Somos Mayfair Receives Over $1M to Fund Social Service and Social Change

It’s been a year since we published Making Social Change: Case Studies of Nonprofit Service Providers which featured five human service organizations that are integrating social change activities into their work. The stories highlighted the tremendous strides that these groups have made towards transforming their organizations and their communities but also noted the associated challenges of taking on a social change agenda, including securing funds for these ongoing initiatives. In light of this, the recent announcement that one of the featured organizations, Somos Mayfair, has been awarded over $1 million in funding for both their service and their civic engagement work brings hope and encouragement to human service providers interested in this approach.

While it is recognized and necessary to provide for the immediate needs of the community, Somos Mayfair makes it a priority to build leadership and create long term change. FIRST 5 Santa Clara County awarded Somos Mayfair $945,000 over three years as part of their initiative to prepare every child for success in school, and help every parent support their child. Additionally, the group received a $180,000 three-year grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to expand immigrant civic participation through their Popular Theater program. Now in its sixth year, the theater program is one of the main pillars of Somos’ community engagement work and is instrumental in helping to transform community members from actors on the stage to actors in their community. Through the theater, community members develop social and cultural bonds which help establish the shared values and mutual trust necessary for working together for social change.

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