City Council
March 15, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Alexa Jeffress
City Administrator Director, Economic and
Workforce Development
Department
SUBJECT: Acceptance of the National
Endowment for the Arts Grant
DATE: March 15, 2022
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends that the City Council Adopt a Resolution To: Accept and Appropriate Grant Funds from The National Endowment for the Arts in the Total Amount of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars to Support “The Cultural Economies of Belonging: Jobs, Network and Catalysts” Grant Opportunity for Oakland Cultural Organizations; and Authorize the City Administrator to Enter Into An Agreement With The National Endowment for the Arts to Receive Said Funds
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Federal Government’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) is designed to fuel the nation’s recovery from the devastating economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funds allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in this historic legislation represent a significant commitment to the arts and a recognition of the value of the arts and culture sector to the nation’s economy and recovery. Through a competitive application process, the NEA awarded $500,000 in ARPA funds to the City of Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Division due to its status as a Local Arts Agency and its ability to sub-grant these funds to organizations in Oakland’s cultural sector. These funds are intended to help support jobs in the arts sector, keep the doors open to arts organizations nationwide, and assist the arts sector in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this grant, Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Division will build upon the City’s Cultural Funding Program (CFP) and offer the “The Cultural Economies of Belonging: Jobs, Network and Catalysts” sub-grant opportunity, which will support the employment of our cultural workforce by restoring lost jobs or support existing jobs through grants to Oakland-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations.
Staff recommends approval of the proposed resolution to accept and appropriate the grant funds and recommends City Council authorize the City Administrator enter into a grant agreement with the NEA to receive said funds, if needed. This action allow staff to deploy these resources to the arts community through the CFP to create and support jobs in the arts sector and advance the City’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mar 2, 2022
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Acceptance of the National Endowment for the Arts Grant Date: March 15, 2022 Page 2
City Council
March 15, 2022
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The CFP is an annual program established by the City Council in 1985 as the City’s mechanism to support Oakland-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations through a competitive application process. These grants infuse Oakland’s neighborhoods with arts and cultural activities that increase exposure to, understanding of, and respect for diverse cultural heritages; support arts activities that engage the community; and support hands-on arts instruction in Oakland’s public schools.
The CFP is managed by Cultural Affairs staff within the Economic & Workforce Development Department (EWDD). Policies, review procedures, and a panel system for evaluating applications were established to ensure transparency and public trust in the distribution of public funds for the arts in Oakland. To date, the City has awarded over $5M through the CFP in the last five years.
The $500,000 in ARPA funds awarded from the NEA to the City through the Cultural Affairs Division will be used to create a new grant opportunity “The Cultural Economies of Belonging:
Jobs, Network and Catalysts.” Unlike other Arts Endowment funding programs that offer project- based support, these ARPA funds are intended to support specific operating costs only. Cost share/matching funds are not required. The award letter for this grant is included as Attachment A.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The City’s Economic Recovery Plan states that “[t]he pandemic did not just hurt sales at local businesses and cancel cultural events; it kept Oaklanders away from each other and from the community-building connections and daily interactions that are essential to a vibrant, healthy City. EWDD’s Cultural Affairs division, under the cultural plan goal of 'Belonging in Oakland,' is uniquely positioned to support this part of the recovery.” 1 The Cultural Economies of Belonging:
Jobs, Network and Catalysts opportunity is in deep alignment with this recovery goal. Approval of the requested action advances the Citywide priority of housing, economic, and cultural security.
The staff proposes the NEA grant to support “The Cultural Economies of Belonging: Jobs, Network and Catalysts” opportunity, and subgrants will be provided to support the employment of our cultural workforce by restoring lost jobs or supporting existing jobs through grants to Oakland-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. To support this grant opportunity, the City will hire a Program Coordinator on a contractual basis who will be charged with administrative support services, outreach and technical assistance associated with this new opportunity. This hire will be paid for through the grant itself. The NEA award permits that 10% of the award be used for operating costs associated with administering the sub-granting program. After this award is accepted by City Council, the Cultural Affairs Division will begin working on the guidelines and timeline for accepting applications for this opportunity.
