Ventura County AIDS Partnership | Grant Making VCAP's Grant Making Since our inception in 1995, VCAP has given over $1,385,000 to Ventura County agencies for HIV prevention efforts and AIDS care services.    VCAP is one of 29 community partners of the National AIDS Fund. NAF underwrites a portion of VCAP’s operating expenses via a leadership grant. NAF, through support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, matches funds we raise for grant making at a rate of $1 for every $2, dramatically increasing the funding available for HIV/AIDS programs in Ventura County.   We grant funding to qualified, local nonprofits via one grant cycle per year. We raise funds locally from private donations, foundations and special events.   For 2011 we anticipate making grants totaling $60,000. Potential applicants must attend one of the following meetings: July 14, August 3 or August 27 from 3:30 – 5 pm in the Community Rm at United Way/VCCF: 1317 Del Norte Rd in Camarillo.   Download the RFP for 2011 Funding.     Data from the 2009 Needs Assessment Programs Funded for 2010 Ventura County AIDS Partnership (VCAP) announces grants totaling $60,000 for HIV prevention programs in Ventura County for 2010. VCAP’s funding seeks to fill the gaps and reach out to those most in need.    Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church’s outreach program, The Village Project was awarded a $15,000 grant for HIV educational awareness targeting women and girls with particular emphasis in African American and Latino Population. This project will provide educational and health services and address social stigmas that adversely impact the reduction of AIDS.   City Impact’s $15,000 VCAP grant supports the Comprehensive Early Intervention program, which will facilitate student prevention/education groups for a minimum of 750 high risk youth referred to the program as a result of poor academic performance, low school attendance, behavioral problems, history of drug/alcohol use, and involved in criminal, delinquent or gang activities.      Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project received a $15,000 VCAP grant for expanding Romper el Silencio. Romper el Silencio is a highly successful outreach campaign designed to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Mixtec community, one of Ventura County’s most underrepresented and hard to reach populations. Trained Mixtec promotoras de salud will outreach at work sites, homes and community settings. Hands on culturally sensitive education.   Planned Parenthood earned a $15,000 grant for Positively Speaking, a speaker’s bureau designed to put a face on AIDS and educate youth and young adults while instilling compassion.   Local support for our grant making is matched 2:1 by National AIDS Fund, through support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Grants for 2010 have been made possible with the generosity of National AIDS Fund, through support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, The Wood Claeyssens Foundation, Ruth Daily Livingston Fund, Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund, Swift Memorial Healthcare Foundation, as well as numerous corporate and individual donors.   Fundraising is underway to raise our local match for 2011 grants. To make a donation, click here.   ABOUT VENTURA COUNTY AIDS PARTNERSHIP (VCAP): Since our inception, VCAP has raised and distributed over $1,385,000 to agencies in Ventura County to increase access to critical HIV education and to strengthen quality of life for low-income HIV/AIDS patients. VCAP also facilitates countywide collaborative efforts, including Cuídate Ventura County, an HIV prevention program for the Latino Community. VCAP is co-convened by United Way of Ventura County and Ventura County Community Foundation and is a community partner of National AIDS Fund. For more information and to sign up for our enewsletter, please visit our website www.vcaidspartnership.org.   Programs Funded for 2009 Ventura County AIDS Partnership (VCAP) announces grants totaling $104,000 for HIV prevention and AIDS care services in Ventura County for 2009. VCAP’s funding seeks to fill the gaps and reach out to those most in need. We are proud to announce our 2009 funded partners who are working hard to address the unmet needs in HIV prevention and AIDS care for Ventura County:   Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church’s outreach program, Project ACTS (Awareness through Communication, Testing and Support) was awarded a $15,000 grant to provide culturally sensitive and environmentally relevant outreach with particular emphasis in the African American population. This faith based effort works to reduce social stigmas through age appropriate educational activities and HIV testing.     