COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
APPLICATION FOR CITY OF Lake Elsinore
2024-2025 CDBG ALLOCATION
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Applying Organization Name: Western Eagle Foundation
Type of Organization: Non-Profit Organization V Faith Based Organization • For-Profit Organization Institution of Higher Education Organization Address: 40940 County Center Drive
City: Temecula Zip Code: 92591
Mailing Address: 40940 County Center Drive
City: Temecula Zip Code: 92591
Telephone Number Fax Number:
Executive Director: Todd Sieja, CEO
Telephone Number E-mail
Program Manager: Serena Cooper
Telephone Number E-mail:
Grant Writer:
Address (If different from above):
Telephone Number: E-mail:
I1. ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY (This is applicable only if you are a non-profit organization) Date Organization founded: 1993
Date Organization incorporated as a non-profit organization (Attach Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws): 1993 Federal identification number:
DUNS Number:
Organization Web Address: www.westerneaglefoundation.org Does your Organization expend $750,000 or more a year in federal funds? YO] or N V Number of paid staff: 8
Number of volunteers: 40 full-time
Members/Board of Directors (Attach): attached
III. PROJECT ACTIVITY
A. Name of Project: emergency food bags
B. Specific Location of Project
(Attach Project Map - include street address; if a street address has not been assigned provide APN) Street or APN: 40940 County Center Drive
City: Temecula Zip Code: 92591
C. CDBG Funds Requested: 10,000 (total amount for the project only) -
D. Where will the proposed activity occur (be specific as to the geographic boundaries)? If the project involves a new or existing facility, what is the proposed service/benefit area for the facility? Located in the city of Temecula and is open 7 days a week to the general public of Riverside County.
E. In which City (ies)/Communities does the activity occur? City (ies): City of Lake Elsinore
Community (ies): outlying rural areas of the City of Lake Elsinore NOTE: HWS will make the final determination of the appropriate service area of all proposals.
F. If this project benefits residents of more than one community or jurisdiction, have requests been submitted to those other entitlement jurisdictions? (i.e., County district(s) 1s*, 2nd, 3rd d, 4th, and/or 5th, City of Palm Springs, City of Moreno Valley, City of Riverside, etc.) 1 G. Check ONLY the applicable category your application represents.
V Public Service
Homeless Activities
Real Property Acquisition (Must consult with EDA prior to submitting application) Housing
Rehabilitation/Preservation (please provide picture of structure) Public Facilities (construction)
Infrastructure (i.e. Streets, Sewer, Sidewalk, etc.)
• Other: (provide description)
H. Respond to A & B only if this application is for a public service project. (a) Is this a NEW service provided by your agency? Yes L No V (b) If service is not new, will the existing public service activity level be substantially increased or improved?
Yes.
IV. PROJECT NARRATIVE
A. Provide a detailed Project Description. The description should only address or discuss the specific activities, services, or project that is to be assisted with CDBG funds. If CDBG funds will assist the entire program or activity, then provide a description of the entire program or activity:
Program assisted with CDBG Funds: "Emergency Food Bag program"- Western Eagle provides through grant funding an "emergency food bag" 2 to 3 times a month to low to moderate income individuals/families. The "emergency food bag" usually contains canned goods, packaged foods, cereal, fresh vegetables in stock such as broccoli, cauliflower and celery. Distribution days are Fridays, from 10:00am to 1pm. Program is posted on website, weekly bulletins, monthly newsletter and social media posts. Family member must bring and fill out self-certification form for eligibility. Sign-in sheets are also required and record name, city, zip code, family size and email address for communications.
Western Eagle must purchase staples from food distributors, as donations decreased more than 95% from suppliers during COVID and are inconsistent, and sometimes lack nutritional value. Food is either picked up or delivered and stored in the Western Eagle Store freezers and refrigerators and shelves. The store/warehouse is a 44,000 square foot warehouse with food and goods purchased by Western Eagle from farms, grocery distribution centers and outlets. Western Eagle Store monthly net proceeds are used to purchase food and home goods, pay rent, utilities and staff. 2 B. Provide a detailed description of the proposed use of the CDBG funds only (e.g. client scholarships, purchase of specific equipment, rent, supplies, utilities, salaries, etc.):
CDBG funds will be used to purchase food "basic" supplies from local food suppliers/distributors to include canned fruits and vegetables and dry packaged foods like spaghetti and rice. Average invoice is more than $5,000 monthly.
