2025-2026 Requests for Funding
Planning and Development Department
2600 Fresno Street, Room 3065
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 621-8003
Table of Contents
Public Services ......................................................................................................................... 3 Boys and Girls Club ................................................................................................................................... 4 BreakBox Thought Collective .................................................................................................................. 39 Central Valley Justice Coalition ............................................................................................................... 76 Chinatown Fresno ................................................................................................................................. 105 Highway City Community Development Corporation .......................................................................... 131 Pearl Transit Corp. ................................................................................................................................. 154 Poverello House .................................................................................................................................... 187 Upwards Care, Inc. ................................................................................................................................ 219 Owner‐Occupied Rehabilitation .......................................................................................... 255 Self‐Help Enterprises ............................................................................................................................. 256 Infrastructure and Public Facility Improvements ................................................................. 291 PARCS .................................................................................................................................................... 292 Helping Others Pursue Excellence (HOPE) ............................................................................................ 321 Khalsa Foundation ................................................................................................................................. 350 Self‐Help Enterprises ............................................................................................................................. 374 Homeless and Homelessness Prevention ............................................................................. 407 Central Valley Justice Coalition ............................................................................................................. 408 Community Medical Center .................................................................................................................. 435 Housing Authority City of Fresno HMIS ................................................................................................ 464 Housing Authority City of Fresno HOME TBRA ..................................................................................... 482 Pearl Transit Corp. ................................................................................................................................. 502 Poverello House Street Outreach ......................................................................................................... 532 Poverello House Rapid Rehousing ........................................................................................................ 561 South Tower Community Land Trust .................................................................................................... 591 WestCare California, Inc. Project Unite ................................................................................................ 619 WestCare California, Inc. Living Room .................................................................................................. 648
Public and Community Services
Entity Project Name Amount Requested
Boys and Girls Clubs of Fresno County Boys & Girls Clubs Educate and Inspire Fresno Youth - 2025 199,942$ BreakBox Thought Collective Kuumba: An Agile Learning Center for Culture, Creativiey, and Wellness 699,153$
Central Valley Justice Coalition Youth Advocacy and Mentorship Program 162,139$ Chinatown Fresno Chinatown Open for Business 40,000$
Highway City Community Development
Corporation Continuing Paths to Good Health 23,057$
Pearl Transit Corp. Oral Health Outreach for Low-Income Fresno Residents 200,000$ Poverello House Culinary Workforce Development Program 350,000$ Upwards Care, Inc. Boost 800,000$
Total 2,474,291$
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 3
Boys & G
irls Clubs of Fresno
County
Boys & Girls Clubs Educate and Inspire
Fresno Youth - 2025
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2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 5
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Part A, Section 2: Organizational Background
Please provide the organization's mission statement within the below space:
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County (B&GCFC) is a private, non-profit community based 501 (c)3 organization that has provided successful after-school programs for at risk youth since 1949. We have 14 Clubs serving children, youth and their families in both urban and rural neighborhoods. Each Club has been intentionally located in impoverished neighborhoods of great economic and social need. B&GCFC is the largest youth-serving organization in the County.
Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Our youth development services address three core areas: Academic Success, Character & Leadership, and Healthy Life Styles. We are open 5 days a week, after-school and during summer. Our membership fee is still $5.00 per year. If a youth is unable to meet this fee, we have them "earn" it by helping with a project.
This project emphasizes literacy, health and wellness at 4 Clubs in the City of Fresno.
It provides resources and mentoring in a positive setting to the kids who need us most, helping to improve their quality of life
Please mark any of the following classifications that apply to your organization:
D Woman-Owned Business
D Minority Institution
□ Tribal
D Other:
D Small Business
D Minority-Owned
D Veteran-Owned
Part A, Section 3: Organizational Capacity and Management Please provide the number of staff employed by your organization:
Please provide key personnel information for HUD-funded projects:
Staff Name.
1) Diane Carbray
2) Kristin Saldivar
3) Marylou Ramirez
4)
5)
Board of Directors
Title
President/CEO
Chief Operating Officer
Senior Director of
Operations
How often does your Board of Directors regularly meet?
Monthly
·Years of
Experience
19 21
26 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 6
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
List current Board of Directors below:
Lisa Nilmeier 6) Paul Gibson
Michael Goldfarb 7) Corey Jackson
Ryan Toncheff 8) Clayton Medina
Lee Anne Briscoe 9) Jose Plascencia
Vanessa Elizondo 10) Lorenzo Ramirez
Financial Management
1) Provide the name of staff responsible for your agency's accounting system
Name:
Title:
Phone/Email:
llyn Elias
Controller
559 266 3117
2) Has your agency operated with or managed federal funds within the past three years? � Yes D No
Has your agency been required to comply with the Single Audit requirements of the Uniform Guidance in the past two fiscal years? 3) D Yes � No
A Single Audit is required when $1,000,000 or more in federal funds is expended in a fiscal year.
Have your agency's annual financial statements been audited by an independent audit firm? � Yes D No 4) If yes, please provide a copy of the statements for the past two years in Exhibit 2.
If the answer to Questions 3 or 4 were 'Yes', please explain any findings 5) or questioned costs.
See Exhibit 2
Does your financial system:
a) Provide for the control and accountability of grant funds, property, 6) and other assets? � Yes D No
b) Separately track revenue and expenditures for the grant funds? � Yes D No
Does your payroll system separately track staff time by grant and/or 7) activity? D Yes � No
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PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
B) Are all payments properly documented with evidence or receipt of goods or performance of services?� Yes D No
9) Are all bank accounts reconciled monthly?� Yes □ No
10)
11)
Has your agency had any significant changes in key personnel within the past 12 months? (e.g. Controller, Exec. Director, Program Manager, Accounting Manager, etc.) � Yes D No
If yes, please explain
New Controller: llyn Elias
Date of Hire: May 13, 2024
Has your agency implemented new or substantially changed systems related to grant management or accounting systems in the past 12 months?
D Yes � No
If yes, please explain
Does your agency have policies that address the following? Ethics/Professional Conduct � Yes D No
Pay Rates and Benefits � Yes D No
Discrimination � Yes D No
12) Purchasing/Procurement � Yes D No
Property and Equipment � Yes D No
Segregation of Duties � Yes D No
Time and Effort Reporting � Yes D No
Record Retention � Yes D No
13) Does your agency certify that you have a current business license with the City of Fresno? � Yes D No
Does your agency certify that they are not presently debarred, 14) suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal or State department or agency? � Yes D No
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 8
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Authorized Signatories
If your organization is selected for funding, signatures from persons bearing titles from each of the two lines below will be required by your organization.
1. Board Chair, President, or Vice President
2. Treasurer, Secretary, or Assistant Secretary
If you will be unable to provide the two requested signatures or intend to otherwise deviate from the standard signature authority, please indicate the names and titles of the authorized signatories below and provide the names and titles of the person(s) authorized to execute agreements on behalf of your organization in your board certified resolution.
Authorized Signatory Name Authorized Signatory Title
1) Lisa Nilmeier Board Chair
2) Diane Carbray President/CEO
[RJ Board Resolution providing for the signature authority of persons to sign agreements on behalf of the entity is attached (required before a subrecipient agreement will be executed).
To view the City's policy regarding signature authority, including a sample signature page and sample certification, view Administrative Order 4-1 at:
https://www.fresno.gov/personnel/human-resources-support/#administrative-order 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 9
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Part A, Section 4: Summary of Attached Applications:
Provide number and total dollar amount of applications by Application Type ► Homeless and Homelessness Prevention Programs
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
► Owner-Occupied Home Repair
Number of Applications
► Public and Community Services
Number of Applications
1 ► Fair Housing
Number of Applications
$
Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
Total Dollar Amount Requested
$ 199,942.00
Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
► Public Infrastructure & Facility Improvements
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
--
GRAND TOTAL
Number of Applications
1 Total Dollar Amount Requested
$199,942.00
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 10
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Required Attachments to Part A
Select all attachments included.
� Part A, Exhibit 1 - Organization's U.S. Internal Revenue Service 501 (c)(3) Determination of Exemption Letter (Required)
� Part A, Exhibit 2- Most Recent Audited Financial Statement (an IRS 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, may be submitted in lieu of an audit whenever the organization lacks an audit due it not exceeding California and Federal audit thresholds)
� Part A, Exhibit 3 - Copies of results of audits, examinations, or monitoring procedures performed during the last two fiscal years on any direct federal award received by the organization
� Part A, Exhibit 4 - Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with Federal Cognizant Agency (Required if applicant seeks to charge an indirect cost rate greater than 15 percent of modified total direct costs)
� Part A, Exhibit 5 - List of all awards to the organization from City of Fresno during the past two years
� Part A, Exhibit 6 -Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation (when location of incorporation was outside of California) (Required of Out-of-State Corporations only)
� Part A, Exhibit 7 - List of Directors and Officers by Corporate Title and Name (Required)
� Part A, Exhibit 8 - Organization's Articles of Incorporation (Required) � Part A, Exhibit 9 - Bylaws of the Organization (Required) � Part A, Exhibit 10 - Resolution of the Board of the Directors Authorizing the Application and Naming the Persons Authorized to Sign the Application (Required; the Resolution must be submitted to the City by 5 PM, February 1, 2025) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 11
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BreakBox Thought Collective
Kuumba: An Agile Learning Center for
Culture, Creativity and Wellness
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 39
PY 2025-2026 CONSOLIDATEDNOFA
PART A – COVERPAGE:
NON-PROFITORGANIZATION 1
PartA, Section 1:General Information
Legal Name of the Organization: Fictitious Name (if applicable):
BreakBox Thought Collective
UEI of Organization: Taxpayer Identification Number:
83-1622613
Date of Incorporation: Date of 501(c)(3) Determination:
11/09/2018 January 6th, 2022
Mailing Address of Organization: Organization Website Address:
6585 N Callish Ave
Fresno CA, 93710
www.breakboxthoughtcollective.
org
Name of President (or Chair of the Board): E-mail Address:
Melissa Knight [email protected]
Name of Chief Executive or Executive Director: E-mail Address:
Jamillah Finley
jamillah@breakboxthoughtcollec
tive.org
Name of the Secretary: E-mail Address:
Error!Bookmark notdefined.
Name of Treasurer (or Chief Financial Officer): E-mail Address:
Tamita Boyd
tboyd@breakboxthoughtcollectiv
e.org
Principal Contact
Person: Principal Contact’s Title:
Principal Contact’s Physical
Address (Street Address, Suite,
City, State, ZIP):
Jamillah Finley Executive Director
6585 N Callish Ave
Fresno CA, 93710
Primary Phone #: Alternative Phone #: E-mail Address:
5592724710 5593073819
Name of Authorized Signatory: Title of Authorized Signatory:
Jamillah Finley Executive Director
Signature of Authorized Official: Date of Signature:
Jamillah Finley 01/13/2025
1 This document is for non-profit organizations. Units of local government, please complete Part A: Unit of Government Information
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 40
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Page2 of7
Do you have an active registration with SAM.gov? Yes No PartA, Section 2:Organizational Background
Please provide the organization’s mission statement within the below space:
Our mission is to foster a holistic, arts-integrated approach to healing the community we serve, BreakBox Thought Collective aims to provide culturally responsive events, economic
opportunities, and programs which create lasting impact in the Central Valley through cross-sector collaboration.
Please mark any of the following classifications that apply to your organization:
Woman-Owned Business Small Business
Minority Institution Minority-Owned
Tribal Veteran-Owned
Other:
PartA, Section 3:Organizational Capacityand Management
Please provide the number of staff employed by your organization: 8 Please provide key personnel information for HUD-funded projects:
Staff Name Title
Yearsof
Experience
1) Jamillah Finley Executive Director 22
2) Earl Oliver Deputy Director 8
3) Elisha Henderson AP Supervisor 6
4) Jamila Wheeler Executive Assistant 4
5) Tamita Boyd Cheif Financial Officer 14
Board ofDirectors
How often does your Board of Directors regularly meet?
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 41
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Page4 of7
8) Are all payments properly documented with evidence or receipt of goods or performance of services? Yes No
9) Are all bank accounts reconciled monthly? Yes No
10)
Has your agency had any significant changes in key personnel within the past 12 months? (e.g. Controller, Exec. Director, Program Manager, Accounting Manager, etc.) Yes No
If yes, please explain
11)
Has your agency implemented new or substantially changed systems related to grant management or accounting systems in the past 12 months?
Yes No
If yes, please explain
12)
Does your agency have policies that address the following? Ethics/Professional Conduct Yes No
Pay Rates and Benefits Yes No
Discrimination Yes No
Purchasing/Procurement Yes No
Property and Equipment Yes No
Segregation of Duties Yes No
Time and Effort Reporting Yes No
Record Retention Yes No
13) Does your agency certify that you have a current business license with the City of Fresno? Yes No
14)
Does your agency certify that they are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal or State department or agency?
Yes No
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 42
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Page5 of7
Authorized Signatories
If your organization is selected for funding, signatures from persons bearing titles from each of the two lines below will be required by your organization.
1. Board Chair, President, or Vice President
2. Treasurer, Secretary, or Assistant Secretary
If you will be unable to provide the two requested signatures or intend to otherwise deviate from the standard signature authority, please indicate the names and titles of the authorized signatories below and provide the names and titles of the person(s) authorized to execute agreements on behalf of your organization in your board- certified resolution.
Authorized Signatory Name Authorized Signatory Title
1) Jamillah Finley President
2) Elisha Henderson Treasurer
Board Resolution providing for the signature authority of persons to sign agreements on behalf of the entity is attached (required before a subrecipient agreement will be executed).
To view the City’s policy regarding signature authority, including a sample signature page and sample certification, view Administrative Order 4-1 at:
https://www.fresno.gov/personnel/human-resources-support/#administrative-order 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 43
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Page6 of7
PartA, Section 4:Summary ofAttached Applications:
Provide number and total dollar amount of applications by Application Type HomelessandHomelessness PreventionPrograms
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
Owner-Occupied HomeRepair
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
Publicand Community Services
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
1 $ 699,153.00
FairHousing
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
PublicInfrastructure & Facility Improvements
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
=
GRANDTOTAL
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
1 $699,153.00
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 44
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Page7 of7
Required Attachments to PartA
Select all attachments included.
Part A,Exhibit1 – Organization’s U.S. Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) Determination of Exemption Letter (Required)
Part A,Exhibit2 – Most Recent Audited Financial Statement (an IRS 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax , may be submitted in lieu of an audit whenever the organization lacks an audit due it not exceeding California and Federal audit thresholds)
Part A,Exhibit3 – Copies of results of audits, examinations, or monitoring procedures performed during the last two fiscal years on any direct federal award received by the organization
Part A,Exhibit4 – Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with Federal Cognizant Agency (Required if applicant seeks to charge an indirect cost rate greater than 15 percent of modified total direct costs)
Part A,Exhibit5 – List of all awards to the organization from City of Fresno during the past two years
Part A,Exhibit6 – Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation (when location of incorporation was outside of California) (Required of Out-of-State Corporations only)
Part A,Exhibit7 – List of Directors and Officers by Corporate Title and Name (Required)
Part A,Exhibit8 – Organization’s Articles of Incorporation (Required) Part A,Exhibit9 – Bylaws of the Organization (Required) Part A,Exhibit10 – Resolution of the Board of the Directors Authorizing the Application and Naming the Persons Authorized to Sign the Application (Required; the Resolution must be submitted to the City by 5 PM, February 1, 2025) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 45
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
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PY 2025-2026 APPLICATION
Community ServicePrograms
NOTE: This application is not for community services to benefit primarily homeless and individuals at risk of homelessness. If you are a homeless service provider, please use the Homeless Housing and Services application.
1. Project SummaryInformation – please complete the below summary information for the project/program.
Project Name (10 words or less): Kuumba: An Agile Learning Center for Culture, Creativity and Wellness
Amount Requested: $ 699,153.00
To utilize CDBG funds for a community service, the service must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service.
This project is a:
New Project/Program
Existing Project/Program
Provide a short description of the proposed program/activity. (1 to 3 sentences and must fit in the provided space).
BreakBox Thought Collective fosters emotional resilience within our trauma-informed, arts-integrated community healing center by offering culturally competent mental and behavioral health training services, programs, and events.
As a third space environment, BreakBox Thought Collective + Studios serves as a comprehensive wellness hub that prioritizes and honors the lived experiences and cultural narratives of the Black community through art and storytelling. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 46
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
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If this is an existing project/program that has not received CDBG funding from the City previously, please briefly explain how CDBG funds will be used to increase the level of service.
2. OrganizationalCapacity
a. Briefly describe how your organization’s prior activities have resulted in meaningful impact:
Our prior Community Healing Day events have yielded significant and meaningful impact, as we have witnessed participants forging deep connections and recognizing that they have discovered a vital third space where they feel seen, safe, and included.
These monthly events, held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, provide group therapy sessions and mental health-focused activities facilitated by licensed therapists and certified wellness practitioners.
In our commitment to making these resources accessible, we mitigate common barriers to participation by providing childcare and dinner, ensuring that individuals can engage without the stress of logistical challenges. Attendees have consistently provided feedback indicating that they received far more from the event than they had initially anticipated.
During these gatherings, we pose two pivotal questions. The first, upon participant entry, is "What do you need today?" The feedback gathered from this inquiry includes sentiments such as:
- Change of mind
- Supportive Black space
- Learning
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PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
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- Uplifting energy and positive peers around me
- Guidance in steps/ways to heal properly and efficiently - Just to be in the space with strong sisters having good adult conversation for my mental health
Upon conclusion of the event, attendees are asked a reflective closure question, "What did you receive today?" The responses we have collected are profoundly heartwarming and affirming, such as:
- Hope
- New perspective
- The feeling of sisterhood—that I am not alone
- Self-reflection and life skills
- Sisterly love
- Friendship, fun, and food
The impact of group therapy is well-documented in the literature. Research indicates that group therapy can lead to significant improvements in participants' mental health, providing a supportive environment that fosters interpersonal connections and shared experiences. For instance, Yalom and Leszcz (2005) found that group therapy can enhance self-esteem, social skills, and overall psychological well-being. Moreover, a study by Burlingame et al. (2011) demonstrated that group therapy is often as effective as individual therapy, particularly in promoting social support and reducing feelings of isolation.
Additionally, the use of culturally relevant expressive arts therapy has been shown to enhance therapeutic outcomes, particularly among marginalized populations.
According to a study by Malchiodi (2013), expressive arts therapies can facilitate emotional expression and healing, allowing participants to engage with their cultural identities while exploring personal narratives. This approach not only validates the experiences of participants but also fosters resilience and empowerment. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 48
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
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Since its inception in January 2024, this event has more than doubled in capacity, demonstrating a compelling demand as participants express a strong desire to encourage their peers and loved ones to partake in the Community Healing Day experiences. This remarkable growth underscores the transformative impact these gatherings have on our community.
References:
1. Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (5th ed.). Basic Books.
2. Burlingame, G. M., Fuhriman, A., & Mosier, J. (2011). The efficacy of group psychotherapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 48(1), 94-104.
3. Malchiodi, C. A. (2013). Expressive Arts Therapy: Creative Process in Art and Life.
Routledge.
b. Describe the organization’s experience with administering federally funded programs of this nature.
While we have not yet received federal funding, our collaboration with the Sierra Health Foundation for the Youth Suicide Prevention initiative, specifically the Never A Bother statewide campaign, is ultimately funded by the California Department of Public Health.
The Never A Bother campaign aims to reduce suicide, suicide attempts, and self- harming behaviors among disproportionately impacted youth. c. For how many years has the organization administered activities of the type described in this application?
7 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 49
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
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d. Does the organization have the following in place (check box if ‘yes’)? Written policies and procedures for the proposed project or program (i.e., intake, eligibility)
Written Financial Management Policies and Procedures
Non-Discrimination / Equal Opportunity Policy
Conflict of Interest Policies and Procedures
Procurement Policies and Procedures
e. Please describe the cultural competency training staff will be required to complete during the term of this program.
At BreakBox Thought Collective, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all participants. To achieve this, our staff will undergo comprehensive cultural competency training during the term of this program, which will include the following key components:
1. Foundational Cultural Competency Training: All staff will participate in foundational training that covers the principles of cultural competency, including understanding and respecting diverse cultural backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This training will help staff recognize their own biases and learn strategies to create a welcoming environment for all participants.
2. LGBTQIA+ Inclusivity Training: Staff will complete specialized training focused on LGBTQIA+ inclusivity. This training will cover topics such as gender identity, sexual orientation, and the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals. Staff will learn how to create safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth and adults, ensuring that all participants feel respected and valued.
3. Childcare Training: Our childcare program will be staffed by trained youth and certified adults who have completed specific training in child development, trauma- informed care, and inclusive practices. This training will ensure that our childcare providers are equipped to support the diverse needs of children and families in our community.
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Application – Community Services
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4. Cultural Awareness Workshops: Throughout the program, staff will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing workshops and discussions led by community experts. These sessions will focus on various cultural topics, including race, ethnicity, ability, and socioeconomic status, allowing staff to deepen their understanding and enhance their skills in serving a diverse population.
5. Community Engagement: Staff will be encouraged to engage with community members and stakeholders to gain insights into the cultural dynamics of the populations we serve. This engagement will help staff to better tailor their approaches and programming to meet the unique needs of our community.
By implementing this comprehensive cultural competency training program, BreakBox Thought Collective ensures that our staff is well-prepared to create an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment for all participants, ultimately enhancing the overall effectiveness of our programs and services.
3. Proposed Scope ofWork
a. Briefly describe the needs this proposal addresses, and how existing resources are insufficient to meet this need:
Needs Addressed by This Proposal
This proposal addresses critical gaps in education, wellness, and career readiness for youth aged 14–19, particularly those interested in art, culture, innovation, and creativity. Many young people in underserved communities lack access to culturally responsive, trauma-informed educational environments that support holistic development, creative exploration, and career competency.
Traditional learning environments often fail to meet the needs of youth who thrive in non-classroom-based, experiential settings. Additionally, there is a significant need for accessible mental health support and resources that integrate cultural practices and address intergenerational trauma.
Existing resources in the Central Valley are insufficient to meet these needs.
While some programs offer educational or artistic opportunities, they often operate in isolation, lack coordination, or fail to provide comprehensive support to youth and their families. Few initiatives focus on integrating career technical education with mental health care, life skills, and cultural arts, leaving a significant gap in support for youth pursuing non-traditional pathways to success. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 51
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Application – Community Services
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How Existing Resources Are Insufficient
Limited Access to Comprehensive Programs: Most existing programs focus on either education, wellness, or arts, but not all three in an integrated and holistic manner. This siloed approach limits opportunities for youth to connect their creative passions with career readiness and mental well-being.
Cultural Gaps in Mental Health Support: Many mental health services fail to reflect the cultural heritage and lived experiences of the diverse populations in the Central Valley. This disconnect creates barriers to engagement and efficacy.
Insufficient Family Support: Current programs often overlook the critical role of family involvement in youth development, leaving parents and caregivers without the resources or support needed to foster growth and success at home.
Lack of Personalized, Flexible Opportunities: Traditional education and career pathways are often rigid and fail to accommodate the unique learning styles, interests, and needs of youth who thrive in creative, hands-on environments.
Economic Barriers: Many families face financial challenges that prevent them from accessing high-quality educational and wellness resources, creating inequities in opportunity and long-term outcomes.
BreakBox Thought Collective seeks to fill these gaps by creating a community hub that integrates culturally responsive education, mental health care, and career technical training, ensuring that youth and families have access to the resources and support they need to thrive.
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Application – Community Services
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b. Briefly describe the target population and how the project will meet the specific needs of the target population and how the project will be marketed to the target population.
The target population for this project includes youth aged 14–19 in the Central Valley, particularly those from underserved or marginalized communities with interests in art, culture, innovation, and creativity. The program is also designed to engage families, recognizing their critical role in supporting youth development.
The target population includes:
Youth Historically Lacking Access: Young people who have limited exposure to culturally responsive education, creative opportunities, and career technical pathways.
Youth Facing Economic Barriers: Individuals from low-income households who cannot afford traditional extracurricular programs or access to mental health services.
Creative and Non-Traditional Learners: Youth who thrive in experiential, hands-on learning environments rather than conventional classroom settings.
Culturally Diverse Populations: Communities of color, especially those with African Diasporic heritage, who seek programs that reflect and celebrate their cultural identity.
Meeting the Needs of the Target Population
Holistic and Integrated Services: The program combines arts, wellness, and career readiness to address the whole person, offering creative outlets, mental health support, and career technical education under one roof.
Culturally Responsive Programming: Programs are rooted in cultural awareness and practices, ensuring that youth see themselves represented and valued in the curriculum and resources.
Flexible and Personalized Opportunities: The initiative provides adaptable learning models, including after-school programs, paid internships, workshops, and virtual options, tailored to individual needs and interests.
Family Support: By offering services such as childcare, wellness activities, and community engagement opportunities, the program ensures that families are empowered to support their children’s growth and development.
Trauma-Informed Approach: Through partnerships with culturally congruent mental health practitioners and trauma-informed specialists, the program creates 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 53
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a safe, nurturing environment for healing and growth.
Marketing to the Target Population
The project will utilize a multi-faceted approach to ensure maximum reach and engagement:
Community Partnerships: Collaborating with schools, community organizations, faith-based groups, and local businesses to raise awareness and provide referrals.
