California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) has been awarded a $4,000 grant from LEAD California, funded through the Vodafone Americas Foundation, to support student-driven domestic violence awareness and prevention activities as part of the 2025 Awareness in Action: Bright Sky on Campus initiative.

The grant, administered through the Western Region Continuums of Service Consortium, recognizes CSUSB’s commitment to advancing equitable and sustainable campus-community partnerships.

“This grant will give our students meaningful opportunities to engage with the community and help raise awareness about domestic violence during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October,” said Camelia Fowler, community partnerships analyst in CSUSB’s Office of Community Engaged Learning, who submitted the proposal and will oversee the grant. “Through Bright Sky on Campus, our students will not only learn but also contribute to making our community safer and more supportive.”

Bright Sky is a free, community-based app that equips friends, peers, educators and students with resources to recognize domestic violence and respond safely. The program will also be implemented on campuses across four states, engaging an estimated 20,000 students this fall.

Fowler noted that first-year students in University Studies courses will participate in a letter-writing campaign to domestic violence survivors as part of Social and Community Involvement Week.  In addition, there will be a donation drive for requested hygiene items benefiting Option House Domestic Violence Shelter in San Bernardino.

“All hygiene kits and letters written by students will be donated to Option House for disbursement to their clients,” Fowler said. “Option House is a long-standing community partner of CSUSB, and we are delighted to support their mission of helping those in need in the city of San Bernardino.”

The grant funds will provide student stipends, food, facilitators, transportation and supplies to engage more than 100 students, staff and community partners, and will support outreach to more than 500 people.

The performance period for the grant is Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, coinciding with national Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

“By securing this grant, CSUSB continues its commitment to empowering students to lead change in their communities while preparing them to be civically engaged leaders,” Fowler said.