C. What are the goals and objectives of the project, service, or activity? How will you measure and evaluate the success of the project to meet these goals and objectives (measures should be qualitative)?
Goal: relieve food insecurity for low to moderate income recipients Objectives: (1) increase grant funding to purchase food through food brokers, suppliers and distribution centers: (2) continue to provide nutritious non-perishable canned and boxed food to meet emergency needs of low to moderate income recipients; (3) continue to outreach to the communities of Lake Elsinore making them aware of Western Eagle food programs and the Western Eagle Store with heavily discounted food and goods to help families and their budgets.
Measurement/Success: is measured by the number of clients participating in the "emergency food" distribution days each month, with an average of 102 residents a month commuting from city of Lake Elsinore for each "emergency food bag" distribution day. Total direct services equals 2,448.
D. Please identify the project milestones using an Estimated Timeline for Project Implementation:
1. Obtain funding through grants, donors and store sales (net revenue) to support purchase of food from food brokers, suppliers and distribution centers;
2. Schedule and pay for transportation/freight from food distribution centers, suppliers, farms and outlets;
3. Unload at Western Eagle store/warehouse and move pallets to shelves, freezers and refrigerators;
4. Food is sorted, checked for quality, and organized into daily food boxes, emergency food bags, or left on pallets for distribution to partners transporting food to rural areas of Riverside County and stocked on
5. Staff manages the "emergency food bag" distribution days, assuring that every recipient completes the sign-in sheet and submits self-certification forms.;
V. PROJECT BENEFIT
A. Indicate the number of people or households that will directly benefit from your proposal using CDBG funds: Note: This is based on the expected number of clients to be served if the County funds your project for the requested amount.
City of Lake Elsinore-number of people that directly benefit from "emergency food bag" program is 102 a month per the sign-in sheet which records family size and equals direct services of 2,652 served a year.
B. Indicate the number of unduplicated clients that will be served (An unduplicated client is counted only once, no matter how many direct services the client receives during a funding year):
City of Lake Elsinore- 102 unduplicated, 2,652 direct services in FY 22-23 C. Length of proposed CDBG-funded activities or service (weeks, months, year):
Emergency Food Bags are distributed twice a month, sometimes three, 26 times a year. Western Eagle Store is open 7 days a week for easy access to food, with other programs available to help feed individuals and families.
D. Service will be provided to (check one or more):
V Men / Seniors
V Women ZI Severely Disabled Adults
[ Children (Range of children's ages : 0-18 • Migrant Farm Workers • Homeless (Number of beds at facility :_ Families
4 E. What methods will be used for community involvement to assure that all who might benefit from the project are provided an opportunity to participate?
Western Eagle store of food and home goods, along with programs such as (1) emergency food bags; (2) available daily customized food boxes open to all income brackets; and (3) community food bank that loads pallets of food to be distributed to rural and outlying communities; news has spread by word of mouth by members of community nonprofits, faith-based organizations, school districts, foster family agencies, adult special needs agencies and work-study programs. Additionally, Western Eagle continues to raise awareness through marketing strategies (weekly bulletins, monthly newsletter), daily postings to social media channels (FB, IG) and presenting at public events.
F. What evidence is there of a long-term commitment to the proposal? Describe how you plan to continue the work (project) after the CDBG funds are expended?
Western Eagle has been in operation for 30 years and has 2M in reserve cash to cover unexpected catastrophic events. However, financial sustainability is supported each year from the net proceeds from the Western Eagle Food & Home Goods Store that covers cost of food and goods purchased from food brokers, suppliers, farms, grocery superstores, retail stores and operating expenses. Additionally, Western Eagle through its fund-development program actively pursues contributions, grants and sponsors.
VI. National Objective
All CDG-funded activities must meet at least one of the following National Objectives of the CDBG program. Indicate the category of National Objective to be met by your activity.
CATEGORY A: Benefit to low-moderate income persons (must be documented). Please choose either subcategory 1 or 2:
1. Limited Clientele:
The project serves clientele that will provide documentation of their family size, income, and ethnicity.
Identify the procedure you currently have in place to document that at least 51% of the clientele you serve are low-moderate income persons.
Recipients sign-in on the "emergency food bag" sheet, noting family size, city, zipcode, ethnicity and submit a self-certification form, if not already on file.