Social Media Campaigns: Leveraging platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to connect with youth and families through engaging content, testimonials, and program highlights.
Grassroots Outreach: Hosting informational sessions, pop-up events, and participating in local festivals and community gatherings to meet youth and families where they are.
Youth Leadership Team: Empowering young participants to act as ambassadors, sharing their experiences and inviting peers to join the program.
Collaborative Marketing: Working with local artists, educators, and mentors involved in the program to promote its offerings through their networks.
By integrating targeted outreach strategies with a robust, culturally responsive program design, this project ensures that it meets the unique needs of the community it serves while fostering sustained engagement. c. Describe consultation efforts made with the target population in the development of the proposed activity.
BreakBox Thought Collective has prioritized deep and continuous engagement with the target population in developing this proposed activity. Our consultation efforts have been intentional, community-driven, and iterative, ensuring that the program is directly informed by the voices and needs of those it seeks to serve.
Key consultation efforts include:
Community Vision Casting Sessions: We conducted two vision casting sessions to collaboratively imagine a future that reflects the community’s goals, needs, and aspirations. These sessions brought together diverse stakeholders, including youth, parents, educators, artists, and mental health practitioners, to co-create a 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 54
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shared vision for the program.
Community Listening Sessions: Multiple listening sessions were held to hear directly from youth and families about their challenges, desires, and priorities.
These open forums provided a safe space for honest dialogue and fostered trust between the organization and the community.
Design Charettes: We facilitated four charettes, engaging small, diverse groups of community members in interactive and collaborative planning. These sessions allowed participants to brainstorm, critique, and refine ideas for program development, ensuring their input shaped the program’s structure, offerings, and delivery methods.
Ongoing Feedback During Community Healing Days: At every monthly Community Healing Day, we ask participants, “How can we better serve you?” and “What services are you in need of?” This direct, ongoing engagement creates a continuous feedback loop that allows the program to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of the community.
Youth-Centered Leadership: The formation of our youth leadership team has been instrumental in gathering input from their peers and ensuring that programming is designed “by youth, for youth.” This approach amplifies the voices of young people, making them active participants in shaping the services they will benefit from.
Surveys and Evaluations: Regular surveys and evaluations provide quantitative and qualitative data on community needs, preferences, and satisfaction. These tools help identify trends and gaps, ensuring our program aligns with community priorities.
How These Efforts Inform the Proposed Activity
Holistic Design: Feedback emphasized the need for integrated services that combine arts, wellness, and career preparation, leading to the development of a multi-dimensional program model.
Cultural Relevance: Input from community members highlighted the importance of culturally responsive programming, which is now a cornerstone of all BreakBox offerings.
Accessibility: Participants expressed a need for flexible, family-inclusive, and low- cost services, shaping our approach to provide childcare, free events, and personalized learning opportunities.
Sustained Engagement: The recurring theme of relationship-building and trust reinforced our commitment to long-term partnerships and a continuous feedback 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 55
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process to keep the program relevant and impactful.
By embedding the community’s voice at every stage of program development, BreakBox ensures that this initiative authentically reflects the needs, aspirations, and values of the target population. This approach not only enhances program effectiveness but also fosters a sense of ownership and investment within the community.
d. Describe the marketing plan for the proposed activity and how the organization will ensure it reaches the target population.
To effectively market the proposed activity and ensure it reaches our target population, we will implement a comprehensive marketing strategy that integrates both traditional and digital outreach methods.
First, we will define the objectives of our marketing plan, clearly identifying our desired outcomes and target audience. This foundational step will guide all subsequent marketing efforts. We will develop a compelling event concept and theme that resonates with our community, ensuring alignment with the interests and needs of our target population.
To facilitate widespread dissemination of information, we will distribute flyers in both digital and printed formats to our practitioners, consultants, and staff. This strategy empowers them to share details about our events as they engage with their clients, communities, and personal networks. This approach fosters trusted referrals and encourages organic word-of-mouth promotion, which is essential for reaching individuals who may benefit from our services.
In addition to printed materials, we will harness digital tools to maximize our outreach. Our strategy includes targeted marketing through social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, where we will share engaging content that highlights the event's features and benefits. We will also utilize email newsletters and text message blasts to keep our community informed and excited about the upcoming event, ensuring that both returning and new participants are encouraged to join us.
To further captivate our audience, we will create and share video content, including testimonials from past participants and recaps of previous events. These videos will visually demonstrate the atmosphere and activities of events such as Community Healing Day, offering potential attendees a glimpse into what they can expect. By showcasing the positive experiences of previous participants, we aim to build trust 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 56
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and generate interest among curious onlookers.
Throughout the planning and execution process, we will establish and manage relationships with vendors for promotional materials, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with our marketing objectives. Our team will coordinate logistics effectively, ensuring all marketing assets are produced and distributed in accordance with our timeline.
Lastly, we will conduct ongoing evaluations of our marketing efforts. This includes monitoring engagement metrics and feedback from the community to assess the effectiveness of our strategies. By analyzing performance data, we will identify areas for improvement and adapt our approach as necessary to ensure we are meeting our target audience's needs effectively.
By employing this multi-faceted marketing approach that combines personal outreach, digital engagement, and visually compelling content, alongside a structured planning framework, we are confident that we will effectively reach our target population and encourage robust participation in the upcoming event. e. Although the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is in the process of being updated, the City recommends that investments be made in areas identified as Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs – see NOFA Handbook). Will this program be:
Offered Citywide
Offered Citywide with an emphasis and affirmative marketing toward RECAPs
Offered exclusively to residents of RECAPs
f. Describe the service area:
Note: Strong applications will include specifically defined services areas such as ‘residents within ½ mile radius of [facility address]’ or ‘residents within the boundaries defined on the attached map.’ A map may be attached in lieu of a service area description.
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The 93721 zip code, situated in downtown Fresno, California, is classified as a Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Area of Poverty (RECAPS). This area is characterized by a diverse population, with a significant proportion of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino, as well as African American and other ethnic groups.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 data, the median household income in the 93721 zip code is approximately $27,000, which is substantially lower than the national median income of around $67,000. The area also has a high percentage of residents living below the poverty line, with around 35% of individuals experiencing economic hardship. Educational attainment levels in the 93721 zip code are often lower than the state average, contributing to limited employment opportunities and challenges in accessing quality resources. Many residents face barriers to essential services, including healthcare and mental health support, further exacerbated by cultural stigmas and a lack of access to culturally relevant resources.
Our organization is deeply committed to serving this region, with a focus on the 93721 zip code while also reaching out to the broader Fresno community and surrounding areas. In 2023, we have successfully engaged 2,408 community members, representing a significant growth of 1,509 members since 2022 when we engaged 899 individuals. This growth is a testament to our ongoing efforts to create impactful programs that resonate with the community's needs.
In the past year, we have hosted 18 events designed to foster community engagement and provide critical support to residents. Our outreach extends beyond Fresno, with participants having reached regions such as Clovis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Avenal. Our social media presence has also expanded, with followers increasing from 1,495 in 2022 to 1,863 as of 2023, reflecting a reach of +368 additional accounts since last year.
Through our various initiatives, we have raised a total of $932,000 as of 2023, a remarkable increase of $503,000 since 2022. Notable grants awarded to our organization include support from the Sierra Health Foundation for youth suicide prevention, the California Black Freedom Fund, and the Sobrato Foundation, among others. This funding allows us to provide essential services such as writing and healing circles, with 2 writing circles and 4 healing circles held in the past year.
Additionally, we have granted $6,000 in scholarships and provided internship stipends totaling $8,094, further emphasizing our commitment to empowering local youth and enhancing educational opportunities.
Our outreach efforts also extend nationally, with connections made in cities such as
Seattle, Atlanta, and New York, as well as globally to regions including Turkey and Bermuda. We have distributed 250 copies of our resources to ensure that our message reaches as far as possible.
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By focusing on our defined service area and actively engaging with the community, we are dedicated to providing critical resources and support that empower individuals and families to overcome socio-economic challenges and improve their quality of life. Our comprehensive approach positions us as a vital resource for the residents of the 93721 area and the greater Fresno region.
Sources:
- U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. g. Estimate the number of unduplicated people expected to benefit from the project:
150 unduplicated people or businesses will receive a direct benefit from this project.
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h. Income Documentation
CDBG-eligible programs primarily benefit persons who earn less than 80% of the area median income. A chart containing the income limits effective as of June 1, 2024, is included as a reference below. Applicants must select one of the three options for documenting how their activity will satisfy the income eligibility requirement. Please note, these income limits are subject to change. For the most current income limits please reference the link below:
https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5334/cdbg-income-limits/ HouseholdSize 30% AMI 50% AMI 80% AMI
1 $18,450 $30,800 $49,250
2 $21,100 $35,200 $56,250
3 $23,750 $39,600 $63,300
4 $26,350 $43,950 $70,300
5 $28,500 $47,500 $75,950
OPTION 1: Low-Income Clientele – Presumed Benefit
Select this option only if the program will exclusively serve one of the following clienteles (select all that apply)
Older Adults (62 and older)
Severely Disabled Adults
Abused Children
Illiterate Adults
Migrant Farm Workers
OPTION 2: Low-Income Clientele – Other
Select this option if the program will serve a specific clientele not listed under the first option. The organization must document income eligibility for each program participant. Indicate below the types of documentation the organization will collect to verify income eligibility (select all that apply):
Pay Stubs / Wage Statements
W-2s
Income Tax Returns
Social Security Documentation
Bank Statements
Signed Certifications from
Beneficiaries
Other:
Other:
Other:
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OPTION 3: Low-Income Area
Select this option if the program will benefit all residents in an area where at least 51% of its residents are low- or moderate-income. This is the least likely option for Community Service programs.
i. Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program
Describe the project/program in detail in the space below. Limit description to the space provided on this and the next page.
BreakBox Thought Collective proposes to expand upon several existing models of service offerings and programs to create an alternative learning environment and pathway for career technical education. This community hub for wellness, arts, and culture would offer specialized support to youth aged 14-19, appealing to those with interests in art, culture, innovation, and creativity. Our program would provide a range of activities and engaging experiences for enrichment and collaboration with industry professionals, licensed practitioners, and certified teachers.
With flexible and personalized opportunities for collaboration, life skills, and career competency, our program would offer direct services and comprehensive support for the entire family. Learning Periods every 20 days will act as assessments and milestones for monitoring progress, goal setting, and generating a feedback loop that fosters a cycle of continuous improvement.
Our list of robust existing programs that provide an ample foundation for this new effort are:
Power to the Pen Summit: Power to the Pen is an immersive three-day summit that unites multidisciplinary storytellers through art, movement, and sound. This multigenerational and multicultural event gathers youth organizations, high school students, and mentors, artists, writers, and culture bearers from Fresno County and across California to explore the healing power of storytelling. The summit empowers adult language learners and youth historically lacking access to culturally responsive education, enabling them to take ownership of their creative expression. Participants engage in diverse storytelling forms, including spoken word, dance, film, and music, producing materials for educational use. Our team of storytelling professionals and interns brings expertise in various fields, creating an environment where youth feel safe and empowered to share their stories. Participants leave with increased awareness of the importance of storytelling and connections to a supportive network of mentors. Post-summit, BreakBox offers ongoing support through monthly labs, workshops, and fellowships for creatives and educators, while a film documents the participants' progress and impact in the following year.
Community Healing Day: Community Healing Day is a free, monthly wellness event 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 61
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that provides a welcoming space for emotional support and social connections.
Participants engage in intergenerational healing circles, expressive arts therapy groups, and men’s healing circles, facilitated by culturally competent, licensed therapists. BreakBox aims to connect individuals to mental health resources and encourage the community to experience these offerings at no cost. Since its launch on January 23, 2024, Community Healing Day has served over 120 attendees, including 28 youth participants. Inspired by these events, our youth leadership team has developed "The Garden," a new program focused on mental health, designed specifically for youth, by youth. Additionally, we empower our leadership team with childcare experience, enabling them to engage younger participants in activities that promote mental health awareness. Through these initiatives, we are fostering a stronger, more supportive community where everyone has the tools to heal and thrive together.
Childcare: Our childcare program is designed to create an inclusive and engaging environment for youth during our events, ensuring accessibility for all families. We focus on mindfulness, healthy food sovereignty, and habit-building, integrating wellness themes into activities for young participants. In addition to nurturing care, we offer interactive workshops and projects that promote learning and personal development. By providing quality childcare at every major event, we aim to eliminate access barriers and create a space where both parents and children can thrive.
Open Studio: Open Studio is a mental health initiative that provides a welcoming third space for creatives. On the third Thursday of every month, multidisciplinary artists, musicians, and others come together to collaborate, participate in workshops and training sessions, and engage in creative expression. This communal approach to art and creativity fosters well-being and promotes connections across generations.
Artist In Residence Program: The Artists in Residence Fellowship at BreakBox is designed to foster relationships and partnerships that enhance the arts and culture landscape in the Central Valley and beyond. This program emphasizes that residencies are not just about creating art; they are about cultivating collaborations that promote a mutually beneficial exchange of resources, talent, and creativity.
Selected artists and storytellers undergo a rigorous vetting process based on their previous collaborations with creatives committed to advancing the organization's community offerings. Throughout the Fellowship, artists work with a supportive project host who provides ongoing thought partnership, professional insight, and logistical assistance. Together, they create opportunities for community engagement, allowing members of the BreakBox Thought Collective to actively participate in the artists' emerging work.
Ashe Magazine: A
SHE Magazine is a vibrant publication that originally stemmed from the Fresno Black Girl Magic Project, created by young Black girls. In an effort to foster a more gender-inclusive space for all youth voices, we transitioned the name of 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 62
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our youth leadership from Black Girl Magic to Young Black Navigators. This evolution allows us to include contributions from young Black boys as well. The magazine features a diverse array of articles that explore four key categories: African Diasporic Experience, Style, Health, and Expression. Through their writing and creativity, our young contributors celebrate their identities and share their unique perspectives, fostering empowerment and community among readers. ASHE Magazine serves as a powerful platform for young voices, highlighting the richness of Black culture while addressing important topics that resonate with their experiences.
Grow & Graze: BreakBox Thought Collective’s Grow & Graze Initiative features the “A Place At The Table” Supper Club Series, which combines a Farmer’s Market with a farm-to-table supper club experience. This initiative fosters community dialogue by bringing together wellness practitioners, scholars, journalists, researchers, artists, and culture bearers to discuss topics of common interest or community concern.
Through shared meals and engaging conversations, Grow & Graze aims to draw out a diversity of perspectives while promoting connection and collaboration within the community. This initiative not only highlights the importance of healthy food access but also encourages meaningful exchanges that contribute to the overall well-being of participants and the community at large.
Living Pantry: We are partnered with Living Pantry, an initiative dedicated to providing our events with trusted, locally sourced food and produce from regional farmers. This partnership emphasizes the importance of supporting local agriculture while also connecting us with local chefs and farmers for programming and educational activities. Through our collaboration with Living Pantry, we create meaningful experiences that highlight the significance of food sovereignty and community resilience, fostering a deeper appreciation for the connections between food, culture, and community well-being.
Kuumba Center: BreakBox Thought Collective’s Kuumba Center for Afro-Diasporic Creativity + Innovation serves as a restorative space dedicated to reparation through the reclamation of cultural arts and the promotion of culturally responsive healing modalities. This center aims to empower the community by fostering creativity, innovation, and social enterprise. At the Kuumba Center, individuals can engage in various artistic practices and healing techniques that honor and celebrate Afro- diasporic heritage. By providing a supportive environment for cultural expression and healing, the Kuumba Center plays a vital role in nurturing community resilience and fostering a deeper connection to cultural roots.
Kindred Wellness Studios: Kindred Creative Cafe & Apothecary is a monthly gathering spot that fost
ers community fellowship, art-making, and sharing. It serves as a welcoming space where members of the Collective engage in the Grow & Graze initiative to source ingredients for the cafe, apothecary, and supper club series. The Grow & Graze Initiative is a seed-to-fork program that convenes community members to create residential grow circles and family farm days in collaboration with a group of 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 63
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Black organic farmers and permaculture experts. This initiative empowers our community to become land visionaries, cultivating a deeper connection to the land and food systems. Through our partnerships, we aim to produce a co-op for harvest that provides a seasonal food source. The design of these programs encourages community members to take control over what we place onto and into our bodies, viewing this empowerment as an act of revolution and a step toward holistic wellness.
Kindred is a space where creativity, sustainability, and community thrive together.
Poets of the Underground: Poets of the Underground is an intimate platform that invites local artists, creatives, poets, and beginners to take the stage and share their stories through written language. This welcoming space encourages performers to express themselves through various forms, including singing, rapping, and poetry, in front of an inclusive and non-judgmental audience. Designed to be a low-pressure environment, Poets of the Underground fosters creativity and self-expression, allowing artists to connect with the community and showcase their talents. By providing such a supportive atmosphere, this platform empowers individuals to share their unique voices and experiences, enriching the cultural tapestry of the community.
PWR Media: PWR Media is the digital storytelling division of BreakBox Thought Collective, dedicated to translating the vibrant topics from ASHE Magazine into diverse media formats, including film, broadcast, music videos, and live events. This initiative aims to amplify Black stories in Fresno, showcasing the richness of the community's experiences and perspectives. By leveraging various forms of digital media, PWR Media engages audiences and fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural narratives that shape Black identity and heritage. Through its creative approach, PWR Media serves as a powerful platform for storytelling that resonates with both local and broader communities.
Indigo Sessions: The Indigo Sessions is a transformative program focused on teaching vibrational literacy and the use of harmonic intervals to create energy shifts that enhance resilience. Participants learn to harness the power of sound and vibration as tools for personal and collective growth. Artists in residence with the Indigo Sessions play a key role in producing the soundtracks for PWR Media films and music videos, as well as composing scores for Blacklight Unlimited’s stage plays.
Through their creative contributions, they not only enrich the artistic landscape but also embody the principles of vibrational literacy, fostering an environment where sound becomes a medium for healing and empowerment.
Teen Night: Teen Night is a vibrant platform designed, facilitated, and spearheaded by our yout
h leadership, aimed at providing their peers and community youth with a space to connect, enjoy a meal, and access community resources in a safe and monitored environment. This program is completely free and features special themes and activities tailored to engage younger audiences. By creating an inviting atmosphere, Teen Night fosters camaraderie among participants, encouraging them to build friendships and share experiences. The inclusion of community resources 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 64
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ensures that attendees have access to valuable information and support, making it a holistic experience that promotes personal growth and community engagement.
By leveraging our existing programs, partnerships, and collaborations, BreakBox Thought Collective can uniquely offer self-directed and non-classroom-based experiences, demonstrations, exhibits, and showcases curated and led by the best instructors, mentors, and learning coaches the Central Valley has to offer. This cultivates a variety of meaningful and authentic platforms and contexts for learners to develop career competency, valuable collaboration, and leadership skills. Lab instructors, along with life and learning coaches, will help develop individualized plans and monitor progress by connecting learners and their families to community resources, integrating them into BreakBox’s larger system of care and service offerings.
BreakBox coordinates whole health and mental health care, such as group therapy and individual therapy with culturally congruent licensed practitioners within our monthly Community Healing Day. BreakBox is a trauma-informed third space with unique partnerships with specialists, including Onyx Trauma Healing Center and the Art of Anger, offering classes and workshops through our Artist in Residence Teaching Fellows. We provide a variety of options, such as an agile learning center for art and innovation, a homeschool hub, after-school programs, and multiple platforms for virtual and in-person learning with licensed practitioners, certificated teachers, and industry professionals.
Services for young people aged 4 to 19 include recreational services, life skills training, paid internships, training and certifications, cultural arts education opportunities, counseling programs, job development, herbalist training, community care coaching, arts training, conservatory, yoga, dance, theater, gardening, farming, and facilitation.
Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program (Continued from previous page) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 65
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j. Collaboration
Briefly describe any collaboration efforts with other organizations for this project/program or related initiatives.
Collaborating Organization Descriptionof Collaboration
Simmons &
Simmons
This organization will provide licensed therapy
practices during events such as Community Healing
Day, ensuring that participants receive professional
mental health support.
Weekend Warrior: In addition to offering energy healing services, such as Healing Touch, they will also conduct workshops
on mindfulness and wellness for the community,
promoting holistic well-being among
participants.
Revive Dance Company This partner will assist with programming by providing free dance classes to the community,
fostering creative expression and physical activity.
Art of Anger: They will facilitate a unique healing modality that allows participants to break items in safe containers,
offering therapeutic release during outreach events
like Community Healing Day.
4. Project/Program Budget
a. The City is interested in applicants that can deploy activities in a timely manner (12 months) while balancing the need to maintain high standards of program delivery. Please propose how you will address this need. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 66
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To address the City’s interest in timely deployment of activities within a 12- month timeframe while maintaining high standards of program delivery, BreakBox Thought Collective has developed a comprehensive action plan that leverages our existing frameworks and resources.
Utilization of Established Programs: We will build upon our robust existing programs, such as the Power to the Pen Summit, Community Healing Day, and the Artist in Residence Program, which are already operational and well- received by the community. This foundation allows us to quickly scale up and diversify our offerings without starting from scratch.
Timelines and Milestones: We will implement a detailed timeline that outlines specific milestones for each phase of program delivery. This will include setting clear objectives for the first quarter, mid-term evaluations at the six- month mark, and final assessments by the end of the 12-month period. Our Learning Periods every 20 days will serve as assessment checkpoints to monitor progress and adapt programming as needed.
Dedicated Staff and Resources: We have a committed team of trained professionals, including licensed practitioners and certified educators, who are ready to engage with participants and facilitate programs. Our existing staff will be supplemented with additional hires, if necessary, to ensure that we meet participant needs while maintaining high standards of service delivery.
Community Partnerships: Our established partnerships with organizations such as Living Pantry and Onyx Trauma Healing Center will provide additional resources and expertise, allowing us to enhance our offerings efficiently.
Collaborative efforts with local chefs, artists, and therapists will enrich our program delivery and ensure culturally competent services.
Feedback and Continuous Improvement: We will establish a feedback loop involving participants, families, and community stakeholders to gather insights on program effectiveness. This input will be used to make real-time adjustments, ensuring that we meet the evolving needs of our community while maintaining quality standards.
Marketing and Outreach: To ensure robust participation, we will implement a targeted marketing strategy that utilizes social media, community events, and partnerships with local schools and organizations to reach our audience effectively. Clear communication about the benefits and opportunities provided by our programs will drive engagement.
By leveraging our established programs, dedicated staff, community partnerships, and structured feedback mechanisms, BreakBox Thought Collective is well-prepared to deploy activities within the specified timeline while ensuring exceptional program delivery that meets the needs of our 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 67
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community.
b. List of Funding Sources
Provide all planned funding anticipated/ committed for this activity for PY 2025- 2026. If the organization has received funding commitment letters, please attach as an exhibit to this application.
Funding Source
(Nameof
Funder)
Name of
Funding
Program(if
applicable)
Dollar
Amount
Commitment
Status
(Committedor
Pending)
If Pending,
Expected
Commitment
Date
The California
Endowment
150,000 Committed
The California
Endowment
150,000 Committed
The James B
McClatchy
Foundation
125,000 Committed
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c. Activity Budget Summary and Narrative
Please complete Exhibit A – Operating Budget Summary.
The above referenced Budget worksheet is available at www.fresno.gov/housing under the ‘Notices of Funding Available’ tab.
An Exhibit B – Budget Narrative must also be completed to provide a brief explanation of the expenses included in the budget.
Please note the following costs are not allowable for CDBG: bad debts; contingencies; contributions and donations; entertainment costs (including meals for social events and awards/graduation banquets); gifts or incentive awards to individuals; fines and penalties resulting from violations of or non-compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws; interest on borrowed capital; fundraising; investment management.
d. Prior-Year Financial Statement
Please attach a financial statement labeled as Exhibit C for the proposed program for the last full operating year. Failure to provide the financial statement will result in disqualification.
Attachmentsto PartB Application:
EXHIBIT A – Operating Budget Summary
EXHIBIT B – Budget Narrative
EXHIBIT C – Prior-year audited financial statement including statement of activities, statement of financial position and statement of cash flows (required when total federal grant awards equaled or exceeded $1,000,000 during the annual audit period); or prior-year unaudited financial statement when total federal grant awards for the annual audit period was less than $1,000,000
Optional Additional Exhibits:
EXHIBIT – Funding Commitment Letters (if available)
EXHIBIT – Letters of Support (optional – maximum 2)
EXHIBIT – Service Area Map (required if not described in 3.f.) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 69
Salaries &
Wages Fringe Benefits
Totals
(City of Fresno
HUD Funds)
Other Federal
Funds State Funds Local Govm't
Funds
Private / Donor
Funds
Other Funds
(specify)
Salaries/Wages (Specify each position; add additional rows as needed) Direct Service Personnel:
Executive Director 34,500.00 34,500.00 25,000.00 59,500.00 Eexcutive Assistant 15,000.00 15,000.00 4,320.00 19,320.00 Communications 15,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 Chief Financial Officer 15,000.00 15,000.00 21,266.00 36,266.00 Bookkeeper 6,000.00 6,000.00 6,000.00 Administrative Personnel:
Coordinator Whole Health 26,000.00 26,000.00 26,000.00 Community Resource
Coordinator 33,000.00 33,000.00 4,067.00 37,067.00 VAPA C
oordinator 40,000.00 40,000.00 40,000.00 Independent Contractors / Consultants:
Licensed Mental Health 30,800.00 30,800.00 40,000.00 70,800.00 Marketing 15,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 TOTAL PERSONNEL
BUDGET $ 230,300.00 $ ‐ $ 230,300.00 $ ‐ $ 40,000.00 $ 54,653.00 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ 324,953.00 Other Direct Costs (Include only costs that are direct; indirect costs are covered under the Indirect Cost Rate) Rent 168,000.00 60,000.00 228,000.00 Utilities 31,500.00 31,500.00
Equipment 50,000.00 50,000.00
Office Supplies 8,000.00 8,000.00 Insurance 7,200.00 7,200.00
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
TOTAL OTHER DIRECT
COSTS $ 264,700.00 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ 60,000.00 $ ‐ $ 324,700.00 INDI
RECT COSTS* (Select 1 indirect rate Only)
Approved Indirect Cost
Rate ‐
De minimus 10 % Rate 49,500.00 49,500.00 TOTAL INDIRECT COST
BUDGET $ 49,500.00 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ 49,500.00 TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET ########### $ ‐ ########### $ ‐ $ 40,000.00 $ 54,653.00 $ 60,000.00 $ ‐ ########### *An approved indirect cost rate must be applied to the base identified in the agreement with the federal cognizant agency.
