AGENDA
ITEM
15 OF CAL
AGENDA
CALEXICO California ITEM
WHERE CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO MEET
15 CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
DATE: October 1, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
APPROVED BY: Benjamin A. Martinez, City Manager n
PREPARED BY: Laura Bowen, Grants Manager
SUBJECT: Authorize the City Manager to submit a Grant Application for Funds under the Catalyst- Pre-Development Program awarded by the Southern Border Coalition.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council Authorize the City Manager to submit a Grant application for an update to the Calexico International Airport Master Plan as a planning project not to exceed $200,000 under the Catalyst- Pre-Development Program awarded by the Southern Border Coalition.
Background:
The Southern Border Coalition is part of California's California Jobs First Initiative (formerly CERF Community Economic Resilience Fund). Southern Border Coalition has released the Request for Proposal for round two of the Catalyst Pre-development Fund. The Coalition is seeking pre-development projects that benefit disinvested communities while also promoting economic resilience, equitable growth, sustainability, and workforce development across high-growth industries identified by the Coalition in the Planning Phase throughout the Southern Border Region.
Discussion and Analysis:
Under this grant the City of Calexico can apply for funds for three different stages of a project: A. Exploratory Projects: for early stages of a development up to $50,000; B. Planning Projects for planning efforts up to $200,000; and C. Last Mile Projects for projects considered feasible and viable up to $400,000. The deadline to apply is October 5", 2025, and the grant performance period starts November 18, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
The City of Calexico is interested in applying for a Stage B Planning Project in the amount of $200,000 to update the Calexico International Airport Master Plan (2001). The grant can cover the cost of updating a plan but cannot be used toward capital improvements. It is a requirement to include a Community Based Organization (CBO) that will receive 10% of the award. It is proposed that the Calexico Neighborhood House (CNH) collaborate with the City of Calexico on this project, and they have agreed to participate with the City. The main objective of the update would be to create an assessment of existing
conditions at the airport, identify existing deficiencies and challenges, identify potential opportunities, and determine the extent, type, and schedule of development and investment needed that can make the airport economically self-sustaining.
Fiscal Impact:
No Fiscal Impact
Coordinated With:
Benjamin A. Martinez, City Manager
Michael Coyne, Planning & Building Director
Attachments:
1. Catalyst Pre-development Fund Request for Proposal.
ATTACHMENT NO. 1
CALIFORNIA
JOBS FIRST
Building a Community-Led,
SOUTHERN BORDER Climate-Forward Economy
COALITION
California Jobs First - Southern Border Coalition
Catalyst Pre-development Fund
Round Two
Request for Proposals
$4 million may be awarded for the projects aligned with the Southern Round Two Award Information:
Border Coalition Regional Plan.
Applicant Registration Deadline: Friday, September 5, 2025, 11:59:59 PM Registration Submission Instructions: Complete the online registration form Proposal Submission Deadline: Sunday, October 5, 2025, 11:59:59 PM Proposal Submission Instructions: Email a single PDF with proposal materials to [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Available on the Coalition website at: https://cajobsfirst.sdsu.edu/ Submission of Additional Applicant
Email - [email protected]
Questions:
Table of Contents
Overview.... ... Page 2
Background.. . Page 2
Catalyst Investment Overview.. ... Page 4
Available Funding... Page 7
Technical Assistance Page 7
Eligible Applicant.... ...Page 8
Required Proposal Sections.. ..Page 8
Optional Catalyst Proposal Section - Updates to Registration Form ... Page 9 Priority Points.. .Page 10
Contract Term. •Page 10
Timeline. Page 11
Submission and Review Process Page 11
Required Activities and Deliverables ... ...Page 10
Review Criteria Page 12
No Commitment to Award Page 13
SDSURF Contract Terms Page 13
Appendix 1 - Background on Section 1 - Project Description .. ... Page 14 Appendix 2 - Background on Section 2 - Project Alignment with CJF.. .. Page 15 Appendix 3 - Background on Section 3 - Project Alignment with Regional Goals. ...Page 16 Appendix 4 - Background on Section 4 - Project Feasibility ... Page 19 Appendix 5 - Background on Section 5 - Budget ..............Page 19 Appendix 6 - SDSURF Contract Terms and Conditions.. .. Page 21 Appendix 7 - Scoring Rubric ...... ... Page 25
Appendix 8 - Glossary of Terms ….... ... Page 29
Overview
In December 2024, the Southern Border Coalition (Coalition) completed a year-long planning phase, during which over 400 community stakeholders contributed to an in-depth regional analysis and developed targeted strategies for economic advancement in Imperial and San Diego Counties.
