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Salinas Valley Tribune: PHI’s HPI Tool Utilized to Guide Support to Arts Organizations in Under-Resourced Communities

The Arts Council for Monterey County (Arts4MC) has announced the newest recipients of its 2025 Community Arts Grants. The program used the Healthy Places Index (HPI) Tool—a data tool, developed by PHI’s Public Health Alliance of Southern California, that applies a health equity lens to better direct community investments—to prioritize support for under-resourced organizations and those serving historically underserved communities.

  • Salinas Valley Tribune
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“Arts Council for Monterey County (Arts4MC) has announced the newest recipients of its 2025 Community Arts Grants, awarding $109,000 in total funding to 16 local organizations bringing arts and culture to communities across all five supervisorial districts.

These grants, up to $7,500 each, support public arts programs, events and projects that celebrate creative expression and community connection. Funding is made possible by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, with additional support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Todd Lueders Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County.

“These organizations reflect the incredible diversity, talent and heart of Monterey County,” said Jacquie Atchison, executive director of Arts4MC. “Through this grant program, we’re not only supporting local creativity — we’re ensuring that the arts are accessible and thriving in every part of our community.”

Funded projects include cultural festivals, youth arts education, poetry and theater workshops, community murals, gallery exhibitions and programs that celebrate diversity, equity and creative expression across the county.

This marks the second round of awards in the current fiscal year, following a successful launch of the revamped grant initiative in fall 2024. Designed to promote equity, the program prioritizes support for under-resourced organizations and those serving historically underserved communities, using the Healthy Places Index as a guiding tool.”

Click on the link below to read the full article.

Originally published by Salinas Valley Tribune


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