The notebook of self-certification forms is verified by staff member working the program; at least 51% of the clientele are low-moderate income persons; Data and records are kept in a locked filing cabinet;
Monthly data is summarized in an Excel spreadsheet for reimbursement reports and used to forecast amount of food needed in the future months. 5 2. Clientele presumed to be principally low-and moderate-income persons:
The following groups are presumed by HUD to meet this criterion. You will be required to submit a certification from the client (s) that they fall into one of the following presumed categories.
The activity will benefit (check one or more)
Abused children • Homeless persons
Battered spouses _illiterate adults
Elderly persons ] Persons living with AIDS
Severely disabled adults • Migrant Farm workers
Describe the clientele above to be served by this activity:
N/A
b. Discuss how this project directly benefits low-and moderate- income residents:
Western Eagle's mission is to relieve food insecurity and the "emergency food bag" program directly benefits at least 51% low to moderate income residents by offering a bag of staples with canned vegetables and fruits, dry packaged food such as spaghetti and rice. If extra stock of food has been donated, that food is added to the emergency food bags such as fresh vegetables or fruits and cereal. The distribution dates are posted on the website, in the weekly bulletin and on social media. Seniors living on fixed incomes appreciate picking up the extra basics and moms with children appreciate the extra food to feed hungry kids.
CATEGORY B: Area Benefit - The project or facility serves, or is available to, ALL persons located within an area where at least 51% of the residents are low/moderate-income. (Applicant is welcome to contact a County of Riverside, HWS CDBG Program Manager for Census Information) 2010 Census Tract and Block Group numbers:
Total population in Census Tracts) / block group(s):
Total percentage of low-moderate population in Census Tracts) / block group(s):_ 6 CATEGORY C: Activities undertaken to create or retain permanent jobs, at least 51% of which will be made available to or held by low/moderate-income persons.
Proposed Job Creation/Retention
Total Jobs Expected to Create: 0
Total Jobs Expected to Retain: O
CATEGORY D: Activities that provide assistance to micro-enterprise owners/developers who are low/moderate-income.
Proposed Assistance to Businesses
New Businesses expected to assist: O
Existing Businesses expected to assist: 0
Enter Total Businesses expected to assist: 0
VIl. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
A. Proposed Project Budget
Complete the following annual program budget to begin July 1, 2024. If your proposed CDBG-funded activity will start on a date other than July 1, 2024, please indicate starting date. Provide total Budget information and distribution of CDBG funds in the proposed budget.
The budgeted items are for the specific activity for which you are requesting CDBG funding - NOT for the budget of the "entire" organization or agency. (Note: CDBG funds requested must match amount requested in Project Activity, C above.)
(EXAMPLE: The Valley Senior Center is requesting funding for a new Senior Nutritional Program. The total cost of the program is $15,000 and $10,000 in CDBG funds is being requested for operating expenses associated with the proposed activity. The total Activity/Project Budget will include $5,000 of other non-CDBG funding and $10,000 in CDBG funds for a Grand Total of $15,000).
TOTAL ACTIVITY/
PROJECT BUDGET CDBG FUNDS
(Include non-CDBG Funds REQUESTED-Only
and CDBG Funds)
1. Personnel
A. Salaries & Wages $ 350000 $0
B. Fringe Benefits $ 55000 $0
C. Consultants & Contract Services $ 24000 $ 0
PERSONNEL SUB-TOTAL $ 429000 $ 0
Il. Non-Personnel
A. Space Costs $ 546000 $
B. Rental, Lease or Purchase of
Equipment $ 68492 $
C. Consumable Supplies $ 1200000 $ 10000
D. Travel $ 1000 $
E. Telephone $ 11210 $
F. Utilities $ 32880 $
G. Other Costs $ 53519 $
NON-PERSONNEL SUB-TOTAL: $ 1,913,643 $ 10000
IlI. Other
A. Architectural/Engineering Design $ $.
B. Acquisition of Real Property $ $.
C. Construction/Rehabilitation $ $
D. Indirect Costs $. $
E. Other $. $
OTHER SUB-TOTAL: $ $ 10000
GRAND TOTAL: $ 2,342,643 $ 10000
B. Leveraging
List other funding sources and amounts (commitments or applications) which will assist in the implementation of this activity. and pending evidence of leveraging commitments/applications must be submitted with application. (Attach) Federal: EFSP Phase 40-$46,000; CDBG/HWS $12,500
State/Local: City of Temecula $50,000; Riverside County Supervisors CID $10,000; Private: MORONGO, TJ, Military Wives of Camp Pendleton, Fees:
Donations: $5,000
Other: Store Net Proceeds $1,200,000; Unrestricted Cash Reserve $2,300,000. 8 C. What type of long-term financial commitment is there to the proposal? Describe how you plan to continue the work (project) after the CDBG funds are expended? Western Eagle has been a sharing community partner for more than 30 years, sustainable year after year through the net proceeds from the Western Eagle Food and Home Goods Store, which is used to purchase food from food brokers, local suppliers, farms, grocery superstores and retail stores, and pay operating expenses.
