DATE:
April 16, 2024
TO:
Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
FROM:
Rebecca Sermeno, Community Services Director
SUBJECT:
Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Adopting The Community Promotion Grant Subcommittee Recommendations To Select Biketopia, Easy Does It Emergency Services, Emeryville Celebration Of The Arts, Emeryville Children And Nature, Fishnets And Films, Friends Of The Golden Gate Library, Head Over Heels Athletic Arts, Kala Art Institute, Nancy Karp & Dancers, Scientific Adventures For Girls, The Compound Gallery LLC, And The Emeryville Historical Society As Recipients For The Emeryville Community Promotions Grant Program Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the attached resolution adopting the Community Promotions Grant Subcommittee recommendations to select Biketopia, Easy Does It Emergency Services, Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, Emeryville Children and Nature, Fishnets and Films, Friends of the Golden Gate Library, Head Over Heels Athletic Arts, Kala Art Institute, Nancy Karp & Dancers, Scientific Adventures for Girls, The Compound Gallery LLC, and The Emeryville Historical Society as the recipients for the Emeryville Community Promotions Grant Program.
Further, staff recommends that subcommittee members for future grant recommendations be changed to more comprehensively represent the committees affected by the Community Promotions Grant Program by including one member from the Commission On Aging, one member from Economic Development Advisory Committee, one member from Public Art Committee, and one member from Parks and Recreation Committee. Currently the subcommittee is made up of two members from Parks and Recreation Committee and two members from Public Art Committee.
Background
The Community Promotions Grant Program (CGP) was established over twenty years ago as a means of “promoting the cultural and artistic aspects of the community and to provide for a high-quality living and working environment in the City of Emeryville”. Under these guidelines, the grant program mostly funded artists and art organizations to conduct free public performances, art education, or activities that increased public access to local artists, such as open studio tours and temporary art exhibitions. Over time, the CGP began providing funds for social services, such as low-income legal assistance and nutrition programs.
Prior to FY 2012-13, virtually all of the community grant funding was drawn from the City’s former Redevelopment Agency (RDA). In FY 2012-13, due to the dissolution of the RDA, funding totaling $58,450 for the grant program was drawn from the City’s General Fund and the funding process was non-competitive, with requests for funding limited to a set number of community organizations that received the same level of funding each year. Staff were directed by City Council to notify all the FY 2013-14 grantees that the program was under review, and to place the program under the Community Services Department upon completion of the Emeryville Center of Community Life.
Staff worked on an application process and program guidelines and presented the staff report to City Council on December 6, 2016. The goal of the CGP is to fund eligible arts and culture organizations and individuals to provide diverse programs and activities that benefit the greater Emeryville community. The grant guidelines are as follows:
Grant Guidelines:
Submit a completed application by the deadline.
Provide proof of non-profit status or a fiscal agent.
Program or activity must be completed in Emeryville.
Grants - $10,000 cap.
Applicant to complete closing documents upon completion of the project.
Discussion
On January 22, 2024, the City released a CGP call for applications on the City’s website, through social media, and by contacting former recipients. By February 28, 2024, the City had received qualified 23 applications.
The selection panel included 1. Taryn Walker, PAC Member; 2. Ronald Davis, PAC Member; 3. Gail Donaldson, Parks and Recreation Member; and 4. Nicholas Robert, Parks and Recreation Member. The meeting was facilitated by Rebecca Sermeno, Community Services Director, and Amber Evans, Economic and Community Development Coordinator III.
To enhance diversity within the subcommittee in the future, staff recommends that the subcommittee consist of a more comprehensive representation from all committees impacted by the CGP. The suggestion is to include one member from the Commission On Aging, one from the Economic Development Advisory Committee, one from the Public Art Committee, and one from the Parks and Recreation Committee. Currently, the subcommittee is composed of two members from the Parks and Recreation Committee and two members from the Public Art Committee. This recommended change to the make-up of the subcommittee would strengthen representation of the entire Emeryville community.
The Selection Panel met on March 11, 2024, to recommend the applications that best fit the grant’s guidelines and goals. The Selection Panel discussed the merits of each program or activity, and made the following recommendations:
Program/Event Name
Grant - Organization Name
REQUESTED
GRANT
RECOMMENDED AWARDS
Biketopia Emeryville Events
Biketopia
5,919.00
4,419.00
Wheelchair Repair Services
Easy Does It Emergency Services
10,000.00
1,500.00
Art Library
Gallery 4509/Emeryville Celebration of the Arts
1,700.00
1,700.00
Nature Pop-up Series
Emeryville Children & Nature
10,000.00
9,000.00
Fishnets and Film Annual Queer Film Festival
Fishnets and Film
9,965.00
2,881.00
Free Live Jazz Concerts
Friends of the Golden Gate Library
10,000.00
5,000.00
2024 Summer Camp Scholarship Program
Head Over Heels
10,000.00
10,000.00
Artists-in-Schools
Kala Art Institute
10,000.00
10,000.00
Dancing in the Schools
Nancy Karp + Dancers
10,000.00
10,000.00
Anna Yates Elementary Afterschool STEM Education Program Scientific Adventures for Girls
10,000.00
10,000.00
Printing in the Park!
The Compound Gallery
9,000.00
4,500.00
Emeryville Greenway Historic Walking Tour
Emeryville Historical Society
8,906.00
4,500.00
Fiscal Impact
The current approved budget includes $73,500 from 230-87300. The committee recommends allocating the budgeted $73,500 to the 12 community grant recipients listed above at the recommended award amounts.
Staff Communication with the Public
No staff communication with the public
PREPARED BY: Rebecca Sermeno, Community Services Director Approved and Forwarded to the
City Council of the City of Emeryville:
Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
Attachments
Draft Resolution
Grant Applicants Overview
Community Promotions Grant Program
City Council Meeting | April 16, 2024
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM