Social Worker/CASA Grants

Any Children & Family Services Social Worker or Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) working with youth in foster care or court dependency in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties is eligible to apply.

Social Workers are eligible to apply for a maximum of four grants in a one-year period.

CASAs are eligible to apply for a maximum of two grants in a one-year period.

Social Worker/CASA Resource Grants of up to $250 will be awarded to Social Workers or Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) to help meet the needs of clients who are children or non-minor dependents in court dependency or foster care, such as funding for eye glasses, medical or dental care, clothing, school supplies, tutoring, summer camp, music classes, sports lessons, etc.

Due to a high volume of requests, we are unable to fund high school graduation-related activities, such as prom dresses or graduation items.

Examples of needs and activities we have funded:

• a carpentry class textbook to obtain vocational training
• weekly swimming lessons for a middle school youth
• tuition to a farm camp, allowing the youth to further explore his love of animals
• bus passes for a recently emancipated youth to get to and from his job
• a bicycle for a youth to receive both physical exercise and to get him to and from school
• soccer camp for a high school youth to attend all summer
• new clothes and shoes for a youth who is quickly outgrowing hers

Send your application in as soon as it is ready – money is limited. Funding will be immediately available, if approved.

Scan and email your application to cbentley@venturesfoundation.org. Please do not fax.

It’s easy! Scan and email a description of your idea on county or agency letterhead, including the following information:

• Date and Social Worker/CASA Resource Grant notation
• Your name, title, email, address, and telephone number
• Description of the child and reason funding is needed (impact it will have)
• Total amount requested and detail of how money will be spent itemizing unit prices.
• Who to make the check payable to if awarded. Checks can be made payable to the social worker, CASA, or sometimes directly to a vendor (if paid to a vendor, please provide name of payee, and address; check will be mailed to the social worker/CASA)
• Application must have signature approval and contact information of your supervisor

For questions, please contact us at (510) 645-1890 or cbentley@venturesfoundation.org.