Per 2 CFR 200.414, any non‐federal entity that does not have a current negotiated rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs (defined in 2 CFR 200.68).
CITY OF FRESNO
OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY (non‐capital projects)
Please revise this form and annotate budget items as needed All applicants are required to submit a copy of their organization’s operating budget.
City of Fresno HUD Funds Other Funds for Project
Project Totals
(All Funds)
Budgeted Position
(Personnel) or Category
(Operations)
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Per 2 CFR 200.414, any non-federal entity that does not have a current negotiated rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (defined in 2 CFR 200.1).
Exhibit B: Budget Narrative
Please provide a brief narrative describing the expenses included in each category of the budget summary.
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The budget for BreakBox Thought Collective has been revised to reflect recent adjustments in personnel roles and responsibilities, ensuring that we effectively allocate resources to enhance our programming and service delivery.
Personnel Costs:
The personnel budget is essential for staffing key positions that will implement and oversee our programs.
- Whole Health Coordinator ($13,000): This role combines responsibilities with the Life Coach, focusing on the integration of health and wellness services. This position will ensure participants receive comprehensive support for their overall well-being while providing personalized guidance to help them achieve their life goals. - Community Resource Coordinator ($13,000): This role will now be combined with the Childcare Coordinator, streamlining efforts to connect participants with vital community resources and ensuring that childcare services are accessible and supportive. - Performance Arts Coordinator ($20,000): This position will lead our performance arts initiatives, creating opportunities for artistic expression and collaboration among participants, thus enriching community engagement through the arts. - Arts Coordinator ($20,000): Responsible for managing various art programs, this role will ensure that our offerings are engaging, diverse, and culturally relevant to our community. - Career Tech Advisor ($17,500): This position will now be combined with the Executive Director’s responsibilities, allowing for streamlined leadership and oversight of career technical education initiatives.
Administrative Costs:
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Administrative personnel are vital for the smooth operation of our organization, ensuring that we can effectively deliver on our mission.
- Executive Director ($17,000): The Executive Director will provide overall leadership and strategic direction for BreakBox Thought Collective, including oversight of combined roles with the Career Tech Advisor.
- Executive Assistant ($15,000): This position will support the Executive Director in daily operations, project management, and coordination of activities. - Communications Coordinator ($15,000): Responsible for managing outreach efforts, the Communications Coordinator will work to engage the community and promote our programs effectively.
- Chief Finance Officer ($15,000): The CFO will oversee financial management and reporting, ensuring fiscal responsibility and compliance within the organization. - Bookkeeper ($6,000): The Bookkeeper will handle day-to-day financial transactions, contributing to the organization’s overall fiscal health.
Independent Contractors:
We have allocated $20,000 for independent contractors, who will provide specialized expertise and services that enhance our programming. Additionally, we budgeted $10,800 for therapists to deliver mental health services to participants, ensuring we address emotional and behavioral health needs effectively.
Marketing:
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A budget of $15,000 is designated for marketing efforts to support outreach initiatives that raise awareness of our programs and engage the community.
Direct Costs:
These costs cover essential operational expenses necessary for running our programs effectively.
- Rent ($14,000 per month, totaling $168,000 annually): This expense is critical for hosting our programs and community events in a suitable facility. - Utilities ($31,500 annually): Estimated at $0.25 per square foot for our 10,500 square foot facility, this cost ensures that our space remains comfortable and functional for all participants.
- Equipment ($50,000): This allocation is necessary for the purchase of equipment needed for various programs and activities, including art supplies and technology for workshops. - Office Supplies ($8,000): This budget covers the materials needed for daily operations and program implementation.
- Maintenance ($5,000): This allocation ensures that our facility remains safe and operational throughout the year.
- Insurance ($7,200): This cost provides coverage for our facility, staff, and participants, protecting the organization against potential liabilities. - Legal Expenses: Legal costs will be budgeted separately as needed to cover any 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 74
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necessary legal services that may arise during the program's term.
In summary, the revised budget for BreakBox Thought Collective is strategically designed to support our mission of fostering emotional resilience and community engagement through various programs. Each line item is essential to ensure that we can deliver high- quality services while effectively meeting the needs of our participants. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 75
Central Valley Justice
Coalition
Youth Advocacy and Mentorship Program
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PY 2025-2026 APPLICATION
Community Service Programs
NOTE: This application is not for community services to benefit primarily homeless and individuals at risk of homelessness. If you are a homeless service provider, please use the Homeless Housing and Services application.
1. Project Summary Information – please complete the below summary information for the project/program.
Project Name (10 words or less): Youth Advocacy and Mentorship Program Amount Requested: $ 162,139.19.00
To utilize CDBG funds for a community service, the service must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service.
This project is a:
New Project/Program
Existing Project/Program
Provide a short description of the proposed program/activity. (1 to 3 sentences and must fit in the provided space).
Central Valley Justice Coalition's (CVJC) Youth Advocacy and Mentorship Program engages and supports youth with greater risk factors for human trafficking and exploitation to prevent them from becoming victims, through a combination of 1-on-1 mentorship, education, individual support, and group programs. CVJC is a certified provider of three anti-human trafficking curriculums, in addition to our own tools, training, and resources developed over more than a decade of fighting trafficking in the Central Valley. CVJC advocates equip young people with tools to recognize traffickers and help them access resources to keep them and their communities safe.
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If this is an existing project/program that has not received CDBG funding from the City previously, please briefly explain how CDBG funds will be used to increase the level of service.
CVJC received CDBG funding in PY 2023 and PY 2024.
2. Organizational Capacity
a. Briefly describe how your organization’s prior activities have resulted in meaningful impact:
Through 1-on-1 mentorship, we have been able to see youth promoted through the stages of Unity Court and Fresno Behavioral Health Court to graduation, stay in long- term placement, move from Juvenile Justice Campus to placement, enroll in school, advocate for IEP services, obtain their driver’s license, find more affordable housing, advocate for youth in school, court, and placement settings, and been able to maintain contact with multiple youth who left placement, allowing us to provide harm reduction support they would otherwise not receive, and supported children with histories of sexual abuse and supporting them as they face their own vulnerabilities.
As we serve youth, we also provide resources to local services such as the California Food Bank, affordable housing, career counseling, and therapy. We also collaborated with Fresno Chaplaincy in identifying an organization that was possibly engaging of labor trafficking of minors.
b. Describe the organization’s experience with administering federally funded programs of this nature.
CVJC was awarded CDBG funding by the City of Fresno beginning in July 2023.
With these funds, CVJC has been able to greatly expand its program capacity and provide education and trafficking prevention services to hundreds of additional youth in the Central Valley, through 1-on-1 mentoring and case management as well as group classes for for nonprofits, church youth groups, group homes, school campuses, and the juvenile justice campus CVJC estimated serving 300 youth in the 2023 program year,we have already served more than half (176) of our goal in the first six months.
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c. For how many years has the organization administered activities of the type described in this application?
10 d. Does the organization have the follo wing in place (check box if ‘yes’)? Written policies and procedures for the proposed project or program (i.e., intake, eligibility)
Written Financial Management Policies and Procedures
Non-Discrimination / Equal Opportunity Policy
Conflict of Interest Policies and Procedures
Procurement Policies and Procedures
e. Please describe the cultural competency training staff will be required to complete during the term of this program.
Serving those most at-risk for trafficking and exploitation means supporting individuals who have experienced high rates of trauma and adverse childhood experiences. For this reason, it is critical for staff to understand the impact of trauma on those we serve. CVJC staff will attend trauma-informed care training by The Clear Thinking Alliance in Fresno, a local traua-care specialist focusing on the impact of trauma on the brain and healing from trauma, and also a partner with Fresno Community Health Improvement Partnership. CVJC has partnered with Clear Thinking for more than five years to provide staff with this training.
Additionally, all staff will complete a Native American Cultural Competence Training program through the Owens Valley Career Development Center, and any new staff will complete Fresno EOC's LGBTQ+ Competency Training.
Further cultural competency training will be made available, including the CCDA's training courses on listening to the community, race, poverty, and communikty building.
3. Proposed Scope of Work
a. Briefly describe the needs this proposal addresses, and how existing resources are insufficient to meet this need:
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In 2022, the Central Valley Human Trafficking Data Project identified 432 trafficking victims. Alarmingly, 15.5% reported being recruited by someone they had a close relationship with, such as a romantic partner, family member, or friend. Additionally, 6.4% had a parent or sibling who was also trafficked. While data collection in this field is difficult, over a decade of experience and collaboration with national and local partners has helped identify key factors that increase vulnerability to trafficking. Love146 emphasizes, “Sex trafficking is rarely the first thing to go wrong in a child’s life.” Common risk factors include prior sexual abuse, involvement in social services, familial trafficking, exposure to gangs, substance abuse in the family, parental incarceration, and neglect.
Despite these risks, intervention is possible. Through programs like My Life, My Choice, Not a Number, and the Cool Aunt Series, as well as presentations on red flags, technology, and trafficking, CVJC empowers vulnerable youth and reduces their risk of exploitation. For every 100 youth educated through Not a Number, 5- 10 disclose serious safety concerns to facilitators, enabling early intervention.
CVJC’s screening revealed that over one-third of the youth they worked with displayed clear signs of exploitation risk.
Since 2010, CVJC has led trafficking prevention and education efforts in the Central Valley. One critical initiative is the Youth Advocacy and Mentorship Program, developed in 2021 with input from expert Arien Pauls Garcia. This program addresses a gap in services for at-risk youth who have not yet been trafficked. Historically, funding has focused on survivors, leaving vulnerable youth without support until after exploitation occurred. The mentorship program helps youth identify their vulnerabilities, set goals, and build a community of support, ultimately preventing exploitation and promoting harm reduction. CVJC’s mission is to keep youth safe, aiming for stories of resilience that are never tainted by trafficking.
When CVJC receives a referral—either fr om a partner organization or an online form—an advocate contacts the youth and their guardian (if appropriate). The advocate’s role is to help youth identify goals, provide resources, and educate them about trafficking risks, enabling them to make informed decisions.
Participation is voluntary, and both the advocate and youth agree on terms, including meeting frequency. Advocates develop individualized case plans based on the youth’s needs, always incorporating trafficking prevention education.
CVJC also offers group classes, collaborating with non-profits, church groups, group homes, schools, and juvenile justice facilities. To date, over 3,000 youth have received education on the dangers of online exploitation, sex trafficking, and labor trafficking. Feedback from participants shows that CVJC’s training has directly influenced decisions that prevented exploitation. The organization also equips caregivers and adults with the tools to protect youth in their care. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 87
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Our partnership at The Landing at City Center in Fresno has given us additional opportunities to serve youth. This safe and welcoming space for youth aged 12- 24 is designed like an open-concept apartment, offering a kitchen, washer and dryer, computer center, and cozy living room. The large dining table fosters community and is used for events, while classrooms host programs like Cool Aunt prevention training, yoga, and art classes. The classroom give us the space to hold classes and events to build connections and increase understanding of healthy realtionships.
Additional funding would allow CVJC to expand its services, including offering much-needed therapeutic support alongside mentorship, addressing a critical gap in community resources for vulnerable youth.
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b. Briefly describe the target population and how the project will meet the specific needs of the target population and how the project will be marketed to the target population.
The primary target population of the Youth Advocacy and Mentorship Program is youth ages 13-20, though in recent years our clients have come to us as young as 8 and as old as 24. As technology use has increased in younger populations, we see greater need for services to younger clients. Department of Social Services and Foster Family Associations are overwhelmed and lack capacity to support families and youth dealing with the impacts of both online and in-person exploitation. Schools, families, Juvenile Court partners, DSS, and partner organizations have all reached out to request our help in keeping kids safe and educating their communities. Our ongoing partnership in these spaces will continue to produce client referrals.
Additional CDBG funding will allow us to maintain the connections we have in the community, gain new partners through outreach, and provide necessary therapeutic services to vulnerable youth. One challenge our clients face is though they would benefit from therapy, the services available to them often lack understanding of trafficking and exploitation, lack the depth of understanding of trauma required to be beneficial, and require another appointment in another facility with another person that they do not yet have trust in. Providing therapy to our clients in addition to mentorship, community, and education allows us to help them move toward healing more quickly ny removing the barriers listed above.
c. Describe consultation efforts made wit h the target population in the development of the proposed activity.
Our youth advocacy program was developed in partnership with a survivor of human trafficking, Arien Pauls Garcia, who also ran the program for over a year.
We have been teaching classes in partnership with the Department of Social Services, Fresno Unified School District, Central Unified School District, Unity Court, and more. We have curriculums that are both survivor written and survivor informed. City Without Orphans continues to educate us about issues related to foster and adoptive youth. CVJC’s ongoing collaboration with Unity Court allows us to continue learning from our partners in the field.
Since fall 2023, CVJC has partnered with City Without Orphans, Breaking the Chains, and Fresno Mission to open The Landing at City Center, a drop-in center for vulnerable youth. Our team’s involvement at The Landing has allowed us to have conversations with impacted youth to better understand their needs and challenges and adapt our program accordingly. Several of the youth come re
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applications, and more. Walking alongside them allows us to better understand their needs and challenges as well as their strengths.
d. Describe the marketing plan for the proposed activity and how the organization will ensure it reaches the target population.
With over a decade of experience fighting trafficking in the Central Valley, CVJC has built strong partnerships with other organizations doing work in impacted communities. We have long-standing relationships with DSS, Unity Court, City Without Orphans, Breaking the Chains, Marjaree Mason Center, Youth for Christ, Every Neighborhood Partnership, Fresno Police Chaplaincy, and more. Our education classes have been well-attended both in-person and online by health care providers, educators, pastors, and community members. Our reputation in the community has made us trusted facilitators and educators, known for our trauma- informed approach. Other organizations and school districts recognize our work and continue to refer people to us. Our youth advocates make direct contact with partner agencies, group homes, and schools to let them know how to make referrals to our organization. We advertise classes and mentorship opportunities on our Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on our website, justiceco.org. We also put our flyers in Peachjar so that all Fresno Unified families can be made aware of our services.
We advertise at The Landing and through our partners at The City Center, many of whom serve clients with known vulnerabilities for trafficking and exploitation
e. Although the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is in the process of being updated, the City recommends that investments be made in areas identified as Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs – see NOFA Handbook). Will this program be:
Offered Citywide
Offered Citywide with an emphasis and affirmative marketing toward RECAPs
Offered exclusively to residents of RECAPs
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f. Describe the service area:
Note: Strong applications will include specifically defined services areas such as ‘residents within ½ mile radius of [facility address]’ or ‘residents within the boundaries defined on the attached map.’ A map may be attached in lieu of a service area description.
Our services are available throughout Fresno City, with specific marketing to group homes, foster agencies, Probation Department, Unity Court, domestic violence and homeless shelters, and the Department of Social Services. Youth already involved in any of these services are at increased risk of exploitation and in need of education and support. Individuals receiving such services are disproportionately from racial and ethnic minority groups, and many are low or moderate income. Additionally, CVJC’s presence at The Landing will allow us to advertise our services to the community who is utilizing the City Center at 2025 E Dakota. These clients are being served by a number of local agencies who resource low and moderate income families, including the Food Bank, Fresno Mission, and CASA. They come from all over the city, but City Center serves as a hub, making it an ideal location to advertise to families who would also benefit from our services.
g. Estimate the number of unduplicat ed people expected to benefit from the project:
350 unduplicated people or businesses will receive a direct benefit from this project.
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h. Income Documentation
CDBG-eligible programs primarily benefit persons who earn less than 80% of the area median income. A chart containing the income limits effective as of June 1, 2024, is included as a reference below. Applicants must select one of the three options for documenting how their activity will satisfy the income eligibility requirement. Please note, these income limits are subject to change. For the most current income limits please reference the link below:
https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5334/cdbg-income-limits/ Household Size 30% AMI 50% AMI 80% AMI
1 $18,450 $30,800 $49,250
2 $21,100 $35,200 $56,250
3 $23,750 $39,600 $63,300
4 $26,350 $43,950 $70,300
5 $28,500 $47,500 $75,950
OPTION 1: Low-Income Clientele – Presumed Benefit
Select this option only if the program will exclusively serve one of the following clienteles (select all that apply)
Older Adults (62 and older)
Severely Disabled Adults
Abused Children
Illiterate Adults
Migrant Farm Workers
OPTION 2: Low-Income Clientele – Other
Select this option if the program will serve a specific clientele not listed under the first option. The organization must document income eligibility for each program participant. Indicate below the types of documentation the organization will collect to verify income eligibility (select all that apply):
Pay Stubs / Wage Statements
W-2s
Income Tax Returns
Social Security Documentation
Bank Statements
Signed Certifications from
Beneficiaries
O t h e r :
O t h e r :
O t h e r :
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OPTION 3: Low-Income Area
Select this option if the program will benefit all residents in an area where at least 51% of its residents are low- or moderate-income. This is the least likely option for Community Service programs.
i. Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program
Describe the project/program in detail in the space below. Limit description to the space provided on this and the next page.
In 2022, the Central Valley Human Trafficking Data Project identified 432 victims of human trafficking. Of those, 15.5% said the person who recruited them was someone with whom they had a close relationship, a romantic partner, family member, or a friend. 6.4% of victims had a parent of sibling who had also been trafficked. Though data is challenging to obtain, over a decade of experience and data from our partners locally and nationally allows us to better identify factors that put individuals at greater risk of human trafficking. As our partners at Love146 say, "Sex trafficking is rarely the first thing to go wrong in a child's life." Their data and our experience shows that involvement in social services, prior sexual abuse, familial trafficking, having a family member who abuses substances or is incarcerated, exposure to gangs, experiencing homelessness, and abuse and neglect are all factors that increase the vulnerability of a youth to trafficking and exploitation. The good news is that we can intervene! Through our own presentations and curriculums along with those we are licensed to provide, we have the tools to educate and equip youth with known vulnerabilities, reducing the risk that they will be exploited. For every 100 youth educated through Not a Number, a 6-week curriculum which we are licensed to teach, as many as 10 youth disclose serious safety issues, enabling us to connect them to resources and help build a safety net. Or won screening revealed more than 1/3 of the youth we worked with already displayed clear concern for exploitation as determined by the CSE-IT screening.
CVJC has been a leader in trafficking prevention since 2010. Our Youth Advocacy and Mentorship Program, developed in 2021 with the help of lived experience expert Arien Pauls Garcie, allows us to meet with vulnerable youth before they are exploited, help them identify their own vulnerabilities, set goals, build a community of support, learn about resources in our community, and help youth avoid trafficking situations and practice harm reduction. We believe the best story is the one you never hear. It is the goal of the Central Valley Justice Coalition to keep young people out of th ehands of those who mean them harm.
Once a referral is received, either through a partner organization or our online form, an advocate reaches out to the youth directly and to their parent or guardian if appropriate. The advocate explains that their role is to help the young person identify goals, provide support and resources to reach those goals, and provide education around risks and vulnerabilities. Participation in the pro gram is voluntary, so the
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yough and advocat must agree to their goals and the terms of their meetings. You Youth Program Director and Youth Advocates use intake data and initial conversations to develop individualized case plans based on the youth's needs and goals, always including education about trafficking and exploitation.
Group classes are also available through CVJC and have been provided to other non-profit organizations working with at-risk youth. To date, we have educated over 3,200 youth about the dangers of online exploitatoin and both sex and labor trafficking. We have heard from youth that the training they received has kept them out of the hands of traffickers and allowed them to recognize danger before they fell victim to it.
In September 2023, CVJC partnered with other organizations to open a new youth drop-in center at City Center in the heart of Fresno. In this facility, youth ages 12-24 have access to a safe and welcoming facility where a variety of needs can be met.
Built to look like a large open-concept apartment, youth can access a kitchen, wsher and dryer, computer enter with pringer, and living room space with comfortable couches. The lare dining table facilitates family-stlye dining and is perfect for hosting community events. Classrooms within The Landing allow us to offer a variety of programs to youth and connect with them as they complete everyday tasks.
Additional funding with allow us to offer therapeutic services in additiona to our mentorship services, a resource that is severely lacking in our community, especially for youth. By removing the barriers many of our clients have found to accessing therapy, including the motivation to puruse one more appointment with one more organization, we anticipate moving youth forward on a path of healing more thoroughly and effectively.
Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program (Continued from previous page)
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j. Collaboration
Briefly describe any collaboration efforts with other organizations for this project/program or related initiatives.
Collaborating Organization Description of Collaboration Department of Social Services DSS refe rs high risk youth to our mentorship program. They also help make group homes aware
of training options and support that we offer.
Unity Court Youth who have been trafficked or have a high vulnerability to exploitation have the option to
participate in Unity Court. Until December of 2022,
when our funding no longer allowed a full-time
advocate, all youth in need of preventative services
were referred to the Justice Coalition. Once we have
the staff to meet the need, we anticipate referrals will resume.
Fresno Police Chaplaincy -
Project STEALTH
CVJC and Project STEALTH have worked in close
partnership to support youth who have significant
risk factors of exploitation, including family history of gang involvement and frequent runaways.
Fresno EOC/ Central Valley
Against Human Trafficking
We have worked with CVAHT in many capacities
since at least 2010. We have participated in
trainings together, work together to improve case
management, participated in a data project together,
and build partnerships with other organizations
through our connection to EOC.
City Without Orphans Together with Breaking the Chains, we recently opened a youth center at City Center where we can
all serve youth clients who often overlap. The
Justice Coalition and City Without Orphans served
on a foster oversight committee with the Department
of Social Services. We continue to work together to
equip the various families, churches, and
organizations seeking to support foster and adoptive
youth and their families.
Fresno MIssion Fresno Mission developed the City Center and has worked with us to envision supportive services for
underserved youth. As they begin to open a new
residental buildin
g, we anticipate working together to
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provide education and community for vulnerable
youth.
Fresno County Superintendent
of Schools
FCSS facilitates the Foster and Homeless Youth
Networked Improvement Committee. In this space,
local schools come together with organizations to
provide the best possible outcomes for our students
experiencing homelessness and out-of-home
placement. We are a proud participant of this
community.
4. Project/Program Budget
a. The City is interested in applicants that can deploy activities in a timely manner (12 months) while balancing the need to maintain high standards of program delivery. Please propose how you will address this need.
Our programs are already established and known within the community.
Increased funding will allow us to hire immediately and expand the services already operating. CVJC has a referral form already in use, flyers already being distributed, and referrals being made to our current part-time youth advocate. We have licenses for three different curriculums and a website with resources and links to referral forms. We have an established relationship with Unity Court, the Juvenile Justice Campus, Probation, and partner organizations, all of whom have referred clients to us in recent years. We already have staff in The Landing and are meeting clients there. Increased funding will allow us to expand our already established services.
b. List of Funding Sources
Provide all planned funding anticipated/ committed for this activity for PY 2025- 2026. If the organization has received funding commitment letters, please attach as an exhibit to this application.
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Funding
Source (Name
of Funder)
Name of
Funding
Program (if
applicable)
Dollar
Amount
Commitment
Status
(Committed or
Pending)
If Pending,
Expected
Commitment
Date
Private
Donations
200,000 Pending ongoing
Fansler
Foundation
24,350 Committed
Central Valley
Community
Foundation
Pledge 2 Stop
Trafficking
2,400.00 pending 1/13/25
c. Activity Budget Summary and Narrative
Please complete Exhibit A – Operating Budget Summary.
The above referenced Budget worksheet is available at www.fresno.gov/housing under the ‘Notices of Funding Available’ tab.
An Exhibit B – Budget Narrative must also be completed to provide a brief explanation of the expenses included in the budget.
Please note the following costs are not allowable for CDBG: bad debts; contingencies; contributions and donations; entertainment costs (including meals for social events and awards/graduation banquets); gifts or incentive awards to individuals; fines and penalties resulting from violations of or non-compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws; interest on borrowed capital; fundraising; investment management.
d. Prior-Year Financial Statement
Please attach a financial statement labeled as Exhibit C for the proposed program for the last full operating year. Failure to provide the financial statement will result in disqualification.
