Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Outdoor Equity Grants Program Application
Date: November 28, 2023
Written by: Ashley Wilson, Recreation Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution endorsing the City of Cotati’s application for the Outdoor Equity Program Grant funds.
Background
In 2019, the Outdoor Equity Grants Program was enacted when Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 209, which is now part of the Administration’s Outdoors for All Initiative. The Outdoor Equity Grants Program (OEP) improves the health and wellness of Californians – through new educational and recreational activities, service learning, career pathways, and leadership opportunities that strengthen a connection to the natural world. OEP’s intent is to increase the ability of residents in underserved communities to participate in outdoor experiences within their community, at state parks, and other public lands. The funding helps establish hubs for local activities and trips to natural areas for underserved communities.
Round One applications were received on October 8, 2021, and grant awards were announced on May 27, 2022.The City of Cotati did not receive funding from prior rounds.
Round Two of OEP provides funding for California’s underserved communities which will continue to advance the goals of the “Outdoor Access for All” initiative championed by Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the Natural Resources Agency’s “Outdoors for All” initiative.
Funds for this round (Round 2) of grants are administered through the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Grants and Services (OGALS).
Public agencies including but not limited to cities, counties, special districts, joint powers authorities, schools, and 501(c)(3) non-profits are eligible for the grant. The maximum that can be applied for is $700,000, and there is a $20,000 minimum. There is no match requirement for this grant.
Analysis/Discussion
A requirement for the grant application is to choose a community home base, which will serve as a central gathering place in an underserved community that needs access to outdoor programs.
Examples of central gathering places in a community could be a school, a recreation center, a community meeting space, a local park, etc. The community home base is where the participants will primarily gain access to the proposed activities. The community home base for this application will be the Veronda-Falletti Ranch, located at 175 East School Street.
An additional requirement for the grant application is to plan activities in the community and natural area trips from the community home base (Veronda-Falletti Ranch). Activities in the community can include: teaching participants about the community’s environment, taking educational walks in the community to discover nature in action, or preparing participants for a natural area trip. Natural area trips from the community home base can include traveling to a regional, state, national park, tribal land, river or lake, beach, forest, mountain, or desert area for day or overnight trips within the state.
Feedback from outreach in the community has shown a great interest in camping trips, family trips, day trips to the beach, overnight trips to Yosemite National Park, and much more. Outreach is still being conducted and final natural area trips will be included in the grant application.
If the grant is awarded, the City will partner with Veronda-Falletti Ranch licensees Sandy Loam and Farmster, as well as Santa Rosa Junior College and Rancho Cotate High School to provide educational and recreational opportunities to the community. The grant funds can be used for transportation, staff costs, entry fees, lodging, supplies, and in some cases, meals. Funding cannot be used for construction projects or purchasing vehicles.
Financial Considerations
The fiscal impact to the City will depend on if the Outdoor Equity Grant funds are awarded. If the full grant amount is awarded, the proposed project will be funded by grant monies or the project will be adjusted to stay within the financial limits of grant and City funding available. If the grant is not awarded, the proposed project will not be included in planned activities unless additional grant or other outside funding becomes available.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.