PORT OF LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY INVESTMENT GRANT APPLICATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015-16 NOW AVAILABLE

Grant Application Workshops will be held April 7th & 8th ;
Applications due May 18

SAN PEDRO, Calif. – March 17, 2015 – For the second consecutive year, the Port of Los Angeles will make up to $1 million in non-taxpayer funded community grants to support initiatives, programs, and events benefiting Los Angeles Harbor communities.

During its pilot debut last year, the Community Investment Grant Program, which combines Port community grant-making into one program, funded 53 programs, projects and events. Grant applications for the 2015-2016 grant-funding year are due Monday, May 18, by 5 p.m.

Grant Application Workshops
To help local organizations prepare grant applications, the Port is hosting Community Investment Grant Program workshops. The first will be held Tuesday, April 7, at 6 p.m. at the Port of Los Angeles Administration Building Boardroom, 425 S. Palos Verdes Street in San Pedro. The second will be held at Banning’s Landing Community Center, 100 E. Water St. in Wilmington, on Wednesday, April 8, at 6 p.m.

Grant Award Criteria
Grant awards will focus on initiatives that

· Promote the LA Waterfront in San Pedro and Wilmington, as active visitor-serving destination
· Promote the Port of Los Angeles and the maritime and LA Waterfront related jobs the Port generates
· Address impacts of the Port of Los Angeles and maritime operations on surrounding communities, including health, aesthetic and environmental impacts
· Promote and implement sustainable practices for preservation and conservation of natural resources in the Port environment, from air and water quality initiatives, to renewable energy, wildlife and biological resources at the Port
· Provide education, training and/or workforce development in the areas of:

o Shipping, fisheries, international trade and maritime industry
o Marine-related sciences and technology
o Port and maritime history
o Port and marine-related safety and emergency management

Funding for the 2014-15 fiscal year will be made available in three categories: small grants of $5,000 or less; medium grants between $5,001 and $99,999; and large grants of $100,000 or more.

Organizations must be nonprofit with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status to apply for Port grants, and funds must be spent within the fiscal year granted (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016). A grant committee comprised of Port, City and community representatives will review and approve all grant applications. Funds for this grant pilot program come from Port of Los Angeles revenues, which are non-tax supported.

Click here to view and download the Community Investment Grant Program application. For additional information or questions, applicants may call the Port of Los Angeles Public Relations Division at (310) 732-3508.

The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit Southern California’s economy and quality of life. As North America’s leading seaport in terms by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $290 billion in trade during 2014. Port operations and commerce facilitate more than 148,000 jobs (about one in 12) in the City of Los Angeles and 531,000 jobs (or one in 16) in the five-county Southern California region. The San Pedro Bay Ports support more than 1 million California jobs and 3.1 million nationwide.