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Attachments to Part B Application:
EXHIBIT A – Operating Budget Summary
EXHIBIT B – Budget Narrative
EXHIBIT C – Prior-year audited financial statement including statement of activities, statement of financial position and statement of cash flows (required when total federal grant awards equaled or exceeded $1,000,000 during the annual audit period); or prior-year unaudited financial statement when total federal grant awards for the annual audit period was less than $1,000,000
Optional Additional Exhibits:
EXHIBIT – Funding Commitment Letters (if available) EXHIBIT – Letters of Support (optional – maximum 2) EXHIBIT – Service Area M ap (required if not described in 3.f.) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 98
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Exhibit A: Operating Project Budget Summary (or submit via Excel) Budgeted Position
(Personnel) or Category
(Operations)
City of Fresno HUD Funds Other Funds for Project
Project
Totals (All
Funds) Salaries &
Wages
Fringe
Benefits
Totals
(City of
Fresno
HUD
Funds)
Other
Federal
Funds
State
Funds
Local
Govm't
Funds
Private /
Donor
Funds
Other
Funds
(specify)
Salaries/Wages (Specify each position; add additional rows as needed) Direct Service Personnel (enter position titles):
Youth Program Director 60,091.20 7568.40 67,659.60
Youth Advocates 50,067.00 1404.00 51,471.00
Administrative Personnel (enter position titles):
Independent Contractors / Consultants (enter position titles):
Therapeutic Supervisor 9,000.00 9,000.00
Fund Management
Executive Assistant 3,240.00 3,240.00
TOTAL PERSONNEL
BUDGET $ $ $131,370.
60 $ $ $ $ $ $
Other Direct Costs (Include only costs that are direct; indirect costs are covered under the Indirect Cost Rate) Phones 1,080.00
Transportation 3,300.00
Program Supplies 1,800.00
Staff Training 2,000.00
Therapy Notes 1440.00
TOTAL OTHER DIRECT
COSTS $9620.00 $ $ $ $ $ $ INDIRECT COSTS (Select 1 indirect rate Only)
Approved Indirect Cost
Rate
De minimus 15 % Rate 21,148.59
TOTAL INDIRECT COST
BUDGET $21148.59 $ $ $ $ $ $ TOTAL PROJECT
BUDGET $ $ $162,139.
19 $ $ $ $ $ $
*An approved indirect cost rate must be applied to the base identified in the agreement with the federal cognizant agency.
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Per 2 CFR 200.414, any non-federal entity that does not have a current negotiated rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (defined in 2 CFR 200.1).
Exhibit B: Budget Narrative
Please provide a brief narrative describing the expenses included in each category of the budget summary.
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PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
The largest expenses in our program are for staff. The Youth Program Director position is a full-time position. This person is responsible for overseeing group programs, maintaining client records for all youth advocates, supporting part-time advocates, and will have a small case load when necessary, providing further 1-on-1 support. This position is essential for reaching out to partner organizations, schools, and agencies to assess their need for support and inform them of our available programs. A full-time staff position allows us to run 2 groups a month, utilizing our licensed curriculum, and create and maintain collaborative partnerships that expand our services throughout the year.
We expect to educate 300 youth in this coming year through presentations and trainings.
This year’s budget reflects an increase which is more reflective of a supervisory role.
The funding for this position accounts for the following:
$56,160.00 - $27.00/ hour for 40 hours a week
$1684.80 - 3% retirement benefit.
$3,931.20 - 7% employment taxes
$5,883.60 - Healthcare
The Youth Advocates are part-time positions, working a combined total of 30 hours a week. During PY23, we were able to add a part-time advocate role, increasing our ability to serve clients and run groups. Our part-time youth advocate is the only male youth advocate in Fresno, and his impact with boys has been significant. As we move into a more active role at The Landing, we also want to add another part-time advocate so that we can meet the needs of both scheduled and drop-in clients. Two part-time advocates will enable us to support 12-15 clients at a time.
Youth advocate costs:
$46,800.00 - $22.50/ hour for 40 hours a week, split between two advocates $3,276.00 - Employer taxes
$1404.00 - Retirement benefit
Two of our Youth Advocates are Associate Marriage and Family Therapists. They have the training and expertise necessary to provide therapeutic services to our clients, but until they have completed their clinical hours, they require a clinical supervisor in order to comply with board requirements. This supervisor provides important feedback and also allows our staff to be less concerned about where mentorship ends and therapy begins, a line which can be quite tricky to navigate. Supervision and documentation costs with an outside contractor are $750/ month.
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PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
Therapy Notes is a tool that allows us to keep comprehensive and confidential notes on our clients. This tool costs us $120/ month
$3240 covers a fund management executive assistant at $27/hour for 10 hours a month to assist with gathering and submitting all necessary documents and tracking the budget.
Cell phones currently cost our organization $30/ month each. $1080 would enable us to have one cell phone for each advocate, one for the program director, and one for the drop-in center supervisor.
$1800 will be used for supplies for youth in our program, including art supplies, chart paper for classes, party supplies for seasonal gatherings in The Landing, and food for classes and events.
Ongoing training for our staff is essential. All staff must be trained in the CSE-IT tool, our universal screening tool for indicators of commercial sexual exploitation. Training in deescalation techniques, classroom management, and program curriculum is also necessary throughout the year. Additionally, membership to the Christian Community Development Association gives our team access to important training throughout the year. $2,000 will cover these expenses, including cultural competency training. $3300 provides $275/ month for travel expenses for staff supporting youth. These roles require quite a bit of driving between school sites, homes, and more. This also allows our staff to meet clients in places that feel safe and convenient in the event that our office is not accessible. Many of our youth prefer to meet in Starbucks or take a trip to the zoo together. This is a good opportunity for conversation and connection, and requires mileage reimbursement.
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Chinatow
n Fresno
Foundation
Chinatown Open for Business
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PY 2025-2026 CONSOLIDATED NOFA
PART A – COVER PAGE:
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION1
Part A, Section 1: General Information
Legal Name of the Organization: Fictitious Name (if applicable):
Chinatown Fresno Foundation
UEI of Organization: Taxpayer Identification Number:
F2J4BNLZUVK3 82-4272279
Date of Incorporation: Date of 501(c)(3) Determination:
01/05/2018 02/28/2018
Mailing Address of Organization: Organization Website Address:
912 F Street, Fresno CA 93706 www.chinatownfresno.org
Name of President (or Chair of the Board): E-mail Address:
Cami Cipolla [email protected]
Name of Chief Executive or Executive Director: E-mail Address:
Jan Minami [email protected]
Name of the Secretary: E-mail Address:
Natalie Vargas [email protected]
Name of Treasurer (or Chief Financial Officer): E-mail Address:
Marc Ryder [email protected]
Principal Contact
Person: Principal Contact’s Title:
Principal Contact’s Physical
Address (Street Address, Suite,
City, State, ZIP):
Jan Minami Project Director
912 F Street, Fresno CA 93706
Primary Phone #: Alternative Phone #: E-mail Address:
559.859.1763 559.815.9592 [email protected]
Name of Authorized Signatory: Title of Authorized Signatory:
Cami Cipolla Board Chair
Signature of Authorized Official: Date of Signature:
see signature page to be submitted
Do you have an active registration with SAM.gov? Yes No 1 This document is for non-profit organizations. Units of local government, please complete Part A: Unit of Government Information
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Part A
, Section 2: Organizational Background
Please provide the organization’s mission statement within the below space:
MISSION: We unite our community, honor our heritage, strengthen business and property assets and build vibrancy in our neighborhood.
VISION: Our vision is to become the next great mixed-use neighborhood.
Please mark any of the following classifications that apply to your organization:
Woman-Owned Business Small Business
Minority Institution Minority-Owned
Tribal Veteran-Owned
Other:
Part A, Section 3: Organizational Capacity and Management Please provide the number of staff employed by your organization:
Please provide key personnel information for HUD-funded projects:
Staff Name Title
Years of
Experience
1) Jan Minami Project Director 25
2) Elaine Martell Administrator 30
3) Monica Valero
Community Development
Coordinator 1
4)
5)
Board of Directors
How often does your Board of Directors regularly meet?
monthly
List current Board of Directors below:
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1) Eileen Arenas 6) Tom Freund 11) June Stanfield
2) Augie Blancas 7) Ben Gitmed 12) Christina
Stokes-Johnson
3) Cami Ciplooa 8) Yem Huyhn 13) Rio H Toi
4) Morgan Doizaki 9) Eduardo Lopez 14) Natalie
Vargas
5) Es Esposo 10) Marc Ryder
Financial Management
1) Provide the name of staff responsible for your agency’s accounting system
Name: Jan Minami
Title: Project Director
Phone/Email: 559.859.1763
2) Has your agency operated with or managed federal funds within the past three years? Yes No
3)
Has your agency been required to comply with the Single Audit requirements of the Uniform Guidance in the past two fiscal years? Yes No
A Single Audit is required when $1,000,000 or more in federal funds is expended in a fiscal year.
4)
Have your agency’s annual financial statements been audited by an independent audit firm? Yes No
If yes, please provide a copy of the statements for the past two years in Exhibit 2.
5)
If the answer to Questions 3 or 4 were ‘Yes’, please explain any findings or questioned costs.
6)
Does your financial system:
a) Provide for the control and accountability of grant funds, property, and other assets? Yes No
b) Separately track revenue and expenditures for the grant funds? Yes No
7)
Does your payroll system separately track staff time by grant and/or activity? Yes No
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8) Are all payments properly documented with evidence or receipt of goods or performance of services? Yes No
9) Are all bank accounts reconciled monthly? Yes No
10)
Has your agency had any significant changes in key personnel within the past 12 months? (e.g. Controller, Exec. Director, Program Manager, Accounting Manager, etc.) Yes No
If yes, please explain
11)
Has your agency implemented new or substantially changed systems related to grant management or accounting systems in the past 12 months?
Yes No
If yes, please explain
12)
Does your agency have policies that address the following? Ethics/Professional Conduct Yes No
Pay Rates and Benefits Yes No
Discrimination Yes No
Purchasing/Procurement Yes No
Property and Equipment Yes No
Segregation of Duties Yes No
Time and Effort Reporting Yes No
Record Retention Yes No
13) Does your agency certify that you have a current business license with the City of Fresno? Yes No
14)
Does your agency certify that they are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal or State department or agency? Yes No
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Authorized Signatories
If your organization is selected for funding, signatures from persons bearing titles from each of the two lines below will be required by your organization.
1. Board Chair, President, or Vice President
2. Treasurer, Secretary, or Assistant Secretary
If you will be unable to provide the two requested signatures or intend to otherwise deviate from the standard signature authority, please indicate the names and titles of the authorized signatories below and provide the names and titles of the person(s) authorized to execute agreements on behalf of your organization in your board- certified resolution.
Authorized Signatory Name Authorized Signatory Title
1) Cami Cipolla Board Chair
2) Marc Ryder Board Treasurer
Board Resolution providing for the signature authority of persons to sign agreements on behalf of the entity is attached (required before a subrecipient agreement will be executed).
To view the City’s policy regarding signature authority, including a sample signature page and sample certification, view Administrative Order 4-1 at:
https://www.fresno.gov/personnel/human-resources-support/#administrative-order
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Part A
, Section 4: Summary of Attached Applications:
Provide number and total dollar amount of applications by Application Type
Homeless and Homelessness Prevention Programs
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested $
Owner-Occupied Home Repair
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested $
Public and Community Services
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested 1 $ 40,000
Fair Housing
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested $
Public Infrastructure & Facility Improvements
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested $
=
GRAND TOTAL
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested 1 $40,000.00
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Requi
red Attachments to Part A
Select all attachments included.
Part A, Exhibit 1 – Organization’s U.S. Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) Determination of Exemption Letter (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 2 – Most Recent Audited Financial Statement (an IRS 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, may be submitted in lieu of an audit whenever the organization lacks an audit due it not exceeding California and Federal audit thresholds)
Part A, Exhibit 3 – Copies of results of audits, examinations, or monitoring procedures performed during the last two fiscal years on any direct federal award received by the organization
Part A, Exhibit 4 – Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with Federal Cognizant Agency (Required if applicant seeks to charge an indirect cost rate greater than 15 percent of modified total direct costs)
Part A, Exhibit 5 – List of all awards to the organization from City of Fresno during the past two years
Part A, Exhibit 6 – Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation (when location of incorporation was outside of California) (Required of Out-of-State Corporations only)
Part A, Exhibit 7 – List of Directors and Officers by Corporate Title and Name (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 8 – Organization’s Articles of Incorporation (Required) Part A, Exhibit 9 – Bylaws of the Organization (Required) Part A, Exhibit 10 – Resolution of the Board of the Directors Authorizing the Application and Naming the Persons Authorized to Sign the Application (Required; the Resolution must be submitted to the City by 5 PM, February 1, 2025)
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PY 2025-2026 APPLICATION
Community Service Programs
NOTE: This application is not for community services to benefit primarily homeless and individuals at risk of homelessness. If you are a homeless service provider, please use the Homeless Housing and Services application.
1. Project Summary Information – please complete the below summary information for the project/program.
Project Name (10 words or less): Chinatown Open for Business Amount Requested: $ 40,000.00
To utilize CDBG funds for a community service, the service must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service.
This project is a:
New Project/Program
Existing Project/Program
Provide a short description of the proposed program/activity. (1 to 3 sentences and must fit in the provided space).
Micro-enterprises throughout Chinatown need the support of our work. While we focused on the Pop-Up Place last year, we have done the hard work of organizing that program, and will continue to operate it, providing a temporary home for start-up businesses with 6 months free rent, utilties and wi-fi. We are adding block-by-block business spotlights and printed/digital resource reports, rounding out our technical assistance efforts.
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If this is an existing project/program that has not received CDBG funding from the City previously, please briefly explain how CDBG funds will be used to increase the level of service.
2. Organizational Capacity
a. Briefly describe how your organization’s prior activities have resulted in meaningful impact:
Over seven years, the Chinatown Fresno Foundation has worked extensively with the business community, developing business and property owner support services including the Empowerment Center, Make Time Business School workshops, Chinatown Open for Business and the Pop-Up Place. In addition to outreach within the Chinatown community, we connect on a regular basis with other place-based organizations in Fresno as well as various levels of government and the media. b. D escribe the organization’s experience with administering federally funded programs of this nature.
Chinatown Fresno Foundation received CDBG grant funding for PY21, PY22, PY23 and PY24. The Project Director, Jan Minami, spend three additional years administering federal grants for Food Commons Fresno.
c. For how many years has the organization administered activities of the type described in this application?
7 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 114
d. Does the organization have the following in place (check box if ‘yes’)? Written policies and procedures for the proposed project or program (i.e., intake, eligibility)
Written Financial Management Policies and Procedures
Non-Discrimination / Equal Opportunity Policy
Conflict of Interest Policies and Procedures
Procurement Policies and Procedures
e. Please describe the cultural competency training staff will be required to complete during the term of this program.
We have developed a Cultural Competency Toolkit with two training sections. The first addresses awareness, attitudes, knowledge and skills, assisting employees in understanding their individual approach to dealing with their own biases and belief systems and their understanding of peoples and cultures. The second immerses the employee in their approach to the external environment through structural (social expectations in relation to public policies), institutional (how institutions have been by historical factors), interpersonal (understanding how others think and an appreciation of that diversity) and individual (accepting your own values and how they impact thoughts and actions). We find this continues to lead to good discussions about cultural compentency.
3. Proposed Scope of Work
a. Briefly describe the needs this proposal addresses, and how existing resources are insufficient to meet this need:
The Chinatown business community, composed primarily of micro-enterprises, continues to be challenged with recognition of the activity here. Customers confront blocked roads, road construction and challenging parking, along with limited options once they arrive.
Resources remain necessary to encourage and support start-up entrepreneurs to begin their business life in Chinatown in a second year of the Pop-Up Place.
Marketing business blocks and creating regular business-oriented materials fill gaps in technical assistance that are vitally needed.
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b. Briefly describe the target population and how the project will meet the specific needs of the target population and how the project will be marketed to the target population.
Over 70% of the businesses operating within the Chinatown neighborhood are micro-enterprises. They operate in a challenging market with ongoing road construction and no direct connection to a residential population. In this atmosphere of economic isolation, boosting the business climate by adding more businesses and providing strong business support through education and marketing will expand the overall customer base for Chinatown businesses.
Recognizing that starting a business is hard, we will seek potential entrepreneurs who are willing to make the effort. The Pop-Up Place is intended to make that journey easier for new or repeating entrepreneurs through financial underwriting (free rent, utilities and wi-fi) in Chinatown. We will use phone, direct mail, email and social media to reach people for referrals, along with outreach to other organizations to assist in this search.
Providing expanded technical assistance will benefit all Chinatown micro- enterprises, new and existing. These will include marketing businesses through highlighting businesses block-by-block and creating a steady stream of strategic information that is essential for operating a micro-enterprise successfully.
c. Describe consultation efforts made with the target population in the development of the proposed activity.
The Chinatown Board of Directors represents business and property owners in the neighborhood. Many of them own micro-enterprises, while a few operate small businesses.
Businesses outside Chinatown were also consulted, along with place-based organizations throughout Fresno like the Downtown Fresno Partnership.
Overall, they recommended financial assistance and recognition. From their suggestions, we have developed the Pop-Up Place, Business Blocks and The Edge.
d. Describe the marketing plan for the proposed activity and how the organization will ensure it reaches the target population.
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1. Utilize the talents of our Community Development Coordinator to collaborate with our team in fine-tuning the details of the programs. Her social media expertise is significant and she can design marketing materials (both digital and print) for use in the programs.
2. Use available digital tools like newsletter, email, social media, website and our business network to reach existing and potential micro-entrepreneurs for the Pop-Up Place.
3. Develop the parameters of the Business Block program. Publicize the details among the businesses to generate enthusiasm.
4. Research and write The Edge, ensuring that topics are relevant to Chinatown micro-enterprises.
5. Conduct our annual neighborhood assessment survey to determine the business conditions in Chinatown and to learn what new businesses might be compatible in the neighborhood.
e. Although the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is in the process of being updated, the City recommends that investments be made in areas identified as Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs – see NOFA Handbook). Will this program be:
Offered Citywide
Offered Citywide with an emphasis and affirmative marketing toward RECAPs
Offered exclusively to residents of RECAPs
f. Describe the service area:
Note: Strong applications will include specifically defined services areas such as ‘residents within ½ mile radius of [facility address]’ or ‘residents within the boundaries defined on the attached map.’ A map may be attached in lieu of a service area description.
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Chinatown Fresno is bounded by Ventura Street on the south, Freeway 99 on the west, Fresno Street on the north and the railroad tracks on the east.
As a mixed-used urban neighborhood located on the western boundary of Downtown Fresno, Chinatown Fresno is primarily commercial. Decades of disinterest and disinvestment by government, agencies and nonprofits have bred distrust. A concerted economic development effort continues to be needed to support and develop this business community.
g. Estimate the number of unduplicated people expected to benefit from the project:
100 unduplicated people or businesses will receive a direct benefit from this project.
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h. Income Documentation
CDBG-eligible programs primarily benefit persons who earn less than 80% of the area median income. A chart containing the income limits effective as of June 1, 2024, is included as a reference below. Applicants must select one of the three options for documenting how their activity will satisfy the income eligibility requirement. Please note, these income limits are subject to change. For the most current income limits please reference the link below:
https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5334/cdbg-income-limits/ Household Size 30% AMI 50% AMI 80% AMI
1 $18,450 $30,800 $49,250
2 $21,100 $35,200 $56,250
3 $23,750 $39,600 $63,300
4 $26,350 $43,950 $70,300
5 $28,500 $47,500 $75,950
OPTION 1: Low-Income Clientele – Presumed Benefit
Select this option only if the program will exclusively serve one of the following clienteles (select all that apply)
Older Adults (62 and older)
Severely Disabled Adults
Abused Children
Illiterate Adults
Migrant Farm Workers
OPTION 2: Low-Income Clientele – Other
Select this option if the program will serve a specific clientele not listed under the first option. The organization must document income eligibility for each program participant. Indicate below the types of documentation the organization will collect to verify income eligibility (select all that apply):
Pay Stubs / Wage Statements
W-2s
Income Tax Returns
Social Security Documentation
Bank Statements
Signed Certifications from
Beneficiaries
Other:
Other:
Other:
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OPTION 3: Low-Income Area
Select this option if the program will benefit all residents in an area where at least 51% of its residents are low- or moderate-income. This is the least likely option for Community Service programs.
i. Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program
Describe the project/program in detail in the space below. Limit description to the space provided on this and the next page.
Chinatown Fresno deserves a thriving business economy, one that supports many small businesses and their customers. Over 70% of the businesses operating within the Chinatown neighborhood are micro-enterprises. They operate in a challenging market with ongoing road construction and no direct connection to a residential population. In this atmosphere of economic isolation, boosting the business climate while reflecting the cultural heritage of Chinatown required adding more businesses and providing strong business support through marketing and education.
Building on the successes of Chinatown Open for Business and Pop-Up Place, this initiative is designed to inspire budding entrepreneurs, strengthen existing businesses, and create an enduring impact on the Chinatown business environment.
It is aimed directly at building economic and community development. The neighborhood challenges make that difficult, but not insurmountable. Chinatown Fresno is disconnected from the rest of Downtown Fresno by the railroad tracks, and from its former residential community by State Route 99. Road construction has increased over the past year with three major projects operating in Chinatown. We know that customers facing too much road construction may simply not come back, so we need ways to encourage them in. Solid job growth and an improved Chinatown economy depend on it.
There are several components in our proposal to attract customers and strengthen Chinatown micro-enterprises.
THE POP-UP PLACE A program as successful as the Pop-Up Place needs to be repeated. At the core of the Pop-Up Place is a transformative opportunity for a small group of entrepreneurs who will be invited to launch their businesses in the Pop-Up Place. This unique incubation period, which offers free rent, utilities and wi-fi, allows them to nurture their ideas from initial concept to ready-to-go micro-enterprise. As they near the end of their six months, we will assist in finding a location in a Chinatown storefront, as well. Since our ongoing goal is to expand the Chinatown commercial mix, business owners that are committed for the long-haul are important.
BUSINESS BLOCKS This new program will showcase businesses from a block in Chinatown each month. Business owners and employees in the specified block will be interviewed and video clips will be prepared of the business interior and exterior. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 120
As each block of businesses is chronicled, their information will be features on social media, included in our newsletter and shared with all Chinatown businesses.
By documenting each block in detail, the program aims to foster stronger connections within the community, attract new customers, and highlight the vibrant culture and entrepreneurial spirit we see in Chinatown micro-enterprises.
THE EDGE: YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Another monthly feature will be a business-help paper called The Edge. Advice will include topics such as insurance basics, effective small-business leadership, managing cash flow, and developing resilience as a micro-enterprise. To develop the content, we will call on local experts, our own research and experience, market trend analysis, and industry reports. These advice sheets will be printed and distributed, as well as transmitted to businesses digitally. Summaries will be included in our newsletter.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSESSMENT Understanding the Chinatown Fresno neighborhood is an ongoing process. Each year our Community Development Coordinator conducts a survey of all businesses, taking a measure of the business climate and updating our business database giving us a solid foundation for strategic decision-making. This assessment will contribute to topics for The Edge. In addition, a wrap-up survey will conclude this assessment, providing insights into the program's impact.
SUMMARY Chinatown's commercial district consists of small and smaller businesses that operate in a long-neglected neighborhood. Chinatown Open for Business will continue to strengthen businesses, add new micro-enterprises, and expand the customer base, leading to job growth, a sound Chinatown economy and improved quality of life.
Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program (Continued from previous page)
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j. Collaboration
Briefly describe any collaboration efforts with other organizations for this project/program or related initiatives.
Collaborating Organization Description of Collaboration Economic Development
Corporation serving Fresno
County
Work with their BRE (business retention and
expansion) specialists to improve our program
Fresno Metro Black Chamber
of Commerce
Collaborate with FMBCC staff to locate potential
entrepreneurs and solicit The Edge articles
Fresno Area Hispanic
Foundation
Collaborate with FAHF to locate potential
entrepreneurs and solicit The Edge articles
Downtown Fresno Partnership Collaborate with DFP to locate potential entrepreneurs and solicit The Edge articles
City of Fresno Economic
Development Department
Collaborate with City of Fresno Economic
Development staff to locate potential entrepreneurs,
assist with BLOCK work and contribute to The Edge
articles
CA High-Speed Rail Authority Assist by supporting Marketing Plan Community and Economic
Development Partnership
Collaborate with other place-based neighborhood
organizations who belong to CEDP to locate
potential entrepreneurs and contribute to The Edge
4. Project/Program Budget
a. The City is interested in applicants that can deploy activities in a timely manner (12 months) while balancing the need to maintain high standards of program delivery. Please propose how you will address this need.
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The Chinatown Fresno Foundation already provides ongoing business resources within the neighborhood. We plan to launch the new year of the Pop-Up Place in July, 2025, if approved, wrapping up in April, as we are going to do this year. Since the Pop-Up Place program is already created, timing will be more manageable in 2025.
The Block-by-Block efforts will begin in August once the program is fully planned. They will continue on through the 2025-2026 year, covering 11 business blocks, with more to come in the future.
The Edge, the business resources paper, will begin in August. We are partnering with other place-based groups to provide content, along with our own resources and research. We hope this is an ongoing program into the future.
b. List of Funding Sources
Provide all planned funding anticipated/ committed for this activity for PY 2025- 2026. If the organization has received funding commitment letters, please attach as an exhibit to this application.