California Lutheran University's Center for Equality & Justice and Upward Bound Program are the first recipients of the new $500 mini-grant designed to support one time awareness events. “We are grateful to receive the VCAP grant to support our keynote speakers for Ventura County's commemoration of World AIDS Day 2009.  We plan to feature experts who will present the latest updates on both local and global aspects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic," said Dr. Adina Nack, lead organizer for Ventura County’s  World AIDS Day activities since 2004.   City Impact’s $15,000 VCAP grant supports the Risk Reduction program. “Because youth seriously miscalculate their vulnerability to HIV and STD infections, this issue needs to be addressed,” said Pam Stewart, Director of Youth and Family Impact. “City Impact's Risk Reduction Program focuses on outreach to students, parents and families throughout Ventura County.”    “Clinicas Del Camino Real, Inc. has been working towards providing culturally sensitive health care services to the Mixtec community.  Through this $10,000 VCAP grant for 100 Mixtecs, Clinicas will be able to help further bridge the gap in health care services and break the silence about HIV/AIDS within the Mixtec through community education, conducting HIV screenings and HIV testing,” said Operations Manager Marina Zamarron.   Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project received a $15,000 VCAP grant for Romper el Silencio. “This funding enables us to bring HIV prevention and testing information to hundreds of Oaxacan immigrant farmworker families in Ventura County. Often, these individuals and families tell us this is the first information they have ever received in their own language, Mixteco,” said Sandra Young, MICOP CEO.     Planned Parenthood earned two grants for their Ventura County prevention programs- $10,000 forConfianza, a peer outreach program for Latinas and $15,000 for Positively Speaking, a speaker’s bureau designed to put a face on AIDS and educate youth and young adults.   Ventura County Public Health’s HIV/AIDS Center received a grant of $6,500 for Housing Assistance, for persons living with HIV and or AIDS who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.   AIDS Project Ventura County, a program of Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, the only private provider of AIDS services in Ventura County received three grants: $4,000 for Syringe Replacement Program, $6,500 forEmergency Assistance for HIV positive Ventura County residents at risk of homelessness, and $6,500 for Necessities of Life, the only food pantry dedicated to serving HIV positive Ventura County residents.   Local support for our grant making is matched 2:1 by National AIDS Fund, through support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Grants for 2009 have been made possible with the generosity of National AIDS Fund, through support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, The Wood Claeyssens Foundation, Ruth Daily Livingston Fund, Swift Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Until There’s A Cure Foundation, Angel Projects, Julius Guis Memorial Foundation as well as numerous corporate and individual donors.   Fundraising is underway to raise our local match for 2010 grants. If you would like to make a donation and be a part of strengthening our county’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, please call Executive Director Madhu Bajaj at 805-485-6288, ext. 232.   ABOUT VENTURA COUNTY AIDS PARTNERSHIP (VCAP): Since our inception, VCAP has raised and distributed over $1,225,000 to agencies in Ventura County to increase access to critical HIV education and to strengthen quality of life for low-income HIV/AIDS patients. VCAP also facilitates countywide collaborative efforts, including Cuídate Ventura County, an HIV prevention program for the Latino Community. VCAP is co-convened by United Way of Ventura County and Ventura County Community Foundation and is a community partner of National AIDS Fund. For more information and to sign up for our enewsletter, please visit our website www.vcaidspartnership.org.   Programs Funded for 2008 Ventura County AIDS Partnership (VCAP) granted a total of $100,036 for HIV prevention and AIDS care services for 2008. Doug Halter, Chair of VCAP’s Advisory Council “is excited and hopeful about increasing local funding for services and education throughout Ventura County’s diverse neighborhoods; especially the opportunity to fund new and creative programs.”   “Early in 2007 our Advisory Council set two priorities during strategic planning: fostering new programs and engaging more partners. We are pleased to have met both these goals. Our nine partners, coupled with their innovation in programming will truly make an impact on our community and fuel VCAP’s efforts to continue leveraging funds for HIV/AIDS programs.” said Madhu Bajaj, VCAP’s Executive Director.   Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura & San Luis Obispo Counties earned two grants for their prevention programs- Confianza, a peer outreach program for Latinas and Positively Speaking, a speaker’s bureau designed to put a face on AIDS and educate youth and young adults.   City Impact received a grant for their Comprehensive Early Intervention Program. According to President Betty Alvarez-Ham, “We will work with over 1500 youth in Ventura County providing HIV/AIDS education through this grant.”   Ventura County Rainbow Alliance/AIDS Project Ventura County was awarded three grants to help with their Emergency Assistance, Necessities of Life Food Pantry and Mental Health Counseling programs for low income individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.   Susan Haverland, Executive Director, said of their grant, “Through VCAP funding, Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project has the opportunity to expand our ground breaking Romper El Silencio II, an HIV prevention program for indigenous immigrant farmworkers in Ventura County. We are particularly gratified that VCAP recognizes the need for linguistically accessible and culturally sensitive outreach.   Regenerate’s young filmmakers and adult mentors will create and disseminate an HIV prevention Public Service Announcement with their VCAP grant.   Let’s Talk received funding to develop a social change project “in which concerned teens and young adults will reach out to parents on the importance of timely, accurate and positive communication between parents and children regarding sexuality and HIV prevention” said Katherine Kasmir, Program Director.   Ventura County Public Health’s HIV/AIDS Center received one grant for Emergency Assistance.   The Arc of Ventura County will create and implement an HIV Education Program for individuals with developmental disabilities. Individuals with developmental disabilities are living longer, healthier, often living in their own homes and working in the community. With this increased independence comes an increased need for health and safety information facilitated in a way that is responsive to client needs.   El Concilio del Condado de Ventura’s program Families for Success was funded to provide much needed parent education and skills building around communicating with their children on HIV prevention.     Grants for 2008 have been made possible via funding from National AIDS Fund, through support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation; The Wood Claeyssens Foundation, Ruth Daily Livingston Fund; Swift Memorial Healthcare Foundation; Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund; Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS; Livingston Memorial Health Care Foundation; VCRA’s AIDS Walk for Life, Affinity Bank; as well as numerous corporate and individual donors.   Ventura County AIDS Partnership (VCAP) awarded a total of $73,000 for 2007 grants to four organizations- $35,000 in AIDS Care Services and $38,000 for HIV Prevention.   VCAP Allocations Committee Chair, Erin Quinn, a Ventura resident and Associate Dean, USC School of Medicine, believes that every little bit helps. “In a time of tight funding and fiscal restraint, VCAP has been able in the past ten years to contribute over $1,000,000 locally for AIDS education and prevention activities as well as provide support for needed emergency assistance, mental health services and a food pantry for people living with HIV or AIDS.”   Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura & San Luis Obispo Counties earned three grants for their prevention programs- “Confianza”, “Positively Speaking” and “Amigo a Amigo”. “With the VCAP funding, we will be able to provide life-saving AIDS prevention education to over 1600 at-risk teens and adults,” said Scott McCann, PhD, LCSW, Vice President/Education.   Ventura County Public Health’s HIV/AIDS Center received two grants, one for Emergency Assistance and the other for prevention efforts with incarcerated youth.   Ventura County Rainbow Alliance/AIDS Project Ventura County was awarded three grants to help with their Emergency Assistance, Necessities of Life Food Pantry and Mental Health Counseling programs.   City Impact was the fourth organization to receive a grant for their “Comprehensive Early Intervention Program.” “We appreciate the funding from Ventura County AIDS Partnership,” said Pam Stewart, Youth and Family Impact Director for City Impact. “Together we are given the opportunity to provide youth throughout Ventura County with HIV/AIDS prevention and education.”   Grants for 2007 have been made possible via funding from the National AIDS Fund, through support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation $31,000; The Wood Claeyssens Foundation $15,000, Ruth Daily Livingston Fund $10,000; Swift Memorial Healthcare Foundation $7,000; Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS $5,000; Livingston Memorial Health Care Foundation $5,000; as well as numerous corporate and individual donors.