2020.03.03 9b_Jim Guthrie PanelMEMORANDUM
TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: ANREW PEREZ, ASSISTANT PLANNER
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT TO
THE JIM GUTHRIE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT COMMITTEE
D ATE: MARCH 3, 2020
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
Appointing a member to represent the Commission on the Jim Guthrie Community
Service Grant Committee will provide community input regarding future City Council
allocation of grant money.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
The City Council approved $20,000 in the FY 2019-20 Budget for the Jim Guthrie
Community Service Grant program. There is no other fiscal impact other than staff
time related to administering the program.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Planning Commission appoint one Commissioner and one
alternate to serve as a representative on the Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant
Committee.
BACKGROUND:
During consideration of the 2014 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
funding recommendations, the City Council directed staff to make changes to the
program in the future. The City historically funded social service agencies through
CDBG funds. In addition, the City has funded ADA access barrier removal projects
from both CDBG funds and Local Sales Tax funds. However, CDBG funding has
gradually decreased, while monitoring and reporting requirements have increased,
creating a process that is cumbersome for the administration of small social service
agency grants. As a result, it was decided to utilize the full amount of CDBG funds to
pay for ADA access barrier removal projects in the future. City funds previously used
to pay for ADA access barrier removal projects were then shifted to pay for social
service requests, making it easier to fund smaller grants as well as expand the eligibility
for other community service related type of agencies and programs.
Item 9.b - Page 1
PLANNING COMMISSION
CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT TO THE JIM GUTHRIE COMMUNITY
SERVICE GRANT COMMITTEE
MARCH 3, 2020
PAGE 2
In March 2017, the Community Service Grant Program was subsequently renamed as
the Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant Program (JGCSGP).
AN ALYSIS OF ISSUES:
The Council approved a process for the JGCSGP by which applications are available
in late October with a deadline for submittal in December. Staff would then convene
the Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant Committee (Committee) in late January or
early February with recommendations from that Committee presented to the City
Council for consideration in March. Grants are recommended to be in amounts of not
less than $250.
Per the JGCSGP criteria, an organization must satisfy the following requirements in
order to apply for funding:
•Operate as a non-profit 501c3;
•Serve the Arroyo Grande community;
•Use funds provided to directly provide a social service, educational, cultural,
beautification or recreation program or project to Arroyo Grande residents and/or
businesses;
•Not restrict participants based upon race, religion, gender, sexual orientation,
marital status, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, or age; and
•Not use grant monies specifically for religious activities.
Council also established criteria for the JGCSGP Committee. In past years, the
Committee consisted of:
•One member of the Planning Commission
•One member of the Historical Resources Committee
•One member of the Parks and Recreation Commission
•One member of the Traffic Commission
•One member of the Architectural Review Committee
•One member of the Downtown Parking Advisory Board
In November 2018, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 695 to disband the
Historical Resources Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Traffic
Commission to address staffing and budgetary shortfalls and to streamline City
practices. Because these committees and commissions were disbanded, Council
approved updates to the Committee criteria in February 2020. The criteria for
Committee membership now reads as follows:
The Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant Committee shall consist of
one designated representative from each of the City’s current Council
Item 9.b - Page 2
PLANNING COMMISSION
CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT TO THE JIM GUTHRIE COMMUNITY
SERVICE GRANT COMMITTEE
MARCH 3, 2020
PAGE 3
created committees, commissions and boards, and one member from
the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Based on the City’s current commissions, committees and boards, this year, the Jim
Guthrie Community Service Grant Committee would consist of one member from the
Planning Commission, one member from the Architectural Review Committee, one
member from the Downtown Parking Advisory Board, one member from the Arroyo
Grande Tourism Business Improvement District Board, as well as the addition of one
member from the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
A copy of the proposed program description and application form is attached. The
deadline to submit applications was on November 27, 2019.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are presented for the Commission’s consideration:
1. Appoint one Commissioner and an alternate; or
2. Provide staff other direction.
ADVANTAGES:
Participation on the Committee will help ensure an impartial and effective process to
award grants to community service organizations in order to address unmet needs in
the community. The overall objective of the program is to help fund efforts of
organizations that can address these needs more effectively than developing programs
offered through the CDBG program.
DISADVANTAGES:
No disadvantages have been identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with
Government Code Section 54954.2.
Attachment:
1. 2019-20 Community Service Grant Program Description and Application Form
Item 9.b - Page 3
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
2019-20 JIM GUTHRIE COMMUNITY SERVICE
GRANT PROGRAM
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The City's 2019-20 Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant Program is intended to provide
monetary grants to eligible community non-profit organizations. The City recognizes the value of
such groups that provide specialized social service, educational, cultural, beautification and
recreation programs and projects benefiting its citizens. Grants awarded will be in minimum
amounts of not less than $250. Funding is limited to $20,000 for Grant Year 2019-20.
ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS:
To be eligible to apply for grant monies under the City's 2019-20 Jim Guthrie Community Service
Grant Program, a community organization must satisfy the following standards:
1.Operate as a non-profit 501c3;
2.Serve the Arroyo Grande community;
3.Use funds provided to directly provide* a social service, educational, cultural,
beautification or recreation program or project to Arroyo Grande residents and/or
businesses;
4.Not restrict participants based upon race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital
status, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, or age; and
5.Not use grant monies specifically for religious activities.