Funding
Source (Name
of Funder)
Name of
Funding
Program (if
applicable)
Dollar
Amount
Commitment
Status
(Committed or
Pending)
If Pending,
Expected
Commitment
Date
CA High-Speed
Rail Authority
Marketing and
community
outreach
115,000 Committed
Mechanics
Bank
Economic
Development
5,000 Pending March 2025
US Bank Economic
Development
50,000 Pending February 2025
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c. Activity Budget Summary and Narrative
Please complete Exhibit A – Operating Budget Summary.
The above referenced Budget worksheet is available at www.fresno.gov/housing under the ‘Notices of Funding Available’ tab.
An Exhibit B – Budget Narrative must also be completed to provide a brief explanation of the expenses included in the budget.
Please note the following costs are not allowable for CDBG: bad debts; contingencies; contributions and donations; entertainment costs (including meals for social events and awards/graduation banquets); gifts or incentive awards to individuals; fines and penalties resulting from violations of or non-compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws; interest on borrowed capital; fundraising; investment management.
d. Prior-Year Financial Statement
Please attach a financial statement labeled as Exhibit C for the proposed program for the last full operating year. Failure to provide the financial statement will result in disqualification.
Attachments to Part B Application:
EXHIBIT A – Operating Budget Summary
EXHIBIT B – Budget Narrative
EXHIBIT C – Prior-year audited financial statement including statement of activities, statement of financial position and statement of cash flows (required when total federal grant awards equaled or exceeded $1,000,000 during the annual audit period); or prior-year unaudited financial statement when total federal grant awards for the annual audit period was less than $1,000,000
Optional Additional Exhibits:
EXHIBIT – Funding Commitment Letters (if available) EXHIBIT D-1 and D-2 – Letters of Support (optional – maximum 2) EXHIBIT E – Service Area Map (required if not described in 3.f.) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 124
Exhibit A: Operating Project Budget Summary (or submit via Excel) Budgeted Position
(Personnel) or Category
(Operations)
City of Fresno HUD Funds Other Funds for Project
Project
Totals (All
Funds) Salaries &
Wages
Fringe
Benefits
Totals
(City of
Fresno
HUD
Funds)
Other
Federal
Funds
State
Funds
Local
Govm't
Funds
Private /
Donor
Funds
Other
Funds
(specify)
Salaries/Wages (Specify each position; add additional rows as needed) Direct Service Personnel (enter position titles):
Community
Development
Coordinator
14,500 3,625 18,125 18,125
Administrative Personnel (enter position titles):
Independent Contractors / Consultants (enter position titles):
Project Director 8,750 8,750 8,750
TOTAL PERSONNEL
BUDGET $23,250 $3,625 $26,875 $ $ $ $ $ $26,875 Other Direct Costs (Include only costs that are direct; indirect costs are covered under the Indirect Cost Rate) Pop-Up Place rent 7,000 7,000 Pop-Up Place expenses 907.61 907.61
TOTAL OTHER DIRECT
COSTS $7,907.61 $ $ $ $ $ $7,907.61 INDIRECT COSTS (Select 1 indirect rate Only)
Approved Indirect Cost
Rate
De minimus 15 % Rate 5,217.39* 5,217.39
TOTAL INDIRECT COST
BUDGET $5,217.39 $ $ $ $ $ $5,217.39
TOTAL PROJECT
BUDGET $23,250 $3,625 $40,000 $ $ $ $ $ $40,000
*An approved indirect cost rate must be applied to the base identified in the agreement with the federal cognizant agency.
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Per 2 CFR 200.414, any non-federal entity that does not have a current negotiated rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (defined in 2 CFR 200.1).
Exhibit B: Budget Narrative
Please provide a brief narrative describing the expenses included in each category of the budget summary.
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This budget supports the four programs proposed, and funds primarily staff time to operate the programs. It covers key personnel, rent and operational expenses.
1. Pop-Up Place Manager ($18,125) Our Community Development Coordinator serves as the Pop-Up Place manager. She collaborates with our team to determine and outfit the location, select the Pop-Up entrepreneurs, and oversea the operation, supporting the new micro-enterprises. She will also operate the Business Blocks program and assist with The Edge business letter.
2. Project Director ($8,750) The Project Director is responsible for the overall vision, strategy and success of the Pop-Up Place and Business Blocks. She will research, do most of the writing, and edit The Edge, the monthly business letter.
3. The Pop-Up Place rent ($7,000) The venue is a critical element of the success of the Pop-Up Place and its tenants. We were extremely fortunate this year, and are already scouting new locations for PY 2025, if approved.
4. Pop-Up Place expenses ($907.61) These expenses cover utilities and wi-fi, amenities that the tenants greatly appreciate.
5. Indirect costs cover the many operational expenses incurred to operate these programs within the Chinatown Fresno Foundation.
The proposed budget is designed to cover personnel salaries, venue costs and essential expenses. It supports not only the established Pop-Up Place, but two new initiatives in support of all Chinatown micro-enterprises. Salaries are the bulk of the expenses because the Community Development Coordinator and Project Director will spend significant time to assure these programs are successful.
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 127
FRESNO
To Whom it may concern,
Re: Community Development Block Grant, Chinatown Open for Business Neighborhood organizations like the Chinatown Fresno Foundation are essential to the commercial success of their neighborhoods. As a property and business owner in Chinatown, I -· understand the importance of this organizational support. Addressing challenges like construction blocking streets and drawing new commercial success through micro-enterprises are projects that improve the Chinatown neighborhood.
Included in the ongoing initiative called Chinatown Open for Business are the Pop-Up Place and Business Block, each of which cari have.a tremendous impact on participating microenterprises.
In addition, the Edge will be a collection of business resources to share. Business success in a challenging neighborhood like Chinatown is based on understanding how to run a business and how to draw customers.
Not only is Chinatown Fresno Foundation proposing a physical location for new entreprenears, but they are covering rent, utilities and wi-fi for six months. They offer technical assistance and social media assistance. This Community Development Block Grant proposal for Chinatown Open for Business will be greatly beneficial for the Chinatown district, expanding commercial options for customers.
Sincerely,
!ffcs ��" ... ,., Morgan Doizaki
CEO - Central Fish, Inc
1/15/25
Part B Exhibit D-1
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 128
Part B Exhibit D-2
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 129
073072
076 084
117
075
111103
074
063
121
13 09 08
12T
38U 03
U
1139 44
04 18T
37T 35 12
062062
065 FAGAN ALLEYFAGAN ALLEY
01T 03 06
05 04 02
18 20 15 10 12 13
14 11
01 09 11 07 0610 03
8T
15 13 03 02 12 04
11 E Street E Street E Street
Kern
Inyo
Mono
F Street F Street F Street
G Street G Street G Street
Ventura
Kern
Inyo
Mono
Ventura
FresnoFresno
N
CHINA ALLEYCHINA ALLEY CHINA ALLEY071
01 02
0308 07 10 05 06
01 02 04 03 0705
13 06
12 11 0810T 09
0601 02 05 04 03
0712 0809 13
17 16T
07T01 02 06T
04 03
05T
18 20 1901 02 04 03 06 05 0301 02
2217
19T1816T
13 15 14
7T
22T
05T0911 1012
20T
081
1701 11 12 13 15
Chinatown Neighborhood Map
Feb 13 2024
24U
04T
31T
32T
26T 28T07T
27T 29T?
17T 04T 29T 30T
32U
23 21
3034 33
21 20
19T25
28 27 26 31 32
29 36
18 11T 03T 04U 07 06 05
33U
102
066
08 07 06
04 02 03
05 Types of use
Available for development
Residential
Existing buildings with 2nd-floor development potential Unavailable properties like those belonging to CA Dairies and High-Speed Rail 050040030
Central
Fish
T emple
California Dairies
Existing buildings without 2nd-floors
Fire Station
Part B Exhibit E
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 130
Highway City Community
Development, Inc
Continuing Paths to Good Health
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 131
PY 2025-2026 CONSOLIDATED NOFA
PART A – COVER PAGE:
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION1
Part A, Section 1: General Information
Legal Name of the Organization: Fictitious Name (if applicable):
HIghway City COmmunity Development, Inc
UEI of Organization: Taxpayer Identification Number:
MECNBYKSDRS5 77-0459711
Date of Incorporation: Date of 501 (c)(3) Determination:
8/21/1997 03/18/1998
Mailing Address of Organization: Organization Website Addres s:
4718 N. Polk Ave, Fresno CA 93722 www.highwaycitycd.com Name of President (or Chair of the Board): E-mail Address:
Al Martinez
al@lanternmarketingconsulting.
com
Name of Chief Executive or Executive Director: E-mail Address:
April Henry [email protected]
Name of the Secretary: E-mail Address:
Elizabeth Pearce22500 [email protected]
Name of Treasurer (or Chief Financial Officer): E-mail Address:
Natasha Tate [email protected]
Principal Contact
Person: Principal Contact’s Title:
Principal Contact’s Physical
Address (Street Address, Suite,
Cit
y, State, ZIP):
April Henry Executive Director/CEO
4718 N. Polk Ave, Fresno CA
93722
Primary Phone #: Alternative Phone #: E-mail Address:
559-578-8991 559-2880856 april @highwaycitycd.com
Name of Authorized Signatory: Title of Authorized Signator y:
April Henry Executive Director/CEO
Signature of Authorized Official: Date of Signature:
April Henry 1/17/2025
1 This document is for non-profit organizations. Units of local government, please complete Part A: Unit of Government Information
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 132
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Do you have an active registration with SAM.gov? Yes No Part A, Section 2: Organizational Background
Please provide the organization’s mission statement within the below space:
The mission of HCCD is to work in West of 99/Central Unifie d area to stimulate community development and enlist resident leadership to improve the economic, physical and holistic infrastr uctures, thereby bringing hope and revitalization in the community.
Please mark any of the following classifications that apply to your organization:
Woman-Owned Business Small Business
Minority Institution Minority-Owned
Tribal Veteran-Owned
Other: nonprofit, community based
Part A, Section 3: Organizational Capacity and Management Please provide the number of staff employed by your organization:
Please provide key personnel information for HUD-funded projects:
Staff Name Title
Years of
Experience
1) April Henry Executive Director/CEO 16
2) Theresa Morales Center Manager 6
3) Kendra Staub-Villareal Communit y Engagement 2
4) Brian Henry Communit y Liaison 11
5)
Board of Directors
How often does your Board of Directors regularly meet?
6 times per year
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 133
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
List current Board of Directors below:
1) Al Martinez 6) Anton Pointer
2) Elizabeth Pearce 7)
3) Natasha Tate 8)
4) Daniel Brannick 9)
5) Gianna Bandoni 10)
Financial Management
1) Provide the name of staff responsible for your agency’s accounting system
Name: Angela Cardona - ANZA Consulting Group
Title: Executive Director - Accounting
Phone/Email: 559-900-5951, an [email protected]
2) Has your agency operated with or managed federal funds within the past three years? Yes No
3)
Has your agency been required to comply with the Single Audit requirements of the Uniform Guidance in the past two fiscal years? Yes No
A Single Audit is required when $1,000,000 or more in federal funds is expended in a fiscal
year.
4)
Have your agency’s annual financial statements been audited by an independent audit firm?
Yes No
If yes, please provide a copy of the statements for the past two years in Exhibit 2.
5)
If the answer to Questions 3 or 4 were ‘Yes’, please explain any findings or questioned costs.
6)
Does your financial system:
a) Provide for the control and accoun tability of grant funds, property, and other assets?
Yes No
b) Separately track revenue and ex penditures for the grant funds? Yes No
7)
Does your payroll system separately track staff time by grant and/or activity? Yes No
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 134
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
8) Are all payments properly documented with evidence or receipt of goods or performance of services? Yes No
9) Are all bank accounts reconciled monthly? Yes No
10)
Has your agency had any significant changes in key personnel within the past 12 months? (e.g. Controller, Exec. Director, Program Manager, Accounting Manager, etc.) Yes No
If yes, please explain
11)
Has your agency implemented new or substantially changed systems related to grant management or accounting systems in the past 12 months?
Yes No
If yes, please explain
12)
Does
your agency have policies that address the following?
Ethics/Professional Conduct Yes No
Pay Rates and Benefits Yes No
Discrimination Yes No
Purchasing/Procurement Yes No
Property and Equipment Yes No
Segregation of Duties Yes No
Time and Effort Reporting Yes No
Record Retention Yes No
13) Does your agency certify that you have a current business license with the City of Fresno? Yes No
14)
Does your agency certify that they are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal or State department or a
gency? Yes No
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 135
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Authorized Signatories
If your organization is selected for funding, signatures from persons bearing titles from each of the two lines below will be required by your organization.
1. Board Chair, President, or Vice President
2. Treasurer, Secretary, or Assistant Secretary
If you will be unable to provide the two requested signatures or intend to otherwise deviate from the standard signature authority, please indicate the names and titles of the authorized signatories below and provide the names and titles of the person(s) authorized to execute agreements on behalf of your organization in your board- certified resolution.
Authorized Signatory Name Authorized Signatory Title
1) D. Al Martinez Board Chairman
2) Elizabeth Pearce Board Secretary
Board Resolution providing for the signature authority of persons to sign agreements on behalf of the entity is attached (required before a subrecipient agreement will be executed).
To view the City’s policy regarding signature authority, including a sample signature page and sample certification, view Administrative Order 4-1 at:
https://www.fresno.gov/personnel/human-resources-support/#administrative-order 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 136
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Part A, Section 4: Summary of Attached Applications:
Provide number and total dollar amount of applications by Application Type
Homeless and Homelessness Prevention Programs
Number of Applications To tal Dollar Amount Requested
$
Owner-Occupied Home Repair
Number of Applications To tal Dollar Amount Requested
$
Public and Community Services
Number of Applications To tal Dollar Amount Requested
1 $ 23057.50
Fair Housing
Number of Applications To tal Dollar Amount Requested
$
Public Infrastructure & Facility Improvements
Number of Applications To tal Dollar Amount Requested
$
=
GRAND TOTAL
Number of Applications To tal Dollar Amount Requested
1 $ 0.00
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 137
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Required Attachments to Part A
Select all attachments included.
Part A, Exhibit 1 – Organization’s U.S. Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) Determination of Exemption Letter (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 2 – Most Recent Audited Financial Statement (an IRS 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, may be submitted in lieu of an audit whenever the organization lacks an audit due it not exceeding California and Federal audit thresholds)
Part A, Exhibit 3 – Copies of results of audits, examinations, or monitoring procedures performed during the last two fiscal years on any direct federal award received by the organization
Part A, Exhibit 4 – Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with Federal Cognizant Agency (Required if applicant seeks to charge an indirect cost rate greater than 15 percent of modified total direct costs)
Part A, Exhibit 5 – List of all awards to the organization from City of Fresno during the past two years
Part A, Exhibit 6 – Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation (when location of incorporation was outside of California) (Required of Out-of-State Corporations only)
Part A, Exhibit 7 – List of Directors and Officers by Corporate Title and Name (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 8 – Organization’s Articles of Incorporation (Required) Part A, Exhibit 9 – Bylaws of the Organization (Required) Part A, Exhibit 10 – Resolution of the Board of the Directors Authorizing the Application and Naming the Persons Authorized to Sign the Application (Required; the Resolution must be submitted to the City by 5 PM, February 1, 2025)
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 138
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
PY 2025-2026 APPLICATION
Community Service Programs
NOTE: This application is not for community services to benefit primarily homeless and individuals at risk of homelessness. If you are a homeless service provider, please use the Homeless Housing and Services application.
1. Project Summary Information – please complete the below summary information for the project/program.
Project Name (10 words or less): Continuing Paths to Good Health Amount Requested: $ 23057.00
To utilize CDBG funds for a community service, the service must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service.
This project is a:
New Project/Program
Existing Project/Program
Provide a short description of the proposed program/activity. (1 to 3 sentences and must fit in the provided space).
The project continues to build on a trusted precense of health and wellness services in an underserved part of Fresno. There are monthly wellness clinics, outreach events, and health education that will be held at the Teague Resource Center, open to all families West of 99/Central Unified (16,500 students/55,000+ residents)
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 139
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
If this is an existing project/program that has not received CDBG funding from the City previously, please briefly explain how CDBG funds will be used to increase the level of service.
Program is a renewal and has received CDBG funds in 2024
2. Organizational Capacity
a. Briefly describe how your organization’s prior activities have resulted in meaningful impact:
In our 1st six months of this program capturing specific date- we have had 163 families, re at our monthly clinics (2-3 hr clinics monthly, that serve all residents regardless of normal boundarties) with vaccines, immunizations, well care, BP, diabetes, contrception, wound care, sports physicals)
b. Describe the organization’s experience with administering federally funded programs of this nature.
We are currently doing this program with CDBG, and have been subgrantees on the Federal RISE/We in the World program for the last 3 years. We were also subgrantees on the state Neighbor2Neighbot grant
c. For how many years has the organization administered activities of the type described in this application?
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 140
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
Since late 2019, all through COVID and as an initiative to making sure families had access to health & wellness in our community.
d. Does the organization have the follo wing in place (check box if ‘yes’)? Written policies and procedures for the proposed project or program (i.e., intake, eligibility)
Written Financial Management Policies and Procedures
Non-Discrimination / Equal Opportunity Policy
Conflict of Interest Policies and Procedures
Procurement Policies and Procedures
e. Please describe the cultural competency training staff will be required to complete during the term of this program.
We focus on continuing education courses in sociology and humanics as part of training for ourselves, and students we work with through CSUF. Cultural competency training is a daily focus within all of the workshops and courses we do to extend our learning as well as equity and diversity training.
3. Proposed Scope of Work
a. Briefly describe the needs this proposal addresses, and how existing resources are insufficient to meet this need:
The continuum of care for health states that there shoulbe be 60-70 doctors per 100k residents, meaning our community area of 55,000 residents (census0 should have 30-40 doctors, dentists and specialists. We have 1 facility- Valley Health Team, and 1 being built. While we are grateful for that, it no where meets the needs of the community. Our clinics and services, are open to everyone regardless. We also partner with the school district nursing staff and they promote to families to make sure students and families are seeking the care they need to keep students in seats in class.
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 141
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
b. Briefly describe the target population and how the project will meet the specific needs of the target population and how the project will be marketed to the target population.
The West 99 community is an extremely diverse community of 55,000 residents.
Over 16,500 students call Central Unified home, and we serve this entire community.
The demographic breakdown is 61% Hispanic/Latino, 13% White, 8% Black, 16% Asian, and 2% other. Broken down we have a large Hmong, Punjabi and Arabic cultural influence in our community, and we make sure to have all materials for services available in those languages as well as English and Spanish.
Over 29% of our students are at poverty level, 69% overall from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, 80% qualify for free lunch, and a mjaority are on Medi-Cal or have no insurance. Our services will be open to everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay. CalEnviro 4.0 show 81.25% of residents in this area are "burdened".
14% of our seniors 65+ live in poverty, and our serve area includes this population and the area of Olive/Brawley, which is a target area.
c. Describe consultation efforts made wit h the target population in the development of the proposed activity.
Our relationship with Central Unified, and the fact that the Parent engagment team is in our center, and the fact that they provide parenting courses, literacy, education opportunities gives us credibility as we work together on these initiatives.
Add to that a good working relationship with the Central nursing staff and district Athletic director, and we have the collaboration of the schools and district at our reach. We have established relationships through our outreach efforts with coomunity members by having large outreach events throughout the year. We also have a branch of Centro La Familia and a Fresno County Library branch in the center, so families have been reached through multiple facets.
d. Describe the marketing plan for the proposed activity and how the organization will ensure it reaches the target population.
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 142
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
We will ensure that each events is marketed through multiple avenues that include flyers sent throughout Central Unified School district to all homes (in English, Spanish, Hmong, Punjabi and Arabic), flyers posted in each Central school health office, through all Highway City Community Development and Teague Resource Center marketing channels of website and social media. (Typical reach per hit is over 18500)
e. Although the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is in the process of being updated, the City recommends that investments be made in areas identified as Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs – see NOFA Handbook). Will this program be:
Offered Citywide
Offered Citywide with an emphasis and affirmative marketing toward RECAPs
Offered exclusively to residents of RECAPs
f. Describe the service area:
Note: Strong applications will include specifically defined services areas such as ‘residents within ½ mile radius of [facility address]’ or ‘residents within the boundaries defined on the attached map.’ A map may be attached in lieu of a service area description.
Students and families3 located within the Central Unified School District Boundaries, the majority of which are West of 99 in an 88 square mile parameter, some of which is within a RECAP boundary.
g. Estimate the number of unduplicat ed people expected to benefit from the project:
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 143
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
300 unduplicated people or businesses will receive a direct benefit from this project.
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 144
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
h. Income Documentation
CDBG-eligible programs primarily benefit persons who earn less than 80% of the area median income. A chart containing the income limits effective as of June 1, 2024, is included as a reference below. Applicants must select one of the three options for documenting how their activity will satisfy the income eligibility requirement. Please note, these income limits are subject to change. For the most current income limits please reference the link below:
https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5334/cdbg-income-limits/ Household Size 30% AMI 50% AMI 80% AMI
1 $18,450 $30,800 $49,250
2 $21,100 $35,200 $56,250
3 $23,750 $39,600 $63,300
4 $26,350 $43,950 $70,300
5 $28,500 $47,500 $75,950
OPTION 1: Low-Income Clientele – Presumed Benefit
Select this option only if the program will exclusively serve one of the following clienteles (select all that apply)
Older Adults (62 and older)
Severely Disabled Adults
Abused Children
Illiterate Adults
Migrant Farm Workers
OPTION 2: Low-Income Clientele – Other
Select this option if the program will serve a specific clientele not listed under the first option. The organization must document income eligibility for each program participant. Indicate below the types of documentation the organization will collect to verify income eligibility (select all that apply):
Pay Stubs / Wage Statements
W-2s
Income Tax Returns
Social Security Documentation
Bank Statements
Signed Certifications from
Beneficiaries
Other: MediCal Eligibility,
Uninsured
O t h e r :
O t h e r :
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 145
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
OPTION 3: Low-Income Area
Select this option if the program will benefit all residents in an area where at least 51% of its residents are low- or moderate-income. This is the least likely option for Community Service programs.
i. Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program
Describe the project/program in detail in the space below. Limit description to the space provided on this and the next page.
Access to health and wellness services is critically limited in our community, with significant barriers preventing equitable access for all. These disparities particularly affect children and youth, leaving their basic health needs unmet and creating obstacles to their overall well-being and academic success. Our organization is committed to breaking these barriers by providing a trusted environment where children, youth, and families can access essential health services delivered by trusted providers.
Comprehensive Health Services for Families
Our health and wellness initiatives are designed to support the entire family unit, addressing chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and hypertension. We will host monthly health clinics that are open to everyone in our community, providing a consistent and accessible resource for preventative care and management of these conditions.
Targeted Clinics for Children and Youth
We recognize the critical role that health plays in children’s education and development. To meet their specific needs, we will offer:
• Student Health Clinics: Providi ng accessible care for school-aged children.
• First-Day Immunization Clinics: Ensu ring that students can start school on time without missing critical weeks of instruction due to incomplete vaccination requirements.
• Specialized Sports Physical Clini cs: Supporting young athletes in meeting the health requirements for sports participation.
Health Outreach and Family-Friendly Wellness Events
Our community outreach extends beyond clinics. We will organize family- friendly health and wellness events in partnership with trusted providers to brid
ge gaps in services. These events will integrate wellness education, food 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 146
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
insecurity solutions, and health screenings in an inclusive and approachable format.
Health Education and Multilingual Resources
To further empower families, we will distribute health education materials and flyers in multiple languages, ensuring that critical information reaches all residents, regardless of language barriers. This approach enhances community understanding of preventative care and available services.
By addressing these unmet needs, our health and wellness services aim to create a healthier, more resilient community where every family has the opportunity to thrive.
These initiatives will also foster trust between community members and healthcare providers, paving the way for long-term improvements in health outcomes.
Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program (Continued from previous page)
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 147
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
j. Collaboration
Briefly describe any collaboration efforts with other organizations for this project/program or related initiatives.
Collaborating Organization Description of Collaboration Valley Childrens Healthcare Provider
UCSF Healthcare Provider
Central Unified School District/Nurses team
Fresno County Office of Ed
Mobile Health
Health Services
Unite Us Care Navigation
Anthem Healthcare Providers / Health FUnding Partner
4. Project/Program Budget
a. The City is interested in applicants that can deploy activities in a timely manner (12 months) while balancing the need to maintain high standards of program delivery. Please propose how you will address this need.
Plans with collaborative partners are already in place, or are being deployed as date place holders. We have been having meetings, and working on solutions and best practices through our other health initiatives that brought these collaborative partners together with HCCD during the pandemic, as we realize the vast need to additional and regualr health and wellness services in our area.
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 148
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
b. List of Funding Sources
Provide all planned funding anticipated/ committed for this activity for PY 2025- 2026. If the organization has received funding commitment letters, please attach as an exhibit to this application.
Funding
Source (Name
of Funder)
Name of
Funding
Program (if
applicable)
Dollar
Amount
Commitment
Status
(Committed or
Pending)
If Pending,
Expected
Commitment
Date
Anthem 10000.00 Committed
Irving
Foundation
15000.00 Committed
c. Activity Budget Summary and Narrative
Please complete Exhibit A – Operating Budget Summary.
The above referenced Budget worksheet is available at www.fresno.gov/housing under the ‘Notices of Funding Available’ tab.
