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CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: September 18, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: By: Kenneth Chapa, Director of Economic Development Department: Economic Development
Subject: Accept the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center of Public Innovation 2.0 Project - Love Your Block Grant (All
Wards)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, adopt Resolution No. 2024-204, and:
1. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to accept grant award funds in the amount of $100,000.00 for the Bloomberg Center of Public Innovation 2.0 Project (Love Your Block Grant); and
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute a Subaward Agreement and any subsequent amendments with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) for the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation 2.0 Project (Love Your Block Grant) to carry out the service deliverables for the period of May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2026; and
3. Authorize the Director of Finance & Management Services to amend and appropriate the $100,000.00 for the Love Your Block Grant award in both revenues and expenditures to the Fiscal Year 2024/25 Operating Budget.
Executive Summary
The Love Your Block Grant is designed to benefit the residents of the City of San Bernardino by creating community-led revitalization projects in collaboration with Community Based Organizations. To implement the Grant, the City of San Bernardino intends to partner with Music Changing Lives and Making Hope Happen: Uplift San Bernardino. The Grant awards the City $100,000 to hire dedicated staff and complete community projects. The Grant funding must be used by April 30, 2026. 2 2
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Background
Bloomberg Philanthropies and Johns Hopkins University created the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University in 2021. The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation is a hub and resource center for city leaders and their staff to receive specialized training for creative problem-solving in local government.
The Love Your Block Grant is an initiative formed by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation and is designed to empower residents and local organizations to transform their neighborhoods through small-scale, high-impact community projects. This program provides funding and resources to support activities such as neighborhood beautification, clean-ups, and urban revitalization efforts. The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University plays a crucial role in these initiatives by offering strategic guidance, training, and support to grantees. This partnership leverages their expertise and resources to enhance the program's effectiveness.
AmeriCorps volunteers, coordinated through the Love Your Block Grant, are integral to the success of the program, as they provide on-the-ground support, helping to mobilize community members, coordinate projects, and ensure sustainable outcomes.
In December 2023, the City of San Bernardino, in conjunction with Music Changing Lives and Making Hope Happen: Uplift San Bernardino, submitted an application to the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation under the Love Your Block Grant Program. On February 21, 2024, the City was notified by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation that the application was selected and the City would be receiving a grant award in the amount of $100,000.00 from Johns Hopkins University for the 2024-2026 cohort. The grant funds will allow the City to hire a Love Your Block Fellow (Intern) to help coordinate community-led revitalization projects throughout the City. The grant also gives the City access to a dedicated AmeriCorps-VISTA Volunteer member to assist the Love Your Block project team.
Discussion
The Love Your Block Project includes the active engagement and management of volunteers through strategic partnerships with Community-Based Organization partners Music Changing Lives and Making Hope Happen: Uplift San Bernardino. The City will support and facilitate the implementation of the AmeriCorps VISTA member, and the Love Your Block Fellow (Intern). The project is designed to harness the energy and commitment of the local community, channeling it into meaningful and impactful activities. The Funding for the program will include $60,000 allocated to hiring and maintaining the Fellow (intern) and $40,000 will be allocated to funding the approved projects. The Americoprs VISTA member is a volunteer position. 
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The Love Your Block Grant includes projects such as:
1. Mural and Public Art Creation: The project provides opportunities to create and install murals and public art pieces. This may involve painting, preparation of sites, and assisting artists and project leaders.
2. Beautification and Clean-Up: The project will provide opportunities for clean-up efforts in blighted areas, including trash removal, landscaping, and general beautification efforts to mitigate blight from vacant and neglected spaces. 2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
This project is consistent with Goal No 3. Improved Quality of Life. Participation in the Love Your Block Grant will improve the City’s appearance, cleanliness and attractiveness through the proposed community-led revitalization projects.
Fiscal Impact
There is no General Fund Impact. The FY 2024/25 Operating Budget will be amended to appropriate $100,000 in both revenues and expenditures.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, adopt Resolution No. 2024-204, and:
1. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to accept grant award funds in the amount of $100,000.00 for the Bloomberg Center of Public Innovation 2.0 Project (Love Your Block Grant); and
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute a Subaward Agreement and any subsequent amendments with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) for the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation 2.0 Project (Love Your Block Grant) to carry out the service deliverables for the period of May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2026; and
3. Authorize the Director of Finance & Management Services to amend and appropriate the $100,000.00 for the Love Your Block Grant award in both revenues and expenditures to the Fiscal Year 2024/25 Operating Budget.
Attachments
Attachment 1 Resolution No. 2024-204
Attachment 2 Love Your Block Grant Award Letter Attachment 3 Subaward Agreement
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Ward:
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions: