Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 1 Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program Cycle 1 (EFR1)
Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23
Instructions
The Narrative Proposal document describes the details of the proposed project. All responses must be provided within the greyed out text box under each prompt in this document. Utilizing a document or form other than the official CalRecycle Narrative Proposal document, or tampering with the CalRecycle version, will subject the applicant to disqualification from the Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, Cycle 1 (EFR1).
Each section of this form must have a response. If a question does not apply to the proposed project use the response field to explain why it is not applicable. Ensure the narrative responses are concise, detailed, and address each portion of the questions below.
I
nformation presented in the narrative responses must be consistent with tasks detailed in the Work Plan, line items included in the Budget, and any other supporting documentation submitted. Refer to the Application Guidelines and Instructions for further information.
A
fter completing this document, save it, and upload it to the Documents Tab of your application in the Grants Management System (GMS).
Definitions
As you complete the Narrative Proposal, ensure your project’s definition of edible food recovery, food waste prevention, and Non-Lead Participant(s) is consistent with the following CalRecycle definitions:
E
dible Food Recovery. Projects that result in edible food that would otherwise be destined for landfills, being recovered and distributed to people.
Food Wast
e Prevention. Projects that prevent food waste from being generated and becoming waste that is normally destined for landfills.
E
xamples include, but are not limited to:
• Modernizing production and handling practices to prevent and reduce food preparation waste
• Id
entifying and modifying ordering practices that result in measurable decreases in food waste
• C
reating and expanding education and outreach programs that result in quantifiable reductions in food waste
Attachment 2
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 2
Non-Lead Participant. An official participant in the grant project that will receive grant- funded services, equipment, personnel funding, etc. This entity will sign a grant participant agreement with CalRecycle if the proposed grant project is awarded.
Applications may have up to four Non-Lead Participants. Refer to the Application Guidelines and Instructions for additional requirements.
Applicant Name: City of Burbank
Project Concept, Partners, and Viability
All applicants must provide detailed responses to questions 1–5.
1. Provide a clear description of the proposed grant project that will be implemented as a direct result of receiving grant funds, including a description of the edible food recovery activities and food waste prevention activities, if applicable.
The City of Burbank, as the grant’s Lead Applicant, and North Valley Caring Services (NVCS), as the Non-Lead Participant, will implement the NVCS Burbank Food Rescue Expansion project. This program will result in 720,000 pounds of additional food recovery directly from donors during the grant term which is a 150% increase compared to the quantity of edible food NVCS recovered directly from donors in the 2020 baseline. The City of Burbank requests $249,760 ($0.35 per pound of estimated recovery) to complete the proposed project. The NVCS Burbank Food Rescue Expansion will replicate their food recovery model used in North Hills; which engages food businesses, a network of non-profit organizations, idle institutional kitchens, volunteers, and underserved communities. Committed food businesses, such as Vallarta, intend to donate bulk and prepared foods. Bulk foods will be redistributed through the Food Pantry program as well as relationships with other non-profit partners.
Prepared foods and portions of the bulk food donations will be reconfigured and redistributed to community members that do not have access or ability to cook for themselves. NVCS will leverage their relationships with local entities to serve as distribution locations for new food recovery, including Burbank First Presbyterian Church, Burbank Housing, Westminster Burbank Church, and Family Promise of Verdugo Hills. This model has proven successful in North Hills, where NVCS was recognized by CalNonprofits and District 46 Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian as the “2020 Non-profit of the Year”.
2. Provide a clear description of your organization and all Non-Lead Participants that will participate in your proposed grant project. Provide details about each participant’s involvement in the project. If applicable, include any Qualifying Tribal Entities that will benefit from the project.
The City of Burbank will provide grant administration services including review of progress reports, performance tables, accounting, and reimbursement to NVCS for grant-approved purchases before submitting payment requests to CalRecycle. Burbank’s Recycling Coordinator and Recycling Specialist will Attachment 2 - Page 2
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 3 continue to negotiate additional commitments from food businesses prior to the NTP through December 2022. City staff and consultants, funded through contracts separate from the grant, will engage food businesses through telephone surveys and in-person site visits. City staff will also support NVCS by securing additional volunteers, idle commercial kitchens, and distribution locations. City departments currently work with local nonprofits, the business community, and faith-based/charitable organizations to offer services and find solutions to homelessness, including creating long-term programs and using the City’s public resources for homeless projects and programs. In response to COVID-19 and despite the City’s homelessness initiatives, between 2019 and 2020, Burbank’s homeless population increased by 3%, increasing the demand for support services that NVCS provides. The City is invested in aiding the expansion of an incredibly innovative and nimble organization as a means to address food security and a gap in recovery capacity. No grant funds are request for City staff time.
