Special City Council
May 29, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Erin Roseman, Director
City Administrator Finance Department
SUBJECT: 2023 Direct Community Grant
Council Update
DATE: May 23, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report On A Status Update Of The 2023 Direct Community Grant Program
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this informational report is to provide the City Council with a status update on the 2023 Direct Community Grant awards and associated community -based programs. Per the Direct Community Grant procedural recommendation informational report, staff are to bring forth a report to the City Council in advance of the next budget cycle to offer grant conti nuation or renewal recommendations on each of the awards.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On June 17, 2021, the Oakland City Council adopted Resolution No. 88717 C.M.S. , which adopted the FY 2021- 23 Biennial Budget and Policy Directives. The Budget Policy Directives instruct the City Administration to instill equity in the budgeting process, create a process for making direct community grants for Council consideration, ensure alignment with Council priorities and evaluation for the allocation of future grant resources directly by Council.
On April 19, 2022, the Oakland City Council received an informational report on a procedural recommendation for the City Council to award direct community grants during the budget cycle.
On June 30, 2022, the Oakland City Council adopted Resolution No. 89283 C.M.S. , which adopted t he FY 2022 -2023 Midcycle Budget Policy inclusive of a City Council directive to implement the direct community grant procedural recommendation process delivered to the City Council on April 19, 2022.
On December 20, 2022, the Oakland City Council received an informational report on the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Direct Community Grant Process Timeline.
Jestin Johnson (May 23, 2024 15:37 PDT)
May 23, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: 2023 Direct Community Grant Council Update
Date: May 23, 2024 Page 2
Special City Council
May 29, 2024
On June 26, 2023, the Oakland City Council adopted Resolution No. 89804 C.M.S. , which adopted the FY 2023- 2025 Budget Policy inclusive of $750,000 earmarked for the 2023 Direct Community Grant recipients.
On September 19, 2023, the Oakland City Council adopted Resolution No. 89887 C.M.S., which awarded twenty-three (23) grant agreements to the 2023 Direct Community Grant Recipients.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
On January 23, 2023, the Finance Department released the 2023 Direct Community Grant Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP directly supports the City’s efforts to “increase fairness and opportunity for all people” by conducting a fair process by which all community -based organizations or non -profits are afforded the opportunity to request grant funding for programs or services that align with Council priorities. This annual grant program is designed to address funding barriers and continue the City’s long history of supporting community -based organizations (CBOs) serving Oakland residents most impacted by racial disparities. The Direct Community Grants Program aims to provide resources to Oakland’ s underserved communities disproportionately affected by social, economic, and environmental challenges by funding support programs and services in these communities.
Community-based organizations serving Oakland residents impacted by racial disparities identified in the 2018 Equity Indicators Report and the Geographic E quity Toolbox and who serve communities with a history of lack of access to funding opportunities were highly encouraged to apply. The 2023 Direct Community Grant RFP successfully closed on Friday, March 17, 2023. The Finance Department received over 100 s ubmissions from non -profit and community-based organizations. The proposal funding requests covered a variety of programs and services geared towards mitigating inequities and providing quality services to Oakland’s most vulnerable populations with homeles sness and transitional housing solutions, youth & community career and professional development, small business assistance, free or low -cost legal assistance, climate change activism programs, food insecurity prevention, and much more.
During the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2025 budgeting process, the City Council appropriated $750,000 in FY 2023-2024 for grants to award to community -based organizations. The Council amended the budget and requested that the $750,000 in available funding be equally shared by the Councilmembers, resulting in a $93,750 allocation to each district. On September 19, 2023, the Oakland City Council adopted Resolution No. 89887 C.M.S., which awarded twenty-three (23) grant agreements to the 2023 Direct Community Grant Recipients.
The Direct Community Grant procedural recommendation informational report requests that the Grantee’s submit a report to the project manager detailing the outcomes of the grant award to allow for greater transparency of the use of city resources. Staff are requested to review the written report and return to the City Council to pr ovide a final “Grant Continuation or Renewal Recommendation” for future funding based on the outcomes of the program, programmatic impact, and equity mitigation accomplishments.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: 2023 Direct Community Grant Council Update
Date: May 23, 2024 Page 3
Special City Council
May 29, 2024
As of May 2024, the grant awards with a fully executed contract are detailed in Table 1 below.
These organizations are currently executing their granted programs.
