The VAPA Foundation

What they do

The VAPA Foundation provides art education to the San Diego Unified School District.

Led by an active board of directors and team members Michael Angelo Camacho and Kim McSweeney, the organization works to increase access to and enhance the quality of arts education through various programs.

Through the VAPA Enhancement Program, the organization awards project-specific grants for teachers to bring to life enriching activities for their students. Thanks to projects funded in the program’s first six years, more than 15,000 students have benefitted from field trips, workshops, and artist residencies, as well as materials, equipment, and musical instruments.

Why we invested

This Advance Strategy loan provides working capital to operate their programs and smooth out cash flows while the organization awaits income from grants, sponsorships, events, and individual donations. VAPA reported experiencing challenges accessing conventional forms of capital due to the complexity of its grants and contracts.

KPBS highlighted one of the ways that VAPA supports teachers and students, through facilitating mosaic mural-making workshops at schools across the San Diego Unified School District.

“What we are really striving for with this program is longevity,” said Sweeney. “We’re really giving children the opportunity to create works that will survive beyond their experience in elementary school.”