Background:
Funded by the passage of Prop 10 in 1998, FIRST 5 Mendocino distributes this tobacco-tax revenue to benefit Mendocino County children, prenatal through the age of five, and their families. We distribute of this revenue by awarding grants and funding other initiatives.

To date, FIRST 5 Mendocino has conducted four rounds of Regional Initiatives funding and two rounds of Small Grants funding. FIRST 5 Mendocino has awarded over $4 million in grants to fund over 75 projects serving Mendocino County's young children and their families and another million dollars to child care providers in the county through the C.A.R.E.S. program. Additionally, FIRST 5 Mendocino supports initiatives such as Healthy Kids Mendocino, Social and Emotional Health, WEAVE/WISH Special Needs Project, Turn Off TV~Turn On Life Week, Safe from the Start, Pediatric Dental Unit, and School Readiness.

FIRST 5 Mendocino is governed by a 9-member Commission. Currently, the Commission is comprised of a member of the Board of Supervisors, the Superintendent of Schools, two County department heads, and five other members of the public. Commissioners usually meet on the fourth Monday of the month at the Mendocino County Office of Education, 2240 Old River Road in Talmage. Meetings are video-conferenced to Fort Bragg. Public input is welcome and encouraged.

Based on surveys and a series of community forums, FIRST 5 Mendocino created a Strategic Plan 2006-2009 to address the following focus areas: Parent Education and Support Services, Child Care and Early Childhood Development, Health and Wellness, and Policy and Advocacy for Children and Family Issues. To be considered for funding, projects must fulfill at least one of the four focus areas listed above. For each focus area FIRST 5 Mendocino adopted a strategic action, an intended result, and a set of objectives and strategies. See Strategic Plan for details.

166 Gobbi Street,
Ukiah, CA 95482

Tel: (707) 462-4453
Fax: (707) 462-5570

E-mail: first5@mendochildren.org