May 2, 2023
Library and Community Services
DATE: May 2, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager
Tamara Walker, Deputy Director of
Community Services, Employment & Training Division
Bouakhay Phongboupha, Employment Program Manager
Subject:
Student Training and Employment Program (STEP)
Grant Award from the California Employment Training
Panel and the California Department of Rehabilitation
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Employment and Training’s portion of the $750,000 total grant is $210,720. There is no requirement for any local match to this grant.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
N/A
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Employment & Training Division is requesting
acceptance and appropriation of the Student Training
and Employment Program (STEP) grant to amend its
Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget to add additional grant
funding awarded subsequent to the adoption of the City
of Richmond’s 2022-23 annual budget.
AGENDA
REPORT
May 2, 2023
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to ACCEPT and APPROPRIATE
$210,720 in grant funds for the Student Training and
Employment Program (STEP) from the California
Employment Training Panel, in conjunction with the
California Department of Rehabilitation, passed through the Foundation for California Community Colleges; and
APPROVE a third contract amendment with the
Foundation for California Community Colleges for the
administration of the STEP grant, in the amount of
$375,000, for a new total contract amount of $1,375,000, with a term ending June 30, 2023 – Community Services
Department-Employment and Training (Tamara Walker
510-307-8006/Bouakhay Phongboupha 510-307-8050).
DISCUSSION:
After the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget was adopted, the Richmond Workforce Development Board via the Employment and Training Division (E&T) received a grant award of $750,000 to administer the Student Training and Employment Program (STEP). This grant is from the California Employment Training Panel, in conjunction with the California Department of Rehabilitation, which is passed through Foundation for California Community Colleges (Foundation). Within FY 2022-23, E&T is currently managing over $10 million in grant funding.
Although the total grant award is $750,000, E&T’s portion only totals $210,720 (see budget below). The remaining grant amount is administered by the Foundation to cover their administrative costs and pay youth wages directly.
Budget Summary for STEP Grant
Item Amount
Personnel Costs – Salaries $142,100
Personnel Costs – Benefits $ 63,945
Stipends $ 3,750
Work Experience Coordination $ 925
Richmond Sub-Total $210,720
Workforce Experience Wages & Taxes $449,280
Career Catalyst Flat Fee $ 90,000
Foundation Sub-Total $539,280
STEP Grant TOTAL $750,000
May 2, 2023
E&T has successfully received and implemented the STEP grant in the past and, therefore, a third contract amendment with the Foundation will be executed to add the new funding to the existing STEP Grant Agreement. The Foundation’s agreements represent the full award amount and not just the amount available to E&T for reimbursement.
E&T will work in conjunction with the California Department of Rehabilitation and the Foundation regarding the implementation of the STEP grant. This program will provide work readiness training and paid Work Experience (WEX) to 75 students with disabilities (IEP/504 plan) ages 16 to 21. This opportunity will allow program participants to gain work experience, which is important to enhancing their qualifications and will be advantageous toward their ultimate success. Each participant will be allowed to work a maximum of 300 hours. E&T will provide recruitment, screening, and eligibility determination of program participants, as well as ongoing case management services.
E&T acknowledges that the request to accept and appropriate the STEP grant funds is coming to City Council late in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23. City staff is working to implement better grant tracking systems to ensure that items come before City Council in a timely manner. E&T is currently providing services through this grant and, if needed, plans to request a no-cost extension from the grantor in order to meet grant deliverables and utilize all of the awarded funds.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Proposed Resolution
Attachment 2 – Notice of 2022 STEP Grant Award
Attachment 3 – Original STEPS Grant Agreement
Attachment 4 – STEP Grant Agreement Amendment #1
Attachment 5 – STEP Grant Agreement Amendment #2
Attachment 6 – STEP Grant Agreement Amendment #3