Loading...
CC 2014-09-23_08.d. Community Service Grant Processl '-<i '\ MEMORANDUM TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: STEVJ;N ADAMS, CITY MANAGER r SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROCESS DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended the City Council approve the proposed Community Service Grant· process and direct staff to proceed. IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES: The City Council approved $20,000 in the FY 2014-15 Annual Budget for community service grants. There will be some increased staffing requirements in order to administer the progra_m. BACKGROUND: During consideration of the last Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding recommendations, the City Council directed staff to make changes to the program in the future. The City has 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 been gradually decreased, which has made the process cumbersome·for 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. This will make it easier to fund smaller grants, as well as expand the eligibility for other community service related type of agencies and programs. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES: The primary objectives of creating the process are to establish appropriate criteria and a'n effective and impartial selection process. It is recommended that applications be distributed in October with a deadline for submittal in November. Staff would then prepare the materials to be considered by a review panel in January and presented Item 8.d. - Page 1 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROCESS SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 PAGE2 to the City Council for consideration at the January 27, 2015 meeting. Grants are recommended to be in amounts of not less than $250. Under the recommended criteria, in order to apply an organization must: • Operate as a non-profit 501 c3; • 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. It is proposed to establish a Community Service Grant Review Panel. The panel will review all applications and develop recommendations for consideration by the City Council. In order to designate a panel knowledgeable in community needs and to avoid the need to establish a separate committee, it is recommended that each City board, commission and committee with functions serving the entire community designate one member to serve on the Community Service Grant Review Panel. As a result, the panel would consist of: • One member of the Architectural Review Committee • 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 Planning Commission A copy of the proposed program description and application is attached. The applic~tion will be provided on the City's website for applicants to complete online. ALTERNATIVES: The following alternatives are presented for consideration: -Approve staff's recommendations; Further simplify the process by designating the Parks and Recreation Commission as the review panel since they address community services; Change the process so the Council appoints a dedicated review panel; Do not designate a review panel and have staff present recommendations to the City Council; Modify the eligibility criteria; or Provide staff other direction. Item 8.d. - Page 2 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROCESS SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 PAGE3 ADVANTAGES: The recommendation will provide 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 help fund efforts of organizations that can address these needs more effectively than developing programs offered by City government. DISADVANTAGES: The program will require staff time, increased cost, and will still not address the full needs of many worthwhile efforts and organizations. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: No environmental review is required for this item. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS: The agenda was posted in front of the City Hall on Thursday, September 18, 2014 and on the City's website on Friday, September 19, 2014. Attachments: 1. 2015 Community Service Grant Program Description and Application Item 8.d. - Page 3 CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE 2015 COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM: The City's 2015 Community Service Grant Program is intended to provide monetary grants to eligible community non-profit organizations. The City recognizes the value of such groups, which provide specialized social service, educational, cultural, beautification and recreation programs and projects benefitting its citizens. Grants awarded will be in minimum amounts of not less than $250. Funding is limited for Grant Year 2015. ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS: To be eligible to apply for grant monies under the City's 2015 Community Service Grant Program, a community organization must satisfy the following standards: 1) operate as a non-profit 501 c3; 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 for specifically 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: I. Completion of Application Form All interested non-profit organizations must complete the attached application form, including: ATTACHMENT 1 Item 8.d. - Page 4 • 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 offunds 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, profiUloss 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 11 additional copies: double-sided, 3-hole punched and paper clipped. 11. Application Deadline I Completed application forms along with supplemental documents must be submitted by 5:00pm, Friday, November 14. 2014 addressed to: City of Arroyo Grande Attention: Community Service Grant Committee 300 E. Branch Street Arroyo Grande, California 93420 Ill. Evaluation of Applications and Selection Process Following the application deadline, the City Council's appointed Community Service Grant Committee will review and consider proposals from community groups. Applications received from public education institutions will be reviewed by the City's Cultural Recreation Committee. Applicants may be asked to attend a public meeting to address the Committee, answer questions, clarify their use of funds, etc. 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: Item 8.d. - Page 5 A. The non-profit organization's responsiveness in clearly stating the benefits to be derived by the residents of the City of Arroyo Grande, if grant funds are awarded; 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 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 (see attached sample agreement). 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 2015 calendar year. VI. For more information, contact City Hall at 473-5400. Item 8.d. - Page 6 CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION FORM 2015 Please complete the following sections (use additional sheets as necessary): Ill. NAME AND ADDRESS OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: (must be the local branch) II. GRANT APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVE'S NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER: (must be the Executive Director or their designated representative) I. DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES PROVIDED: IV. LIST AREA(S) SERVED BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: (include brief description of the relationship of your non-profit organization to the residents of the City of Arroyo Grande) Item 8.d. - Page 7 V. NUMBER OF CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE RESIDENTS SERVED BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: (broken down by age groups if available) IX. AMOUNT OF FUNDS REQUESTED: VIII. 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) VII. 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) VI. SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION: D Past two year's financial statements, including the current year with the balance sheets and the profit/loss statements. D Information indicating the percentage of revenue received that is used for administration, salaries, and program costs. D Breakdown and description of non-profit organization's sources of revenue. D Proof of 501 (c)(3) status with a copy of the letter from the IRS. D Copy of the non-profit organizations Board of Directors, Officers and an organization chart. Item 8.d. - Page 8 X. CERTIFICATION: 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 2015 Community Service Fund 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. Signature: Executive Director or Designee Board of Director or Officer Item 8.d. - Page 9 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Item 8.d. - Page 10