NVCS operates as both a food recovery organization and food recovery service and has proven the efficiency of their recovery model. Grant funds will seed the NVCS Burbank Food Rescue Expansion by funding a refridgerated van wrapped with branding and CalRecycle acknowlegements and a Careit software subscription to facilitate and track new, on-demand donations from food business. The proposed budget will fund two new job positions for the duration of the grant, including a part-time van driver and full-time Food Rescue Director to coordinate donors, volunteers, and non-profit partner organizations.
The NVCS Burbank Food Rescue Expansion will engage food businesses, a network of non-profit organizations, idle institutional kitchens, voluneers and underserved communities. During Q1 through Q3 of the project, NVCS will hire and train new employees and utilize existing delivery vehicles to ramp up the program while procuring the new recovery van. Committed food businesses, such as Vallarta, intend to donate bulk and prepared foods. Bulk foods will be redistributed through the Food Pantry program as well as relationships with other non-profit partners. Prepared foods and portions of the bulk food donations will be reconfigured and redistributed to community members that do not have access or ability to cook for themselves. Examples of how prepared foods will be distributed include a “grab and go” outreach program, homeless outreach, and distribution at faith-based organization facilities. NVCS will leverage their relationships with local entities to serve as distribution locations for new food recovery, including Burbank First Presbyterian Church, Burbank Housing, Westminster Burbank Church, and Family Promise of Verdugo Hills. NVCS currently distributes food via a drive-through food pantry and through non-profit partners to over 35,000 families (roughly 140,000 individuals) each month. NVCS also distributes 5,000 prepared meals a month through a “grab and go” program for homeless individuals and other at-risk populations (such as the quarantined and elderly), who are unable to travel to the Food Pantry. Meals are prepared by the NVCS culinary-trained kitchen chef and trained volunteers and delivered by homeless outreach staff to homelesss encampments and 300 homeless families Attachment 2 - Page 3
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 4 residing in motels along the San Fernando Valley corridor. When recovered food includes ingredients that are not commonly used by recipient populations, staff prepares recipes to teach recipients how to use such ingredients. NVCS also coordinates distribution of rescued food with faith-based organizations, government and non-profit groups to reach at-risk and shut-in communities in a dignified and equitable manner. NVCS operates in partnership with local organizations including Council District 7, Veterans’ Housing, Sober Living Homes, client case workers, the U.S. Marines, the Los Angeles Police Department, Iglesia Fe En Jesus, Outreach Community, Iglesia Rey Soberano, Iglesia Monte Los Olivos, House of Faith, Maken It Happen, Little Tijuanita, Palabra De Vida, Missionary Church, Nueva Esperanza, El Tabernaculo De Fe.
The proposed project will not directly benefit Qualifying Tribal Entities.
3. Provide the primary address associated with the majority of proposed grant project activities involving the distribution of recovered edible food. For example, if a Lead Participant has partnered with a local food bank to recover and distribute food for the grant project, then the Lead applicant should list the address of the Food Bank here—this address will be used in the application evaluation and ranking.
North Valley Caring Services (NVCS) located at 15453 Rayen Street, North Hills, CA 91343 (LA County).
4. List the food donors that provided a written commitment (agreement, contract, letter of intent, etc.) to donate edible food as part of this project. At least one written commitment from a donor must be included in the application package.
Refer to the Application Guidelines and Instructions for more information about this requirement.
Vallarta Supermarket located at 10950 Sherman Way, Burbank, CA 91050.
5. Provide a detailed explanation of the costs you have included in the Budget template. Explain why the included costs are necessary for implementing the proposed grant project, and how they increase edible food recovery and decrease landfill disposal.
• For large equipment, refrigeration, or vehicle line items, upload a seller or manufacturer’s quote, or other evidence of cost to GMS. • If applicable, provide specific brand information regarding any food waste prevention or food recovery software, and indicate if this software will be purchased for permanent use or leased/subscribed to only for the Grant Term.
The proposed budget includes $249,760 of equipment, personnel and education and outreach costs.
The total amount of indirect costs are $5,000; no grant funds are requested for this expenditure. Indirect costs will be funded by the City of Burbank and NVCS and include grant administration by NVCS’s Operations Director and Burbank’s Recycling Coordinator. The City will provide this support to NVCS Burbank Food Attachment 2 - Page 4
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 5 Rescue Expansion by utilizing general funds earmarked for solid waste programs and the City’s homelessness initiatives.
