(April 21, 2026)
Library and Community Services
DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager
Ranjana Maharaj, Deputy Director of Community
Services-Recreation
Troy Porter, Recreation Supervisor
Subject:
Contract with West Contra Costa Public Education Fund
for Free Youth Achieve Summer Camp Program,
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The total contract amount is $600,000 over a three-year period at $200,000 a year. The contract payment will be funded by the Richmond Kids First Initiative grant to
Community Services – Recreation (Account String:
10651051-400201-40F01).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
July 27, 2021
June 28, 2022
December 3, 2024
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Community Services-Recreation is requesting approval
of a three-year contract with West Contra Costa Public
Education Fund (“Ed Fund”)to provide free programs to
youth through an 8-Week Summer Camp Achieve
Program.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a contract with West Contra Costa Public
Education Fund to offer the Achieve Summer Camp
Program, providing free programs to youth through an 8- week summer camp in partnership with Community
Services–Recreation, for the term of January 1, 2025,
through December 31, 2027, in an amount not to exceed
$600,000 – Community Services Department (Troy
Porter/Ranjana Maharaj/LaShonda White 510-620-6793).
AGENDA
REPORT
(April 21, 2026)
DISCUSSION:
On July 27, 2021, the City Council approved a resolution from the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY) Oversight Board to award 20 RFCY grants to youth-serving public and nonprofit organizations in a total amount of $1,620,000. On October 6, 2024, Community Services-Recreation, a youth-serving agency, applied for the RFCY funding in partnership with West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (“Ed Fund”), and was awarded a total grant amount of $900,000 on December 11, 2025. Out of this amount, Ed Fund will be receiving $200,000 per year for their services.
Ed Fund has been partnering with Community Services-Recreation and the West Contra Costa Unified School District (“WCCUSD”) since 2014 to provide free summer programs to elementary school children at four community centers: Booker T Anderson Community Center, Nevin Community Center, Parchester Community Center and Shields Reid Community Center. These camps are designed for students in the WCCUSD and local charter schools to help overcome summer learning loss.
Many of the students served by the program are more than two years below grade level in language and literacy. The program supports students in improving these skills over the summer months, with pre- and post-assessments conducted over the past 10+ years consistently demonstrating gains in language development among participants. In recognition of its academic and social-emotional learning outcomes, Camp Achieve received the 2019 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence in the Community Services and Economic Development category from the League of California Cities, one of the organization’s highest honors.
The General Fund allocation for the Achieve Summer Camp program has historically limited service to elementary school children; however, with the support of the Ed Fund, Recreation has expanded the program to include 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, increasing enrollment across all sites. The program will provide access to free, high- quality summer camps over an eight-week period, delivering proven academic interventions and enrichment programming to approximately 300 Richmond youth at four community centers.
City staff recommend that the City Council approve a contract with Ed Fund to offer the Achieve Summer Camp Program, providing free programs to youth through an 8-week summer camp in partnership with Community Services–Recreation, for the term of January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $600,000.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Standard Contract with West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (Ed Fund)
Attachment 2 – RFCY Grant Service Agreement
Attachment 3 – Resolution