder, said the organization had completed “about 175 repairs here in Scotts Valley” over the past two years and relied on a growing group of volunteers. Roger, a volunteer, added that the broader program had “closed over 500 cases total.” Jody Kramer, founder of the Assisted Living Project, described the home’s mission serving disabled residents and noted the nonprofit will pay off its mortgage in April. Jennifer Merchant, executive director of Grey Bears, told the council her organization provides weekly produce bags to about 400 Scotts Valley senior households and described plans to expand its commercial kitchen to increase on‑site food recovery and distribution.

Councilmembers praised the breadth of services recommended for funding, noting awards spanned youth programs, senior nutrition and support for the most vulnerable residents. Councilmember Patrick moved to approve the awards “as recommended by the review committee with no alterations.” The motion was seconded, and the council voted in favor unanimously; the record does not include a detailed roll‑call tally in the transcript.

The council invited award recipients to pose for a group photo following the vote. The city manager was authorized to execute contracts so awardees could begin their projects.

Next steps: staff will finalize contracts with the awardees and return any administrative updates to the council as required.