To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Board of Supervisors
Staff Name and Phone Number: Supervisor David Rabbitt, 707-565-2241
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Second
Title:
Title
Disbursement of Fiscal Year 25-26 Second District Community Investment Fund Grant Awards
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Approve Community Investment Fund grant awards and authorize the County Executive, or designee, to execute an agreement with the following entities: A Theater for Children (Inquiring Systems, Inc.), $500; Cafe Puente, $1,000; Children‘s Museum of Sonoma County, $3,000; Disability Services & Legal Center, $500; Food for Thought, $1,500; Free to Be, $500; Kid Scoop News, $750; Lomi School Foundation/Lomi Psychotherapy Clinic, $1,000; Los Cien Sonoma County, Inc., $3,500; Micah‘s Hugs, $500; North Bay Honor Flight, $500; North Bay Performing Arts Association, $1,500; Not My Addiction, $500; Penngrove Social Firemen, $5,950; Petaluma Blacks for Community Development, $9,000; Rohnert Park Cal Ripken (Rohnert Park Babe Ruth Baseball League), $250; Santa Rosa Symphony Association, $500; School Garden Network Foundation, $500; Sonoma County Farm Trails, $5,000; and
B) Authorize the County Executive, or designee, to amend these agreements to lengthen the time schedules and make minor modifications to the allowed uses that do not increase the amount awarded under the agreements. (Second District)
end
Executive Summary:
The Board established the Local Events, Organizations, and District Priorities category to fund local events and programs that will support businesses, culture, and organizations that provide a benefit to the community, or to award funding to County Departments to fulfill Supervisorial District priorities. Events and organizations may make requests throughout the year to one or more Supervisorial Districts.
The Second District has reviewed the applications and wishes to recommend the following grant awards:
1.) A Theater for Children (Inquiring Systems, Inc.) for expenses related to county-wide theater for young performers and family audiences; grant award of $500;
2.) Cafe Puente for expenses related to the Petaluma Spanish language early childhood program serving children 0-5 and their caregivers; grant award of $1,000;
3.) Children’s Museum of Sonoma County for expenses related to the county-wide provision of universal access to early childhood development resources; grant award of $3,000;
4.) Disability Services & Legal Center for expenses related to the county-wide Aging and Disability Resource Expo; grant award of $500;
5.) Food for Thought for expenses related to the county-wide annual Food for Thought’s 24th annual Dining Out for Life event; grant award of $1,500;
6.) Free to Be for expenses related to the county-wide youth programs in partnership with schools and youth serving organization ages 10-18; grant award of $500;
7.) Kid Scoop News for expenses related to the county-wide reading resource for students, teachers and parents; grant award of $750;
8.) Lomi School Foundation/Lomi Psychotherapy Clinic for assistance with sliding scale and pro-bono mental health care to individual children, adolescents and adults, couples and families in crisis who have no resources to afford the care they need; grant award of $1,000;
9.) Los Cien Sonoma County, Inc. for expenses related to the Puente y Ganas Awards to honor county-wide individuals and organizations that actively engage, empower and elevate Latino Communities in Sonoma County; grant award of $3,500;
10.) Micah’s Hugs for expenses related to health focused solutions to Sonoma County’s fentanyl crisis; grant award of $500;
11.) North Bay Honor Flight for expenses related to flying World War II Veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit their military service war memorial or other significant war memorials and monuments; grant award of $500;
12.) North Bay Performing Arts Association for expenses related to the production of ”Clara’s Enchanted Dream, Land of Sweets”; grant award of $1,500;
13.) Not My Addiction for expenses related to county-wide youth-led support groups, mentorship, and community healing events that empower young people impacted by parental addiction; grant award of $500;
14.) Penngrove Social Firemen for expenses related to events in Penngrove - Luau, Finding Penny, Halloween, Winterfest, Holiday Parade of Lights and the 4th of July Celebration Parade events; grant award of $5,950;
15.) Petaluma Blacks for Community Development for expenses related to programming for the Black History Program; grant award of $9,000;
16.) Rohnert Park Cal Ripken (Rohnert Park Babe Ruth Baseball League) for expenses related to funding essential gear and assistance for the Cal Ripken World Series; grant award of $250;
17.) Santa Rosa Symphony Association for expenses related to county-wide funding for Music for Our Schools during the 2025-2026 school year; grant award of $500;
18.) School Garden Network Foundation for expenses related to the county-wide Harvest of the Month Program; grant award of $500;
19.) Sonoma County Farm Trails for expenses related to the 2025 Weekend Along the Farm Trails Fall Tour, 2026 Farm Trails Map & Guide, and 2026 Blossoms, Bees & Barnyard Babies Spring Tour; grant award of $5,000.