1 City of Oakland, Economic Recovery Plan. https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Economic- Recovery-Plan_FINAL.pdf.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Acceptance of the National Endowment for the Arts Grant Date: March 15, 2022 Page 3
City Council
March 15, 2022
The potential impact of this new grant support is broad – not just employment, but also new ways of working and building community resilience. Oaklanders view COVID 19 as a civic trauma, coupled with the movement for racial justice that is reshaping our civic life. Culturally, the weakening of the social networks that make a city livable and sustainable need repair. “The Cultural Economies of Belonging: Jobs, Network and Catalysts” grant opportunity will support community healing by supporting jobs within the cultural sector that stabilize and offer recovery for our cultural community, organizations, artists and audiences.
Staff recommends approval of the proposed resolution. In the event the NEA would require a grant agreement, this resolution would authorize the City Administrator to enter into a grant agreement with the NEA to receive said funds. Should the Council decide not to approve the proposed resolution, the NEA grant will not be received or distributed to the community.
FISCAL IMPACT
This NEA grant will bring an additional $500,000.00 in funding to Oakland’s cultural community through the Cultural Funding Program, including 10% for allowing the City to administer the funds. The Cultural Affairs Division will accept and appropriate the $500,000.00 grant to the Miscellaneous Grants Fund (2999), Cultural Arts and Marketing Organization (85511), Cultural Funding Program (CE02), in a project to be established.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
This opportunity will be available to all Oakland non-profit arts organizations. Outreach will include posting on the City website, social media sites and publications featuring cultural grant opportunities. Email notices will be sent to interested groups including past grantees, grant applicants and all parties that contacted CFP staff for arts funding opportunities. CFP staff will conduct public workshops and one-on-one technical assistance meetings for prospective applicants prior to the application deadline
An Open Call will invite community members to serve on peer review. Grant Review Panels will in the summer of 2022, convene to discuss and evaluate applications in open meetings, where applicants will have the opportunity to attend and address the panel with a three-minute statement via Zoom. Grant Review Panels are open to the public and accessible through a public Zoom link.
COORDINATION
The City Attorney's Office and the Budget Bureau have been consulted in the preparation of this report and resolution. The Cultural Affairs Funding Advisory Committee has also been consulted.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Acceptance of the National Endowment for the Arts Grant Date: March 15, 2022 Page 4
City Council
March 15, 2022
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Community-oriented arts activities bolster the cultural arts identity of Oakland, fortify the City as a destination, bolster the creative economy and create positive publicity resulting in economic benefit. “The Cultural Economies of Belonging: Jobs, Network and Catalysts” opportunity will focus on jobs within the cultural sector that stabilize and offer recovery for our cultural community, organizations, artists and audiences.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities or benefits resulting from any action outlined in this report.
Race & Equity: The Cultural Funding Program offers an open, competitive process for applicants, resulting in awards to artists and arts organizations that represent all seven City Council Districts. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is available for deaf and hearing impaired applicants, language translation services are provided through the City of Oakland’s Equal Access Program, and staff performs outreach in communities with significant Asian- America, Pacific Islander, African-American, Latinx, and immigrant populations. Racial equity goals are advanced through outreach activities that include How-to-Apply Workshops, one-on- one technical assistance that targets under-represented communities, and the recruitment of grant review panelists that represent Oakland’s diverse community. The Cultural Funding program provides support to artists and organizations that serve low-income, culturally-specific, Lesbian/ Gay/ Bisexual/ Transgender/ Queer (LGBTQ), youth, disabled, and senior communities.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Acceptance of the National Endowment for the Arts Grant Date: March 15, 2022 Page 5
City Council
March 15, 2022
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends that the City Council Adopt a Resolution To: Accept and Appropriate Grant Funds from The National Endowment for the Arts in the Total Amount of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars to Support “The Cultural Economies of Belonging: Jobs, Network and Catalysts” Grant Opportunity for Oakland Cultural Organizations; and Authorize the City Administrator to Enter Into An Agreement With The National Endowment for the Arts to Receive Said Funds.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Roberto Bedoya, Cultural Affairs Manager, 520-236-2136
Respectfully submitted,
ALEXA JEFFRESS
Director, Economic & Workforce Development
Prepared by:
Roberto Bedoya, Cultural Affairs Manager
Economic & Workforce Development
Department
Attachments (1):
(A): Award letter from The National Endowment For The Arts American Rescue Plan Grants To Local Arts Agencies For Sub-Granting
Federal Award ID Number (FAIN) 1896209-66-22
Award Recipient City of Oakland, California
Award Recipient DUNS 137137977
Award Recipient Unique Entity Identifier WZN1MD35H235
Period of Performance 3/1/2022 - 8/31/2023
Budget Period 3/1/2022 - 8/31/2023
Assistance Listing Number/Title 45.024 Promotion of the Arts_Grants to Organizations and Individuals Does the award support Research &
Development?
