TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND
CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Dolan Beckel
Jim Shannon
SUBJECT: KNIGHT FOUNDATION
DATA CAPACITY EXPANSION
GRANT AND APPROPRIATION
ACTIONS
DATE: December 13, 2021
Approved Date
12/16/2021
RECOMMENDATION
(a) Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or designee to:
(1) Accept grant funds from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (Knight Foundation) in an amount not to exceed $750,000 to expand the City’s data leadership and capacity to use data to help make decisions, measure outcomes, and drive results that incorporate equity into the planning and delivery of City services; and
(2) Negotiate and execute any documents necessary to accept the grant funds.
(b) Adopt the following 2021-2022 Appropriation Ordinance and Funding Source Resolution Amendments in the General Fund:
(1) Increase the estimate for Other Revenue by $750,000; and (2) Establish the Data Capacity Expansion Project City-Wide Expenses appropriation to the City Manager’s Office in the amount of $750,000.
OUTCOME
Adoption of the resolution is required to authorize the City Manager to sign the Knight Foundation grant agreement. The grant will provide $750,000 over a two-year period to the City to expand the expand the City’s data leadership and capacity to use data to help make decisions, measure outcomes, and drive results that incorporate equity into the planning and delivery of City services. The Knight grant will leverage the existing funding of $200,000 in the 2021-2022 Adopted Operating Budget for the Data Equity lead, thereby providing $950,000 for three years of leadership and capacity-building across the City.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 1/11/2022
FILE: 21-2638
ITEM: 2.7
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
December 13, 2021
Subject: Knight Foundation Data Capacity Expansion Grant and Appropriation Actions
BACKGROUND
The City of San José continues to focus on having a data driven culture thereby transparently, rigorously, and effectively making decisions, allocating scarce resources to those communities of greatest need, being accountable for the results, and identifying opportunities to improve. The City’s focus on equity requires measuring outcomes and driving results with concrete actions towards those outcomes. The Mayor’s March Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, as approved by the City Council, directed $200,000 to enable the Administration to hire a data scientist who would assume the role of a City-wide Data Equity Leader to spearhead this work.
In the March Budget Message, the possibility of additional grant funding was also indicated.
Building an equity-focused data infrastructure is a necessary component to informing strategies towards improved community outcomes. While leveraging disaggregated demographic data is key to target, drive and measure outcomes in City services and programs, it is just as important to build the skills within the organization to shape and maintain an infrastructure that is accessible and relevant. As the City organization develops its capacity to center equity considerations in decision-making, it has become increasingly important to build a foundation that aligns with racial equity principles: desired impact, disaggregated data, effective community engagement, and accountability. The Data Equity Project will facilitate the process so that outcomes for underserved communities are improved.
ANALYSIS
The grant funding will cover the periods October 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024 in an amount of $750,000. The primary funding would support the City to:
• Establish a full-time data science technical lead in the City Manager’s Office over a three-year administration-transition period in the city leveraging the initial $200,000 funding for the Data Equity Lead;
• Train and support City departments to facilitate data collection and analysis for decision making; and
• Support collaboration with other departments in the City including but not limited to the Office of Racial Equity, and the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, to leverage data to accelerate recovery and build equity.
The City aims to address three core structural challenges around data driven government during this grant:
• Develop a robust, permanent data career track inside the organization that allows for technical data talent to develop their technical skills, problem solving experience, and leadership capabilities;
• Integrate operational data and insights into strategic planning and simulation, policy analysis and recommendations, and community transparency and engagement; and
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
December 13, 2021
Subject: Knight Foundation Data Capacity Expansion Grant and Appropriation Actions
• Create a model for the City to scout, assess, and - if appropriate and feasible - intelligently procure software, cloud infrastructure and tools, third-party data sources, and other data-related resources that augment the City’s data capabilities to create tangible value for residents in an ethical and sustainable manner.
Evaluation reports relating to this grant will be submitted to the Knight Foundation and will include progress on:
• Establishing equity objectives and metrics for core city services and programs; • Institutionalization of City data equity practices and policies; and • Increasing data-driven decision-making capacity for City executives and staff.
CONCLUSION
The grant will provide $750,000 over a two-year period to the City to expand the expand the City’s data leadership and capacity to use data to help make decisions, measure outcomes, and drive results that incorporate equity into the planning and delivery of City services. The Knight grant will leverage the $200,000 2021-2022 for the Data Equity lead thereby providing $950,000 in funding for a full three years of leadership and capacity building across the City.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW UP
The appropriate staff will report to Smart Cities and Service Improvements Committee and other Committees as appropriate on the decisions, outcomes, and results from this project.
CLIMATE SMART SAN JOSE
The recommendation in this memorandum has no effect on Climate Smart San José energy, water, or mobility goals.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City’s website for the January 11, 2022 City Council Agenda.
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and the Office of Racial Equity.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
December 13, 2021
Subject: Knight Foundation Data Capacity Expansion Grant and Appropriation Actions
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION/INPUT
This memorandum does not require input from a board or commission.
FISCAL/POLICY ALIGNMENT
This project aligns with the Council Policies on Racial Equity. This project aligns with City Roadmap initiatives including Budgeting for Equity and Equity Strategy Development.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
This Knight Foundation grant leverages the existing $200,000 in the 2021-2022 Adopted Operating Budget. Acceptance of the grant would provide the City a total of $950,000 over a three-year period to expand the City’s data leadership and capacity to use data to help make decisions, measure outcomes, and drive results that incorporate equity into the planning and delivery of City services. The Knight Foundation will provide the $750,000 grant as a lump sum payment after execution of the grant agreement. Remaining funds will be carried over into subsequent years until project completion.
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the fund and appropriation adjustments as recommended as part of this memorandum.
Fund
Appn
Appn Name
Total Appn
Amount of
Recommendation
2021-2022
Adopted
Operating
Budget
(Page)
Last Budget
Action (Date,
Ord./Reso
No.)
001 R130 Other
Revenue
$319,126,868 $750,000 Page 131 10/19/2021,
Ord. No.
80261
001 NEW Data
Capacity
Expansion
Project
N/A $750,000 N/A N/A
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
December 13, 2021
Subject: Knight Foundation Data Capacity Expansion Grant and Appropriation Actions
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-003, Agreements/Contracts (New or Amended) resulting in no physical changes to the environment.
/s/
DOLAN BECKEL JIM SHANNON
Interim Deputy City Manager Budget Director
I hereby certify that there will be available for appropriation in the General Fund in 2021- 2022 monies in excess of those heretofore appropriated therefrom, said excess being at least $750,000.
JIM SHANNON
Budget Director
For questions, please contact Dolan Beckel, Interim Deputy City Manager, at (408) 745-9696.