GFR and Greeks: Overdose Prevention

Campaign
UC Santa Barbara Student Leadership and Engagement Office: CommUnity
Grants Program
 Cover Sheet

Foundation you are applying to: UCSB CommUnity Grant Program

Legal Name of Applicant Organization: UCSB Fraternity and Sorority Life

Project Name (if applicable): GFR and Greeks: Overdose Prevention Campaign
Funds will pay for: Educational Overdose Speaker and Training
1104 & 2260 Student Resource Building (SRB)
Full Mailing Address:
University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5010
Location(s) if different from above:
Executive Director: Jonathan Ng

Phone: (805) 893-4569 Fax:

Email: jcng@ucsb.edu Website: https://seal.sa.ucsb.edu/fraternity-sorority-life

Contact Person & Title:
Jessica Reilly Phone: 508-8080-0731

Tax-exempt Status:(Most foundations require 501(c)(3) status. You must check this requirement before applying.)
Tax I.D. Number:
501(c)(3) Granted X Other:
Other:
Type of Request: Check with individual foundations to determine the types of accepted grant requests.

General Support ☐ Program Support X Seed Funding ☐ Research ☐

Capital ☐ Endowment ☐ Multi-Year ☐ Other:

This Grant Request: $500 Total Project Budget: $ 10,000

Grant Period from: July, 2024 To: one time donation

Total Organizational Budget for Current Year: $ Fiscal year begins:

Summarize the organization’s mission statement (two to three sentences):

Together, the diverse identities across the five Greek life councils at UCSB will unite for the safety of the greater UCSB and Isla Vista community
Connected with the resources of Gauchos of Recovery, education and resources for overdose prevention will become a community norm.

Summarize your grant request (two to three sentences):

We request the one-time donation of $500 to fund a reputable speaker to educate 600 members of the Greek community on overdose prevention.
members will become educators and resource providers in our campaign.
Proposal Authorization
We certify that the information in this application is to the best of our knowledge true and accurate and is submitted with our Board of
Directors’/Governing Body’s full knowledge and endorsement:

Signature Name & Title of Authorized Board/Governing Body Representative Date

Signature Name & Title of Authorized Board/Governing Body Representative Date

April 22, 2024

University of California
Student Engagement and Leadership: CommUnity Grants
1104 & 2260 Student Resource Building (SRB)
University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5010
(805) 893-4569

Dear Viviana Marsano:

Thank you for your efforts in supporting the connection of communities across UCSB Registered
Campus Organizations. We are grateful for your consideration of our proposal to mitigate the
impact of the fentanyl crisis on the UCSB community. With fatalities increasing and resources
decreasing across Santa Barbara County, this crisis affects people of all identities in our
community.

United by a common goal, we hope to unite the Collegiate Panhellenic Council, National
Pan-Hellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, Professional Fraternity Council, and United
Fraternity and Fraternity Council with the resources from Gauchos for Recovery. Unification of
Greek life councils continues to be an area of growth to exchange dialogue across identities,
cultures, and social circles. Funding a cross-council project with a shared mission will not just
make our community safer–but better connected.

All councils–and the existing members of Gauchos for Recovery–would greatly appreciate a
$500 sponsorship to train members for a cross-council resource event in Fall of 2024. The
all-day event would consist of safety resource stations across campus and Isla Vista. Here,
students passing by will be given Naloxone and fentanyl testing strips along with relevant
information on usage. To ensure members ability to give accurate information, your funding
would be used to bring a reputable speaker to campus for training prior to the event.

I hope that you will be able to help us bring safety and unity to the UCSB community. Should
you need more information, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Jessica Reilly
USCB Fraternity and Sorority Life
 1. Your organization’s history and accomplishments.

Fraternity and Sorority Life at UC Santa Barbara has a history and accomplishments as large as
the collection of its members. Consisting of about 2,500 students, five councils and nearly 50
Greek-letter organizations, we serve the advancement of manifold philanthropies and community
initiatives. This has shown itself in the annual 40,000+ hours of community service and $150 of
charity donations accumulated annually. Together, we are driven by scholarship, leadership,
service and friendship for good.

Gaucho’s for Recovery (GFR) stands within the UCSB Alcohol and Drug Program with the
mission of providing a “safe, supportive environment for students in all types and stages of
recovery”. Through both their recovery programs and overdose prevention initative–Gaucho’s
for Recovery breaks down barriers to a safer community.

2. Your current programs and activities. Include the constituency you serve, with
specific demographic information. How are they actively involved in your organization
and/or how do they benefit from your organization's work?