No
Award Description Purpose: To support subgranting to the nonprofit arts sector in response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grant Program and Office American Rescue Plan (ARP) Grants to LAAs for Subgranting, American Rescue Plan
AWARD AMOUNTS
Amount of Federal Funds Obligated by this Action $500,000.00 Total Amount of Federal Funds Obligated $500,000.00
Total Amount of the Federal Award $500,000.00
Role Name
Authorizing Official Roberto Bedoya (User Name - RBedoya) [email protected]
Grant Administrator Raquel Iglesias (User Name - RaquelIglesias) [email protected]
Project Director Roberto Bedoya (User Name - RBedoya)
[email protected]
RECIPIENT CONTACTS
REMARKS
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN GRANTS TO LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES FOR SUBGRANTING
1. COST SHARE : It is understood that this award is being made on a nonmatching basis. No cost share is required.
2. The National Endowment for the Arts provides this award support pursuant to 20 USC §954-955 and Public Law No: 117-2, Part 2 Section 2021.
3. ACCEPTANCE OF AWARD: Submission of a Payment Request constitutes your agreement to comply with all the terms and conditions of the award and indicates your acceptance of this award.
4. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS: This award is subject to the General Terms and Conditions for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Organizations (GTCs), which outline the administrative requirements that apply to your award and your obligations as a recipient.
You are responsible for reviewing these GTCs; failure to comply may result in the disallowance of project expenditures and/or the reduction or withdrawal of National Endowment for the Arts support for your project.
The administration of this award and the expenditure of award funds are subject to any specific terms and conditions of this award, which may be attached as additional pages of the award notification, the Terms and Conditions/Important Information, and the GTCs (as noted above).
The GTCs implements Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR) including Subtitle A-Office of Management and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements and Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance, or Part 200), as revised August 13, 2020.
5. HOW TO MANAGE YOUR AWARD AND eGMS REACH HANDBOOK: The How to Manage Your National Endowment for the Arts Award and eGMS REACH Handbook is a companion piece to the GTCs. It includes information about reporting requirements, requesting payment, changes to your project, and other important information.
Action Taken: Award Date of Action: 1/4/2022
FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION
Award Date: 1/4/2022
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ACTION
National Endowment for the Arts
Attachment A
6 .
All material can be found on our website at
https://www.arts.gov/grants/manage-your-award/awards-after-oct 1-
2017
-to-organizations
.
7. SPECIFIC TERMS
: This award includes specific terms you must follow. They are listed on the Terms and Conditions file and as separate documents on the Documents Tab in REACH. They include the following, •
Your grant involves subgranting and is subject to the additional terms and conditions which apply to subgranting. See the Specific Terms and Conditions for the American Rescue Plan Grants to Local Arts Agencies included on the Documents Tab in REACH.
•
You must also comply with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA or Transparency Act - P.L. 109-282, as amended by section 6202(a) of P.L. 110-252).
8. CONTACT INFORMATION
: Email [email protected]. Phone (202) 682-5403.
AWARDING OFFICIAL
Brenna Berger
Grants Officer (Director)
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ACTION
National Endowment for the Arts