Transforming inequities and expanding opportunities for our youth, families and communities.
Vision Alameda County (VCA) brings together philanthropy, public agencies, and community organizations to expand opportunity for Alameda County youth. We provide flexible philanthropic funding for promising programs developed by County departments and their community partners, measure progress against clear goals, and help successful approaches move toward ongoing public funding.
Our grants focus on young people ages 16 to 24 facing barriers to education, employment, financial stability, housing and health. And the impact reaches beyond one young person. When a young person finds stability, opportunity and a path forward, the benefits can extend to their family and strengthen the community around them.
KEY RESULTS
$1.1M+
granted since 2020
12
Programs Funded
6
county departments engaged
340+
direct participants enrolled
WHY THIS MATTERS
In 2021, 8.5% of Alameda County young people ages 16 to 24 were neither in school nor in the labor force. The rates were substantially higher for American Indian and Alaska Native youth, Black youth, and Hispanic and Latino youth.
Young people may face several barriers at once, including an unfinished diploma, a record that limits employment, unstable housing, or little experience managing a first paycheck. These challenges rarely affect one person alone. A young parent gaining financial stability, a young adult finding employment, or a student getting back on track can create greater stability for families and communities as well. County departments and community organizations understand these barriers, but they do not always have flexible funding to test a new response.
HOW VAC WORKS
County departments and community partners often see a need and have a promising solution, but traditional public budgets leave little room to test a new approach. VAC brings together a coalition of philanthropy, public agencies, and community organizations to help close that gap. We provide the early, flexible funding to put promising ideas into practice and build evidence for what works.
Three Steps
Pilot
VAC funds staff, equipment, curriculum and other start-up needs that can be difficult to cover through a public budget.
Measure
Each grant includes clear goals, measurable benchmarks, financial accountability and regular reporting.
Sustain
When a program demonstrates results, VAC helps make the case for ongoing public or philanthropic support.
GRANTEES
YOUR COMMUNITY YOUR VOICE INITIATIVE
SERVICE PROVIDERS HELPING YOUTH AND FAMILIES (SHYFT) PROJECT
YOUTH PARENTING FINANCIAL TOOLS & SOLUTIONS
YOUTH TRANSITIONS PARTNERSHIP (YTP)
Help Promising Programs Take Root
Private philanthropy gives County departments and their community partners room to test promising ideas, demonstrate results and build a path to longer-term funding. Your investment can change the trajectory of a young person's life, strengthen the family around them, and create benefits that ripple through the broader community. By investing in VAC, you help sustain a coalition with the relationships, experience and flexibility to turn promising ideas into lasting solutions.