The total requested budget for equipment is $108,500. Equipment costs include purchase of a Careit “Food Mover Account” software subscription at the cost of $250 per month (“Software_Careit Pricing” quote provided) for 24 months for a total budget of $6,000 for the grant term. NVCS will seek other state and federal grant funding as well as government contract and private funding to continue to pay for the Careit subscription thereafter. Careit is a digital food donation marketplace that matches any food business with a nearby non-profit. Non- profits find donations in their area that match their food requirements and set up a pick-up or drop-off with the donor and their staff or volunteers. Using the Careit Food Mover account, the Food Rescue Director can add partner organizations, post a donation on behalf of a food business, and automatically assign the donation to the appropriate distribution location. If volunteers are available, they may self-assign, or the Food Rescue Director can assign a donation to a driver or partner organization associated with the account. Careit also provides an optional safety training program, required for all volunteers or partner agencies picking up food. This program is based upon guidelines issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and can be tailored to NVCS’s training needs.
Equipment costs also includes a total of $102,000 for procurement of a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo Van (2500 Wheelbase 170" Roof: High 3,726 LBS. payload) with refrigeration unit; the extended warranty and maintenance package costs are included in the vehicle quote, but separated out in the budget spreadsheet as maintenance costs. The dealership has confirmed this specific van will be available for immediate use within 2 to 4 weeks after purchase and will not require additional retrofit. NVCS owns two large trucks which will be utilized to pick up larger quantities of food. However, a smaller van empowers NVCS to respond to caterers and smaller food service providers (such as SB 1383 Tier 2 edible food generators), targeting edible food in Burbank that is currently going into landfill. The budget requests a $500 contribution toward the wrapping of this van, which is estimated to cost $5,530 including graphic design (education and outreach cost), digital printing and installation (Quote provided for Van Wrapping by Graphics Department Inc.). NVCS will use a private donation to cover the remaining cost for the wrap ($4,580) and graphic design (education and outreach cost of $450). Wrapping the van will serve a dual purpose by advertising the project and acknowledging CalRecycle’s support, while keeping the food inside protected from direct sunlight.
The total proposed maintenance costs are $5,500 ($2,500 for the maintenance package and $3,000 for the extended warranty). Extended maintenance and warranty will mitigate costs for any repairs for up to 80,000 miles.
The total requested budget for personnel is $135,760. Personnel costs include wages for two new NVCS employees, one part-time van driver ($22 hourly wage Attachment 2 - Page 5
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 6 for 20 hours per week for two years, for a total cost of $45,760) and one full-time Food Rescue Director (40 hours per week at an annual salary of $45,000 ($21.63 per hour) for two years, for a total cost of $90,000). Additional details about these job positions, hourly wages, and hours per week are included in the response to question 15. The van driver will transport edible food from donors to non-profit partners, industrial kitchens for meal preparation, and delivery to recipients. The Food Rescue Director will oversee the Careit software database, provide technical support to donors, and coordinate logistics for food recovery, reconfiguration, transportation, and distribution. The City of Burbank Recycling Coordinator and Recycling Specialist will provide education and outreach to businesses and continue negotiating additional commitments with food businesses. As previously stated, no grant funds are requested for City staff time.
Education and outreach expenditure includes $450 in graphic design costs for the van wrapping. No grant funds are requested for this expenditure. NVCS will utilize funds generated from private fundraising to cover the cost of graphic design services for the wrapping of the van ($450 line item included in the Quote for Van Wrapping by Graphics Department Inc.). Graphic design of the van wrapping will promote the program as well as CalRecycle’s funding.
Landfill Diversion Projections, Methodology, and
Supporting Documentation
All applicants must provide detailed responses to questions 6–10.
6. How many pounds of edible food did you and your Non-Lead Participant organization(s) (if applicable) recover from landfill disposal in 2020 (2020 Food Recovery Baseline)? If you and your Non-Lead Participant organization(s) did not recover edible food from landfill disposal in 2020, then your 2020 Food Recovery Baseline is zero (0) pounds.
In 2020, NVCS recovered 15,000 pounds of edible food per week (780,000 annual pounds) directly from food service businesses. NCVS also received edible food from food recovery organizations and services including Food Forward (45,000 pounds per week) and LA Regional Food Bank (12,000 pounds per week). NVCS distributed 3.6 million pounds of food in 2020. NVCS distributes food via a drive-through food pantry and non-profit partners to over 35,000 families (roughly 140,000 individuals) each month.
7. Clearly explain how the 2020 Food Recovery Baseline was measured. If you and your Non-Lead Participant organization(s), if applicable, did not recover edible food in 2020, then state that you do not have a 2020 Food Recovery Baseline.