This work was published in a comprehensive two-part Regional Plan.
With the Regional Plan now complete, the Coalition is focused on engaging community stakeholders in its implementation. As part of the Planning Phase activities, the Coalition will award $9 million in pre-development' grants for innovative project proposals that translate the strategic plan into tangible action. The Coalition is seeking pre-development projects that benefit disinvested communities while also promoting economic resilience, equitable growth, sustainability, and workforce development across high-growth industries identified during the Planning Phase.
This Request for Proposal (RFP) is being released on behalf of the Southern Border Coalition Co- conveners - San Diego State University, Comité Civico del Valle, SBCS, Policy & Innovation Center, and Universidad Popular - the SDSU Research Foundation, as the Southern Border Coalition Fiscal Agent. This RFP is the second of two Catalyst funding rounds.
The Southern Border is committed to the success of all viable projects. Regardless of whether a project receives Catalyst grant funding, we will add all projects that meet the financial feasibility threshold to our Project Portfolio. Projects in the portfolio will be shared with external institutions to seek future support through the Industrial Investment Coordinators. For this reason, we encourage you to apply. After the scoring, all applicants who submitted a viable project will be invited to provide a photo and complete a term sheet for inclusion in the Southern Border's Project Portfolio.
Support for the Planning Phase and Implementation Phase work is made possible by two grants awarded to the Southern Border Region by the state through its California Jobs First Initiative.
Background
California Jobs First is a multi-year state investment initiative (SB 162, Chapter 259, Statutes of 2021) that supports inclusive regional planning and the development of high-priority economic 1 "Predevelopment projects" includes "exploratory" (early stage or pilot), planning, and last-mile (near implementation-ready) phase projects.
2 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP development projects benefiting disinvested communities, creating high road jobs, and transitioning the region to a net-zero emissions economy.
As part of this initiative, the state awarded the Southern Border Region $5 million to collaboratively develop a regional plan and $14 million to take the next steps in implementing the plan. This second grant includes $9 million to make seed investments in impactful projects that advance regional strategies.
The State also issued competitive statewide grants for implementing "ready to go" projects ($50 million per year for the current and following two years) and a more flexible planning or project grant for Tribes, with an option for a Tribal-serving organization to act as an intermediary.
California Jobs First Priorities
The California Jobs First includes the following core values, which will be applied to Catalyst Pre- development Fund project evaluations. Applicants should reflect on how their proposed project aligns with each of these core values of the California Jobs First Initiative. • Equity: Projects must prioritize the needs and interests of disinvested communities across the region. Prioritizing equity requires identifying how the benefits and burdens of economic development, regional planning, and other relevant processes are distributed in and across communities. Equity involves "leveling the playing field" by identifying and remediating systemic barriers facing specific groups. It requires identifying present-day disparities and confronting the planning, development, and decision-making processes that perpetuate existing barriers and historical injustices.
• Sustainability: Projects must advance economic development that is self-sustaining and aims at a carbon-neutral, climate-resilient economy, addressing the needs of the region's communities.
• Job Quality and Access: Projects must prioritize jobs that offer family-sustaining wages, health benefits, a pension, opportunities for advancement, a safety net, and opportunities for collective worker input. These jobs are stable, with predictable schedules and safe working conditions. Quality jobs must be accessible to communities throughout the region, with a specific focus on equitable access for members of disinvested communities and other groups facing labor market barriers.
• Economic Competitiveness: Projects must strengthen the region to compete effectively in the global economy and deliver prosperity to the region. This includes leveraging a region's comparative advantage, diversifying its economy, and training its workforce to prepare for jobs in emerging industries.
