Calling all non-profits: Coachella Valley Spotlight Grant application available

From helping children, to helping animals, to helping the homeless – the Coachella Valley is home to hundreds of non-profits.

“There are so many things going on in the Valley and so much of a need for all the charities doing good work here,” CBS Local 2 General Manager Mike Stutz said.

Non-profits rely heavily on donations – more specifically, on grants – to help the community as much as possible. That’s where the Coachella Valley Spotlight comes in.

“The Berger Foundation does the heavy lifting with the check. It’s our job to publicize the things happening in the community.We try to personalize it showing the people benefiting from it. It’s a tremendous program,” Stutz said.

Any non-profit that has not previously received the Spotlight Grant can apply.

“We have a Community Advisory Board about 10-12 members. Each year we go through a list of applications and that list grows every year because the word has spread. The hardest part is picking the 12 finalists,” Stutz said.

The twelve charitable organizations chosen get a $25,000 grant from the H.N. And Frances C. Berger Foundation.

The partnership is complimentary. We are able to give the funding and they give the media exposure, which hopefully can lead to more volunteers and funding,” Catharine Reed, Senior Program Officer fro the H.N. And Frances C. Berger Foundation, said.

Non-profits are also featured on Eye On the Desert, a public service announcement, and a spot on our website. In this unique partnership, non-profits get the two things they need most – money and exposure.

“I have even shared this idea with other stations in our company and encouraged them to look for a foundation like the Berger Foundation in their community to do the same thing,” Stutz said.

Since the program started in 2008, more than $1.6 million and hours and hours of television promotion have been awarded to local nonprofit organizations.

Some past recipients explain how the grant catapulted their non-profit.

“We are very thankful for the Berger Foundation for this opportunity. All these instruments, we could not have done this without the Berger Foundation,” Lynda Lake, the Cielo Vista principal, said.

“A third will go to finish this house, a third will go to our program that is for veterans wheelchair bound, and a third to our two day build up in 29 Palms,” Jeff Moritz of Fuller Center For Housing said.

“We have a coaching program that’s volunteer driven we do resume coaching, and with this funding we will hire a part time program coordinator and that will hopefully bring the program to the next level,” Connie Golds from Desert Best Friend’s Closet said.

Strong missions are crucial, as is the money to get there. The Coachella Valley Spotlight Grant is a possible resource for local non-profits.

Coachella valley nonprofits must verify current 501(c)3 status or be a public school. For charities who have not received the Coachella Valley Spotlight before, applications are available on our website cbslocal2.com. Look for the coachella valley spotlight logo at the bottom of the home page. Applications must be postmarked by September 19. The 12 recipients will be notified in December.