To enhance the quality of life in the Sacramento area by: 1. Creating systemic change through innovative programs in education, arts and children welfare programs 2. Assisting Sacramento organizations to expand by supporting major capital improvements. 3. Supporting education programs that require student participation.
Preference will be given to requests that use leverage to expand the value of our grants such as organizations that have a high use of volunteers, the use of the grants to promote the raising of additional funds, or a high number of recipients that benefit from the grant. We want to generate the greatest beneficial effect for each dollar of grant we give.
HISTORY:
The trust was formed by three brothers, Andrew, Charles, and Frank Arata, who benefited from the Sacramento community through their successful grocery operation, Arata Brothers Grocers. This grocery business existed in the Sacramento area from the early 1900's until 1967. The trust began in 1979 after the death of the last of the brothers. Their two primary preferences were: 1. Grantees be located in the Sacramento area since the equity in the trust was from profits made in the Sacramento community, and 2. Granting benefits to children should be a primary focus
To date, the grants given total $13,000,000, primarily to the Sacramento region.
The current trustees are Mark Sewell, Elfrena Foord and Lisa Sewell.
GRANT APPLICATION:
Arata Brothers Trust is in transition. Historically we have given a large number of small grants with no requirement for follow up of the results produced. When you are a foundation, it is easy to give grants. The art is giving grants effectively. We are committed to finding excellence in the granting process. Since our purpose is to stimulate social change within the context of our limited funds to the greatest extent possible, we are instituting some new policies and procedures.
New Policies:
1. Grant requests need to focus on the broad social value expected to be achieved with our grant funds
2. Accountability that the broad social value was met must be documented in a report within 12 months of the grant identifying specific results from the use of our grant funds. Recipient organization is responsible for initiating this report.
3. Trustees meet and make decisions on a quarterly basis. Therefore, all requests will be granted or denied within 3 months. New Procedures:
1. Since it is imperative that we limit our operating expenses, all grant requests must be submitted through our website rather than through the mail
2. There is no specific grant application. Grant requests should cover these basic points: a. Mission of the organization b. Description of the project c. Amount of money requested d. Measurable results to be achieved e. Justification of why this measurable result has a high probability of success f. Brevity is preferred
All grant applications must include a copy of the applicant's IRS tax exemption letter.
It should be noted that if we deny your grant request that it is in no way a reflection on the request or your organization. We get an enormous number of requests each year so denials are required. Also, it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve investment gains in the present economy so we are finding it necessary to send denials to organizations that we have previously approved so that we can protect the corpus of the Arata Brothers Trust for the long-term benefit of the Sacramento community.