The five Greek councils present at UCSB each provide a unique experience that serves the needs
of their members. The Interfraternity Council strives to provide a community of brotherhood and
service to male identifying students while the Collegiate Panhellenic Council has created a space
for non-male identifying students to find support and philanthropy as well. The United Sorority
and Fraternity Council and National Pan-Hellenic Councils aim to create fraternity and sorority
communities centered around culture. The Professional Fraternity Council provides the
opportunity for students to find co-ed support around shared career goals. Each council and each
chapter within them differs in their historical origins and current goals–yet at UCSB we strive to
create a network of community initiatives that promote positive growth.

In addition to a supportive community for students, fraternity and sorority life provides student
leadership, networking, scholarship, and campus involvement. Students are provided with these
advantages through the facilitation of resources from their organizations. This has led to a
student body equipped to lead accomplished lives and serve their communities–in addition to a
strong alumni network that continues to give back.

3. Your organization’s relationships – both formal and informal – with other

organizations working to meet the same need. In what way does your work differ from
that of other organizations?
Unity between Greek chapters and councils has not historically been a point of strength.
Nevertheless, recent student leaders in the community are breaking down barriers and building
connections through co-hosted events like those funded by the CommUnity Grants Program.
Shared siblinghood events, community barbecues, and the annual Fraternity Sorority Institute
program has made strides in community connection. This is how we differ from other
organizations–our work is not just insular but extends out to engage with many other UCSB
communities.

Most recently, many individual chapters have engaged relationships with Gaucho’s for
Recovery–conducting chapter wide conversations on overdose prevention. This has been an
important connection that has benefitted many chapters, for Greek life and GFR are leading the
conversations on risk management in our community. Connecting our expansive community with
GFR has led to action such as locating overdose kits at chapter facilities. Steps forward like this
are just the beginning of a relationship we hope will foster life-saving changes.
 Funding Request

1. What need or problem does your project work to address?

Student and Community Safety

Drug overdoses have become all too common across the country, and the UCSB and Santa
Barbara communities have not been spared. Drug overdoses in Santa Barbara have soared from
149 to 226 from 2021 to 2023–about half of them being caused by lethal doses of fentanyl. The
presence of fentanyl in substances is often unknown until signs of overdose begin to present
themselves. Reaction time is critical to survival in these cases, however Naloxone/Narcan (the
overdose reversal drug) and educated bystanders are often not present leading to preventable
fatalities.

This is where a GFR ad Greeks campaign can make an impact. Mobilizing a vast community of
students with the education and resources to intervene in overdose scenarios creates the
expansive potential for prevention our community urgently needs.

1) ~600 initial trained advocates: Filling the capacity of Campbell Hall, hundreds of
students will be trained by a speaker on overdose prevention and correct Naloxone usage.

2) Unlimited potential: These trained advocates will staff 6 locations across Isla Vista and
UCSB Campus during fall quarter during our Overdose Prevention Campaign. Training
passer-byers and providing them with overdose kits, the impact will multiply greatly.

This training is the catalyst for student and community safety this campaign aims to achieve.

Unity in Community Service

While a tragic reality, the fentanyl crisis has touched the lives of Greek members from all
identities and walks of life. This makes it a point for joint action and lasting connection between
organizations that have long been disconnected.

In addition to the shared impact of the fentanyl crisis, all Greek life members share the
requirement of completing a minimum of six community service hours each academic quarter.
This requirement serves as a prompt for members to participate at high rates in this campaign. As
such the following can be expected:
 1) High rates of community service completion: the shared importance of mitigating the
fentanyl crisis and availability to gain many service hours from this campaign will
increase the number of members who complete their service hour requirement.

2) CommUnity: Unity between traditional, professional, and cultural Greek life

organizations will be inspired by an opportunity that calls for participation from all.
Learning and educating together, relationships between chapters and counsels will surely
be fostered–breaking down historical and identity-based social barriers.

In this campaign, the shared objective of Greek life can be brought to a tangible reality: the
betterment of one’s self through a community rooted service.

2. In a short paragraph, tell us your project’s (or organization’s) goals and the specific
outcomes you project for the grant period (i.e. numbers served, behavior or attitudes
changed, capital project completed, etc.).

Your donation will allow us to educate ~600 students (the capacity of Campbell Hall) with
overdose prevention training at the beginning of Fall Quarter 2024. This not only creates
hundreds of educated bystanders ready to intervene in overdose situations, but unlimited
potential for prevention. Those trained by the speaker you fund will go on to staff 6 stations
across Isla Vista and UCSB campus for our overdose prevention campaign day. Here, the trained
advocates will educate passers-by on overdose prevention, Naloxone use, and be provided with
an overdose prevention and fentanyl testing pouch. If each station trains just 10 people per hour
for 8 hours, 800 individuals will join the existing 600 to create a network of 1,400 trained
community advocates. With individuals inside and outside the Greek community prepared to
intervene and educate, the magnitude of this campaign will continue to expand.

