PC 09.a. Appointment to Community Service Grant PanelMEMORANDUM
TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: TERESA MCCLISH, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT TO
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PANEL
DATE: NOVEMBER 3, 2015
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Planning Commission appoint one Commission Member and
one alternate to serve as a representative on the Community Service Grant Panel.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
The City Council approved $20,000 in the FY 2015-16 Annual Budget for community
service grants. There will be some increased staffing requirements in order to
administer the program.
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 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 an effective and impartial selection process. The City Council approved a
process by which applications will be distributed in late October with a deadline for
submittal in early December. Staff would then prepare the materials to be considered
PLANNING COMMISSION
CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT
PANEL
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
PAGE 2
by a review panel in January and presented to the City Council for consideration in
February or March. 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 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.
On September 23, 2014, the Council established the criteria for the 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 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 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
A copy of the proposed program description and application is attached. The
application will be provided on the City's website for applicants to complete online.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are presented for consideration:
· Appoint one Commission Member and an alternate; or
Provide staff other direction.
ADVANTAGES:
Participation on the panel 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
PLANNING COMMISSION
CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT
PANEL
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
PAGE 3
organizations that can address these needs more effectively than developing
programs offered by the federal government (i.e. CDBG).
DISADVANTAGES:
No disadvantages have been identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The agenda was posted in front of the City Hall and on the City's website on
Thursday, October 30, 2015.
Attachment:
1. 2016 Community Service Grant Program Description and Application
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
2015· 16 COMMUNITY SERVICE
GRANT PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM:
ATTACHMENT 1
The City's 2015-16 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 benefitting its citizens. Grants awarded will be in
minimum amounts of not less than $250. Funding is limited to $20,000 for Grant Year
2015-16.
ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS:
To be eligible to apply for grant monies under the City's 2015-16 Community Service
Grant Program, a community organization must satisfy the following standards:
1. operate as a non-profit 501(c)(3);
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
Afl interested non-profit organizations must complete the attached application
form (an online copy of the form can be accessed at the City's website at
www.arroyogrande.org), including:
• 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., Friday, December 11, 2015 addressed to:
City of Arroyo Grande
Community Development Department
Attention: Kelly Heffernon, Associate Planner
300 E. Branch Street
Arroyo Grande, CA 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. 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;
8. 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 reuired 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 2016 calendar year.
VI. For more information, contact Kelly Heffernan at 473-5420.
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM
APPLICATION FORM
2015-16
Please complete the following sections: (use additional sheets as necessary)
I. NAME AND ADDRESS OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: (must be the 1,
focal branch). I
I
II. GRANT APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVE'S NAME, ADDRESS AND.
Ill.
\IV.
TELOPHONE NUMBER: (must be the Executive Director or their designated
representative).
DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES PROVIDED:
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).
V. NUMBER OF CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE RESIDENTS SERVED BY NON-I
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).
SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION: /DIX.
Past two (2) years financial statements, including the current year with the balance
sheets and the profit/loss statements.
I 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.
Copy of the non-profit organizations Board of Directors, Officers and an
organization chart.
I x. CERTIFICATION: I
I 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 1 am aware of and certify that our non-profit organization will adhere to all City
' regulations regarding the 2016 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