An Exhibit B – Budget Narrative must also be completed to provide a brief explanation of the expenses included in the budget.
Please note the following costs are not allowable for CDBG: bad debts; contingencies; contributions and donations; entertainment costs (including meals for social events and awards/graduation banquets); gifts or incentive awards to individuals; fines and penalties resulting from violations of or non-compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws; interest on borrowed capital; fundraising; investment management.
d. Prior-Year Financial Statement
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 149
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
Please attach a financial statement labeled as Exhibit C for the proposed program for the last full operating year. Failure to provide the financial statement will result in disqualification.
Attachments to Part B Application:
EXHIBIT A – Operating Budget Summary
EXHIBIT B – Budget Narrative
EXHIBIT C – Prior-year audited financial statement including statement of activities, statement of financial position and statement of cash flows (required when total federal grant awards equaled or exceeded $1,000,000 during the annual audit period); or prior-year unaudited financial statement when total federal grant awards for the annual audit period was less than $1,000,000
Optional Additional Exhibits:
EXHIBIT – Funding Commitment Letters (if available) EXHIBIT – Letters of Support (optional – maximum 2) EXHIBIT – Service Area M ap (required if not described in 3.f.) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 150
Salaries &
Wages Fringe Benefits
Totals
(City of Fresno
HUD Funds)
Other Federal
Funds State Funds Local Govm't
Funds
Private / Donor
Funds
Other Funds
(specify)
Salaries/Wages (Specify each position; add additional rows as needed) Direct Service Personnel:
Marketing Director 1,000.00 300.00 1,300.00 2,000.00 3,300.00 Center Manager 1,750.00 1,750.00 4,000.00 5,750.00 Community Engagement
Spec 1,750.00 1,750.00 2,000.00 3,750.00 Tech/Set/Web 1,750.00 1,750.00 2,000.00 3,750.00 ‐ ‐
Administrative Personnel:
Executive Director 11,000.00 2,500.00 13,500.00 15,000.00 28,500.00 [enter position title] ‐ ‐
[enter position title] ‐ ‐
Independent Contract
ors / Consultants:
[enter position title] ‐ ‐
[enter position title] ‐ ‐
TOTAL PERSONNEL
BUDGET $ 17,250.00 $ 2,800.00 $ 20,050.00 $ 25,000.00 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ 45,050.00 Other Direct Costs (Include only costs that are direct; indirect costs are covered under the Indirect Cost Rate) [enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
[enter cost category] ‐
Operational 10,000.00 10,000.00
TOTAL OTHER DIRECT
COSTS $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ 10,000.00 $ ‐ $ 10,000.00 INDIRECT COSTS* (Select 1 indirect rate On ly)
Approved Indirect Cost
Rate ‐
De minimus 15% Rate 3, 007.50 3,007.50 TOTAL
INDIRECT COST
BUDGET $ 3,007.50 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET $ 17,250.00 $ 2,800.00 $ 23,057.50 $ 25,000.00 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ 10,000.00 $ ‐ $ 55,050.00 *An approved indirect cost rate must be applied to the base identified in the agreement with the federal cognizant agency.
Per 2 CFR 200.414, any non‐federal entity that does not have a current negotiated rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (defined in 2 CFR 200.1).
CITY OF FRESNO
OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY (non‐capital projects)
Please revise this form and annotate budget items as needed All applicants are required to submit a copy of their organization’s operating budget.
City of Fresno HUD Funds Other Funds for Project
Project Totals
(All Funds)
Budgeted Position
(Personnel) or Category
(Operations)
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 151
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
Exhibit B: Budget Narrative
Please provide a brief narrative describing the expenses included in each category of the budget summary.
The costs included in the grant are as follows:
Executive Director – Direct partner liaison and plan coordinator for all clinics, outreach and marketing that is included in the health and Wellness program. This includes planning meetings, working to get new collaborative partners and resources for the community, and developing oversight and protocols for these events, while also working with entities to develop plans for permanent services in the future. Also bridging gaps and developing relationships with our different community ethnic bases to promote inclusion.
Marketing Director – Under the direction of the Executive Director and with the organizations plans all marketing materials and website development for each event to include as needed: flyers (in multiple languages that are all developed then sent out to our translators to check), banners or posters, day of materials and directorial signage, website development and click through links as needed, social media. *This person also acts as a secondary COmmunity Liaison with 30+ years in the community, including our diverse populations and throughout the school district.
Community Engagement Outreach Specialist – Focused on getting the materials into the hands of those families in areas that are not easily accessible to media, including apartment complexes and working with our community outreach neighbors and liaisons.
Also promoting upcoming events at school and community outreach fairs.
Community Center Manager – Oversight on all day-to-day operations and event/clinic prep, this person will have oversight on making sure each clinic/workshop and event is set properly to HIPAA or health guidance standards as well as maintain a level of sanitation to the center overall.
Back-End Referral Tech – This position oversees all website development and maintenance, does event set up, sound and technology for clinics and outreaches, and is the multi-media specialist
Onsite operational costs including sanitation, janitorial, site cleaning is included in indrect costs
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Pearl Transit Corp.
Oral health outreach for low income Fresno
residents
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PY 2025-2026 CONSOLIDATED NOFA
PART A – COVER PAGE:
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION1
Part A, Section 1: General Information
Legal Name of the Organization: Fictitious Name (if applicable):
Pearl Transit Corp.
UEI of Organization: Taxpayer Identification Number:
L9NME34DA793 20-2022387
Date of Incorporation: Date of 501(c)(3) Determination:
02/05/2005 06/14/05
Mailing Address of Organization: Organization Website Address:
525 Route 73 North Suite 104 Marlton NJ 08053 www.pearltransit.org Name of President (or Chair of the Board): E-mail Address:
Rose Dunnin [email protected]
Name of Chief Executive or Executive Director: E-mail Address:
Chris Wise [email protected]
Name of the Secretary: E-mail Address:
Sabine Munich [email protected]
Name of Treasurer (or Chief Financial Officer): E-mail Address:
Grant Kelly [email protected]
Principal Contact
Person: Principal Contact’s Title:
Principal Contact’s Physical
Address (Street Address, Suite,
City, State, ZIP):
Jael Watts Operations Manager
1690 W Shaw Ave
Fresno, CA 93711
Primary Phone #: Alternative Phone #: E-mail Address:
1-888-976-9944 [email protected]
Name of Authorized Signatory: Title of Authorized Signatory:
Jael Watts Operations Manager
Signature of Authorized Official: Date of Signature:
1/7/25
Do you have an active registration with SAM.gov? Yes No 1 This document is for non-profit organizations. Units of local government, please complete Part A: Unit of Government Information
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PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Part A, Section 2: Organizational Background
Please provide the organization’s mission statement within the below space:
Pearl Transit’s mission is to assist every person to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty, to alleviate the underlying causes of poverty, and to enable all of us to attain our fullest potential as individuals and as members of the broader society. We accomplish this mission by providing charitable services ranging from street outreach and non-perishable food box delivery to demand response transportation, oral health outreach, and travel planning services.
Please mark any of the following classifications that apply to your organization:
Woman-Owned Business Small Business
Minority Institution Minority-Owned
Tribal Veteran-Owned
Other:
Part A, Section 3: Organizational Capacity and Management Please provide the number of staff employed by your organization: 98
Please provide key personnel information for HUD-funded projects:
Staff Name Title
Years of
Experience
1) Various Mobile Scan Technician 2+
2)
3)
4)
5)
Board of Directors
How often does your Board of Directors regularly meet?
Quarterly
List current Board of Directors below:
1) Rose Dunnin 6)
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PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
7) Joan Ross
8) Luke Colmbs
9)
2) Sabine Munich
3) Chris Wise
4) Grant Kelly
5) Maurice Thomas 10)
Financial Management
1) Provide the name of staff responsible for your agency’s accounting system
Name: Zaundra Smith
Title: Accounting Manager
Phone/Email: 1-888-976-9944; [email protected]
2) Has your agency operated with or managed federal funds within the past three years? Yes No
3)
Has your agency been required to comply with the Single Audit requirements of the Uniform Guidance in the past two fiscal years? Yes No
A Single Audit is required when $1,000,000 or more in federal funds is expended in a fiscal year.
4)
Have your agency’s annual financial statements been audited by an independent audit firm? Yes No
If yes, please provide a copy of the statements for the past two years in Exhibit 2.
5)
If the answer to Questions 3 or 4 were ‘Yes’, please explain any findings or questioned costs.
Not Applicable
6)
Does your financial system:
a) Provide for the control and accountability of grant funds, property, and other assets? Yes No
b) Separately track revenue and expenditures for the grant funds? Yes No
7)
Does your payroll system separately track staff time by grant and/or activity? Yes No
8) Are all payments properly documented with evidence or receipt of goods or performance of services? Yes No
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Non-Profit Organization
9) Are all bank accounts reconciled monthly? Yes No
10)
Has your agency had any significant changes in key personnel within the past 12 months? (e.g. Controller, Exec. Director, Program Manager, Accounting Manager, etc.) Yes No
If yes, please explain
11)
Has your agency implemented new or substantially changed systems related to grant management or accounting systems in the past 12 months?
Yes No
If yes, please explain
12)
Does your agency have policies that address the following? Ethics/Professional Conduct Yes No
Pay Rates and Benefits Yes No
Discrimination Yes No
Purchasing/Procurement Yes No
Property and Equipment Yes No
Segregation of Duties Yes No
Time and Effort Reporting Yes No
Record Retention Yes No
13) Does your agency certify that you have a current business license with the City of Fresno? Yes No
14)
Does your agency certify that they are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal or State department or agency? Yes No
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PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Authorized Signatories
If your organization is selected for funding, signatures from persons bearing titles from each of the two lines below will be required by your organization.
1. Board Chair, President, or Vice President
2. Treasurer, Secretary, or Assistant Secretary
If you will be unable to provide the two requested signatures or intend to otherwise deviate from the standard signature authority, please indicate the names and titles of the authorized signatories below and provide the names and titles of the person(s) authorized to execute agreements on behalf of your organization in your board- certified resolution.
Authorized Signatory Name Authorized Signatory Title
1) Rose Dunnin Regional VP
2) Jael Watts Operations Manager
Board Resolution providing for the signature authority of persons to sign agreements on behalf of the entity is attached (required before a subrecipient agreement will be executed).
To view the City’s policy regarding signature authority, including a sample signature page and sample certification, view Administrative Order 4-1 at:
https://www.fresno.gov/personnel/human-resources-support/#administrative-order 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 159
PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Part A, Section 4: Summary of Attached Applications:
Provide number and total dollar amount of applications by Application Type Ø Homeless and Homelessness Prevention Programs
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested 1 $ 160,000.00
Ø Owner-Occupied Home Repair
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
Ø Public and Community Services
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
1 $ 200,000.00
Ø Fair Housing
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
Ø Public Infrastructure & Facility Improvements
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
=
GRAND TOTAL
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
2 $360,000.00
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PY25-26 City of Fresno Consolidated NOFA Part A
Non-Profit Organization
Required Attachments to Part A
Select all attachments included.
Part A, Exhibit 1 – Organization’s U.S. Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) Determination of Exemption Letter (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 2 – Most Recent Audited Financial Statement (an IRS 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, may be submitted in lieu of an audit whenever the organization lacks an audit due it not exceeding California and Federal audit thresholds)
Part A, Exhibit 3 – Copies of results of audits, examinations, or monitoring procedures performed during the last two fiscal years on any direct federal award received by the organization
Part A, Exhibit 4 – Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with Federal Cognizant Agency (Required if applicant seeks to charge an indirect cost rate greater than 15 percent of modified total direct costs)
Part A, Exhibit 5 – List of all awards to the organization from City of Fresno during the past two years
Part A, Exhibit 6 – Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation (when location of incorporation was outside of California) (Required of Out-of-State Corporations only)
Part A, Exhibit 7 – List of Directors and Officers by Corporate Title and Name (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 8 – Organization’s Articles of Incorporation (Required) Part A, Exhibit 9 – Bylaws of the Organization (Required) Part A, Exhibit 10 – Resolution of the Board of the Directors Authorizing the Application and Naming the Persons Authorized to Sign the Application (Required; the Resolution must be submitted to the City by 5 PM, February 1, 2025)
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PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
PY 2025-2026 APPLICATION
Community Service Programs
NOTE: This application is not for community services to benefit primarily homeless and individuals at risk of homelessness. If you are a homeless service provider, please use the Homeless Housing and Services application.
1. Project Summary Information – please complete the below summary information for the project/program.
Project Name (10 words or less): Oral health outreach for low income Fresno residents.
Amount Requested: $ 200,000.00
To utilize CDBG funds for a community service, the service must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service.
This project is a:
New Project/Program
Existing Project/Program
Provide a short description of the proposed program/activity. (1 to 3 sentences and must fit in the provided space).
Through providing both in home service, as well as street outreach services to unhoused individuals with the use of a mobile, van based dental scanning space, Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental supply no-cost, custom fit dental units that straighten, protect, or replace teeth.
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Application – Community Services
If this is an existing project/program that has not received CDBG funding from the City previously, please briefly explain how CDBG funds will be used to increase the level of service.
Not Applicable. Pearl Transit proposes to provide new oral health outreach services.
2. Organizational Capacity
a. Briefly describe how your organization’s prior activities have resulted in meaningful impact:
Pearl Transit is a 501(c)(3) entity that currently supplies charitable services ranging from street outreach and non-perishable food box delivery to demand response transportation and travel planning services.
As a federal subrecipient, Pearl Transit has worked with state departments of transportation to implement transit and trip planning services through the 5310 program, as well as food and street outreach services through the Community Development Block Grant Program, HOPWA, and the Emergency Solutions Grants Program.
In 2024, Pearl Transit supplied more than 8,300,000 rides that connected seniors, consumer participation with disabilities, consumer participation from low income households, and other transit disadvantaged persons with important destinations within their own communities and beyond. Pearl Transit utilized tax deductible charitable donations from employers, businesses. and members of the community to supply more than 5,500,000 reduced and no-fare rides in 2024.
In 2024, Pearl Transit served:
• More than 6,200 consumers whose household income is 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines or lower
• More than 3,800 people 65 years of age and older, and more than 5,000 disadvantaged people under 65 years of age.
b. Describe the organization’s experience with administering federally funded programs of this nature.
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Application – Community Services
Pearl Transit is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization organized specifically to improve the mobility, quality of life, and community engagement of low income persons. Pearl Transit began operating in 2005, as a federal subrecipient for NJ Transit, the state transit provider in Southern New Jersey, and initially focused on improving rural transit options through the operation of 24 hour transit services, which connected riders with neighboring urban communities where riders could access a broader range of work, learning and child care opportunities.
We continue, as a federal subrecipient for the CDBG, ESG, HOPWA, and 5310 programs, to provide 24/7 demand response transportation, food delivery, travel planning, and street outreach services in New Jersey, the Atlanta region, Southwestern Florida, California, Indiana, New York, and Michigan.
We operate our federally funded programs in compliance with the record keeping, fiscal management, and customer data management standards applicable to each federal funding source. We submit service statistics, as well as reimbursement requests to our government partners on a monthly basis, make all service related records available for review by our government partners at any time, and undergo annual fiscal audits by an independent accounting firm.
c. For how many years has the organization administered activities of the type described in this application?
19 d. Does the organization have the following in place (check box if ‘yes’)? Written policies and procedures for the proposed project or program (i.e., intake, eligibility)
Written Financial Management Policies and Procedures
Non-Discrimination / Equal Opportunity Policy
Conflict of Interest Policies and Procedures
Procurement Policies and Procedures
e. Please describe the cultural competency training staff will be required to complete during the term of this program.
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Application – Community Services
Pearl Transit has implemented the following measures to ensure that all low income Fresno residents will have equal access to its services: (1) mandatory pre-hire and quarterly ethnic, religious, and disability sensitivity and awareness training for all personnel, (2) notices, application forms, and program literature available in alternate formats, including multi-lingual, ASL, and low vision, (3) bilingual and diverse staff recruitment and retention practices, (4) regular monitoring of compliance with civil rights mandates, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as the implementation of corrective action measures where needed.
Pearl Transit has a policy of non-discrimination in hiring, service delivery, and overall administration. In addition to providing a clear procedure for staff, volunteers, and consumers to report discrimination, and providing a process for resolving discrimination claims by impartial panel, and without the possibility of recrimination, Pearl Transit also provides reasonable accommodations at its facilities, in printed literature, and in its application processes to ensure that potential physical, attitudinal, and learning barriers to participation are removed. Every consumer is notified at intake of their right to equal access, as well as procedures for reporting claims of discrimination.
Pearl Transit's printed materials are reviewed by its Board of Director's cultural sensitivity panel to ensure that they are free from implicit bias, and are available in a variety of formats, including those for persons with limited english proficiency, persons with vision difficulties, and persons of color.
Pearl Transit observes inclusive hiring practices, and encourages minority applicants to apply through active outreach via diverse recruitment channels. Pearl Transit recruits a diverse staff, which includes staff members that have fluency in Spanish, English, as well as any other language that is spoken by 10% or more of the population being served, and makes all written information available in these formats.
Pearl Transit provides language assistance through use of competent bilingual staff and staff interpreters. All staff are provided notice of its language accessibility policy and procedures, and staff that may have direct contact with LEP individuals are trained in effective communication techniques, including the effective use of an interpreter.
3. Proposed Scope of Work
a. Briefly describe the needs this proposal addresses, and how existing resources are insufficient to meet this need:
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Application – Community Services
The lack of dental benefits available to low-income adults in the United States has been referred to as a “neglected epidemic.” Wallace N. T., Carlson M. J., Mosen D. M., Snyder J. J., Wright B. J. (2011). The individual and program impacts of eliminating Medicaid dental benefits in the Oregon health plan. American Journal of Public Health , 101, 2144–2150.. Many states have indicated that adult Medicaid dental benefits will only include “emergency or limited benefits” and only a quarter of states offer comprehensive dental coverage. Nasseh K., Vujicic M., O’Dell A (2013). Affordable Care Act expands dental benefits for children but does not address critical access to dental care issues [Health Policy Resources Center Research Brief].
1. Lack of Access to Care
The interpretation of “emergency benefits” varies widely by state, but generally care is only provided for traumatic injuries or extractions. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2012, June 1). Oral health and low-income nonelderly adults: A review of coverage and access.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, “over a third (35 percent) of poor parents and 38 percent of poor adults without children are uninsured.” Majerol M., Vann N., Rachel G (2014). The uninsured: A primer–Key facts about health insurance and the uninsured in America.
As a result of inadequate access, income disadvantaged populations, including those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, may experience poor oral health.
2. Adverse Health Effects
Negative oral health consequences are only exacerbated when a person becomes homeless. Homeless persons are 12 times more likely than individuals with stable housing to have dental problems. Persons living in unstable housing, such as a hotel or the residence of a friend or relative, are 6 times more likely to have dental problems. Ferenchick GS. 1992. The medical problems of homeless clinic patients: A comparative study. Journal of General Internal Medicine7(3):294–297.
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Application – Community Services
Homeless adults have more intensive dental problems, such as periodontal disease and edentulism (a complete lack of teeth); however, their use of dental services is less than the general population’s. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care.1998.Specialty care requires creativity and collaboration.
Opening Doors: Information from the Health Care for the Homeless Program6(2):1–4
Furthermore, only 53 percent of toothless homeless individuals have complete sets of dentures, compared with 91 percent of the general population. Gelberg L, Linn LS, Rosenburg DJ.1988.Dental health of homeless adults. Special Care in Dentistry8(4):167–172.
Similarly, up to 20% of the population experiences bruxism, the rhythmic, involuntary contraction of the masseter muscles, accompanied by teeth grinding and mandible thrusting. Lobbezoo F, Ahlberg J, Manfredini D, Winocur E. Are bruxism and the bite causally related? J Oral Rehabil. 2012;39:489–501.
If not treated, bruxism leads to damage of the teeth, periodontium and oral mucosa, pathology of the muscles constituting the masticatory system, headache and cervical pain, temporomandibular, and hearing disorders. Bruxism Management, National Library of Medicine. Sona J. Lal; Abdulghani Sankari; Kurt K. Weber, DDS.
Bite guards have been shown to be an effective bruxism treatment option, effectively decreasing pain and controlling tooth wear. Yap AU, Chua AP. Sleep bruxism: Current knowledge and contemporary management. J Conserv Dent. 2016 Sep-Oct;19(5):383-9.
3. Individual and Societal Cost
However the health consequences for low income population extend further.
According to the 2000 U.S. Surgeon General’s Oral Health Report, poor oral health is linked with “… cardiovascular disease, respiratory infection, and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight through bacteria 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 167
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
and inflammation.” Choi M. K. (2011). The impact of Medicaid insurance coverage on dental service use. Journal of Health Economics , 30, 1020–1031.
Additionally, there is a social economic cost of ignoring the oral health needs of income disadvantaged populations. In a study conducted by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, researchers discovered that in a one-year period dental visits in medical emergency rooms (ERs) cost $5 million, with public programs reimbursing at 50 percent. Davis E. E., Deinard A. S., Maïga E. W. (2010). Doctor, my tooth hurts: The costs of incomplete dental care in the emergency room. Journal of Public Health Dentistry , 703, 205–210.
The high cost of ER care, borne by each state’s taxpayers, can be mitigated by improving access to non-emergency oral care for the most vulnerable members of our population, including the income disadvantaged.
Not only does poor oral health care diminish state budgets, it can also contribute to unemployment and, the cycle of poverty. “[A]ccording to the 1996 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 1.9 days of work were lost per 100 employed persons over age 18 because of dental symptoms or treatment. Choi M. K. (2011). The impact of Medicaid insurance coverage on dental service use.
Journal of Health Economics , 30, 1020–1031.
Poor oral health negatively impacts employability. Broken smiles: The impact of untreated dental caries and missing anterior teeth on employment. Yara A.
Halasa-Rappel DMD, PhD.
In addition to being viewed as less intelligent, people with missing front teeth are generally viewed as less trustworthy than people with a healthy smile. Newton JT, Prabhu N, Robinson PG. The impact of dental appearance on the appraisal of personal characteristics. Int J Prosthodont. 2003; 16(4): 429– 34.
Likewise, children can experience negative effects as a result of inadequate access to orthodontic care. A 2024 study found that of 519 school children surveyed, more than half reported being bullied or teased regarding their dento- facial features, with bullies focusing most of the time on their perception that the 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 168
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
victim had “crooked teeth.” Relationship Between Dentofacial Features and Bullying in School children. Pediatr Dent. 2024 Mar 15;46(2):99-
Misaligned teeth also negatively impact adults. According to the National Institutes of Health, a number of adverse health effects are associated with crooked teeth, including increased risk of injury, jaw joint pain, advanced tooth wear, tooth decay and gum disease. Overview: Misaligned teeth and jaws
4. A Solution
The partnered services of Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental improve the lives of low income and unhoused Fresno residents by providing no-cost, custom, dental units that replace, protect, and straighten teeth. Through helping consumers maximize oral health, Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental improve consumer aesthetics, increase employability, as well as prevent further deterioration of oral and overall health.
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Application – Community Services
b. Briefly describe the target population and how the project will meet the specific needs of the target population and how the project will be marketed to the target population.
The lack of dental benefits available to low-income adults in the United States represents a public health crisis that has far reaching effects and significant costs for income disadvantaged populations, as well as everyone else. The partnered services of Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental improve the lives of low income and unhoused Fresno residents by providing no-cost, custom, dental units that straighten, protect, and replace teeth.
Through the custom manufacture of clear aligners that straighten teeth, bite guards that protect teeth from the degenerative effect of teeth grinding, and dentures that replace missing teeth, Pearl Transit realizes benefits on behalf of low income consumers who may find in office dental care inaccessible.
Improved consumer aesthetics, the restoration of sagging facial muscles, fostering the eating and speaking process, prevention of bone degradation and disease, and ameliorating the high societal costs associated with oral health care barriers are just some of the benefits of Pearl Transit's proposed services for low income residents.
The partnered services of Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental recruits consumer participation and secures matching community financial support of its no-cost, custom dental appliances for Fresno residents who are low income, homeless, and at risk of homelessness.
Pearl Transit employs Community Outreach Specialists (COSs), responsible for a portion of its entire service area, that pro-actively perform activities including phone and in-person contact, mail correspondence, and e-mail messaging, designed to communicate the benefits of supporting its local operations to referral sources, including health care providers, clinics, and organizations serving economically disadvantaged persons.
COSs work to increase consumer participation through increasing awareness within community resources serving target groups, including rural residents, 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 170
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Application – Community Services
people with disabilities, seniors, as well as people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness.
Each COS’s phone, email, and in-person contact with community referral sources attracts new consumer participation. Through performing targeted, regular outreach to every employer and business within its service area, Pearl Transit’s COSs will attract cash contributions that will be utilized to support its operations. c. Describe consultation efforts made with the target population in the development of the proposed activity.
The partnered services of Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental will utilize a continuous improvement process that measures progress and establishes service goals and objectives. Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement by observing the following five step process:
(1) Establishing measurable goals for the succeeding quarter, which are based on average performance for preceding quarters;
(2) Collecting and tabulating data during the course of daily service delivery, including statistics on dental units supplied performed, number of consumers engaged, types of consumers served, geographic location of service delivery, including whether it is rural or urban, and more;
(3) Quarterly internal data review and analysis by Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental's On Site and regional leadership,
(4) Corrective Action Planning by Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental's On Site and regional leadership,
(5) Public dissemination of results to community stakeholders and the City of Fresno via quarterly and monthly written performance reports.
