WASHINGTON: The Port of Long Beach will start its fall round of sponsorship decisions this Friday, Sept. 1. A couple of years ago, the Harbor Commission decided to consolidate the process of granting sponsorships instead of considering applications virtually every meeting. Now there are two set periods to apply each year — spring and fall. Last April, in the second call of the 2017 fiscal year, commissioners awarded 136 sponsorships totaling $372,500 to community organizations. The groups receiving funding represented a wide cross-section of the city and supported causes including the arts, environment, social justice and historic preservation.
The port will begin accepting applications for the next round Friday. The deadline to get an application in is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29. After the application period closes, it will take about 45 days before recommendations will be sent to the Harbor Commission for a decision. It is expected that funding will be awarded in mid-November. Officials said applications will be judged on how they can help the port inform the community of its critical role as an economic engine and jobs creator. Events and programs that educate about the port’s mission and international trade while making Long Beach a better place to live and work have the best chance of receiving support, a press release said.
