CULTURE OF GENEROSITY

William Tovar

The seeds planted five years ago by the Siembra Latinos Fund (SLF) founders are growing strong. “Siembra” means “to sow” and the fund seeks to grow opportunities for the Latino Community in Monterey County. The SLF, a field of interest fund of the CFMC, builds on a culture of generosity by inspiring philanthropy by Latinos for Latinos.

Led by an advisory board of local Latino leaders, the fund celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2022 and has granted more than $80,000 in its first five years to nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life for Monterey County Latinos. The goal is to grow the endowment, creating a permanent, dedicated resource to meet the changing needs of local Latinos for generations to come.

In 2022, the SLF awarded $20,000 to five nonprofit organizations for projects and programs focusing on education, mental health and economic development including the Salinas Community Science Workshop, which received a grant for its STEM Girls program at El Sausal Middle School in Salinas.

“Girls benefit from consistent engagement in science learning and tools training, empowering them to imagine and create projects of their own,” said Curtis Gabrielson, Director. “Discovering science can have a pivotal impact on their sense of belonging within science spaces, conversations and future career pathways.”

FAST FACTS

$80,000 Granted Since 2017