The following controls, performed with oversight by our regional leadership, will support our quality assurance and continuous improvement objectives: (1) local preparation of monthly performance reports detailing expenditures, staff and consumer statistics, (2) local administrative, operations, safety, and vehicle maintenance audits, (3) executive review of monthly reports and audit results by Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental's regional leadership, (4) quality benchmarking 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 171
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Application – Community Services
goals developed by executive and local management and implemented locally under the supervision of the On-Site manager.
Under the direction of its On Site Manager, Pearl Transit will create community engagement, leverage and increase the dedication of community financial resources, and encourage participation from new consumers, in accordance with written vehicle, staff, and reporting management plans.
d. Describe the marketing plan for the proposed activity and how the organization will ensure it reaches the target population.
Since Pearl Transit is a 501(c)(3), charitable organization, every dollar contributed to the partnered services of Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental is fully tax deductible, making investment in improved oral health for everyone a cost-neutral, universally beneficial decision for local businesses.
Apart from pro-active community outreach by COSs, Pearl Transit will also utilize the following methods to increase awareness, participation, and tax deductible financial contribution by local residents and businesses:
• Customized roadside and billboard signage;
• Quarterly community fund-raising events that showcase the accomplishments of consumer participation, as well as the cost efficacy of to the partnered services of Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental;
• Google search and social network marketing via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn • Vehicle Branding
• Continuing education training for our COSs on new strategies and best practices • Print Advertising
e. Although the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is in the process of being updated, the City recommends that investments be made in areas identified as Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs – see NOFA Handbook). Will this program be:
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Application – Community Services
Offered Citywide
Offered Citywide with an emphasis and affirmative marketing toward RECAPs
Offered exclusively to residents of RECAPs
f. Describe the service area:
Note: Strong applications will include specifically defined services areas such as ‘residents within ½ mile radius of [facility address]’ or ‘residents within the boundaries defined on the attached map.’ A map may be attached in lieu of a service area description.
City wide
g. Estimate the number of unduplicated people expected to benefit from the project:
unduplicated people or businesses will receive a direct benefit from this project.
4,200
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Application – Community Services
h. Income Documentation
CDBG-eligible programs primarily benefit persons who earn less than 80% of the area median income. A chart containing the income limits effective as of June 1, 2024, is included as a reference below. Applicants must select one of the three options for documenting how their activity will satisfy the income eligibility requirement. Please note, these income limits are subject to change. For the most current income limits please reference the link below:
https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5334/cdbg-income-limits/ Household Size 30% AMI 50% AMI 80% AMI
1 $18,450 $30,800 $49,250
2 $21,100 $35,200 $56,250
3 $23,750 $39,600 $63,300
4 $26,350 $43,950 $70,300
5 $28,500 $47,500 $75,950
OPTION 1: Low-Income Clientele – Presumed Benefit
Select this option only if the program will exclusively serve one of the following clienteles (select all that apply)
Older Adults (62 and older)
Severely Disabled Adults
Abused Children
Illiterate Adults
Migrant Farm Workers
OPTION 2: Low-Income Clientele – Other
Select this option if the program will serve a specific clientele not listed under the first option. The organization must document income eligibility for each program participant. Indicate below the types of documentation the organization will collect to verify income eligibility (select all that apply):
Pay Stubs / Wage Statements
W-2s
Income Tax Returns
Social Security Documentation
Bank Statements
Signed Certifications from
Beneficiaries
Other:
Other:
Other:
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Application – Community Services
OPTION 3: Low-Income Area
Select this option if the program will benefit all residents in an area where at least 51% of its residents are low- or moderate-income. This is the least likely option for Community Service programs.
i. Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program
Describe the project/program in detail in the space below. Limit description to the space provided on this and the next page.
Pearl Transit is a 501(c)(3) entity that currently supplies charitable services ranging from street outreach and non-perishable food box delivery to demand response transportation and travel planning services.
Pearl Transit has partnered with Oracle Dental Laboratories Inc. (“Oracle Dental”) to supply no cost dental prostheses to low income persons in Fresno, including persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Through providing both in home service, as well as street outreach services to unhoused individuals with the use of a mobile, van based dental scanning space, Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental supply no-cost, custom fit dental units that straighten, protect, or replace teeth.
Pearl Transit's no cost, custom manufactured full and partial dentures, clear aligners, and bite guards provide the following benefits for our consumers: (1) improving personal appearance, speech, and confidence, (2) providing a restorative option that offers minimal person to person contact and no dentist office visit, (3) encouraging better nutrition by replacing missing teeth, allowing denture users a broader range of nutritive foods that they can consume, (4) preventing tooth damage and relieving pain caused by bruxism, (5) improving overall oral health by reducing the risk of periodontal disease and tooth decay associated with missing and misaligned teeth.
Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental’s partnered service consists of a three step process, which includes Registration, Service Delivery and Followup.
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Application – Community Services
Registration
To receive no-cost custom fabricated dental units, consumers register by completing an application and providing proof of an annual household income equal to or less than 50% of the area median household income (AMI) and residency within Fresno. In particular, clients will have to provide verification through a recent bill or state-issued identification that they reside within Fresno.
Unhoused consumers may establish residency and income via certification attesting to their habitation within the state and financial need.
Service Delivery
Once registration is completed, a trained dental technician is dispatched to provide in home or mobile dental scanning services. Using a portable, intraoral scanner, a device that is shaped like a large pen, Pearl Transit's dental technician captures 3d digital dental impressions that include micro- details of the consumer’s mouth in the comfort of the consumer‘s own home, or Pearl Transit’s mobile, van based dental scanning space. This digital data, which captures consumer arches, palate, and bite registration, is used to produce a highly detailed image of the consumer’s mouth.
The digitized image of each consumer is more accurate than conventional impression taking, requires only a single technician and consumer visit, and results in improved comfort for consumers. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2019 Apr, Vol-13(4): ZE01-ZE06
In contrast to traditional impression techniques, the Pearl Transit’s mobile scanning process performed by Pearl Transit’s dental technician eliminates the need to handle multiple items, including the tray, bite registration waxes, impression materials and any associated appliances. This reduced handling improves hygiene and reduces the risk of disease transmission.
Next, the 3d images captured by Pearl Transit’s dental technician during the mobile visit are processed by scanning software, which then generates an accurate 3D surface model showing the teeth and gingiva’s geometry. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 176
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Under the direction of a licensed dentist, a confidential, secure, individualized consumer file and treatment plan are developed for each consumer, which include the 3d image of the consumer’s mouth, as well as consumer demographic information. In accordance with this plan, Oracle Dental custom fabricates complete or partial dental units by means of computer aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM).
A final dental appliance is fabricated by means of 3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) including stereolithography.
The custom fitted appliances are forwarded to consumers by trackable mail, or are delivered to unhoused consumers by Pearl Transit’s van. At the time of delivery, consumers are provided written and verbal instructions on general oral care.
Post Care Follow-UP
Follow up contact occurs at the following two points, and is initiated by Pearl Transit’s staff: (1) within 7 days and (2) within three months of dental unit fabrication.
Pearl Transit’s Customer Service Representatives use a standardized case management tool to track consumer outcomes, including progress toward wage self-sufficiency, improved mental and physical health, addictions recovery, and permanent housing. In addition to referrals to services that address the specific health, vocational, educational, and housing needs of each individual, Pearl Transit’s Customer Service Representatives also provide advocacy and application assistance. Pearl Transit provides fare-free long term transportation to enable unsheltered individuals to access the services coordinated on their behalf.
To track each individual’s progress, Customer Service Representatives establish and maintain a confidential electronic case file for every individual served that includes, at minimum, the following: (1) documentation of eligibility, (2) needs assessment and service plan, (3) consumer and household 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 177
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
demographic information, (4) quarterly case monitoring and planning activities performed in concert with the individual served, (5) individualized, comprehensive housing plan, and (6) expenditures.
In addition to with consumers once per month to assess progress, as well as the need for referral to additional support services, Pearl Transit’s Customer Service Representatives complete case management assessments, which identify individual needs, coordinate services to address the need, and track client progress at the time of initial engagement, at housing entry, and every six months until program discharge. Outreach Coordinators also administer the case management tool 12 months post discharge, when possible, to ensure that the engaged household continues to make progress.
Pearl Transit staff follow up with each consumer helps ensure the best possible long term consumer outcomes, as Pearl Transit staff provide: (1) written and verbal oral care reminders, (2) assess and record remaining consumer needs via standardized questionnaire, (3) provide referrals to a range of community services, including mental health, educational and vocational services providers, as well as low cost dental clinics that will assist each consumer to achieve the best long term oral health.
Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program (Continued from previous page)
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j. Collaboration
Briefly describe any collaboration efforts with other organizations for this project/program or related initiatives.
Collaborating Organization Description of Collaboration Oracle Dental Pearl Transit will work with Oracle, a full service dental laboratory, to custom manufacture dental
prostheses that protect, straighten, or replace teeth
for low income consumers.
4. Project/Program Budget
a. The City is interested in applicants that can deploy activities in a timely manner (12 months) while balancing the need to maintain high standards of program delivery. Please propose how you will address this need.
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Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental’s three step implementation process increases awareness of its service, measures efficacy, and institutes change when needed.
Step 1: Obtain insurance coverage, operating location, vehicles, staff. (Pre-Award/Current)
Pearl Transit is fully insured, in accordance with the requirements of this RFP, against claims
relating to the use of its vehicles, locations, actions of staff and management. Pearl Transit has an existing central scheduling and dispatch office in which
to perform all administrative functions necessary to implement the program, including:
receiving reservations, trip scheduling, and driver dispatch. Pearl has a designated satellite
office location within the service area, as well as vehicles for use in operation and has the
staff already in place to implement the program.
Step 2: Disseminate program information and promotional materials to community
stakeholders and persons to be served. (Pre-Award/Current) Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental’s maintain promotional activities, through regular, ongoing maintenance of its: (a) website which provides information on programs and services and steps to apply for help, (b) listing in online search directories, as well as printed directories, (c) printed information and application materials to be disseminated in multiple languages and Braille, (d) contact methods including toll-free phone, email, and fax
Step 3: Measure the program’s effectiveness and implement corrective action where needed.
(WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF AWARD AND ONGOING
THROUGHOUT THE AWARD PERIOD)
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Application – Community Services
On a quarterly basis, Pearl Transit and Oracle Dental will distribute program information, including accomplishments, consumer success stories, service level data, as well as a survey to
stakeholders, and consumers. As part of an ongoing quality assurance and public relations campaign, stakeholders will be asked to share their experiences,
successes, concerns, and commendations regarding the use of the service and interactions
with staff members. Follow-up efforts will be shared and corrective action plans will be publicly discussed with all stakeholders in succeeding quarters.
b. List of Funding Sources
Provide all planned funding anticipated/ committed for this activity for PY 2025- 2026. If the organization has received funding commitment letters, please attach as an exhibit to this application.
Funding
Source (Name
of Funder)
Name of
Funding
Program (if
applicable)
Dollar
Amount
Commitment
Status
(Committed or
Pending)
If Pending,
Expected
Commitment
Date
regular member
drives,
corporate
solicitation, in-
kind gifts,
special events,
and fee-for-
service
operations
871,166 committed
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c. Activity Budget Summary and Narrative
Please complete Exhibit A – Operating Budget Summary.
The above referenced Budget worksheet is available at www.fresno.gov/housing under the ‘Notices of Funding Available’ tab.
An Exhibit B – Budget Narrative must also be completed to provide a brief explanation of the expenses included in the budget.
Please note the following costs are not allowable for CDBG: bad debts; contingencies; contributions and donations; entertainment costs (including meals for social events and awards/graduation banquets); gifts or incentive awards to individuals; fines and penalties resulting from violations of or non-compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws; interest on borrowed capital; fundraising; investment management.
d. Prior-Year Financial Statement
Please attach a financial statement labeled as Exhibit C for the proposed program for the last full operating year. Failure to provide the financial statement will result in disqualification.
Attachments to Part B Application:
EXHIBIT A – Operating Budget Summary
EXHIBIT B – Budget Narrative
EXHIBIT C – Prior-year audited financial statement including statement of activities, statement of financial position and statement of cash flows (required when total federal grant awards equaled or exceeded $1,000,000 during the annual audit period); or prior-year unaudited financial statement when total federal grant awards for the annual audit period was less than $1,000,000
Optional Additional Exhibits:
EXHIBIT – Funding Commitment Letters (if available) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 182
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Application – Community Services
EXHIBIT – Letters of Support (optional – maximum 2) EXHIBIT – Service Area Map (required if not described in 3.f.) 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 183
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
Exhibit A: Operating Project Budget Summary (or submit via Excel) Budgeted Position
(Personnel) or Category
(Operations)
City of Fresno HUD Funds Other Funds for Project
Project
Totals (All
Funds) Salaries &
Wages
Fringe
Benefits
Totals
(City of
Fresno
HUD
Funds)
Other
Federal
Funds
State
Funds
Local
Govm't
Funds
Private /
Donor
Funds
Other
Funds
(specify)
Salaries/Wages (Specify each position ; add additional rows as needed ) Direct Service Personnel (enter position titles):
Driver/Mobile Scan
Tech (5) 100% FTE $200,000 $200,000 Community Outreach
Specialists (3) 100% FTE $102,000 $102,000 Customer Service
Coordinators (4) 100%
FTE
$180,000 $180,000
Dental Technician (4)
100% FTE $180,000 $180,000
Administrative Personnel (enter position titles):
Project Manager (1)
100% FTE $65,000 $65,000 Human Resource
Manager (1) 100% FTE $55,000 $55,000 Accounting Specialist
(1) 100% FTE $48,000 $48,000 Independent Contractors / Consultants (enter position titles):
TOTAL PERSONNEL
BUDGET $200,000 $ $ $ $ $ $630,000 $ $830,000 Other Direct Costs (Include only costs that are direct; indirect costs are covered under the Indirect Cost Rate) Repairs and
Maintenance $46,550 $46,550 Insurance $33,190 $33,190 Lease and Utilities $15,600 $15,600 Office Supplies $12,401 $12,401 Marketing $13,600 $13,600 Administrative Contract
Services (Drug Testing
and Background
Checks)
$26,825 $26,825
Consumable Supplies $93,000 $93,000
TOTAL OTHER DIRECT
COSTS $ $ $ $ $241,166 $ $241,166 INDIRECT COSTS (Select 1 indirect rate Only)
Approved Indirect Cost
Rate
De minimus 15 % Rate
TOTAL INDIRECT COST
BUDGET $ $ $ $ $ $ $
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Application – Community Services
TOTAL PROJECT
BUDGET $ $ $ $ $ $ $871,166 $ $1,071,16 6 *An approved indirect cost rate must be applied to the base identified in the agreement with the federal cognizant agency.
Per 2 CFR 200.414, any non-federal entity that does not have a current negotiated rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (defined in 2 CFR 200.1).
Exhibit B: Budget Narrative
Please provide a brief narrative describing the expenses included in each category of the budget summary.
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PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
Budget Narrative
Totals are based on program operation from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026, and include the following
line items:
Salaries and Fringe: Five (5) Full-Time, Salaried Drivers/Mobile Scan Technicians at $40,000 each annually; Three (3) Community Outreach Specialists at $34,000 each annually; One (1) Project Manager at $65,000 annually; One (1) Human Resource Manager at $55,000 annually; One (1) Accounting Specialist at $48,000 annually; Four (4) Customer Service Coordinators at $45,000 annually; Four (4) Dental Technician at $45,000 annually.
Repairs and Maintenance: Vehicle Maintenance and Repair costs, including towing and vehicle registration, based on prior experience and projected operation of 5 Pearl Transit owned vehicles.
Insurance: Casualty and Liability Insurance covering: (1) vehicle and local premises damage, (2) Pearl Transit's worker's compensation contributions for its local drivers, as well as (3) liability insurance for the actions of local salaried and volunteer drivers over 12 months of operation.
Lease and Utilities: Professional occupancy for premises, plus utilities.
Office Supplies: Based on prior experience and projected operation over 12 months of operation.
Marketing: costs, including print and online advertising, as well as billboard, as well as promotional material
development, printing, and dissemination over 12 months of operation.
Administrative Contract Services: Includes cost for pre-hire and random drug screen as well as staff pre-hire and continuing education training.
Consumables/Fuel: Vehicle Fuel costs based on prior experience and projected operation of 5 Pearl Transit owned vehicles over 12 months of operation.
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Poverello House
Culinary Workforce Development Program
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 187
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 188
Part A
, Section 2: Organizational Background
Please provide the organization’s mission statement within the below space:
Believing in the dignity of every person, at Poverello House we work to enrich the lives and spirits of all who pass our way by stewarding the resources made available to us through Providential and community support.
Please mark any of the following classifications that apply to your organization:
Woman-Owned Business Small Business
Minority Institution Minority-Owned
Tribal Veteran-Owned
Other:
Part A, Section 3: Organizational Capacity and Management Please provide the number of staff employed by your organization: 210
Please provide key personnel information for HUD-funded projects:
Staff Name Title
Years of
Experience
1) Zachary D. Darrah Chief Executive Officer 17
2) Paul Stack Chief Operations Officer 23
3) Sara Mirhadi Chief Programs Officer 14
4) Linda Bowman Chief Financial Officer 31
5)
Board of Directors
How often does your Board of Directors regularly meet?
Quarterly
List current Board of Directors below:
1) Dr. Tushar Patel / Heidi Michael 6) Sharif Elkhaldy / David Olmos 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 189
2) Marc' Bady / Charles Farnsworth 7) Rebecca Garth-Nelson Ken Ramos
3) Linda Bowman / Prashant Patel 8) YellowFeather Noriega Dr. Mickey Sachdeva
4) Jim Connell / Heather Brown 9) Dr. Manavjeet Sidhu
Andrew Slater
5) Roman Castro / Curtis Davies 10) Victor Thao
Financial Management
1) Provide the name of staff responsible for your agency’s accounting system
Name: Linda Bowman
Title: Chief Financial Officer
Phone/Email: 559-498-6988/ [email protected]
2) Has your agency operated with or managed federal funds within the past 3)
4)
5)
6)
three years? Yes No
Has your agency been required to comply with the Single Audit requirements of the Uniform Guidance in the past two fiscal years? Yes
No
A Single Audit is required when $1,000,000 or more in federal funds is expended in a fiscal year.
Have your agency’s annual financial statements been audited by an independent audit firm
? Yes No
If yes, please provide a copy of the statements for the past two years in Exhibit 2.
If the answer to
Questions 3 or 4 were ‘Yes’, please explain any findings or questioned costs.
Although one financial finding was identified in the organization's a) Provide for the control and accountability of grant funds, property, and other assets? Yes No
b) Separately track revenue and expenditures for the grant funds? Yes No
7)
Does your payroll system separately track staff time by grant and/or activity?
Yes No
2022-2021 audit,
an action plan was implemented and corrected the finding.
No findings were identified in the organization's 2023-2022 audit.
Does your financial system:
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 190
8) Are all payments properly documented with evidence or receipt of goods or performance of services? Yes No
9) Are all bank accounts reconciled monthly? Yes No
10)
Has your agency had any significant changes in key personnel within the past 12 months? (e.g. Controller, Exec. Director, Program Manager, Accounting Manager, etc.) Yes No
If yes, please explain
N/A
11)
Has your agency implemented new or substantially changed systems related to grant management or accounting systems in the past 12 months?
Yes No
If yes, please explain
N/A
12)
Does your agency have policies that address the following? Ethics/Professional Conduct Yes No
Pay Rates and Benefits Yes No
Discrimination Yes No
Purchasing/Procurement Yes No
Property and Equipment Yes No
Segregation of Duties Yes No
Time and Effort Reporting Yes No
Record Retention Yes No
13) Does your agency certify that you have a current business license with the City of Fresno? Yes No
14)
Does your agency certify that they are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal or State department or agency? Yes No
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 191
Authorized Signatories
If your organization is selected for funding, signatures from persons bearing titles from each of the two lines below will be required by your organization.
1. Board Chair, President, or Vice President
2. Treasurer, Secretary, or Assistant Secretary
If you will be unable to provide the two requested signatures or intend to otherwise deviate from the standard signature authority, please indicate the names and titles of the authorized signatories below and provide the names and titles of the person(s) authorized to execute agreements on behalf of your organization in your board- certified resolution.
Authorized Signatory Name Authorized Signatory Title
1) Tushar Patel Board Chair
2) Charles Farnsworth Secretary
Board Resolution providing for the signature authority of persons to sign agreements on behalf of the entity is attached (required before a subrecipient agreement will be executed).
To view the City’s policy regarding signature authority, including a sample signature page and sample certification, view Administrative Order 4-1 at:
https://www.fresno.gov/personnel/human-resources-support/#administrative-order
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 192
Part A,
Section 4: Summary of Attached Applications:
Provide number and total dollar amount of applications by Application Type Homeless and Ho
melessness Prevention Programs
Number of Applications
2 Total Dollar Amount Requested
$ 444,799.00
Owner-Occupied H
ome Repair
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
Public and Com
munity Services
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
1 $ 350,000.00
Fair Housing
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
Public Infra
structure & Facility Improvements
Number of Applications Total Dollar Amount Requested
$
=
GRAND TOTAL
Number of Applications
3 Total Dollar Amount Requested
$794,799.00
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 193
Requi
red Attachments to Part A
Select all attachments included.
Part A, Exhibit 1 – Organiza tion’s U.S. Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) Determination of Exemption Letter (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 2 – Most Rec ent Audited Financial Statement (an IRS 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, may be submitted in lieu of an audit whenever the organization lacks an audit due it not exceeding California and Federal audit thresholds)
Part A, Exhibit 3 – Copies of results of audits, examinations, or monitoring procedures performed during the last two fiscal years on any direct federal award received by the organization
Part A, Exhibit 4 – Indir ect Cost Rate Agreement with Federal Cognizant Agency (Required if applicant seeks to charge an indirect cost rate greater than 15 percent of modified total direct costs)
Part A, Exhibit 5 – List of al l awards to the organization from City of Fresno during the past two years
Part A, Exhibit 6 – Statemen t and Designation by Foreign Corporation (when location of incorporation was outside of California) (Required of Out-of-State Corporations only)
Part A, Exhibit 7 – List of Di rectors and Officers by Corporate Title and Name (Required)
Part A, Exhibit 8 – Organizati on’s Articles of Incorporation (Required) Part A, Exhibit 9 – Bylaws of t he Organization (Required) Part A, Exhibit 10 – Resolution of the Board of the Directors Authorizing the Application and Naming the Persons Authorized to Sign the Application (Required; the Resolution must be submitted to the City by 5 PM, February 1, 2025) x
x
x
N/A
x
x
x
N/A
x
x
2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 194
PY25-26 Consolidated NOFA Part B
Application – Community Services
PY 2025-2026 APPLICATION
Community Service Programs
NOTE: This application is not for community services to benefit primarily homeless and individuals at risk of homelessness. If you are a homeless service provider, please use the Homeless Housing and Services application.
1. Project Summary Information – please complete the below summary information for the project/program.
Project Name (10 words or less): Culinary Workforce Development Program Amount Requested: $ 350,000.00
To utilize CDBG funds for a community service, the service must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service.
This projec
t is a:
New Project/Program
Existing Project/Program
Provide a short description of the proposed program/activity. (1 to 3 sentences and must fit in the provided space).
Poverello House will expand the organization's Culinary Workforce Development Program by increasing employment readiness services for 1) participants of the One Fresno Youth Corps Program and 2) participants of Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program. The proposal seeks to significantly expand upon the current CDBG funded pilot program by increasing the number of participants impacted by 400% to serve a total of 100 participants. The proposal will prepare participants to gain careers within culinary services, community-based organizations, and government agencies. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 195
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If this is an existing project/program that has not received CDBG funding from the City previously, please briefly explain how CDBG funds will be used to increase the level of service.
The Culinary Workforce Development Program at Poverello House (PH) received CDBG funding during 24-25 to increase services related to job placement assistance and culinary training. Poverello House seeks additional CDBG funding to increase employment readiness services by 400% (100 participants) in the following areas:
City of Fresno Youth Corps: Since January 2024, Poverello House has served as a host site for Youth Corps Fellows in partnership with the City of Fresno. This proposal seeks to add Youth Corps Fellows as an additional target population. This proposal would also increase Poverello House's capacity to host a greater number of Youth Corps Fellows. One of the three Culinary Services Trainers would be responsible for directly coaching Youth Corps Fellows and offering supplemental workforce development sessions. Youth Corps Fellows begin employment with Poverello House for 240 hours as they they begin their application and onboarding process within the City of Fresno. Poverello House receives quarterly cohorts ranging from approximately 6-8 fellows (24-32 fellows annually). This proposal would dedicate resources for the success of future Youth Corps Fellows as they prepare for employment with the City of Fresno.
Career Readiness in Rehabilitation: Poverello House's drug/alcohol rehabilitation program offers job placement assistance while participants receive in-patient or out- patient treatment for Substance-Use Disorder. A goal of the program is to place individuals transitioning from services into permanent full-time employment within the first six-months of leaving in-patient care. This project will provide 25,000 hours of work experience for those with low-to-moderate income; an increase of 416% work experience hours compared to the 24-25 CDBG-funded pilot program. To accomplish this goal, the proposal will create three (3.0 FTE) Culinary Services Trainer positions for individuals with lived experience related to this project's target audience.