• Economic Resilience: Projects must focus on improving the region's ability to avoid, withstand, and recover from economic shocks. This includes foreseeing, adapting to, and leveraging changing conditions to a region's economic advantage.
In line with the California Jobs First Initiative's focus on investing in communities historically excluded from or ineligible for funding, Catalyst Pre-development Fund evaluation criteria prioritize projects that benefit communities identified in the state's definition of disinvested 3 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP communities. The California Jobs First Initiative defines "disinvested communities" as:
• Census tracts identified as 'disadvantaged by the California Environmental Protection Agency. This can be accessed here.
• Census tracts with median household incomes at or below 80 percent of the statewide median income or with median household incomes at or below the threshold designated as low-income by the Department of Housing and Community Development's list of state income limits adopted pursuant to Section 50093 of the California Health and Safety Code.
This can be accessed here.
• 'High poverty area' and 'High unemployment area' as designated by the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, California Competes Tax Credit Program.
This can be accessed here.
• California Native American tribes as defined by the list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission. This can be accessed here.
Catalyst Investment Overview
This RFP is the second of two funding rounds released by the Southern Border Coalition to award $9 million to eligible applicants for qualifying predevelopment projects.
Regional Plan and Priority Industries
All Catalyst Pre-development Projects must advance strategies outlined in Part 2 of the Southern Border Coalition Regional Plan. Further, this funding must support projects that foster equitable growth across priority industries identified and discussed in "Chapter 5 Regional Strategies" of Part 2 of the Regional Plan. The graphic below, located on page 54 of Part 2 of the Regional Plan, illustrates the priority industry sectors.
Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP Figure 6: Overview of Tradeable Industries, Locally Serving Industries, and Foundational Industries in the Southern Border region
Quality Jobs
Tradeable Lea
Quality AH, Culture. Life
industries Agriculture Clean Manufacturing Transportatior Energy & Warehousing & Tourism Sciences
Locally serving * Trope Workforce
+ Community Health Water
industries
Foundational Non-profits &
Mall Community - Digit. * Housing
industries Infrastructure - Infrastructur
Some of the priority industries apply to both Imperial and San Diego Counties, while others are specific to one of the counties. Each of the tradable sectors has an Activation Plan, which includes specific actions and projects to advance implementation of its industry strategy. The priority industries for the Southern Border Region are:
• Tradable Industries
Regional (Both San Diego and Imperial Counties) - Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Clean Energy
Imperial County Subregion - Quality Transportation, Warehousing, and Logistics San Diego County Subregion - Life Sciences and Arts, Culture, & Tourism Locally Serving Industries (Imperial and San Diego Counties) • Community Health
• Water
• Training & Workforce Development
Foundational Industries (Imperial and San Diego Counties) • Community Infrastructure
• Digital Infrastructure
• Housing
• Non-profits & Community-based Organizations.
The Catalyst Pre-development Fund evaluation criteria and scoring rubric prioritize project proposals that focus on Tradeable Industries and incorporate components of Locally Serving Industries and Foundational Industries into their project. However, project proposals that only focus on Locally Serving, Tradeable, and Foundational Industries will still be considered. Bonus points are also provided for projects that align with tasks identified in the Activation Plans.
Pre-Development Projects and Project Goals
5 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP Catalyst Pre-development Fund grant funding is intended to foster the development of a pipeline of essential, feasible, and community-driven pre-development projects. This funding will support the identification and assembly of necessary components for these projects, supplementing future resources that may become available. The objective of the Catalyst Pre-development Fund is to propel ideas and projects that achieve the following goals:
• Workforce Training and Development: Projects that advance priorities and promote the strategies identified in the Southern Border Regional Plan Part 2 that provide skills training, certification, or career advancement opportunities in targeted industries. • Community Engagement and Partnership: Projects that demonstrate strong partnerships with local organizations, community groups, and workforce agencies to ensure inclusive access and engagement for local residents.
• Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Projects that contribute to California's climate goals, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, or advancing clean technology in alignment with the Southern Border Regional Plan Part 2 • Long-term Economic Impact: Projects designed to have long-term impacts, including potential for scale, replication, or integration into broader economic development strategies across the Southern Border Region.
