Blood Bank of the Redwoods Legacy Fund
2014 Funding Opportunity
Purpose Statement: The goal of the 2014 Blood Bank of the Redwoods Legacy grant program is to ensure a
stable blood supply through outreach, education, and youth engagement.
Background:
In 2010, Santa Rosa-based Blood Bank of the Redwoods joined Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP), and as a result
of that partnership, the Blood Bank of the Redwoods Legacy Fund was established.
BCP is responsible for providing more than 150,000 units of donated blood and blood components each year.
Yet of those people eligible to give blood, less than 4% do. To make up for the small number of people donating
blood, BCP must import much of its blood from outside the region. In addition, blood is quite perishable, with
red blood cells lasting only 42 days and platelets lasting just five.
The typical blood donor is an older, Caucasian male. In fact, the number of youth and people of color giving
blood regularly are quite low. Research conducted on both these groups have shown a lack of awareness about
the need for blood and the impact their donation can make, as well as some unfounded fears and myths
surrounding the process of giving blood.
With youth in particular, many of whom have not yet been touched by someone close to them needing blood,
there seems to be a lack of awareness about the need for blood donors and that there is no substitute for
human blood. Many assume they are too young or are afraid of the pain or that it would interfere with their
ability to play sports.
While communities of color may have different reasons why there is little participation in blood donation, the
common thread is a lack of awareness, fear of safety (and in the case of some immigrant communities, fear of
their citizenship being questioned), as well as a general mistrust of the medical community.
Giving blood is an incredibly powerful gesture one human can make to another. With these grants, we hope to
create more awareness, quell some of those fears, and empower youth and people of color to make a real
impact in the lives of those in their communities.
Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP) provides the link between those who donate blood and those who depend on
this lifesaving gift. It was the nation’s very first nonprofit blood center and today serves patients in 50 hospitals
throughout the region. BCP serves communities from the base of Silicon Valley to the Oregon border, providing
safe, volunteer blood donations that are used for those undergoing complex surgeries, victims of trauma, cancer
patients, new mothers and their babies, and many more.
BCP is a member of Blood Systems, the nation’s second largest blood collection organization and is active in
several national member associations. It also houses the Blood Systems Research Institute, a world-renowned
facility engaged in research ranging from blood donor epidemiology to cellular therapy to virus discovery.
The Blood Bank of the Redwoods Legacy Fund was created through the acquisition of the Blood Bank of the
Redwoods by the Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP) in 2010. The Fund is intended to create a lasting legacy in
the community for the Blood Bank of the Redwoods which has served North Bay communities since 1949. The
Fund is administered by Community Foundation Sonoma County and the Community Foundation of Mendocino
County. A Committee comprised of Blood Centers of the Pacific personnel, former Blood Bank of the Redwoods
Board members, and staff of the Community Foundation will review requests for funding during a competitive
grant cycle and make decisions regarding on-going support for projects that meet the Fund’s criteria.
The purpose of the proposed project, program or initiative must align with the one or both of the following
objectives:
 Outreach – blood donation activities geared to non-traditional donor populations, in particular the
Native American and Latino communities.
 Education – opportunities for children, teens and adults to learn the importance of blood donation,
either alone or as a component of broader health education program.
 Youth Engagement – service learning opportunities for teens to share the importance of blood donation
among their peers.
Funding may be used for:
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Salaries or wages that directly relate to the proposed project
Marketing/promotional expenses that directly relate to the proposed project
Stipends or incentives that directly relate to the proposed project
Timeline:
Letters of Intent will be encouraged beginning December 2, 2013
Letters of Intent will be due by 5:00 PM, January 17, 2014
Grants recipients will be notified by Monday, March 10, 2014
Eligibility Criteria:
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Must have a 501(c)(3) status or be a government entity conducting charitable work
Must serve residents in Sonoma, Mendocino or Lake Counties
Value of Grants:
Grants range from $5,000 to $25,000
How to Apply:
Submit Cover Sheet, LOI Narrative and Budget (see below)
We will only accept letter of intent proposals via electronic submittals. Please send information to:
Mr. J Mullineaux, Vice President for Philanthropic Planning at Community Foundation Sonoma County,
jmullineaux@sonomacf.org
Blood Bank of the Redwoods Legacy Fund
Letter of Intent
Instructions
Please use the following cover sheet to accompany your Letter of Intent. The instructions for preparing the
content for the LOI are on the following page. We ask that your letter be no more than three pages, not
including the cover sheet and budget.
COVER SHEET
Date
ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION
Name
Legal Name
if different
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone
Fax
Tax ID#/EIN
Type
choose one
Email Address
Website Address
Year Founded
 501(c)(3) public charity
 Government Entity
 Other (please specify)
____________________________________________
CONTACT INFORMATION
Full Name
Title
Address
if different from organization
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone
Fax
Email Address
REQUEST INFORMATION
Project Title
Amount Requested (range
$5,000 - $25,000)
County(s) Served
$
SUBMITTING YOUR LETTER OF INTENT
We request that your Letter of Intent (LOI) be no more than two pages in length. Please use font sizes at least
an 11-point type; please also use a typeface that is easy to read. Refer to the checklist below to ensure you have
completed all the required forms prior to submittal:
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LOI Cover Sheet (please complete all fields)
LOI Narrative (maximum of two pages; please refer to instructions below)
Budget (you send us your own budget or use our template
Submit all materials electronically to Mr. J Mullineaux, at Community Foundation Sonoma County,
jmullineaux@sonomacf.org
COMPLETING YOUR LETTER OF INTENT NARRATIVE
Summary of Your Request. In 50 words or less, please describe the purpose of your project, program, or initiative.
Alignment with the BBR Legacy Fund Purpose. Please describe how your work aligns with either of the following
objectives:
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Outreach – blood donation activities geared to non-traditional donor populations, in particular the
Native American and Latino communities.
Education – opportunities for children, teens and adults to learn the importance of blood donation,
either alone or as a component of broader health education program.
Youth Engagement – service learning opportunities for teens to share the importance of blood donation
among their peers.
Implementation: Please describe the implementation process for your project, program or initiative, listing key
activities and/or strategies.
Impact: What are the anticipated outcomes of your project, program or initiative?
Measurement: Describe how you will measure the impact of your efforts.
About the Proposed Program/Project/Initiative. Please provide information about the following:
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Description of targeted population.
Geographic area served.
New project or continuing effort; if a continuing effort, please share accomplishments to date.
Anticipated duration of your project
Tell us about any existing or anticipated partners in this work.
Organizational Information. Please briefly share the following information about your organization:
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Organizational mission.
Capacity and track record of the organization to undertake the proposed work.
Qualifications of lead staff.
Why do you believe your organization is best positioned to achieve the outcomes stated?
COMPLETING A LETTER OF INTENT BUDGET
The purpose of the budget information is to help us understand the size of the project and how you plan to use
the requested funds. You may submit the budget in one of two ways:
OPTION 1.
Submit a budget in the format of your choosing. Provide a list of all income sources with amounts
for the project. Please be sure to indicate whether the income has already been secured.
OPTION 2.
Use the LOI Budget Form that we have provided.