COUNCIL AGENDA: 9/1/26
FILE: 26-890
ITEM: 2.10
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Jon Cicirelli
Jim Shannon
SUBJECT: Actions Related to Phase 5
of the Youth Service Corps
Program
DATE: August 10, 2026
Approved
Date:
8/18/26
COUNCIL DISTRICT: Citywide
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the following 2026-2027 Appropriation Ordinance and Funding Sources Resolution amendments in the General Fund:
(a) Increase Revenue from State of California by $2,907,364; and (b) Establish the CaliforniansForAll Phase 5 Climate Change Pathway - PRNS City-Wide Expenses appropriation to the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department in the amount of $2,907,364.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
On May 19, 2026, City Council accepted $4.6 million in total grant funding from California Volunteers. The recommended action appropriates $2.9 million of this grant funding in Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department (PRNS) to support Phase 5 of the Resilience Corps.
BACKGROUND
In June 2021, the City Council unanimously approved the creation of the Resilience Corps Program. This inter-departmental collaboration, funded initially by American Rescue Plan Act resources, centered on providing paid work experience opportunities to San José’s young adults who report facing barriers to employment, such as those who live in low resource census tracts or are justice involved. This grant required that at least 75% of all participants must face two or more barriers to employment, defined as difficulty finding employment, low-income, unemployed and/or out of school, are or were
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 10, 2026
Subject: Actions Related to Phase 5 of the Youth Service Corps Program
justice-involved, transitioning from foster care, or engaged with the mental health or substance abuse system.
Phase 1 of the program established the environmental stewardship pathway, designed by PRNS, and the learning recovery pathway, designed by San José Public Library. The San José Conservation Corps and San José Public Library Foundation were chosen to implement the programs and act as the employers of record for their respective pathways.
Phase 2 funding was provided under the state banner of the #CaliforniansForAll Program and supported the continuation of the Environmental Stewardship pathway (renamed to the Climate Change pathway) and the Learning Recovery pathway (renamed as the Learning Pathway). Phase 2 of the Climate Change and Learning Pathways launched in summer 2022 and concluded in August 2024.
Phase 3 was funded through an allocation in the 2023-2024 State of California budget.
The grant amount was based on San José’s share of the state’s population as one of California’s 13 largest cities. Phase 3 commenced on September 1, 2024, and concluded in October 2025.
Phase 4 of the program continues to be funded by the State of California’s 2024-2025 budget to continue the Youth Service Corps Program through December 2026.
Table 1 shows the total funding and enrollment data for the program.
Table 1 – Resilience Corps Funding and Enrollment Data
Program
Phase*
California
Volunteers
Funding
Award
Total
Participants
Black,
Indigenous, and
People of Color
2+
Barriers
Phase 2 $13,976,741 347 92% 94%
Phase 3 $5,321,342 137 93% 95%
Phase 4 (Active) $5,645,628 184 94% 94%
*Excludes Phase 1 due to differing funding and program structure.
ANALYSIS
As part of the State of California’s 2025-2026 budget, California Volunteers allocated $4.6 million to San José to continue the Youth Service Corps program into Phase 5 of the Resilience Corps. The award amount continues to be allocated based on the percentage share of the state’s population. Funds must be expended by December 31, 2027. To facilitate a smooth transition from Phase 4 to Phase 5, Phase 5 of the Climate Change Pathway will begin by September 1, 2026, instead of November 2026 as previously planned, requiring the budget actions sooner than planned.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 10, 2026
Subject: Actions Related to Phase 5 of the Youth Service Corps Program
In Phase 5, PRNS will continue to partner with the San José Conservation Corps to implement the Climate Change Pathway, which aims to support the cleanup of parks, trails, and watersheds. This funding will allow the Climate Change Pathway to serve a minimum of 52 participants.
