Former SRCS Superintendent Morales Gave $300k Grant to Trustee's 'Nonprofit' Following Departure From Board
Dr. Morales was appointed to the Sonoma County First 5 Commission on Jan. 27, 2025 where she approved a $300k grant for Raizes Collective, a source of income for former Trustee Alegria De La Cruz
Before being fired as the Superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools, Dr. Daisy Morales was appointed by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to serve on the First 5 Sonoma County Commission as an At-Large representative of Transitional Kindergarten-12 school systems for a term beginning January 27, 2025, and ending on January 26, 2027.
Dr. Morales’ initial appointment was recommended by the County Administrator’s Office, Human Services Department, First 5 Sonoma County.
The First 5 Commission Minutes dated January 27, 2025 stated the following:
Ms. Angie Dillon-Shore, Executive Director, presented two contracts for Responsive Grants under Priority Goal Area IV: Community Resilience and Engagement. The Responsive Grants program was established in 2016 as a flexible funding allocation to address unforeseen and emerging local impacts for children. At that time, there was concern that federal policy changes would negatively impact children. The allocation has been utilized for impact of wildfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. The contract recommendations which were divided into separate action items reflect the need for responsive, strategic and rapid funding to strengthen community-centered supports for children and families likely to be impacted by changing immigration policy. The funding recommendations were developed with consulting support of Equity First Consulting and attending community convenings led by Raizes Collective to listen and understand community needs directly. First 5 leadership has convened and led numerous conversations with other local funders and regional funders and several commissioners and other community leaders with lived experience.
Both contracts meet the criteria for a sole source waiver for a competitive process, based on unique roles in our local and regional landscape and focus on building community voice, capacity and power through a trauma informed lens. The scale of impact on young children has been estimated by extrapolating data from the California Immigrant Data Portal (2021), Migration Policy Institute (2021) and American Communities Survey (2023). Approximately 22,000 children under 17 live with at least one undocumented parent, which includes approximately 5,000 under age five. Around 4,000 minors are undocumented themselves, and 5,000 to 7,000 families with minor children potentially affected by a family member’s undocumented status. Of these families, 89% are from Mexico or Central/South America, 6% from Asia, and 2% from Africa.
A contract with the Community Foundation Sonoma County will allow the Foundation to fund Raízes Collective, specifically their Almas Libres program that has been leading community convenings in the form of bi-weekly meetings in safe spaces since November 6, 2024. These volunteer-led gatherings attract 80-100 participants and are organized into three planning subgroups: Services Coordination, Advocacy, and Sanctuary Infrastructure. The initiative provides an opportunity for community-based organizations, leaders, and funders to directly understand impacts on community members and to support and coordinate to address identified needs. Sustained funding for Raizes Collective is required for staffing, food, translation, and interpretation services. Funding CFSC to make this grant will facilitate a trust-based approach to minimize burdensome administrative requirements for this grassroots, BIPOC-led organization. This arrangement leverages funder capacity and resources while supporting authentic, community-centered leadership. CFSC and First 5 will meet quarterly with Raizes Collective to provide capacity-building support to ensure success.
Commissioner DeSousa asked why the funding could not go to Raizes Collective directly.
Ms. Dillon-Shore explained that partnering with CFSC will reduce the administration burden on the grassroots organization and provide the funding up front, versus in arrears with invoicing. Philanthropy is positioned to offer more flexibility.
Commissioner Candela commented on the importance of listening to community needs as well as partnering with Raizes Collective and expressed gratitude for First 5 staff leadership.
Chair Donna Broadbent commented on the efforts being led by Raizes Collective and their past local efforts. Chair Donna Broadbent called for public comment.
Public comment made by Isabel Lopez, Director and Founder of Raizes Collective. Ms. Lopez commented on their local human rights efforts that should be led by folks who are most impacted and expressed gratitude towards community based organizations, churches, and First 5 Sonoma County.
The contractor is Community Foundation Sonoma County for the project of Raizes Collective: Ongoing Community Engagement form the source of Prop 10. For $300,000 with a term of 02/01/2025 to 06/30/2026.
As referenced from the minutes, Dr. Morales voted in favor to approve the $300k grant for Raizes Collective with the Community Foundation Sonoma County selected as the administrator of funds.
Trustee Alegria De La Cruz resigned from the Santa Rosa City Schools Board in December 2024, as she did not seek reelection. Per her LinkedIn profile, she made some major career changes around the same time.
De La Cruz resigned as the Sonoma County Equity Officer and former Sonoma County Deputy Counsel in May 2024 to become the Director, Community & Government Relations for the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Her position terminated in January 2025. She appears to be the new Director of Litigation for the Disability Rights Legal Center.
As referenced per her statement of economic interest submitted to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), former SRCS Trustee Alegria De La Cruz earns income from Raizes Collective. Her spouse, Mr. Martin Zuniga, is a lead artist for the organization.
While Dr. Morales’ vote to approve the contract with Raizes Collective presented a conflict of interest, additional First 5 Commissioners were also well-connected to Ms. Alegria De La Cruz.
Commissioner Denia Candela served as the Health Equity Officer for the County of Sonoma. She worked directly with former County Equity Officer Alegria De La Cruz.
While he recused himself from approving the contract with Raizes Collective, Commissioner Oscar Chavez was the former Assistant Director for the Sonoma County Department of Human Services through March 2023.
He worked directly with former Equity Officer De La Cruz during the period the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds were distributed to NGO’s. His recusal was solely because he is the President & CEO of the Community Foundation Sonoma County.
Mr. Chavez served as the former Board President for Latino Service Providers (LPS). De La Cruz’s SRCS Colleague, Trustee Stephanie Manieri, was the Executive Director to LPS during Mr. Chavez’s time as President.
Ms. De La Cruz earned income from LPS as referenced from her 2022 SEI submitted to the FPPC.
Raizes Collective Executive Director Isabel Lopez is former SRCS Trustee Manieri’s aunt. She is currently under investigation with the FPPC for providing herself with grant funds through the Sonoma County Human Rights Commission for a 40-Mile Walk led by she and former SRCS Trustee De La Cruz.
I featured Ms. De La Cruz & Mr. Chavez in the article below regarding the disbursement of ARPA funds. *Please note that the article images are currently failing to load correctly:
Were former SRCS Trustee Alegria De La Cruz and former SRCS Superintendent Dr. Morales well-acquainted before Dr. Morales arrived at the SRCS District? Being that De La Cruz was essentially Morales’ boss, why did Morales find it appropriate to give taxpayer monies to her family through a not-so-well-channeled pipeline?
Was Dr. Morales randomly selected as the new First 5 Commissioner by Mr. Chavez’s former Human Services Department, County of Sonoma?
Amongst a clusterf*ck of NGOs, have our local government officials and staff weaponized our agencies to siphon money from the taxpayers while funding their family and friends? Do the Latin X’ers truly desire equity, or are they salivating over potential grant funds?
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. - John 3:19