Harbor Commission approves 268 sponsorships for community projects, events

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday approved 268 sponsorships totaling $926,150 to local nonprofit groups for upcoming programs. The Port of Long Beach’s Community Sponsorship Program funds community events and activities that help inform residents about the Port. The awards support a diverse variety of community nonprofits centered on the environment, education, social justice, the arts and historic preservation.

This award is the third of three calls of the 2024 fiscal year; half of the applications were first-time requests. This latest round saw a record number of requests. To accommodate increased demand from community organizations, the Harbor Commission approved a significant increase in funds for the third call.

The next open application period for sponsorships will be September 1-30; find out more at www.polb.com/sponsorships.

“We’re proud to support an increased number of organizations through our sponsorship program,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “Community groups are what help make Long Beach a thriving place for residents to live and work.”

"Community groups are doing important work, and we’re thrilled to help fund their missions,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bobby Olvera Jr. “The large increase in first-time sponsorship applications from these groups is inspiring; increasing the sponsorship budget to help fund events and programs in our city was an easy choice.”

Among the events and programs sponsored in this week’s awards are Act Out Theatre Company’s Summer Youth Arts Workshops, Wonder Tech and Innovation Festival and Food Finders Thanksgiving Food Distribution.

A list of the approved sponsorships can be found here.

The Port accepts sponsorship applications three times a year, in January, May and September. More information about the Community Sponsorship Program can be found at www.polb.com/sponsorships.

The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed and efficiency. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the United States, including 575,000 in Southern California. In 2024, industry leaders named it “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for the sixth consecutive year. During the next 10 years, the Port is planning $2.3 billion in capital improvements aimed at enhancing capacity, competitiveness and sustainability.