Table 1 – Direct Community Grant Awards – Contracts Fully Executed Organization and Project Name Total
Allocation
Managing
Department Contract Status
Building Opportunities for Self-
Sufficiency (BOSS)
Victim Support Services
$18,750.00 DVP Executed
Oakland Digital Arts and Literacy
Center dba BRIDGEGOOD
Inspire Oakland Creatives of Color
$16,250.00 Cultural Arts Executed
East Bay Community Law Center
Economic Security Project
$20,000.00 EWD Executed
Walk Oakland Bike Oakland
East Oakland Futures Fest
$18,000.00 EWD Executed
Change To Come
Temporary Low-Income Bridge
Housing
$44,375.00 Human
Services
Executed
Rising Sun For Opportunity
Opportunity Build Program
$44,375.00 EWD Executed
Construction Resource Center
Expansion Project
$65,000.00 EWD Executed
Laurel District Association
Ambassador Support Program
$93,750.00 EWD Executed
The East Bay Depot For Creative
Reuse
Creative Reuse
$10,000.00 Human
Services
Executed
St. Mary's Center
Housing Clinic Program
$65,000.00 Human
Services
Executed
Several contracts have been routed for review for compliance with the Contracts Division and are currently under review. These contracts can be found in Table 2 below.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: 2023 Direct Community Grant Council Update
Date: May 23, 2024 Page 4
Special City Council
May 29, 2024
Table 2 - Direct Community Grant Awards – Contracts Routed For Compliance Review
Organization and Project Name Total
Allocation
Managing
Department
Contract Status
Planting Justice
Aquaponics Farm & Training Center
$15,000.00 DVP Submitted 4/10/2024
Oakland Parks and Recreation
Foundation
Community Park Stewardship
Project
$10,000.00 OPRYD Submitted 10/24/2023 –
Dept. revisions required.
Contract delayed due to
attrition.
Vision Quilt
Tools for Addressing Gun Violence:
Education, Art, and Connection
$10,000.00 DVP Submitted - 2/23/2024 –
Dept. revisions required.
Restore Oakland
Healing Justice Program
$93,750.00 DVP Submitted - 4/10/2024
Oakland Natives Give Back Fund
Inc.
Back on Track (BOT) Program
$5,000.00 Human
Services
Submitted on 4/5/2024
The City’s insurance requirements continue to be a challenge for several of the community - based organizations. While insurance waivers have been requested for few organizations where an insurance waiver can be granted, other programs pose a significant risk to the City and an insurance waiver cannot be granted. As such, reductions to the insurance requirements have been requested, and the vendor is working to secure coverage at the reduced rates.
Table 3 below lists the remaining organization’s contract status including those pending insurance waiver or proof of coverage and awaiting contract documentation from the vendor.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: 2023 Direct Community Grant Council Update
Date: May 23, 2024 Page 5
Special City Council
May 29, 2024
Table 3 – Direct Community Grant Awards Pending Insurance or Contract Documents
Organization and Project Name Total
Allocation
Managing
Department
Contract Status
Catalyst Youth Network
Youth Development Program
$20,000.00 Human
Services
Pending Vendor
Insurance
Spanish Speaking Unity Council Inc.
Aging in Place with Dignity and
Grace: Wellness Program For
Seniors
$93,750.00 Human
Services
Pending Insurance
Waiver - Requested on
4/12/2024
Lighthouse Community Public
Schools
Harvest Fest Program
$5,750.00 Human
Services
Pending Insurance
Waiver Requested on
4/12/2024
Women of Steel
Steel Community Program
$10,000.00 Human
Services
Pending Vendor
Insurance
Interfaith Council of Alameda County
Safe Car Park Program
$20,000.00 Human
Services
Pending Vendor
Insurance
Spokeland
Bike Advocacy Project
$16,250.00 DOT Pending Vendor
Insurance
Allen Temple Baptist Church
Sister's Only Ministry
$30,000.00 DVP Pending Vendor To
Submit Contracting
Documents
Homies Empowerment
FREEdom Store Program
$25,000.00 Human
Services
Pending Vendor To
Submit Contracting
Documents
Recommendation
Although the Direct Community Grant’s program goals intended for the grant agreements to be executed promptly, insurance coverage, attrition, limited staff capacity coupled with the ransomware attack, and delayed response from the organizations ultimately delayed the contracting process for various programs. At the time of this report, the organizations are in the process of implementing the grant programs and, as such, are not at the end of the grant term to submit the written report for a recommendation t o be provided. However, to support the citywide priority of a responsive, trustworthy government, staff are providing the City Council a status update prior to the fiscal year end, as requested by the procedural recommendation report. Moreover, by implementing the direct community grant recommendation process as directed by the City Council, greater transparency will be provided to the public regarding this new process. Providing a timely update on the status of the programs.
Therefore, staff does not have a recommendation on the future funding of these programs but recommends that the grantees continue to implement their programs through the contract termination date.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: 2023 Direct Community Grant Council Update
Date: May 23, 2024 Page 6
Special City Council
May 29, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact with this informational report.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for this informational report beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.
COORDINATION
This report was prepared by the Finance Department and reviewed by the City Administrator’s Office.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: No direct economic opportunities have been identified.
Environmental: No direct environmental impacts have been identified.
Race & Equity: No direct Race & Equity opportunities have been identified at this time. During evaluation of each grant program, equity mitigation accomplishments will be measured to determine the overall programmatic impact.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: 2023 Direct Community Grant Council Update
Date: May 23, 2024 Page 7
Special City Council
May 29, 2024
Erin Roseman (May 23, 2024 14:31 PDT)
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report On A Status Update Of The 2023 Direct Community Grant Program
For questions regarding this report, please contact Brittany Hines, Assistant to the Director, at 510-238-7078.
Respectfully submitted,
ERIN ROSEMAN
Director, Finance Department
Prepared by:
Brittany Hines, Assistant to the Director
Finance Administration