How We Receive Funding & Why Community Support is so Important
As a nonprofit organization working to earn credibility, support, and fulfill the goals associated with our mission, transparency is one of our prioritized qualities. We navigate the daunting task of nonprofit work by being intentional about our connections and promotions. An important City of Dreams feat is sharing our reality using facts and evidence based on data gathered on the Bayview community as a whole. We are a neighborhood nonprofit, created to serve a very specific community of families who face conditions of neglect seen all over the country. City of Dreams focuses on the groundwork of poverty alleviation: working to heal and reverse the trauma associated with a racist system by uplifting new generations of BIPOC individuals.
Juneteenth is an opportunity for us to inform or remind the kids of the profound value they hold within society. To celebrate Black empowerment and strength is crucial to the progress of these kids.
You have an opportunity to give direct support.
Bayview is home to the highest percentage of Black and POC in San Francisco. Our site is located along a corridor of public housing sites, most of which are occupied by the families of our youth. To serve the youth appropriately and according to all 5 of our programs, we need funding from resources outside of donor contributions. A significant percentage of effort for nonprofits goes into funding: seeking out, applying for, and qualifying for grants and contributions.
Here is how we break that down:
Revenue 2022
Expenses 2022
2021 Versus 2022
As City of Dreams evolves to serve more young people and their families, we are dedicated to remaining transparent and vocal about how we provide for the youth. Although grants are of extreme importance, we are not always guaranteed acquisition. Labeled in the above graphs is a year’s difference of revenue versus expenses. In 2022 alone, we acquired $223,547 less than 2021. Grants only make up about 21% of our revenue depending on the year, with individual contributions supporting most of our work at such a large scale. With this in mind, we will continue to display transparency as we grow. We hope that you can support us by getting the word out and becoming involved in any way you can.
Here is How to Support Us this Juneteenth:
Donate to us. Your gift to us gives us the wiggle-room to ensure our kids are well-fed, have supplies for school, and are able to attend our regular events, among many other things. You can also support us by doing your regular shopping at Amazon by adding us onto your Amazon Smile, at no cost to you.
Join Dreamville. Dreamville is our monthly giving program that gives our supporters the opportunity to create an impact all-year round. The program allows you to give with meaning and provides our kids with a steady stream of support.. You will receive regular and exclusive updates on where your gift is going and how your gifts help us thrive.
Become a Mentor. We take so much pride in the relationships our mentors build with our kids, and have many stories of mutual growth and long-lasting bonds fostered by this program. By becoming a mentor, you have the opportunity to cultivate a meaningful connection with one of our kids–kids who need every bit of support. One-on-one mentorship too much of a commitment? Volunteer a skill, teaching moment, connection, or more to still qualify as a mentor.
Sign up to volunteer. We welcome volunteers to help us maintain our garden when the kids aren't able to. Or, you can volunteer for an upcoming event, speak on a panel for our Ground Zero Youth, and many other things! You can even sign up with your team as a great bonding exercise and opportunity to connect with our organization.
Subscribe to us. By providing your email, you can receive exclusive updates, invitations, reminders, and opportunities to connect with us!
Share our work. Engagement and word of mouth go a long way. By regularly engaging with us via social media or by telling your friends about who we are, reposting, commenting, etc. we are able to expand our reach and capabilities for the kids.
“It means freedom to me.” - 16 year old City of Dreams youth when asked what Juneteenth means to her