December 20, 2022
City Manager's Office
DATE: December 20, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Interim Director of Community Services
Patrick Seals, Senior Management Analyst
Subject:
Richmond Fund for Children and Youth Request for
Proposal (RFP) Fiscal Year 2023-2024
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Article 15, Section 2 of the City of Richmond Charter required an allocation of one, two, and three percent of the City’s General Fund in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022,
FY 2022-2023, and FY 2023-2024 respectively, and
three percent each fiscal year thereafter through FY
2027-2028 to the RFCY (13371018-399194). The FY
2021-2022 allocation was ~$1.88 million based on one
percent of the $188 million General Fund (GF) allocation.
During the FY 2022-23, the allocation will be ~$4.13
million based on two percent of the $206.6 million GF
Revenue to support both the initial FY 2021-2022
grantees and the FY 2022-2023 grantees. Utilizing the
same FY 2022-2023 GF Revenue numbers to estimate
the available three percent allocation for FY 2023-2024, RDCY staff is estimated at ~$6.2 million (three percent of $206.6 million GF revenue estimate) for FY 2023-2024.
Additionally, based on the Charter language, 90 percent of the three percent allocation (~$5.58 million) will be utilized to directly support grants to youth-serving
organizations. The remaining 10 percent supports the
administration functions of the Department of Children
and Youth.
AGENDA
REPORT
December 20, 2022
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
December 15, 2020; December 21, 2021
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
On June 5, 2018, Richmond voters approved Measures
E and K, known as the Richmond Kids First Initiative,
which approved a City of Richmond charter amendment
to create a Department of Children and Youth, and
required that a portion of the General Fund be set aside to fund youth programs and services. At its meeting on December 5, 2022, the Richmond Fund for Children and
Youth (RFCY) Oversight Board approved and authorized
the release of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 RFCY
Request for Proposal on or before January 3, 2023.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ACKNOWLEDGE the proposed January 3, 2023, release
of the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Request for Proposals to support a
competitive grant process to fund youth-serving
organizations – Department of Children and Youth
(LaShonda White/Patrick Seals 510-620-6512).
DISCUSSION:
On June 5, 2018, Richmond voters approved Measure E and Measure K, known as the Richmond Kids First Initiative, which approved a City of Richmond charter amendment (Article 15) and authorized the creation of the Richmond Department of Children and Youth (“Department”) and the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (“Fund”) to provide increased and dedicated funding for children, youth, and young adult services.
The ballot initiative also authorized the establishment of a 15-member oversight board (“Board”) and required that the Department conduct a community needs assessment (CNA) that would guide the development of the strategic investment plan (SIP) and the first three-year grant cycle of the Fund. Additional information about the Department is at www.richmondyouth.org.
On December 5, 2020, City staff presented and received approval for the various components of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2024. The Board subsequently recommended and City Council approved the Department entering into grant agreements with 20 non-profit and public agencies in the amount of approximately $1.6 million for programming in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022, and 19 non- profit and public agencies in the amount of approximately $1.4 million for programming in FY 2022-2023.
December 20, 2022
Community Needs Assessment and Strategic Investment Plan
The CNA provided a comprehensive overview of the needs of Richmond children and youth and their families. The funding priorities in the SIP were based on the CNA and input from the community. Based on the information collected, six areas were identified as funding priorities. The six priority areas, which will remain in effect for the current RFP release, were then assigned a percentage allocation based on considerations of the urgency of the need and potential for equity impact.
PRIORITY AREAS (Not listed in order of importance) % ALLOCATION
1. Behavioral Health: Mental Health and Wellness 20%
2. Education Support and Employment/Training Support 20%
3. Out of School Time, Afterschool, Sports and Enrichment 20%
4. Youth Violence Prevention 20%
5. Access to Basic Needs 10%
6. Information, Guidance and Case Management 10%
Once grant award decisions are finalized, the allocation amounts, as shown above, may vary slightly, depending upon the type and number of grant applications submitted, and grants awarded in each priority area. In addition, it is important to note that per the Charter, any change in an approved SIP, which could include the priority areas and allocations, shall be based on the community needs assessment and input from the community.
FY 2023-2024 RFCY Eligibility and Structure
Organizations that receive RFCY grants are awarded grants based on one of the six priority areas, and for an initial one-year period (July 1st - June 30th). City staff recommended and the Board approved the concept that the initial grants could be renewed for up to two additional one-year periods between July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024, contingent on the past year’s grant performance and availability of funds. The available funds for grants, from both new and renewed applicants, in year three will increase based on the funding allocations outlined in the Charter. As outlined in the Financial Impact section of this report, City staff is estimating a total of ~$5.58 million will be available for grant awards. This amount will provide a third year of grants for FY 2021-2022 approved grantees, a second year of grants for FY 2022-2023 approved grantees, and first year grants for FY 2023-2024 grantees.
The tentative schedule associated with the RFP is below.
Activities Date
Request for Proposal Release (On or before) January 3, 2023 Information/Technical Application Workshops Week of Jan. 16, and 23, 2023 RFP Question Submittal and Response Period January 3 – 20, 2023
December 20, 2022
RDCY Staff Creates Team of Application Readers January - February 2023 Request for Proposal Deadline February 13, 2023
Evaluate and Score Proposals February - April 2023
RFCY Oversight Board and City Council Review & Approval April - May 2023 Awards Announced to City of Richmond Community May 2023 Contract Negotiations with Selected Organizations May - June 2023 Contracts Term Begins July 1, 2023
On December 5, 2022, the Board reviewed and approved the release of the RFP. As needed, City staff will make required changes to the RFP to provide clarity prior to the January 2023 release.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Final FY 2023-2024 RFCY RFP