* "Directly provide" means that the community non-profit organization conducts the social
service(s) or cultural program(s) itself rather than through a separate entity to which it sub-awards
grant monies.
APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE:
I.Completion of Application Form
All interested non-profit organizations must complete an application form, including the
following:
ATTACHMENT 1
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Name and address of the non-profit organization (applicant is required to list the local
branch if it represents a national or statewide organization).
Description of community services provided.
Relationship of non-profit organization to the community.
Current membership figures and approximate number of City of Arroyo Grande
residents served by the non-profit organization.
Amount of funds requested.
Proposed project and budget plan for the use of the grant funds.
Proof of 501(c)(3) status with a copy of the letter from the IRS.
Past two years financial statements including the current year with balance sheets,
profit/loss statements and indicating the percentage of revenue that is used for
administration, salaries and program costs (Please denote what salaries are directly
related to administration and/or program costs).
Applicants are requested to provide information on their annual sources of revenue
received.
Any applicant who received grant funds from the City in the past is to indicate when
the funds were received, the amount of funds received and document how the funds
were utilized.
In addition to the original application, please submit eleven (11) additional copies:
double-sided, 3-hole punched and paper clipped.
II.Application Deadline
Completed application forms, along with supplemental documents must be submitted
by 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 27, 2019 addressed to:
City of Arroyo Grande
Community Development Department
Camilla Karamanlis, Program Analyst
300 E. Branch Street
Arroyo Grande CA 93420
III.Evaluation of Applications and Selection Process
Following the application deadline (usually in November), the City Council's appointed Jim
Guthrie Community Service Grant Committee will review and consider proposals from
community groups. All proposals will be evaluated to ascertain which non-profit
organizations best meet the needs that the City seeks to satisfy. Factors to be considered
include, but are not limited to, the following:
A.The non-profit organization's responsiveness in clearly stating the benefits to be
derived by the resident of the City of Arroyo Grande, if grant funds are awarded;
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B.The number of City of Arroyo Grande residents by age group served by the non-profit
organization; geographic area(s) and total number of clients served by the non-profit
organization;
C.The non-profit organization's history of providing community services to the residents
of the City of Arroyo Grande; and
D.The non-profit organization's financial need for grant funds to service the City of Arroyo
Grande residents.
IV.Award of Funds
Following the Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant Committee's screening process, the
Committee will present its recommendations to the City Council. The City Council will
review the Committee's report and consider award of funds to selected non-profit
organizations. In all cases, the City Council retains sole and absolute discretion in
administering this program, including which applicants will be awarded funds and the total
level of funding in each instance.
V.Execution of Agreement
Non-profit organizations selected to receive funds will be required to sign and execute an
agreement with the City of Arroyo Grande. NOTE: If award of funds is made, a recipient
non-profit organization will be required to expend grant monies prior to the close of the
calendar year.
VI.Contact
For more information regarding the Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant Program,
please contact Camilla Karamanlis, Program Analyst, Community Development
Department, at 805-473-5448.
Item 9.b - Page 6
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
JIM GUTHRIE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM
APPLICATION FORM
2019-20
Please complete the following sections: (use additional sheets as necessary)
I.NAME AND ADDRESS OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: (must be the
local branch).
II.GRANT APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVE’S NAME, ADDRESS , EMAIL
ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER: (must be the Executive Director
or their designated representative).
III.DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES PROVIDED:
IV.LIST AREA(S) SERVED BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: (include a
brief description of the relationship of your non -profit organization to the
residents of the City of Arroyo Grande).
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V.NUMBER OF CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE RESIDENTS SERVED BY
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: (broken down by age groups if available).
VI.AMOUNT OF FUNDS REQUESTED:
VII.PROPOSED USE AND BUDGET PLAN FOR GRANT FUNDS: (indicate if
any of the grant funds will be used for any other purpose than those
designated such as overhead, national office, administrative salaries).
VIII.ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION: (if you have received funds in the past,
please indicate the amount of funds received (indicate what year) and how
the funds were utilized).
IX.SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION:
Past two (2) years financial statements, including the current year with the
balance sheets and the profit/loss statements.
Information indicating the percentage of revenue received that is used for
administration, salaries, and program costs.
Breakdown and description of non-profit organization’s sources of revenue.
Proof of 501(c)(3) status with a copy of the letter from the IRS.
Copy of the non-profit organizations Board of Directors, Officers and an
organization chart.
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X.CERTIFICATION:
I certify on behalf of _________________________________ non-profit organization,
that I have read, understand and agree that the aforesaid information is accurate,
factual and current. I understand that an award of funds, if granted, will be for the sole
use as reflected in this application form. I further certify that as a condition of receiving
funds, an agreement with the City of Arroyo Grande, in a form and content provided by
the City of Arroyo Grande, will be signed and executed by a duly authorized
representative of said non-profit organization.
I am aware of and certify that our non -profit organization will adhere to all City
regulations regarding the 2019 Community Service Grant Program including, but not
limited to, maintaining non-discriminatory policies, practices and intent. I also, on behalf
of our non-profit organization, indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City of Arroyo
Grande relative to any and all liability that may arise as a result of the use of the City of
Arroyo Grande Community Service Grant Fund monies.
Date: _______________ Signature: ______________________________
Executive Director or Designee
______________________________
Board of Director or Officer
Item 9.b - Page 9