• Job Quality and Economic Mobility: Projects that create or support high-quality jobs with sustainable wages, benefits, and pathways for advancement, especially for underserved and disinvested communities.
Iypes of Project Activities
Catalyst Pre-development Fund awards can fund all or a specific portion of a multi-phased project.
Projects include new and expanded programs, services, technology upgrades, and physical buildings and infrastructure. Types of projects eligible for Catalyst funding are described below.
Under the evaluation criteria and scoring rubric, each of these projects is treated equally.
A. Strategic Planning and Pre-Development
Feasibility studies; market analysis; environmental assessments, surveys, and remediation; site acquisition; site and development plans; project designs; permitting; establishing a regional tax increment financing district (TIF); drafting and negotiating Community Benefits Agreements and Community Workforce Agreements; establishing public-private partnerships, Community Development Corporations and Community Development Financial Institutions; revolving loan funds; joint powers authorities; financial planning (e.g., preliminary budget and construction financing); to establish long-term funding opportunities for implementation of Planning Phase regional strategies; B. Environmental Infrastructure Development
Basic environmental infrastructure pre-development, construction, and development of long-term operations and maintenance plans for infrastructure such as clean water supply systems, wastewater systems, waste disposal systems, and pollution control services; C. Capacity Building and Project Support
Support costs for building and sustaining the capacity of project leads and partners, such as investments in partner and local staff development; funding new and/or critical 6 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP positions; acquiring or utilizing tools and resources to increase partner capacity for project planning and implementation; organizational capacity activities such as access to financial services or legal review; developing new pilot or demonstration projects and programs; participation and/or partnership with existing workforce programs; providing or securing technical assistance for partners. Note: Pilot projects are allowed if the Catalyst Proposal includes a narrative on how the pilot is being used to improve the full implementation of a larger project.
Stages of Development
Catalyst Pre-development Fund grants can be used for projects in one of three stages of development. To be eligible for funding, projects do not have to start at "Exploratory." A. Exploratory Projects - Exploratory projects are in the early stages of development. They may be an idea or a back-of-the-envelope plan and may need dedicated funding to study and develop into potential projects and conduct feasibility assessments. There are no additional requirements for exploratory projects other than the basic requirements for all projects described above.
B. Planning Projects - Planning projects are those that have moved beyond Exploratory but are not yet at Last Mile. These projects will be seeking funds to launch planning efforts and are undergoing initial development activities around a specific idea or concept that has been validated by the community and regional partners.
C. Last Mile Projects - Last-mile projects have completed feasibility assessments and are considered feasible and viable projects to achieve their stated objectives. These projects have undergone initial steps towards development and must clear a few additional hurdles (e.g., site selection, permitting, and environmental review) before being considered ready to go.
Follow-on Funding for Projects Awarded Grants in Round One All members of the Coalition are eligible to submit applications in Round Two of the Catalyst Pre- development Fund, regardless of whether their project received funding in Round One. However, if a project received a Catalyst Pre-development Fund award in Round One, the proposed project in Round Two must be distinctly different from the set of activities funded in the earlier round.
If you have questions as to whether your Round Two project is eligible, please attend one of the free online Office Hours or send an email to [email protected] to receive further clarification.
Another consideration in applying for a second grant is whether you will be able to adequately demonstrate that you and your project team have the capacity to complete both projects within the grant award period successfully. The Southern Border Coalition does not have the authority to extend the grant term. All projects must be able to document completion by September 30, 2026.
Available Funding
A total of $9,000,000 is available for Catalyst Pre-Development Fund awards in the Southern Border Region. Up to $4 million is being made available during this 2nd funding round. The first 7 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP round of funding was announced in June 2025, and descriptions of selected projects are available here.
As described above, funding is available for projects in one of three phases of development, including Exploratory, Planning, and Last Mile. The maximum funding for each project stage is listed below.
A. Exploratory Projects - Applicants may request up to $50,000 B. Planning Projects - Applicants may request up to $200,000 C. Last Mile Projects - Applicants may request up to $400,000 There is no minimum threshold for funding, and projects should request the amount of funding necessary to complete the proposed statement of work.