3. Describe your project or the capital items requested, including:

Whether the project is new, ongoing or an expansion:

This project is new, and the first of its kind. However, stability and strength can be found in the
way it expands on the existing community service values of the Greek community and resources
of Gauchos for Recovery. This campaign allows Greek life to be the medium through which
overdose prevention is spread.

Target audience, including specific demographic information:

The target audience for volunteering is the Greek community. The program can accommodate
600 of the existing 2,500 members to be trained and serve as staff on the day of the campaign’s
event. As college-aged students of varying races, sexual identities, majors, and incomes–we hope
to approach our audience as peers.

The target audience for the application is UCSB students and Isla Vista residents confronted with
overdose scenarios. This UCSB community consists of about 23,000 undergraduate students of
many backgrounds. The Isla Vista community of nearly 15,000 encompasses UCSB students,
SBCC students, individuals, and families. Isla Vista is home to a very active social and night life,
increasing the risk for drug use and overdose scenarios. This campaign aims to educate the
young people in our community to react quickly and correctly in these situations.

Activities/strategies that will be used to meet your stated outcomes

Each council will provide one representative to serve on the Overdose Prevention Board that will
oversee the project management of the campaign. Requiring proportional participation from each
chapter on campus, 600 students will be educated on the fentanyl crisis and trained in overdose
prevention in Campbell Hall. Funding proportional to the differing budgets from each council
will be used to fund the purchasing of overdose prevention kits via Gauchos for Recovery. The
600 trained students will staff each of the tents during the campaign event day. Each tent will be
staffed by 6-10 students per each 1 hour volunteer slot.

General timeline for the main objectives of your project:

Week 10, Spring 2024: Representatives for Overdose Prevention Board chosen, funding secured

Summer 2024: Speaker chosen, Naloxone ordered, tents rented, Campbell Hall reserved by
Overdose Prevention Board and Gauchos for Recovery

Week 3, Fall 2024: 1-hour educational program and Naloxone training by qualified professional
at Campbell Hall

Week 5, Fall 2024: Six overdose prevention stations will be set up and staffed for 8 hours from
9am to 5pm.

4. If this is a request for General Support, what are your organization’s most pressing
needs?

This request is not for General Support, but rather for the funding of the educational speaker
portion of our campaign. This specific funding action will serve as the catalyst for the rest of our
campaign.
 5. How do you plan to evaluate the effectiveness or impact of the project?

The effectiveness of the project will be measured by keeping track of the following metrics, both
quantitative and qualitative.

Quantitative:
a. How many Naloxone kits were administered?
b. Have fentanyl-related deaths in Isla Vista decreased in the following years?
c. Did service hour completion increase in Fall 2024?
Qualitative:
c. Survey assessing feelings of connectedness amongst Greek life organizations.
d. Feedback from chapter and council leadership.

6. Summarize the skills and relevant experience of key staff/volunteers essential to

the project’s success. If other organizations are collaborating on this project, note which
ones and in what ways.
Greek Life:
● Associate Director, Fraternity and Sorority Life: Jonathan Ng
○ Oversee the student leadership of the campaign, maintain adherence to UCSB
policies and local law enforcement.
● CPC President: Kylie Maeda, IFC President: Ryan Weighlan, USFC President: Stephanie
Raya, NPC Representative: TBD, PFC Representative: TBD
○ Collectively select a qualified member from each council to serve on the
Overdose Prevention Board
● Overdose Prevention Board: five members, TBD
○ Oversee all project operations, budgets and timelines
Gaucho’s for Recovery
● Recovery Program Manager: Angie Bryan
○ Approve and manage the ordering of Naloxone/Overdose Prevention kits
● Assistance Recovery Program Manager: Hugh Cook
○ Assist and direct GFR Peer Interns
● GFR Peer Interns
○ Facilitate the packaging of Overdose Prevention kits

7. If full funding is not available, what is the contingency plan for securing additional
support and/or how can you modify your proposal?

We will begin by requesting funding from the list of Greek councils included in our projected
budget and if we don’t receive enough funding to initiate the program, we will turn to other local
health foundations. However, the budgets of the councils are projected to accommodate the
programs financial needs.
Foundation Roundtable: Common Grant Application