Feeling confused by some of the language we use in our Guidelines or Applications? We hope you find our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and our Glossary of Terms and Definitions documents helpful. Simply click on the buttons below to access living documents that we are updating based upon questions and input we receive in as we approach our application deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Glossary of Terms and Definitions
Glossary of Terms and Definitions Snapshot
Our Four Program Goals
Public Health
is the science and art of improving the health of people and their communities, through promoting healthy lifestyles, understanding and preventing disease, prolonging life, and encouraging practices that nourish individuals and communities. Public health looks at the factors and root causes associated with the health of populations. Organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations (public and private), communities, and individuals all play a role in public health outcomes which seek to protect the health of entire populations, whether as small as a local neighborhood, or as big as an entire country or region of the world. When considering public health, think about prevention of communicable diseases, such as COVID, for example, along with education, community wellbeing, access to health insurance and/or health services, and health equity.
Environment-Related Issues
such as water and energy conservation, climate mitigation, and emergency preparedness, relief, and recovery. “Environment-related issues” refers to the overall condition and health of our planet and, in relation to applications for funding, our Upstate Region. A common way to protect and preserve environmental health is through limiting the use of resources, or reducing or curbing exposure to unhealthy processes or systems.
Emergency preparedness, relief, and recovery is designed to lessen the likelihood and impact from natural disasters, or disasters that threaten the environment, including animals and humans. When considering environment-related issues, think of forest health, water, drought, the air we all breathe, wildfires, floods, climate change, resource depletion, and resilience. Projects related to public awareness, perception, and education about these issues could also fall within this category. See our informal notes on environment-related issues for a more in-depth look at water and energy conservation, and climate change mitigation.
Civic Engagement or Civic Participation
is any individual or group activity addressing issues of public concern. Civic engagement includes communities working together or individuals working alone to protect public values or make a change in a community (i.e., attending meetings of governing bodies, holding neighborhood meetings, serving on committees or task forces, voting, helping others vote, writing elected officials or news sources). When considering civic engagement think of volunteerism, local and neighborhood organizing, community engagement efforts, organizational involvement, government work, electoral participation.
Social Justice
is fairness as it manifests in society. This includes fairness in healthcare, employment, housing, division of resources, and opportunities and privileges in society. In a socially-just society, human rights are respected, and discrimination cannot flourish. A socially-just society envisions a world in whichoutcomes such as financial security, personal fulfillment, physical and environmental health, access to services, housing security, educational level, participation in governance, neighborhood safety, freedom of expression and movement, and opportunity for advancement, are not predictable based on demographic factors like race, ethnicity, home language, or ability status. Social justice lends both social power and social cohesion.
Accessibility
The ability of an individual to fully participate in a given activity or in essential functions in today’s world: employment, transportation, self-advocacy, political engagement, mobility, etc. In order to bring about accessibility, sets of standards determine modifications of the physical environment, the inclusion of technological advances, and specific supports for individuals who are challenged to fully participate in a non-modified setting. Understanding the principles of “Universal Design” can be helpful, through which the design and composition of an environment, initiative or process can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size, ability, or disability.
Health Equity
Health Equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Health equity reaches its pinnacle when health outcomes (e.g; access to quality health care, one’s overall health, and life expectancy) can no longer be predicted based on demographic categories such as race, socioeconomic status and language proficiency.
High Sustainability Quotient
This phrase refers to projects which demonstrate the potential for sustainability beyond our grant activity period. Project elements that support this might include, for example, complementary partnerships, evidence of other funding sources longer term, endorsements, the promise of intersectional government and / or non-profit infrastructure.
Intergenerational Learning
This is a planned learning environment, anchored in community, that leverages the presence of more than one generation to infuse cultural grounding, community bonds, and an asset-based approach to defining needs, opportunities and strategies in service to our most vulnerable communities. Intergenerational learning promotes mutual and reciprocal benefit, with cultural sensitivity and inclusive participation. Engagement across the generations to emphasize positive connections with the aim of building stronger, better-connected communities with increased social capital and citizenship. See our informal notes on Intergenerational Learning for scale and relativity on this form of learning versus traditional classroom-bound education.
Lowest Quartile
The lowest quartile defines the groups scoring in the lowest 25% of a given metric. We use it to describe the identification of our most vulnerable communities within the California Healthy Places Index.
Mentor
A mentor is someone who serves as an experienced and trusted guide. A mentor might provide inspiration, advice, counseling, personal or professional development, or collaboration. They might troubleshoot issues or provide unique insight and knowledge not otherwise accessible in books or websites. Mentors might provide access to networks, connections, and other support.
Upstate California Region / Upstate Region
The Upstate Region comprises these 19 counties in California: Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity and Yuba. Those who live in, work in or serve one or more of these counties are eligible to apply to the Upstate California Creative Corps.
Culture Bearer
We are inspired by the McKnight Foundation’s definition of a Culture Bearer as someone who practices intergenerational lifeways and living, developing cultural/art practices that educate, exchange, and share in order to preserve ancestral knowledge. Culture Bearers hold a direct throughline from ancestors and teachers and center sharing their practice other generations. The role of culture bearer is particularly important within ancestral cultures undergoing transition or experiencing threat from outside and dominizing culture(s). Culture Bearers accept a responsibility to share ancestral and cultural knowledge. The practice of being a Culture Bearer is distinct from other individual art practices because the practice is a full life tradition (not separate) and includes intergenerational transmission of learning.