Technical Assistance
The Southern Border Coalition is offering a range of technical support options. For the most current list of dates and information on how to register, please check the Coalition's website. • Grant Preparedness Training Series: The Coalition is hosting a four-part training series on grant writing, covering topics such as envisioning a project, writing an application, preparing a budget, and project management, among others.
Online Workshops: There will be two online RFP presentations, followed by Q&A. • Recordings of the Online Workshops: Available on the Coalition website. • Weekly Office Hours - Held every week on Monday at 11:00 am. Office hours are an opportunity to ask questions related to your specific proposed project. • Online Request for Technical Assistance: If you would like to have a 1-on-1 technical assistance conversation on project development, RFP requirements, or simply to get an orientation to the Catalyst Pre-development Fund, you can sign up online using this link. • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Here is a link to the FAQ. We will be accepting additional questions until July 22, 2025, and then provide an updated FAQ on or before July 29, 2025.
• Email Questions: Questions can be submitted by email at [email protected].
Please continue to check our Coalition website for information on trainings, webinars, and office hours.
Eligible Applicants
Only one entity per application may serve as the Lead Applicant. The Lead Applicant must be headquartered in and serve the Southern Border Region, and a representative of the entity must be a member of the Southern Border Coalition. Eligible lead applicants include community-based organizations (CBOs), nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), labor organizations, institutions of higher education, local education agencies, and local governments. 8 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP For-profit entities may not be the lead applicant, but are eligible to be a part of the project team.
Individuals are not eligible applicants and should not be included as part of the project team. All named team members must be employees of a community-based organization (CBO), nonprofit organization, nongovernmental organization (NGO), labor organization, institution of higher education, local education agency, local government, or for-profit organization.
Organizations may submit multiple proposals so long as the scope of each proposal is sufficiently distinct. Additionally, a Fiscal Agent may serve as a fiscal sponsor for multiple Catalyst proposals.
The SDSU Research Foundation will only contract with the lead applicant; it is the duty of the lead applicant to issue subcontracts, if applicable, to members of their project team.
Required Proposal Sections
Your response to this RFP must include a document entitled "Catalyst Proposal," formatted as a PDF. At the top of the document, include the name, contact information, and the name of your project. Following that information, include your responses to each of the five required proposal response sections. Each section in the "Catalyst Proposal" document must use the same section titles as used in this RFP. Proposals that do not use the same section headings will be returned.
1. Project Description -1,500-word maximum.
a. Appendix 1 includes a list of required items to include in your response. b. The Statement of Work included in this section will also be used to evaluate the appropriateness of your proposed Budget (Section 5) and Project Feasibility (Section 4).
c. Appendix 7 includes the Scoring Rubric, which outlines the criteria used to evaluate your response.
d. Responses that exceed the word count will not be scored.
2. Project Alignment with California Jobs First - 500-word maximum. a. Appendix 2 includes a description of the required items to include in your response. b. Appendix 7 includes the Scoring Rubric, which outlines the criteria used to evaluate your response.
c. Responses that exceed the word count will not be scored.
3. Project Alignment with Southern Border Coalition - 1,500 word maximum. a. Appendix 3 includes a list of required items to include in your response. b. Appendix 7 includes the Scoring Rubric, which outlines the criteria used to evaluate your response.
c. Responses that exceed the word count will not be scored.
4. Project Feasibility - 1,000 word maximum
a. Appendix 4 includes a list of required items to include in your response. 9 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP b. The Statement of Work (Section 1) will also be used to evaluate Project Feasibility.
c. Project Feasibility is scored as Pass/Fail.
d. During the Project Feasibility review, applicants may be asked to provide additional information or clarify statements in their application. Applicants will have 36 hours to provide further information or clarification, and a second financial viability review will be conducted. Nonviable projects will be set aside. e. Appendix 7 includes the Scoring Rubric, which outlines the criteria used to evaluate your response.
