We fund organizations with strong and effective leadership that prepare children and youth from economically vulnerable households for fulfilled and productive lives.
The foundation believes that arts are integral to the development of a well-rounded person, and this is achieved by either:
Inspiring young people to develop an interest in the arts through exposure to different mediums in a school-based setting
Strong programs meeting this criteria must be connected to a school or school district where youth receive a minimum of 15 hours of immersive arts experience during the school day or after-school over the course of a semester or summer and align with the California State Board of Education Standards for Visual and Performing Arts.(https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/vapacontentstds.asp).;
—OR—
Providing access for youth from economically vulnerable communities to intensive arts instruction that develops their skills in a specific artistic discipline e.g. theater, vocal or musical instrumentation, and visual arts.
Strong programs meeting this criteria must provide a youth with a minimum of 30 hours of instruction over the course of a year where they receive sequential instruction in a specific arts disciple as well as performance opportunities and mentorship by career professionals at low or non-cost. Programs will also either provide multiple years of programming or connect youth with further opportunities to develop their art form after completing the program.