Participants in this program will earn ServSafe certifications, internal culinary training program certifications, and forklift certification. Participants will receive training in a state-of-the art culinary services facility in a fully operational culinary services program that provides over 3,500 meals daily for low-income communities at no-cost to the recipient.
Food Truck Training: Poverello House will revamp its mobile food services to provide high-quality catering training to participants of the program. Poverello House will leverage the organization's mobile food truck to serve as a new training facility for participants to enhance their culinary and entrepreneur skills. Culinary Service Trainers will teach program participants how to operate and serve meals from a food truck. Culinary training will continue to include all aspects of the Culinary Department, such as Papa Mike's Café, in addition to training on a food truck.
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Application – Community Services
2. Organizational Capacity
a. Briefly describe how your organization’s prior activities have resulted in meaningful impact:
Since 1990, Poverello House has operated a formal in-patient drug and alcohol rehabilitation program for men. There have been many successes over the 30-year history of the program. However, during the last 6 months of CDBG funding, here are a few examples related participants success in culinary services:
Professional Certifications: Since receiving CDBG funding in July 2024, Poverello House already accomplished its annual goal of providing workforce readiness training to 25 participants. Currently, 25 participants earned a total of 138 different certifications ranging from food handlers, food manager, securing safe scenes, first- aid, forklift, equipment utilization, line cooking, and more culinary specific certification. These certifications helped individuals succeed in their training and secure employment opportunities at Poverello House or other community partners. 8 of the 25 individuals who benefited from the program have already secured permanent housing and employment; 4 of these individuals gained full-time benefited employment at Poverello House. Many others are on track to securing self- sufficiency. In fact, one participant was able to launch their own small-business as a bakery in part from culinary training received at Poverello House.
Internal Capacity: Since receiving CDBG funding in July 2024, Poverello House has developed and implemented a culinary training curriculum and formalized position descriptions for positions within the organization's culinary department. A total of 23 workshops have been provided since the program started. Workshops provide a formalized space for participants to receive certifications and supplemental education for job specific roles.
Employment Opportunities: Since July 2024, Poverello House has staffed three (3.0 full-time equivalent) Culinary Specialist positions with rehabilitation participants who transitioned to out-patient care. Employment in culinary services has provided these participants stability as they establish employment history, permanent housing, and career applicable skills. Poverello House will continue to keep these positions filled with participants transitioning from rehabilitation services.
Supportive Services: Poverello House has continued to provide financial literacy support (budgeting, credit, banking, etc), housing placement, and therapeutic intervention services to rehabilitation participants enrolled in the culinary workforce development curriculum. Many participants secured their identification cards and accessed a primary care physician. These supportive services will help maintain participants' soberity and prevent them from falling back into a harmful cycle.
In partnership with the City of Fresno, Poverello House began hosting Youth Corps Fellows in Januar
y 2024. Poverello House assisted 10 of 14 Youth Corps Fellows 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 197
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Application – Community Services
placed at the organization in securing employment directly with the City of Fresno, Poverello House, or another community partner. Four (4) Youth Corps Fellows transitioned into permanent, full-time employment with benefits, including one who started as the Rehabilitation Program's Job Developer. The Youth Corps Program's involvement in Poverello House's Culinary Department has proven to be an effective pipeline for moving at-risk, low-income individuals into self-sustaining employment opportunities within community-based organizations, government agencies, and other service-oriented careers.
The first year of CDBG funded employment readiness services has been exceptional.
Experiences in this initial funding period has informed this project's design and prompted Poverello House to increase this project's outcomes. The Culinary Workforce Development Program has successfully filled in gaps of employment readiness services in the City of Fresno for low-income individuals with transitioning out of rehabilitation services. The impact of the current program is expected to grow over the next 6-months.
b. Describe the organization’s experience with administering federally funded programs of this nature.
Poverello House has substantial experience successfully adminstrating federally funded, reimbursement-based grants and contracts of a similar size and scope to this proposal. The first federally funded program was awarded in 2001 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The organization has progressively secured more grants over the decades.
Currently, of the 22 grant-fund programs that are operating, 18 of them are reimbursement-based grants or contracts. Examples include the following:
1. City of Fresno's Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): In 2023, Poverello House received $195,351 to fund a portion of the City-wide street outreach program that the organization operates. The ESG program requires a dollarfor- dollar match, so the total size of the operational budget was $390,702, with the additional funding coming from other sources. Poverello House has been a recipient of ESG funding annually since 2015 and has operated in full compliance with grant requirements. The City of Fresno awarded Poverello House additional funds during the subsequent funding period. Poverello House exceeded all outcomes during the performance period.
2. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Coordinated Entry System: In 2022 and again in 2023, Poverello House was awarded $619,103 each year to manage the Coordinate Entry System for the County. During the two 12-month performance periods, Poverello House complied with the grant requirements and ended the performance period in
good standing. The
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Application – Community Services
organization met or exceeded all outcomes of the grants. The contract has been renewed until 2025.
3. US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Rapid Re-Housing: In 2022 and again in 2023, Poverello House was awarded $311,866 each year to provide rental support through the Rapid Re-Housing Program. During the performance periods, Poverello House was compliant with the grant requirements and ended the performance period in good standing. The organization met or exceeded all outcomes of the grants. The contract has been renewed until 2025, and it is anticipated the organization will receive funding for the Rapid Re-Housing program through 2026.
4. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP): In 2022, Poverello House was awarded $606,640 for a oneyear performance period. In 2023, Poverello House was awarded $135,793 for a one-year performance period. A portion of these funds provided vital funding for the culinary services program that offers prepared meals for anyone in need in the community. The secondary component of the funding source contributed to program support for Naomi's House Emergency Shelter Program. Outcomes related to these funds are directly linked to the number of meals and nights of shelter provided. The organization finished the performance period in full compliance with the grant requirements and was in good standing. Poverello House met all grant outcomes. Poverello House has been a recipient of FEMA funding since 2010, and it has met grant requirements and outcomes since first receiving funding. FEMA awarded new funding to the organization during the 2024-2025 performance period.
During Poverello House’s more than two decades of administering grants and contracts with federally funded programs, the organization has never had the early termination of a grant due to non-compliance or any other issue.
Poverello House maintains a line of credit of up to $2,500,000 to ensure necessary cash flow for reimbursement based projects; the organization has not needed to pull from this line of credit since opening the account. Upon request, the organization can provide references from funders.
c. For how many years has the organization administered activities of the type described in this application?
31 d. Does the organization have the follo wing in place (check box if ‘yes’)? 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 199
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Written policies and procedures for the proposed project or program (i.e., intake, eligibility)
Written Financial Management Policies and Procedures
Non-Discrimination / Equal Opportunity Policy
Conflict of Interest Policies and Procedures
Procurement Policies and Procedures
e. Please describe the cultural competency training staff will be required to complete during the term of this program.
Poverello House operates as a second-chance employer, and the organization seeks out individuals with lived experience and diverse backgrounds for employment opportunities. Upon employment, Poverello House is committed to cultivating cultural competence among by providing cultural competency training for employees. The training includes recognizing and accepting cultural norms of clients accessing services. The training prepares employees with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for engagement with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. Training components include:
1) Foundational Understanding: Employees increase their understanding of various cultures by identifying differenses in patterns of thinking, feeling, and problem-solving. They also build their working knowledge of learned beliefs, values, languages, and communication styles.
2) Cultural Intelligence: Staff develop cultural intelligence to interpret behaviors in alignment with diverse perspectives. This section highlights the impact of cultural awareness on building trust and teamwork. 3) Cultural Competence In Context: This section of training explores culture within historical, social, political, and economic contexts. A particular focus on sensitivity to individual differences, adaptability, and reflective awareness of cultural influences.
4) Legal and Ethical Considerations: Employees are educated on legal and ethical standards related to cultural competence. They learn how to adhere to anti- discrimination laws and organizational policies.
Poverello House provides this series of cultural competency training to help faciliate communication between individuals of different cultures. We recognize the need to acknowledge the role of personal history and personality during service delivery.
Employees are expected to cultivate cross-cultural attitudes — openness, flexibility, humilit
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recognizing others' values, and embracing positive change. Poverello House encourages employees to engage in continuous learning and self-assessment. The organization conducts training sessions for both new and exisiting employees.
3. Proposed Scope of Work
a. Briefly describe the needs this proposal addresses, and how existing resources are insufficient to meet this need:
The Culinary Workforce Development Program will provide daily employment readiness training to low-income individuals within the City of Fresno. The program will deploy eight (8) multi-disciplinary team members to create employment opportunities, develop career readiness skills, and secure professional certifications for low-income individuals enrolled in Poverello House's 1) Rehabilitation-Aftercare Program and 2) Youth Corps Program. This proposal significantly expands the organization's existing workforce readiness program funded by CDBG to serve Youth Corps as a new target audience while elevating the quality of services offered to participants of Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program. CDBG will fund three (3.0 full-time equivalent) Culinary Trainer positions along with funding an additional (0.30 FTE) Executive Chef Position.
CDBG will fund (0.25 FTE) of the Director of Culinary Services and (0.12 FTE) of the Director of Data Management and Grants positons to ensure proper staff training and project delivery. Poverello House will provide a cash match to support (0.50 FTE) Stability Specialist position and (0.50 FTE) Job Developer position. A total of eight staff positions will provide social services for participants of The Culinary Workforce Development Program.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the City of Fresno ranked 9 th out
of 389 national metropolian areas in highest unemployment rates. This report showed that seven of the top thirteen national metropolitan areas with the highest unemployment were located in California's Central Valley. Researchers with the Central Valley Health Policy Institute shared, "that for people who live and work in this area of south Fresno, jobs have decreased… It turns out, jobs are actually increasing for people who live outside of this community.” The 2022/2023 CDBG Community Needs Assessment completed by Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission identified employment readiness and workforce training as a significant priority area for future community-based organizations to target.
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Fresno's at-risk communities, there will be growth in inequitable access to self- sustaining employment.
There are currently workforce development programs in Fresno, but there are insufficent resources and opportunities for those with Substance Use Disorder looking to re-enter into productive lives. The vast majority of rehabilitation participants have little to no income upon admission into the program, with all rehabilitation participants needing assistance in managing Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Upon entry into the Rehabilitation Program, participants begin working with staff on their soberity but also their self-sufficieny, such as them individually being able to secure permanent housing, employment, childcare, and other relevant resources in the City of Fresno. The program will work to help those re-entering society from incarceration, representing 90% of participants.
The program enrolls more than 120 individuals annually with 5% having employment prior to program admission.
Since 2021, the Rehabilitation Program has served 589 unduplicated individuals with 24% of those participants being eligible for the One Fresno Youth Corps Program if referred today. Out of the 589 unduplicate individuals served by the Rehabilitation Program, approximately 76% of participants are persons of color.
Poverello House will also collaborate with the City of Fresno to serve low-income Youth Corps members from other at-risk backgrounds. There is a greater need to connect low-income individuals in recovery to self-sustaining employment opportunities. The program also focuses on culinary training and career readiness for a field that are traditionally second-chance employers, such as local resturant, the City of Fresno and Poverello House. The program overcomes many barriers by providing in-house wrap around supportive services. There are insufficient workforce readiness programs that create in-house referrals to mental health, housing navigation, no-cost food and clothing, and other relevant local resources.
Participants will also gain hands-on work experience, leadership training, and a fullfilling experience of serving others in need in the community. This would expand a unique and innovative program in the City of Fresno.
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b. Briefly describe the target population and how the project will meet the specific needs of the target population and how the project will be marketed to the target population.
The proposed project serves the priority populations as outlined by the City of Fresno as Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs). There is a need to expand career readiness services that directly serve RECAP communities by leveraging an established community program, such as Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program and One Fresno Youth Corps Program. The project will seek individuals from RECAP communities by providing them with employment readiness services that enhance workplace competencies, document readiness, and placement into employment. An indirect benefit of these positions will be to elevate the capacity of Poverello House's culinary services to provide meals throughout the City of Fresno. Without an increase in available job assistance programs, the likelihood of people relapsing and criminal behavior will increase dramatically.
The first target population is participants of the One Fresno Youth Job Corps Program, which is designed for at-risk youth ages 16-30. The One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program is focused on hiring youth who face barriers such as 1) Difficulty finding employment, 2) Are low-income, 3) Are unemployed and/or out of school, 4) Are or were justice-involved, 5) Are in or transitioning from foster care, 6) Are engaged with the mental health or substance abuse system, 7) Are unhoused/housing insecure/at risk of becoming unhoused. Poverello House will collaborate with the City of Fresno to place potential Youth Corps participants who have an annual income of less than 80% of the regional median household income. Special attention will be given to prospective placements that meet both CDBG and Youth Corps Program eligibility. The primary goal of the program is to prepare them for self-sustaining employment in a desired career field.
The second target population is men participating in an in-patient SUD program.
The participants are predominantly formerly incarcerated, have formerly experienced homelessness, and are unemployed with many barriers to employment. The vast majority of participants had little to no income prior to entering the rehabilitation program. Approximately 25% of rehabilitation participants are under the age of 30 and could be referred to the One Fresno Youth Corps Program to supplement their services when transitioning to outpatient care. All participants of Poverello House’s Rehabilitation Program will be screened for income eligibility upon admission and enrolled in the Culinary Workforce Development Program as an additional service in their curriculum. This proposal seeks to increase the likelihood of participant’s self-sufficiency beyond the program by eliminating barriers to basic needs, education, and employment.
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c. Describe consultation efforts made wit h the target population in the development of the proposed activity.
Poverello House developed the Culinary Workforce Development Program by incorporating feedback from conversations, case management notes, and surveys gathered between program participants and staff. Since 2021, Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program provided employment readiness services to 586 unique individuals. Upon entry into the program, an intake and legal needs assessment is adminstered and re-evaluated monthly. The concept of the Culinary Workforce Development Program utilized these assessments and other feedback forms to create specific, measureable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound goals.
Poverello House developed the Rehabilitation Program by incorporating feedback from conversations, case management notes, and surveys gathered between program participants and staff. Poverello House has gathered data from 316 unduplicated individuals who participated in the program. A vast majority (90%) are formerly incarcerated with little to no income. Of these individuals, 65% identified as people of color. In 2024, a limited number (38%) of admitted participants entered full-time permanent jobs soon after completing the program's treatment plan. Feedback gathered from participants indicated a need for second-chance employers willing to provide full-time employment.
Additionally, Poverello House employs a thorough intake process that collects crucial information, including race, ethnicity, incarceration history, education, employment, family dynamics, and mental health. This data-driven approach ensures a comprehensive and measurable understanding of the individual's background. Weekly meetings led by the program participant involving mental health clinicians, job developers, and case managers demonstrate a collaborative approach to case planning. Since 2020, PH has employed 52 individuals from the program. The staff has developed a strong working relationship based on rapport and empathy. Every participant has an individualized plan developed in a case management software. Reporting allows leadership to analyze data and make timely adjustments to program design.
The data-driven approach revealed a greater need for support services targeting job assistance, workplace skills, and income stability. Every case management plan includes employment as a pursuit for all program participants. However, program participants overwhelmingly communicate that employment barriers such as a lack of training, visible tattoos, and criminal background make it challenging to secure gainful employment.
d. Describe the marketing plan for the proposed activity and how the organization will ensure it reaches the target population.
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Poverello House will work with Fresno County Department of Probation and directly with the courts to reach people with Substance Use Disorder and their families negatively affected by "the War on Drugs" with little to no income. Poverello House will provide workshops and brochures regarding the program to community partners.The City of Fresno's Homeless Action Response Team also refers eligible individuals looking for Substance Use Disorder treatment to Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program. Participants can enter the rehabilitation program through referral or as a voluntary walk-in. Once enrolled in Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program, their case manager will placement in the Culinary Workforce Development Program if this program aligns with their care plan. The vast majority of participants receiving rehabilitation services have limited income prior to entering the program; this will be verified prior to enrollment into the Culinary Workforce Development Program. Participants of the Culinary Workforce Development Program will be eligble to continue services beyond their in-patient treatment as they transition into out-patient care. Stability services offered within the Rehabiliation Program will support participants in out-patient care to ensure their continued engagement within the program.
A second approach for enrollment into the Culinary Workforce Development Program is through the enlistment of Youth Corps participants. Poverello House screens prospective enrollees based of referrals from the City of Fresno, Career Nexus, and interally from Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program. Poverello House collaborates with the City of Fresno to host 6-8 Youth Corps Fellows quarterly. Poverello House seeks to renew its contract with the One Fresno Youth Corps Program this year.
e. Although the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is in the process of being updated, the City recommends that investments be made in areas identified as Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs – see NOFA Handbook). Will this program be:
Offered Citywide
Offered Citywide with an emphasis and affirmative marketing toward RECAPs
Offered exclusively to residents of RECAPs
f. Describe the service area:
Note: Strong applications will include specifically defined services areas such as ‘residents within ½ mile radius of [facility address]’ or ‘residents within the boundaries defined on the attached map.’ A map may be attached in lieu of a service area description.
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City of Fresno and 412 F. Street, Fresno, CA 93706. See map attached as Exhibit E.
Poverello House has a state-of-art culinary facility that currently produces approximately 3,500 meals daily. The organization also has additional facilities that will ensure the success of the program, such as adminstrative offices and multi-purpose rooms.
g. Estimate the number of unduplicat ed people expected to benefit from the project:
100 unduplicated people or businesses will receive a direct benefit from this project.
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h. Income Documentation
CDBG-eligible programs primarily benefit persons who earn less than 80% of the area median income. A chart containing the income limits effective as of June 1, 2024, is included as a reference below. Applicants must select one of the three options for documenting how their activity will satisfy the income eligibility requirement. Please note, these income limits are subject to change. For the most current income limits please reference the link below:
https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5334/cdbg-income-limits/ Household Size 30% AMI 50% AMI 80% AMI
1 $18,450 $30,800 $49,250
2 $21,100 $35,200 $56,250
3 $23,750 $39,600 $63,300
4 $26,350 $43,950 $70,300
5 $28,500 $47,500 $75,950
OPTION 1: Low-Income Clientele – Presumed Benefit
Select this option only if the program will exclusively serve one of the following clienteles (select all that apply)
Older Adults (62 and older)
Severely Disabled Adults
Abused Children
Illiterate Adults
Migrant Farm Workers
OPTION 2: Low-Income Clientele – Other
Select this option if the program will serve a specific clientele not listed under the first option. The organization must document income eligibility for each program participant. Indicate below the types of documentation the organization will collect to verify income eligibility (select all that apply):
Pay Stubs / Wage Statements
W-2s
Income Tax Returns
Social Security Documentation
Bank Statements
Signed Certifications from
Beneficiaries
O t h e r :
O t h e r :
O t h e r :
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OPTION 3: Low-Income Area
Select this option if the program will benefit all residents in an area where at least 51% of its residents are low- or moderate-income. This is the least likely option for Community Service programs.
i. Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program
Describe the project/program in detail in the space below. Limit description to the space provided on this and the next page.
Program Design/ Quality of Proposal: Poverello House will provide workforce readiness training to individuals with little to no income who either are 1) participants transitioning from Poverello House's Rehabilitation Program or 2) participants of the One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program. The Rehabilitation Program has been the cornerstone of Poverello House's programming for over thirty years; emphasizing sobriety and career readiness. This proposal expands upon the current pilot CDBG- funded program by incorporating Youth Corps Fellows in partnership with the City of Fresno. The proposal will connect participants to employment opportunities while building workplace skills, employment history, and income stability. The project will create three (3.0 FTE) additional positions as Culinary Services Trainers. CDBG will fund these three positions entirely (100%). The Culinary Services Trainer position will directly supervise and coach participants in small group sessions. The position will also engage participants in the culinary curriculum and work with participants in achieving culinary certifications, such as food handler certifications, equipment competency, first-aid and forklift certifications. Poverello House will increase allocated time from an exisiting Job Developer (0.5 FTE) and Stability Specialist (0.5 FTE) positions through committed funding. PH also employs an Executive Chef who will provide direct support, knowledge, and oversight of the Culinary Services Trainers. The Executive Chef will also facilitate culinary classes and directly mentor participants.
The Executive Chef and Culinary Services Trainers will collectively provide participants an estimated 25,000 hours of supervised training and help 100 individuals receive at least one transferable certification. This application seeks to increase the number of individuals impacted by 400% from the current pilot program in place. Since July 2024, Poverello House has created an internal certiciation curriculum for basic culinary skills such as, knife skills, equipment operation, food safety, food preparation, menu design, spice utilization, and other applicable skills as determined by the Executive Chef. The project will give participants extensive training experiences to work in any modern resturant and/ or commerical kitchen, while producing 3,500 hot meals daily.
Components of the proposed service expansion: 1) Job readiness services immediately upon entry into rehabiliation treatment for who meet eligibility and the desire to be placed in future gainful employment in the culinary services industry. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 208
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Detailed Narrative Description of Project/Program (Continued from previous page)
2) 100 Individuals will receive at least one certification, such as ServSafe (or other) food handler or food manager, forklift, and first aid certifications within three months of starting the program.
3) Upon completion of the program, all participants will receive the internal certification of culinary services as they complete the program. 75% of program participants (75 individuals) will complete both a pre- and post- evaluation. 4) The project team, particularly the Job Developer, will assist each participant in with creating a long-term career pathway in culinary services and facilitates placement.
Job Developer will establish relationships with local restaurants and other culinary- based entities to develop pipeline relationships for graduates of this program. 100 individuals will complete a job search form, resume, and mock interview within three months of starting the program.
5. The Executive Chef, Culinary Services Trainers, and Job Developer increases specific learning activities, workplace skills, and oversees certification processes.
They will also provide daily training and oversight of program participants. 100 individuals will complete an employment action plan with three months of entering the program.
6. An existing Stability Specialist will work directly with program participants to assist with support services. Support services will include, financial literacy support (budgeting, credit, banking, etc.), housing placement, securing a driver's license, health care needs, and other services as needed based on the needs of each individual. 70% of program participants (70 individuals) will be document ready for employment as having an identification card and social security card within three months of starting the program. Additionally, 70% of program participants (70 individuals) will attend at least three financial literacy classes.
7. Dramatically increase the workforce development potential for the culinary services program at Poverello House. The program's supportive services will continue to follow those transitioning out the program to ensure sobriety and prevent them from falling back into a harmful cycle. 70% of program participants (70 individuals) will attend at least 10 peer support, culinary workshops, or system navigation classes.
8. Poverello House will revamp its exisiting mobile food truck's ability to serve low- income communities daily. The mobile food truck will serve as an additional training environment for program participants. Culinary Services Trainers will enhance participant's skills in both a formal state-of-art commerical kitchen and mobile food truck. 100 program participants will spend 25 hours operating a mobile food truck. 2025-2026 Requests for Funding Page 209
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j. Collaboration
Briefly describe any collaboration efforts with other organizations for this project/program or related initiatives.
Collaborating Organization Description of Collaboration City of Fresno Poverello House serves as a host site for the City of Fresno's Youth Corps Program. Fellows begin their
employment at Poverello House while they complete
their onboarding and training with the City of Fresno.
Program adminstrators of Youth Corps will provide
referrals for prospective program participants.
Workforce Connection Poverello H ouse collaborates with Workforce Connection to provide rehabilitation participants
additional supplemental job search assistance and
supportive services.
Career Nexus Poverello House receives referrals from Career Nexus for individuals interested in participating in
Youth Corps. Career Nexus also provides job
readiness training to Youth Corps participants prior
to them engaging in employment at Poverello
House.
4. Project/Program Budget
a. The City is interested in applicants that can deploy activities in a timely manner (12 months) while balancing the need to maintain high standards of program delivery. Please propose how you will address this need.
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Poverello House (PH) utilizes a robust financial and administrative staff in both size and capacity. Over the last four years, the organization has successful administered well over $20,000,000 in grant funds.
Administration of grant funds is completed by a collaboration of finance, administrative, and program staff. The proposal will expand upon a fully implemented program, for the project seeks to expand the number of participants who would benefit from services.
The Finance Department is headed by the CFO, Linda Bowman. Ms.
Bowman has over three decades of non-profit accounting experience.
She has administered grant funds from government and private sources into the tens of millions of dollars. She has led PH through four consecutive, clean, independent audits. Ms. Bowman manages the Finance Department, which includes five full-time equivalent staff. The Finance Department is comprised of an experienced Controller, Payroll Specialist, Accounts Payable Specialist, Accounts Receivable Specialist, and Administrative Assistant. This team has shown their capacity to administer grant funds as they currently manage 22 grants.
The Administrative Department is headed by the CEO, Zachary Darrah.
Mr. Darrah has over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector. He has a unique understanding of the administration of grant funds as he has extensive experience in grant writing and leading organizations that utilize grant funding from many sources. Mr. Darrah will be intimately involved in the proper administration of grant funds in this program.
Poverello House has much experience in launching new programs in a timely. The organization will begin the program immediately upon being awarded. The organization also has the ability to cash flow the ramp up needs of the program and is well-versed in the reimbursement-based grant model. Each department needed to launch the program will begin working together immediately to identify staff, program participants, and implement the robust program design. The organization anticipates no problems in deploying activities quickly and maintaining high standards of program implementation.
b. List of Funding Sources
Provide all planned funding anticipated/ committed for this activity for PY 2025- 2026. If the organization has received funding commitment letters, please attach as an exhibit to this application.
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