When is a gift cause for an ulcer?

In the case of the Sierra Health Foundation, which has committed $1 million for safety-net services through its Responsive Grants Program, it's when the prize is open to competition.

Sierra Health's Responsive Grants Program began in 2008 by asking Northern California nonprofit organizations and public agencies to explain their community needs and how a grant from the foundation could help address them. In the first funding cycle, Sierra Health awarded $1.2 million for 31 projects serving 23 counties, with 35 percent awarded for projects serving rural areas. Amador County wasn't one of the counties to receive funding last year, but Calaveras, El Dorado, Tuolumne and other surrounding rural counties were.

With another $1 million up for grabs, locally, that money is providing both an opportunity and immense challenge for community groups facing uncertain futures.

The local homeless shelter operated by the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency is seeking $25,000 for next year's funding, money that's become even more valuable in light of the governor's recent budget cuts.

"The governor's budget cuts a few months ago completely eliminated the Emergency Housing and Assistance Program, which is the only state fund for homeless shelters and services," explained A-TCAA housing resources director Beetle Barbour. "We have a current grant through that program, but it will be gone by January 2009. That's when the new one should have kicked in, but (the governor) took it away and there is no talk of restoring it."

A-TCAA does receive about $77,000 a year for shelter operations, but the increasing cost of utilities, food and household supplies have consumed most of that.

"We are facing the real possibility of having to lay off staff or reduce staff hours," Barbour said. "The truth about homeless shelters is that staff is essential to keep the households safe for families with children. If we couldn't staff the shelter, we'd have to close it."

Nonprofit organizations and public agencies that provide these services may apply for up to $25,000 by noon on Jan. 15. Grant awards will be announced in February.

To be eligible, nonprofit organizations must serve residents in Sierra Health's 26-county funding region and provide emergency safety-net services, such as food, clothing, shelter and associated physical and mental health care. Of the $1 million in funding, a minimum of 30 percent is available to nonprofits and public agencies serving residents in rural areas.

"We intentionally built flexibility into our Responsive Grants Program to enable the foundation to quickly respond to changes in our region, and our decision today allows us to make good on this commitment," Carol Whiteside, chair of Sierra Health's board of directors, said in a Dec. 16 release.

"With people in our region being turned away from shelters and food banks, we knew we had to respond," added Sierra Health President Chet Hewitt. "We can't resolve the level of need out there, but we will do our part to mitigate the challenges people, particularly families, are facing."

Sierra Health will hold a proposers' conference call on Jan. 8 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Although participation on the call is not required to apply for a grant, it is encouraged.

Because the pool of possible grantees is so vast - 31 projects or organizations received funds last year - some local community groups have agreed to step aside as A-TCAA pursues the Sierra Health money.

"We actually looked at this as a collaborative grant," said Interfaith Food Bank Director Kathleen Harmon, "but the homeless shelter needs funding and we all backed off so A-TCAA could apply on behalf of the homeless shelter."

The same was true of First 5 Amador, the local children's services program.

"A-TCAA has had an e-mail discussion with Interfaith and First 5 and they have graciously agreed to let the shelter apply," Barbour added. "This is a great thing that Sierra Health Foundation is doing. The Amador shelter has never received funding from them, so we might have a good chance."

Amador County organizations had trouble getting noticed last year as well. Several applied last year, Machado said, and this year may be more competitive.

"The last round of funding was really competitive," she explained. "I am sitting on a United Way council with one of the program managers from Sierra Health. She is going to provide us with details about the funding requests they received and those they were able to fund. I don't think they had ever received so many at one time."

For more information about Sierra Health and its programs, visit www.sierrahealth.org.