The successful implementation of the Resilience Corps Grant Program aligns with the Meaningful and Sustaining Jobs priority area of the Children and Youth Services Master Plan. The program directly aligns with the priority area goal that youth develop skills for meaningful employment and belonging. Since the launch of Phase 4 in October 2025, program participants worked more than 110,000 public service hours in the Climate Change Pathway. This includes 21,550 hours at Guadalupe River Park and Trail and other project sites to help prepare for SJ26 events. In Phase 4 so far, 90% of participants successfully completed the program, with 83% of participants earning gainful employment and/or enrolling in higher education after the completion of their program term.
This program has created and strengthened workforce pipelines for City and public service positions. PRNS has developed an internship program with its subgrantee, the San José Conservation Corps. Under this model, participants receive critical life and occupational skills training. After approximately three months with the San José Conservation Corps, participants can work under the guidance of a PRNS Supervisor, undertaking work related to park maintenance and other specialized assignments, like Park Rangers. To date, 150 Resilience Corps participants have participated in the PRNS Internship Program and more than 50 of these interns have secured employment with the City.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
No additional follow-up actions with the City Council are expected at this time. Staff will continue to communicate informational updates about the program.
FISCAL IMPACTS
Staff estimates that the Phase 4 funds for subgrantees will be fully expended by August 31, 2026. Phase 5 grant funds will be used to support the expansion and continuation of the Resilience Corps Program and will begin operationally on September 1, 2026, to avoid disruption to program participants and facilitate a smooth transition between program phases.
Costs for the Climate Change Pathway in PRNS for Phase 5 are estimated to total $2.9 million in 2026-2027 and $224,604 in 2027-2028 for a total grant award of $3.1 million.
Administrative costs incurred by the City should not exceed 10% of the grant amounts.
This category funds a portion of the City staff time associated with the direct
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 10, 2026
Subject: Actions Related to Phase 5 of the Youth Service Corps Program
implementation of the grant program. A minimum of 50% of the grant amount is required to be allotted to participant wages, inclusive of related costs such as FICA or Worker’s Compensation. Up to 40% of expenditures can be allocated to wrap-around services for program participants, such as transportation, job readiness training, case management, or other services designed to help the participants succeed in the program, gain employment, or continue to post-secondary education after completion of the program.
Table 2 summarizes the two-year spending plan across City departments. Budget actions to recognize or appropriate the funds will be brought forth in future budget processes.
Table 2 – Phase 5 Grant Funding
Budget by Department
FY 2026-27
FY 2027-28
TOTAL
Youth Service Corps – Climate
Change Pathway (PRNS) $2,907,364 $224,604 $3,131,968
Youth Service Corps –
Learning Pathway (Library) $1,278,676* $90,000 $1,368,676 Youth Service Corps –
Administration (Finance) $40,665 $40,665 $81,330
Total $4,226,705 $355,269 $4,581,974
*Already included in the 2026-2027 Adopted Operating Budget.
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the fund and appropriations recommended to be amended as part of this memorandum.
Fund
#
Appn.
#
Appropriation
Name
Total
Appropriation
Rec. Budget
Action
2026-2027
Proposed
Operating
Budget Page*
Last Budget
Action (Date,
Ord. No.)
001 R100 Revenue from State
of California
$23,017,631 $2,907,364 221 6/16/2026
26-205
001 NEW CaliforniansForAll
Phase 5 Climate
Change Pathway -
PRNS
N/A $2,907,364 N/A N/A
* The 2026-2027 Proposed Operating Budget was approved on June 9, 2026, and adopted on June 16, 2026, by City Council
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 10, 2026
Subject: Actions Related to Phase 5 of the Youth Service Corps Program
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City Council Agenda website for the September 1, 2026 City Council meeting.
BOARD, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No board, commission, or committee recommendation or input is associated with this action.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-004. Government Funding Mechanism or Fiscal Activity with no commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution.
/s/
JON CICIRELLI JIM SHANNON
Director of Parks, Budget Director
Recreation, and Neighborhood Services
I hereby certify that there will be available for appropriation in the General Fund in Fiscal Year 2026-2027 monies in excess of those heretofore appropriated therefrom, said excess being at least $2,907,364.
JIM SHANNON
Budget Director
For questions, please contact Tyler Shaffer, Resilience Corps Senior Analyst, Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department, at [email protected] or (408) 476-4595.