5. Budget - 1,500 word maximum for Budget Narrative
a. Appendix 5 includes a list of required items to include in your response. b. The Statement of Work (Section 1) and the Work Plan (Section 4) will also be used to evaluate the appropriateness of your proposed Budget. c. Appendix 7 includes the Scoring Rubric, which outlines the criteria used to evaluate your response.
d. CBO participation of at least 10% is required if the proposed project is in the Exploratory or Planning stages of development. The name of the CBO receiving these funds should be included in the Budget Narrative or Budget Chart. i. If the Lead Applicant is a CBO and will retain more than 10% of the grant funds, this requirement is met.
ii. This requirement does not apply to Last Mile Projects. e. The Catalyst Fund grant cannot be used to reimburse proposal development costs or any costs incurred before the start of the contract.
Optional Catalyst Proposal Section - Updates to Registration Form The Catalyst Proposal document may include an Optional Section to provide updates to the Project Registration Form on:
1. The list of project collaborators, partners, or sponsors.
2. Partnership agreements, MOUs, or other such agreements related to this project.
3. The name and contact information for the Fiscal Agent, if using one.
4. The highest level of funding, its source, and the timing of grant funds previously overseen and expended by the Fiscal Agent.
Priority Points
Priority points are available in the categories listed below. These points are identified during the review of the Catalyst Proposal, including Sections 1 through 5, and the Budget. No information other than that which is included in those two documents will be considered in awarding the Priority Points.
1. Proposed projects enhancing economic activity in Traded Sectors, while also incorporating components of Foundational and Locally Serving sectors. 10 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP
2. Proposed projects with a lead applicant who primarily serves the Southern Border Region.
3. Proposed projects that provide more than 40% of their benefits to disinvested communities.
4. Proposed projects that do all the following: The project will be located in, serve, and hire from disinvested communities.
5. Proposed projects that create jobs for workers with less than two years of higher education.
6. Proposed projects that commit to and have a plan for ongoing community engagement.
7. Proposed projects that remove barriers to employment and entrepreneurship for members of disinvested communities.
8. Proposed projects with a non-lead project team member who is a CBO that will receive more than 10% of the total awarded amount. The 10% award is a requirement for Exploratory and Planning Projects. To receive Priority Points, the name of the CBO(s) and percentage of funding should be clearly identified in your Budget Narrative response to Section 5.
Contract Term
Regardless of when they are awarded, all funds for the Catalyst Pre-development awards must be expended by September 30, 2026. The anticipated start date for all awards issued through this 2nd RFP process is November 11, 2025.
Required Activities & Deliverables
To receive a grant award, the Lead Applicant is required to commit to the activities and deliverables listed below. The Catalyst Grant Registration Form includes a checkbox where the Lead Applicant is asked to confirm that they have read the list of required activities and deliverables.
A. On-boarding Meeting - Upon execution of the contract, awardees must attend an on- boarding meeting with the Co-conveners and Fiscal Agent.
B. Monthly Progress Reports - Each recipient must submit monthly progress reports to the Co-conveners and Fiscal Agent. For transparency purposes, these monthly reports will be made available on the Coalition website.
C. Presentation at Coalition Meetings - Awardees may be asked to provide periodic presentations at local, regional, and statewide convenings, as well as at the Southern Border Coalition regional and subregional task group meetings.
D. Project Close Out Report - At the conclusion of the contract term, awardees will submit a Closeout Report detailing the status of their project activities, use of funds, and next steps for sustainability and implementation.
E. Local Hire and Suppliers - Awardees must commit to taking concrete steps to hire from the local workforce, and use local small business suppliers when possible and feasible.
These commitments must be tracked and included in the monthly reports. 11 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP F. Drawing Down Funds: To receive funds, awardees will submit documentation as to the completion of a milestone or the purchase or expenditure identified in the award contract.
Timeline
Item Date
RFP Release July 7th, 2025
Proposal Kickoff Webinars (Optional) July 8, 2025, at 2:00 pm and July 24, 2025, at 4:00 pm - check website for additional information
(https://cajobsfirst.sdsu.edu/).
July 10 through September 23 - check website for
Grant Training Webinars (Optional - highly
specific dates and registration information
encouraged)
(https://cajobsfirst.sdsu.edu/).
July 14 through September 29 - check website for
Technical Assistance Office Hours (Optional)
specific dates (https://cajobsfirst.sdsu.edu/).