Activities performed utilizing Community Investment Program funds provide public benefits that serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Discussion:
Transient Occupancy Tax Funding
The Sonoma County Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT or Hotel Bed Tax) was established in 1965 and is authorized under State Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7280. TOT, a general tax, is currently levied at a rate of 12%, a rate established in 2016 by the voter-approved Measure L. TOT revenue is allocated 25% to the General Fund; 50% to the Community Investment Fund; and 25% to the Measure L Fund.
Community Investment Fund Program and Policy
The Community Investment Fund Program, established in 1986 as the Advertising and Promotions Program, allocates a portion of the Transient Occupancy Tax to encourage economic development, community engagement, and culture in the County through a variety of grant award and funding avenues. The program provides grants to community-based organizations for a wide range of activities including economic development, community and countywide events, and advertising and promoting the county as a visitor destination with the goal of advancing economic growth through tourism. Additionally, the program provides grants to address impacts on safety due to tourism and to enhance community services throughout the county. The program provides funding to the Regional Parks Department, the Economic Development Collaborative, and additional county activities. Community Investment Funds are allocated per the Community Investment Fund Policy (Policy) (https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-administrators-office/community-investment-fund-program/community-investment-program-policy).
On September 16, 2025, the Board adopted revisions to the Policy, including three new funding categories: County Department Funding, District Priorities, and Community Funding. Staff are working on updating the application process to align with the new funding categories. In order to minimize impacts to the community, applications in process will continue to be processed based on the current Policy.
Revised District Priorities Category
The revised District Priorities category provides funds to events, organizations, and Supervisorial District priorities. Funding may be distributed through grants or assigned to County departments. The funds available in this category include $100,000 for each supervisorial district ($500,000 total) from the Community Investment Fund and 10% of Measure L revenue to be allocated to each supervisorial district proportionate to the amount of Transient Occupancy Tax collected within the district in the previous fiscal year. Unused funds will be accounted for and available for use in future years. Organizations may make their requests directly to each Supervisorial District.
Funds in this category may be used for activities such as safety improvements, environmental impact mitigation, public safety, and other tourism mitigation activities, such as parking enforcement. Funds may be used for projects that benefit the community, or to support organizations that coordinate community improvements, such as the Municipal Advisory Councils. The Board may award funding to County Departments or to Supervisorial Districts to complete priority projects. Funding may be used to cover salary and benefit costs associated with changed or additional staff, and other costs associated with added staffing such as office space.
Funds will be distributed upon approval of these award(s) by the Board of Supervisors and execution of the Community Investment Fund grant agreement by the entity. The agreement(s) will be executed by the County Executive, or designee. The agreements require the County seal on promotional materials produced using the grant award.
Because a project may require modification as the work/project may not be completed within the fiscal year, an extension of time or modification of allowed uses for the organization to complete the project may be necessary. Therefore, it is recommended that the County Executive, or designee, be authorized to amend the contracts to lengthen the time schedules and make minor modifications to the allowed uses that do not increase the amount awarded under the agreement.
Activities performed utilizing Community Investment Program funds provide public benefits that serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
10/14/2025 - Awarded FY 25-26 Local Events, Organizations, District Priorities Grants
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 25-26 Adopted |
FY 26-27 Projected |
FY 27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$36,450 |
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$36,450 |
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$36,450 |
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$36,450 |
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Community Investment Funds are included in the FY 2025-26 budget.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Sample Community Investment Fund Grant Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None