Contra Costa Safer Schools Coalition
Horizons Foundation was awarded major funding from The California Endowment to support the collaborative efforts of community-based organizations in Contra Costa County to create a safe and more supportive school environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth.
The grant covered a variety of initiatives - awareness and sensitivity training on LGBTQQ issues; leadership development for queer youth; and individual, group, and family counseling. Along with improving the mental health and physical well-being of LGBTQQ youth, The Endowment hopes the grant will publicize and help to implement AB 537, the California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000. The act makes it illegal for schools to discriminate against queer students and staff, or to allow an environment that encourages hostility toward queer students. "AB 537 is an unfunded mandate, so communities and school districts are left on their own to implement it," said Rosavinia Pangan, Program Associate at The Endowment. "And violence prevention curricula that include or address hate behaviors against queer youth are still largely nonexistent."
Pangan noted that Contra Costa County in particular faces significant challenges in providing a safe environment for queer youth, due to the county's conservative political forces. "This is a really big statement - that a group of community-based organizations are banding together to do something about hate," she said.
Horizons worked closely with Ally Action (formerly GLSEN San Francisco-East Bay), which coordinated leadership for the project. Horizons acted as the fiscal sponsor for the grant and supplied technical assistance to the coalition of organizations in the county. 2007 marked the final year in this multi-year partnership.
Contra Costa Safer Schools Coalition Grants
2003 and 2004 grants
These amounts represent the total grant awards, distributed over a two-year period.
Center for Human Development/Empowerment Program - $60,500
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)/San Francisco-East Bay - $180,144
Gay-Straight Alliance Network - $9,716
New Connections - $50,000
Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County - $29,880
STAND! Against Domestic Violence - $11,500
TeenAge Program - $10,260
2005 grants
Center for Human Development - $31,106
Community Violence Solutions - $8,150
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)/San Francisco-East Bay - $63,062
Gay-Straight Alliance Network - $8,258
New Connections - $25,000
Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County - $22,000
STAND! Against Domestic Violence - $8,150
TeenAge Program - $7,530
2006 grants
Ally Action - $57,231
Center for Human Development/Mariposa Coalition - $23,454
Community Violence Solutions - $6,113
Gay-Straight Alliance Network - $4,155
New Connections - $18,750
Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County - $11,205
STAND! Against Domestic Violence - $4,313
TeenAge Program - $4,848
2007 grants
Ally Action - $25,000
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