Western Eagle through its fund development program is actively pursuing contributions, grants and sponsors to support the "emergency food bag" program as the need for food has doubled since post COVID, food prices have increased at grocery stores, inflation and recession.
D. Provide a summary by line item of your organization's previous year's income and expense statement. (Attach)
attached
E. Does this project benefit residents of more than one community or jurisdiction, have requests been submitted to those other jurisdictions? Yes Z No D
If yes, identify sources and indicate outcome.
City of Murrieta, Riverside County HWS/Riv.Cty.Supervisors, pending 24-25 If no, please explain.
F. Was this project or activity previously funded with CDBG? Yes NO O If yes, when?
Yes, CDBG/ESG/HOME Programs Riverside County Supervisors fiscal year 23-24 awarded $12,500.
Is this activity a continuation of a previously funded (CDBG) project? Yes No V If yes, explain:
VIll. MANAGEMENT CAPACITY
A. Describe your organization's experience in managing and operating project or activities funded with CDBG or other Federal funds
Western Eagle has been in the community for more than 30 years, financially sustainable, and uses accounting software for daily use and a CPA for taxes and financial audit statements. The "emergency food bag" program has a sign-in sheet recording family size, city, zip code, email address and ethnicity. Additionally, self-certification forms are required per family and kept in a white notebook. Reports are run monthly for forecasting inventory and reimbursement reporting. 9 B. Management Systems
Does your organization have written and adopted management systems (i.e., policies and procedures) including personnel, procurement, property management, record keeping, financial management, etc.?
Yes policies and procedures include emergency plans, management succession, records retention, disaster preparedness and alternative sites to make food available in case of catastrophe.
C. Capacity
Please provide the names and qualifications of the person(s) that will be primarily responsible for the implementation and completion of the proposed project.
Todd Sieja, CEO, in charge of accounting, reviewing financial reports and statements, executive decision making regarding food purchases, store management, payment of bills, community partnerships and works with CPA for taxes and financial statements.
Serena Cooper, Operations/Program Mgr, in charge of ordering food through food broker and suppliers, in charge of cashiers and volunteers that work at the front of the store.
Steve Johnson, Operations Mgr., in charge of back of Western Eagle store, receiving, local farmers, managing volunteers who pack food boxes, load pallets of food into partnering agency vans and trucks and help with stocking, shelving, cleaning and maintenance
Savy Sieja, Staff, in charge of managing the "emergency food program", documentation, marketing, front desk cashier, and seeking out new food distributors and suppliers.
10 IX. APPLICATION CERTIFICATION
Undersigned hereby certifies that (check box after reading each statement and digitally sign the document):
The information contained in the project application is complete and accurate._ The applicant agrees to comply with all Federal and County policies and requirements imposed upon the project or activity funded by the CDBG program._
3. The applicant acknowledges that the Federal assistance made available through the CDBG program funding will not be used to substantially reduce prior levels of local, (NON-CDBG) financial support for community development activities.
4. The applicant fully understands that any facility built or equipment purchased with CDBG funds shall be maintained and/or operated for the approved use throughout its economic life, pursuant to CDBG regulation. _
5. If CDBG funds are approved, the applicant acknowledges that sufficient non-CDBG funds are available or will be available to complete the project as described within a reasonable timeframe. _ On behalf of the applying organization, I have obtained authorization to submit this application for CDBG funding. (DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED Minute Action and/or written Board Approval signed by the Board President) _
DATE: 9-21-2023
Print Name/Title Todd Sieja, CEO
Authorized Representative:
11 CHECK-LIST:
The following required documents listed below have been attached. Any missing documentation to application will be cause for the application to be reviewed as INELIGIBLE.
Yes No ATTACHMENT
1. Members/Board of Directors
2. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
3. Project Activity Map
4. Project Benefit, Category B, Low Mod Area Maps (Attach if applicable)
5. Leveraging (Current evidence of commitment)
6. Income and Expense Statement
7. Management Capacity (Detailed organizational chart)
8. Board Written Authorization approving submission of application 12