Food donors weigh the food prior to collection by NVCS and labeled each box with the weight. NVCS weighed food after collection, but before distribution to verify accuracy. NVCS then entered the weight and other donation information into the Oasis tracking software.
Attachment 2 - Page 6
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 7
8. Specify the total pounds of edible food projected to be recovered during the Grant Term in the table below. Only include the edible food that will be recovered as a direct result of receiving grant funds. Only include pounds of edible food recovered above the 2020 Food Recovery Baseline pounds. Explain how the projected pounds of food recovered as a direct result of this grant project will be measured and tracked during the Grant Term for the purpose of reporting data to CalRecycle.
NVCS conservatively estimates this van will collect 3,000 pounds of food per day of operation; resulting in a projected total of 720,000 pounds of additional food to be recovered during the grant term. Food businesses will have the ability to weights of edible food for donation in the Careit software. NVCS will re-weigh all edible food recovered and add or revise data in the Careit software for tracking.
Data will be exported from Careit and reviewed for accuracy before reporting to CalRecycle.
Note: Provide landfill diversion projections in pounds.
Edible Food Recovery Projections Table
Q1
NTP
Date–
May
31,
2022
Q2
June–
Aug.
2022
Q3
Sept.–
Nov.
2022
Q4
Dec.
2022–
Feb.
2023
Q5
March–
May
2023
Q6
June –
Aug.
2023
Q7
Sept.–
Nov.
2023
Q8
Dec.
2023–
Feb.
29,
2024
Grant
Term
Total
36,000 72,000 72,000 108,000 108,000 108,000 108,000 108,000 720,000
9. Pr
ovide clear calculations to show how you projected the pounds of edible food that will be recovered as a direct result of this grant project.
No
te: Calculations must be defensible and consistent with information provided throughout the application documents and supporting documentation.
The selected sprinter van has the payload capacity to hold 3,726 pounds of food.
The pounds of edible food projected to be recovered in the grant term is calculated to account for the ramp up time necessary to train new staff and procure a sprinter van. During Q1, the new driver is projected to collect 3,000 pounds per week over the 12 weeks; or 36,000 pounds of food by May 31, 2022. [1 pickup day per week * 3,000 pounds of food per pickup day * 12 weeks = 36,000 pounds of food recovered per quarter]. NVCS is prepared to utilize an alternate vehicle for 1 day per week of collection in Burbank while awaiting delivery of the new sprinter van. The NVCS Burbank Food Rescue Expansion will begin collecting food 2 days per week from Q2 through Q3 resulting in 72,000 pounds of new food recovery per grant quarter. [2 pickup days per week * 3,000 pounds per pickup day * 12 weeks = 72,000 pounds of food recovery per quarter] Beginning in Q4, NVCS will increase collection to three days per week; not exceeding 8 hours per day or 20 hours per week. [3 days of pickups per week * 3,000 pounds per pickup day * 12 weeks = 108,000 pounds of food recovered per quarter] The winter holiday season spans between Q3 and Q4 and is Attachment 2 - Page 7
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 8 traditionally the busiest time of the year for food recovery organizations, so it is reasonable to expect an increase in both supply and demand. The City and NVCS have also committed to negotiating additional commitments from food businesses through the first four quarters, ending in December 2022. During the second year of the grant term, NVCS will continue the three days per week collection schedule to accommodate the increase in committed donors.
Ther
e are 828 food businesses in the City of Burbank (as listed on the “Burbank (EH) Food Permit” Spreadsheet). To demonstrate, more than 720,000 pounds of edible food is currently disposed of per year in the City, the City estimates approximately 4.5 million annual pounds of food are disposed of by the following 185 food businesses (22%): 21 Tier 1 grocery stores dispose of approximately 1 million annual pounds of donatable food; 47 Tier 1 wholesalers disposed of approximately 3 million annual pounds of donatable food; 86 Tier 2 restaurants dispose of approximately 400,000 annual pounds of donatable food; and Tier 2 hotels dispose of approximately 78,500 annual pounds of donatable food. This data estimates the quantity of edible food in the landfill stream and is calculated using CalRecycle Waste Characterization Data and National Resource Defense Council Data provided in CalRecycle’s Guidance for Estimating Edible Food Disposed (“2021June15GuidanceDocEstEdibleFoodDisposed”). Although the City is working diligently to secure organics processing capacity and provision of organics service for all generators, commercial businesses in Burbank are not yet mandated to divert food waste and are currently disposing of food waste in the landfill stream. Therefore, it is defensible to project NVCS Burbank Food Rescue Expansion will recover 720,000 pounds of edible food from the landfill stream during the term of the grant.