Written Questions Deadline July 22, 2025, at 5:00 pm
Response to Written Questions July 29, 2025
Registration Submission Deadline September 5, 2025; 11:59:59 pm RFP Response Submission Deadline October 5, 2025; 11:59:59 pm Review Period October 7-27, 2025
Award Announcements October 27, 2025
Contract Start Date November 18, 2025
Contract End Date September 30, 2026
Submission and Review Process
Step 1 - Project Registration: Lead Applicants must complete the Project Registration Form by Friday, September 5, 2025, at 11:59 pm. This information will enable the Coalition to engage with applicants and track projects during the submission and review process. The Registration Form can be found here.
Step 2 - Proposal Submittal: Lead Applicants must submit a project proposal by email by Sunday, October 5, 2025, at 11:59:59 p.m.
• Catalyst Proposal - A PDF document entitled "Organization Name - Catalyst Proposal" that contains responses to the required five proposal sections, including Section 1 - Project Description
Section 2 - Project Alignment with CJF
Section 3 - Project Alignment with Southern Border Coalition Section 4 - Project Feasibility, and
Section 5 - Budget.
The Catalyst Proposal may also include updated information from the Project Registration, as outlined in the "Optional Catalyst Proposal Section - Updates to Registration Form." • Work Plan - A PDF document entitled "Work Plan" using the provided work plan template.
The work plan template can be accessed and downloaded here (the work plan must be complete).
• Budget Chart - A PDF document entitled "Budget Chart" using the provided budget template. The budget template can be accessed and downloaded here 12 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP • Commitment Letters - PDF documents for each letter of commitment from organizations or entities that will contribute their expertise and time to the project without compensation.
This is only required if their time and expertise are contributing to the project's feasibility score in Section 4.
• What Not to Include - Do not include letters expressing support for the project; if included, they will not be scored.
Step 3 - Administrative Review: Each application for a project that (a) registered by the deadline and (b) submitted a proposal by the deadline will receive an administrative review to ensure the completeness and responsiveness of the application to the requirements outlined in the RFP. For any applications that have been found to have minor administrative errors and/or omissions, the applicant will be contacted and given 36 hours to correct the errors and/or omissions. Applicants who adequately correct minor errors and/or omissions will have their applications advanced to Step 4. If the minor errors and/or omissions are not corrected within 36 hours, the application will not be advanced to the next step.
Step 4 - Stage of Development Review: Each application that successfully completes Steps 1-3 will be reviewed to confirm the project's stage of development- Exploratory, Planning, or Last Mile.
Step 5 - Scoring: All applications that pass Steps 1 to 4 will be sent to the review committee for review, discussion, and scoring based on the Scoring Rubric in Appendix 7. The highest and lowest scores are dropped off, and the remaining scores are averaged to determine the project's final score.
Step 6 - Contract Awards: The SDSU Research Foundation will contract with the selected applicants. Applicants not selected for funding can request a meeting to discuss their application and explore ways to improve it for future funding opportunities.
Review Criteria
Applications will be reviewed using the scoring system shown in the chart below, and the Scoring Rubric is in Appendix 7.
Section Points
1 - Project Description 25
- Project Alignment with CA Jobs Firs 25
- Project Alignment with Southern Border Coalitio 40
4 - Project Feasibility Pass / Fail
5 - Budget 10
Total 100
No Commitment to Award
The issuance of this RFP and the receipt of proposals are not a commitment to award a contract.
SDSU Research Foundation expressly reserves the right to postpone proposal opening or award for its own convenience, to accept or reject any or all proposals received in response to this RFP, to negotiate with more than one Applicant concurrently, or to cancel all or part of this RFP. 13 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP SDSURF Contracting Requirements
Upon selection of a project, the SDSURF will initiate the contracting process. The Catalyst Grant Registration Form includes a check box where the Lead Applicant is asked to confirm that they have read all of the SDSURF Contracting Requirements in Appendix 6. Applicants should review the terms set forth in Appendix 6 and ensure that their organization can comply if they are selected for an award. The Registration Form can be found here.
Questions About This RFQ
Questions regarding this RFQ should be directed to [email protected]. 14 Southern Border Coalition Catalyst Pre-Development Fund RFP