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Council approves $360,000 in TOT grants to 12 community organizations
Summary
Council approved awarding $30,000 each to 12 local organizations through the 2025 Transient Occupancy Tax grants program; staff will onboard grantees and return in fall with a program evaluation and recommendations for 2026.
The council approved the Community Grants Review Panel's recommendation to award 12 organizations $30,000 each from the 2025 Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) grant pool, for a total not to exceed $360,000. Community Services Manager Maurice Baker said the panel prioritized proposals serving East Palo Alto residents and sought to balance larger institutions and resource-constrained organizations.
Approved grantees include Boys & Girls Club, Fit to the Core, Paxton Academy, Live in Peace, MidPen Athletic Association, Fresh Approach, East Palo Alto Greyhounds, Hope Horizon, Youth Community Service (with RepAct), MidPen Media (Epicenter), East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring, and others. Baker said two applicants (Boys & Girls Club and Fit to the Core) were first-time recipients and the program will require onboarding and reporting so staff can monitor performance and compliance.
Council members discussed process improvements and suggested future steps including interviews of applicants, adjustments to scoring rubrics to better reflect gender balance and STEM programming, and possible future support for organizations such as the YMCA. Council approved the staff recommendation by roll-call vote; staff will run an orientation for grantees, establish invoicing and monitoring, and return with an update later in the year.
