DATE:
June 14, 2022
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Community Development and
City Manager’s Office
TITLE: Accept and Appropriate a Grant from
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
in the Amount of $100,000 and
Authorize Recommended Adjustments
Associated with Elevate MV—
A Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize acceptance of a grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation in the amount of $100,000 for flexible funding to Elevate MV—a guaranteed basic income pilot program.
2. Appropriate $1 00,000 in the General Operating Fund—City Manager’s Office, for grant funds beginning Fiscal Year 2021-22. (Five votes required)
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to amend the agreement with the Community Services Agency to increase maximum compensation by $8,241 for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,3 66,607 to provide services as the Elevate MV program’s Nonprofit Implementation Partner.
BACKGROUND
At the September 28, 2021 Study Session, Council approved staff recommendations for a guaranteed basic income (GBI) pilot program and directed staff to pursue private and philanthropic donations. Staff conducted outreach to several organizations, including the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Following Council adoption of Elevate MV on February 22, 2022, staff met with the Foundation team to discuss their support of the program and a grant opportunity. The Silicon Valley Community Foundation responded quickly, awarding a grant of $100,000 and disbursing the funds to the City in March 2022.
ANALYSIS
Use of Silicon Valley Community Foundation Grant
The Silicon Valley Community Foundation recognizes the initiative the City has demonstrated in responding to the needs of its vulnerable residents through adoption of Elevate MV . The
Accept and Appropriate a Grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation in the Amount of $100,000 and Authorize Recommended Adjustments Associated with Elevate MV—A Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot June 14, 2022
Foundation’s grant to the City of Mountain View is part of their effort to partner with other pilots in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties and address income inequality.
The grant amount of $100,000 is available for flexible funding to support the implementation of Elevate MV . Staff recommends including the grant as part of the total program funding consistent with the Council’s direction to pursue philanthropic grants.
Receipt of the grant funds may be an opportunity for staff to administratively include the grant in funding for direct cash payments , thereby allowing Elevate MV to be eligible to apply for protection of CalFresh and CalW ORKs benefits for program participants. Per preliminary guidelines from California Health and Human Services Agency and California Department of Social Services, if payments received by guaranteed income pilot participants are funded by a combination of governmental and nongovernmental funds, the payments can be excluded for CalWORKs and CalFresh purposes. Receiving waivers for CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits would result in protection of the food and housing benefits of pilot participants.
Amendment to CSA Contract for Project Implementation Partner Services
On February 22, 2022, Council authorized $8,241 in project contingency funding for additional pilot program implementation needs. Staff recommends adding this contingency amount to the City’s contract with CSA. This would allow CSA and staff the flexibility to effectively administer the program, including meeting potential costs associated with enrolling program participants in phases by the fiscal payment processor, Community Financial Resources, and/or other services.
The additional $8,241 would result in a total agreement with CSA in a total not-to-exceed amount of $1,366,607. This includes the previously authorized $1 million in Fiscal Year 2022-23 funding for direct cash payments to participants and up to $366,607 for two case manager-level program staff, temporary hourly staff, a fiscal/payment processor subcontract, administration of a Benefits Conservation Fund for the pilot program , and a contingency amount for services associated with the implementation of Elevate MV.
Update on Elevate MV Implementation
Staff is currently working toward implementation of Elevate MV this summer. Recent actions include: the Community Services Agency (CSA) onboarding of a full-time dedicated staff person; reviewing applications received for the Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Research Fellow position; developing a communications and outreach plan; developing an application hub support plan for the 10 -day launch period ; and participating in a collaborative learning opportunity referred to as “Advancing Guaranteed Income through Local Narrative Sprint.” The purpose of this collaborative is to explore narrative building around guaranteed income locally an d nationally, identify best practices for local Accept and Appropriate a Grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation in the Amount of $100,000 and Authorize Recommended Adjustments Associated with Elevate MV—A Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot June 14, 2022
storytelling for pilots, and strengthen connections within the M ayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI) cohort of mayor-led pilots. Participation will make the City eligible for a grant of up to $7,500 from Results for America.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, the grant amount received will be added to the City Manager’s Office Human Services Division budget and would offset previously budgeted City funding for disbursement of basic income for Elevate MV by $100,000.
The contingency amount of $8,241 being recommended as an amendment to the City’s agreement with CSA has already been appropriated. Consequently, there is n o fiscal impact associated with the recommended contract amendment.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not accept the grant.
2. Do not approve the minor administrative actions.
3. Provide other direction to staff.
Accept and Appropriate a Grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation in the Amount of $100,000 and Authorize Recommended Adjustments Associated with Elevate MV—A Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot June 14, 2022
PUBLIC NOTICING
The meeting agenda and Council report have been posted on the City’s websi te and announced on Channel 26-cable television, and notices were sent to Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos.
Prepared by:
John Lang
Economic Vitality Manager
Kimberly S. Thomas
Assistant to the City Manager
Harsha Ramchandani
Management Analyst
Approved by:
Aarti Shrivastava
Assistant City Manager/
Community Development Director
Approved by:
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager/
Chief Operating Officer
JL-KST-HR/4/CAM
819-06-14-22CR
202001
Attachments: 1. Silicon Valley Community Foundation Letter—March 21, 2022
2. Council Report—February 22, 2022