City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-01127 6/10/2025 Item 12.
Establish Grant Project Budget for the Food Literacy Urban Farm Community Action Plan Engage Empower Implement (EEI) Initiative (G21005100)
File ID: 2025-01127
Location: District 4
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Interim City Manager or designee to: 1) establish Food Literacy Urban Farm Community Action Plan EEI Grant Project (G21005100); and 2) establish the revenue and expenditure budgets in the amount of $478,743 in the Operating Grant Fund (Fund 2702).
Vic Randall, Senior Planner, (916) 808-5530, [email protected], Community Development Department
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Award Letter
3-Resolution
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The EEI Program was established by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) to fund projects that support economic and workforce development, planning efforts that address climate change and sustainability, and education and training programs. EEI incorporates community-led planning and design principles to identify communities’ priorities and develop projects that meet their needs.
The City of Sacramento, in partnership with the Food Literacy Center, intends to facilitate a community-engaged planning effort with surrounding residents focused on Floyd Farm, a one-acre student farm, adjacent to Leataata Floyd Elementary School. The lack of access to grocery stores for healthy local food induces the need for driving or using other multi-modal options for residents in the vicinity of Floyd Farm and Leataata Floyd Elementary School. Through the community engagement process this project will seek to identify and understand barriers to healthy food access and
File ID: 2025-01127 6/10/2025 Item 12.
recommend improvements in accessibility to support the socioeconomically disadvantaged student population and their families at Leataata Floyd Elementary School.
On July 30, 2024, City Council passed a motion that approved staff applying for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments Engage, Empower, and Implement (SACOG EEI) Funding Program for the Food Literacy Center (FLC) as the sub-applicant. On August 9, 2024, staff submitted the SACOG EEI program grant application for the Food Literacy Urban Farm Community Action Plan, requesting $498,743. On October 31, 2024, SACOG staff informed City staff that this project was fully funded and was approved by SACOG Board of Directors on November 14, 2024 (Award Letter, Attachment 2). Funding for this project comes from the federal Regional Surface Transportation program that is administered by Caltrans ($478,743) and local SACOG-managed funds ($20,000). The City has entered into a program supplement to an administering-agency agreement for federal projects with Caltrans (City Agreement No. 2025-0365) under the authority provided under Resolution No. 2016- 0107. If approved by Council, this 24-month project is anticipated to begin in July 2025.
Policy Considerations: Applying for and implementing projects funded by SACOG EEI is consistent with the 2040 General Plan, including the following General Plan goal and policy:
Goal EJ-2 Equitable access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food and wider access to healthy food resources in disadvantaged communities
Policy EJ-2.18. Youth Food Literacy. The City shall support efforts to increase food literacy among children and youth, through collaboration with schools, hospitals, community groups and other partners to develop and deliver programs, activities, and events.
Economic Impacts: Not Applicable.
Environmental Considerations: The proposed action is not a project under CEQA because it relates to government fiscal activities that do not involve any commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (Tit. 14, Cal. Code Regs., §§15060(c)(3), 15379(b)(4)).
Sustainability: The proposed action is consistent with the Environmental Justice Element of the 2040 General Plan and the Climate Action & Adaptation Plan.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: City Council approval is required to apply for, receive, or establish operating grant projects of more than $250,000 (Resolution No. 2024-0193). This grant funding builds upon and leverages the City’s ability to encourage community-centered planning efforts by building community capacity. Establishing the Grant Project will allow the City to accept the grant
File ID: 2025-01127 6/10/2025 Item 12.
funds and track the grant expenditures.
Financial Considerations: The total grant award is $498,743. $478,743 will be distributed to the City, while the remaining $20,000 will be provided by SACOG directly to Food Literacy Center as an advance direct payment. The grant does not require matching funds from the City. Approximately $98,750 of the grant will fund Community Development Department staff time supporting the project.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Fatima Malik
Associate Planner
City of Sacramento
915 I Street | Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Ms. Malik,
We are pleased to share that the City of Sacramento has been selected as an award recipient for the Engage, Empower, Implement (EEI) funding program for $498,743.24. The City of Sacramento has been selected, along with their community-based organization partner, The Food Literacy Center, to implement this grant and do meaningful community engagement.
SACOG staff will be working with staff to complete the required paperwork, including a Request for Authorization with Caltrans and agreement with SACOG by January 31, 2025. The City of Sacramento will receive $478,743.24 in federal funds though Caltrans and $20,000 from SACOG for the total amount of $498,743.24. Upon completion and submission of the forms to Caltrans and agreement with SACOG, staff will receive a notice to proceed and be able to implement the funds through 2027.
Congratulations and we look forward to this continued work together.
Sincerely,
James Corless
Executive Director
RESOLUTION NO. 2025
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
June 10, 2025
ESTABLISH GRANT PROJECT BUDGET FOR THE FOOD LITERACY URBAN
FARM COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN ENGAGE EMPOWER IMPLEMENT (EEI)
PROJECT
BACKGROUND
A. On February 27, 2024, City Council adopted the 2040 General Plan, which includes an Environmental Justice Element. The Environmental Justice Element includes policies that focus on improving access to and awareness of healthy foods, including all policies under Goal EJ-2 Equitable access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food and wider access to healthy food resources in disadvantaged communities, in addition to Implementing Action EJ-A.11 Healthy Food Initiatives Partnership, which directs staff to promote healthy food access and identify partners and coordinate closely with other agencies who together would be responsible in assessing, designing, and implementing City healthy food initiatives.
B. On May 24, 2024, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) issued grant application guidelines for the Engage, Empower, Implement (EEI) funding program that allocated $3.8 million to support place-based planning and pre-construction project development activities in the region. This investment has a specific focus on community engagement around the issues of race, equity, and inclusion. EEI is funded through SACOG managed funds ($300,000), Congressional Earmark funds ($500,000), and $3 million in Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funds.
C. EEI will incorporate community-centered planning and design principles to identify communities’ priorities and develop projects that meet their needs.
Through this collaborative planning process with member jurisdictions and CBOs, the region will be able to identify and create community-driven and equitable projects ready for federal, state, and local funding opportunities.
D. On July 30, 2024, City Council authorized the City Manager to submit an application of up to $500,000 to the SACOG EEI grant funding program. On August 9, 2024, CDD staff submitted the SACOG EEI program grant application for the Food Literacy Urban Farm Community Action Plan. On November 14, 2024 the SACOG Board of Directors approved an award of $498,743.24, which will be distributed to the City subject to the terms of a program supplement to an administering-agency agreement for federal projects with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). SACOG will retain $20,000 of funding as part of their locally matched funds for direct distribution to the City’s partner, Food Literacy Center.
E. Staff will be using the SACOG EEI grant to partner with the Food Literacy Center to facilitate a community-engaged planning effort with surrounding residents focused on Floyd Farm, a one-acre student farm, near the Leataata Floyd Elementary School.
F. Pursuant to the authority granted under resolution 2016-0107, the City has entered into a program supplement to an administering-agency agreement for federal projects with Caltrans in the amount of $478,743 to implement the project (City Agreement No. 2025-0365).
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Manager or City Manager’s designee is authorized to establish the Food Literacy Urban Farm Community Action Plan EEI Grant Project (G21005100).
Section 2. The City Manager or City Manager’s designee is authorized to establish revenue and expenditure budgets for G21005100 in the Operating Grant Fund (Fund 2702) in the amount of $478,743.