10. Indi
cate how residual food waste from grant-funded recovery activities will be managed. Specifically, will residual food waste be sent to a composting operation, anaerobic digestion, or used as animal feed, or otherwise diverted within the project area.
Residual food waste is diverted of through RecycLA’s curbside organics collection program collected by Republic Services at the facility location for North Valley Caring Services located at 15453 Rayen Street, North Hills, CA 91343 (LA County). Republic Services processes the residual food waste through anerobic digestion.
For projects which also include a Food Waste Prevention component, provide a detailed response to questions 11–14. If you do not have a Food Waste Prevention component to your proposed project, state that in the space provided under each question in this section.
11. How many pounds of food waste did you and your Non-Lead Participant organizations prevent from landfill disposal in 2020? If you or your partner organizations did not prevent food waste from landfill disposal in 2020, then your 2020 Food Waste Prevention Baseline is zero (0) pounds.
This project does not include a Food Waste Prevention component.
Attachment 2 - Page 8
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 9
12. Clearly describe how the 2020 Food Waste Prevention Baseline was measured.
If you and your partner organization(s), if applicable, did not prevent food waste in 2020, then state that you do not have a 2020 Food Waste Prevention Baseline.
This project does not include a Food Waste Prevention component.
13. Specify the total pounds of food waste projected to be prevented during the Grant Term. Only include the food waste that will be prevented as a direct result of receiving grant funds. Only include pounds of food waste prevention above the 2020 Food Waste Prevention Baseline pounds. Explain how the expected pounds of food waste prevented as a direct result of this grant project will be measured and tracked during the Grant Term for the purpose of reporting data to CalRecycle.
This project does not include a Food Waste Prevention component.
Note: Provide landfill diversion projections in pounds.
Food Waste Prevention Projections Table
Q1
NTP
Date–
May
31,
2022
Q2
June–
Aug.
2022
Q3
Sept.–
Nov.
2022
Q4
Dec.
2022–
Feb.
2023
Q5
March–
May
2023
Q6
June–
Aug.
2023
Q7
Sept.–
Nov.
2023
Q8
Dec.
2023–
Feb.
29,
2024
Grant
Term
Total
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14. Provide clear calculations to show how you projected the pounds of food waste that will be prevented as a direct result of this grant project. Provide information to clarify the numbers used in the calculations.
Note: Calculations must be defensible and consistent with information provided throughout the application documents and supporting documentation.
This project does not include a Food Waste Prevention component.
Jobs
All applicants must provide detailed responses to questions 15–16.
15. Will the proposed grant project create new jobs? If yes, how many new positions will be created and how many hours per week will each position be working? List each new position and include job title, hourly wage, weekly hours to be worked, and a brief description of each position.
The NVCS workforce development process recruits new employees from within their support programs including homeless outreach, the pantry program and network of volunteers. Program participants are primarily local, unemployed community members experiencing barriers to employment. Through NVCS these Attachment 2 - Page 9
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Narrative Proposal
Edible Food Recovery Grant Program, EFR1, Fiscal Year 2021–22 and 2022–23 10 community members receive on-the-job training, develop marketable skills and efficacy in sourcing and preparing food for their own families. NVCS will hire the two grant-funded employees from this program. Grant funds will be utilized to hire one part-time NVCS van driver for two years of the grant term. The van driver will be compensated $22 per hour for 20 hours per week. The project budget requests $45,760 (20 hours * $22 * 104 weeks) to fund two years of the driver’s wages, after which time NVCS will fund the ongoing costs through private funding. NVCS will recruit one full-time NVCS Food Rescue Director when provided the NTP. The Food Rescue Director will be provided $45,000 per year or $21.63 per hour for 40 hours of work per week. This hire will be responsible for client relations; coordinating with food service business to schedule pick-ups of edible food; serving as a liaison to partner non-profits to coordinate logistics such as schedule, access and resources to utilize industrial kitchens; and coordinating volunteers who cook, package and distribute recovered food. The Food Rescue Director also offers hands-on training and support to food businesses.
16. Will the proposed grant project supplement the current salary for one or more existing positions? If yes, list each existing position receiving grant funding and include job title, weekly hours to be worked, and a brief description of each position.
No existing job salaries will be supplemented with grant funds.
Note: Each position, funded in whole or in part by grant funds, must be included in the Budget. Anticipated hiring dates and start dates must be included in the Work Plan.
Attachment 2 - Page 10