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First 5 Sacramento offered Community Grants (through the Community Building Initiative/CBI) for activities that benefit children five and under and provide the opportunity for developing networks among families. The grants provide funding to small groups of parents or caregivers such as, grandparents who live in Sacramento County and have ideas for ongoing projects that bring people together within their community. The process of bringing people together builds an important dynamic called "social capital." Social capital creates stronger communities and better places for children ages zero to five and their families to live.

Children ages zero to five grow up in a place where they are safer and healthier due to this sense of ‘community’ that is helping to raise them and is contributing to their well-being. Research has demonstrated the impact social capital can have on children and their families. Families generally do better when they are not isolated and live in an environment where they know each other, can share information and resources, and support one another.

Sample projects that build social capital include: 

• Playgroups that encouraged children's learning through arts and craft activities 
• Neighborhood meet-ups that fostered children's learning through planting and gardening
  

Projects like these are not the ends, but the means to get families together. They encourage people to interact and get to know each other. Coming together helps decrease isolation and increase trust. Connections in a community give families a chance to learn from each other, support each other, share, and speak up about what's important to them.

Everyday people have great ideas about what might work best in their community. And people get involved in different ways, like volunteering to lead, to support, to organize, and some like to just help out.

There are Community Grant projects happening in your community. Parents, grandparents and others have received Community Grants to start projects that bring families and young children together. Contact a CBI staff to find out how you can get involved in one of these projects. You may contact Julie Beyers at 876-6529.

Would you like a funding update on the Community Building Initiative Grant Program?
At the May 2, 2011 First 5 Sacramento Commission meeting, the Commission voted to approve $43.5 million in budget reductions to First 5 Sacramento. The budget reduction strategy proposed by Commission staff included reductions to multiple community based programs and the elimination of the Community Building Program. As a result of the approved budget reductions, there will be no future Community Grant or Phase 2 grant deadlines. Current Community Grants and Phase 2 Grant projects will continue. Interested community members are encouraged to contact CBI staff to get involved in a current grant project. You may contact Julie Beyers at 876 6529.

Phase 1 Community Grants

Phase 2 Community Grants

By coming together through a variety of activities families have reported a whole host of successes including:

• Feeling safer in their community and noticing decreased crime
• Knowing their neighbors and allowing their children to play outside with other children
• Seeing children improve their development and social skills as a result of the activities and meeting other families
• Helping each other with child care, carpooling, and other important tasks
• Learning about important community resources and parenting tips from each other

First 5 Sacramento staff is available to provide support to the grantees before, during and after the activities. Staff can provide tools, help develop plans and assist grantees as their projects progress.

Training events and gatherings are planned to support the community’s efforts to connect, learn about community building, network and share resources. Please join us for these informative, interactive and fun gatherings.