Community Development Agency
www.santa-ana.org/community-development
Item # 24
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
January 21, 2025
TOPIC: Strengthening Regional Workforce Development Partnerships
AGENDA TITLE
Appropriation Adjustment and Agreements with the County of Orange to Strengthen Regional Workforce Development Partnerships and Advancing Education-Industry Alignment Through WIOA Initiatives (Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with the County of Orange accepting grant funds of $110,000 to assist in the coordination and implementation of the Regional Equity and Recovery Partnership (RERP) grant for the period from January 21, 2025 to December 31, 2025 (Agreement No. A-2025-XXX).
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with the County of Orange accepting grant funds of $30,000 for coordination of workforce efforts under the Regional Plan Implementation (RPI) 5.0 grant for the period of January 21, 2025 to March 31, 2025 (Agreement No. A-2025-XXX).
3. Approve an appropriation adjustment to recognize $30,000 in funds from Orange County Grant Revenue Federal Grant-Indirect account (no. 12418002-52001) and $110,000 from State Grant-Indirect account (no. 12418002-52027) and appropriating the same amounts to OC WIOA RPI 5.0 expenditure account (no. 12418750-various) and OC RERP expenditure account (no. 12418752-various), respectively (Requires five affirmative votes).
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
This item was initially approved by the City Council during the December 17, 2024 meeting. However, during the process of finalizing the agreements for signature, the County of Orange included updated language that was not made available to the City prior to the Council's original approval. Upon review, the City Attorney’s Office identified necessary revisions due to the new language and is recommending that the agreements be presented to the City Council again for approval.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) mandates partnerships as a key component of California’s State Plan to align education and training services with the
Strengthening Regional Workforce Development Partnerships January 21, 2025
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needs of regional industry sectors across the state's 15 WIOA Regional Planning Units.
Additionally, California state law requires coordination between K-12 schools, community colleges, and WIOA systems, and emphasizes the use of sector strategies as the operational framework for the state’s workforce development system.
The Orange Workforce Alliance (OWA) consists of three local Workforce Development Boards that serve 34 cities and several large unincorporated areas in Orange County.
These boards include the Anaheim Workforce Development Board (serving the City of Anaheim), the Santa Ana Workforce Development Board (serving the City of Santa Ana), and the Orange County Workforce Development Board (serving the remaining 32 cities and unincorporated areas). The OWA works collaboratively with various partners to leverage the region's strengths, address challenges, and expand opportunities for community members and businesses, promoting economic vitality.
The State allocates RERP grant funds to support regional planning. OWA will utilize these funds to accelerate and enhance ongoing efforts under the Regional Workforce Plan, focusing on system alignment, partnerships, and regional programs that promote economic growth, equity, shared prosperity, and environmental sustainability. A key objective of the RERP grant is to strengthen the partnership with Orange County community colleges by creating targeted short-term education interventions to improve workforce preparation and participation, particularly for English language learners, immigrants, and first-generation college students.
The project prioritizes two key industry sectors: healthcare and information technology.
OWA will partner with local community colleges to develop training programs in fields such as Medical Laboratory Technician, Cybersecurity, Supply Chain Management, Web Services, and Introduction to Information Technology. These programs will incorporate strategies to support the target populations, including additional support services, cohort models, and Vocational English as a Second Language training (Exhibit 1).
Additionally, the California Workforce Development Board has awarded WIOA Governor’s discretionary funds for Regional Plan Implementation (RPI) 5.0 to support the implementation of local and regional workforce plans in 15 state-defined workforce areas.
The purpose of the RPI 5.0 funding is to assist OWA in developing regional leadership, organizing industry leaders, and collaborating with workforce, education, and economic development partners to scale efforts and build the capacity of frontline workforce staff and partners (Exhibit 2).
For these agreements, the County Workforce Development Board contracts directly with the State and subsequently sub-contracts with the City to facilitate participation in the regional workforce partnerships.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the appropriation adjustment will recognize $30,000 in funds from Orange County Grant Revenue Federal Grant-Indirect account (no. 12418002-52001) and $110,000 from State Grant-Indirect account (no. 12418002-52027) and appropriate the Strengthening Regional Workforce Development Partnerships January 21, 2025
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same amounts to expenditure accounts as shown in the table below. Grant includes 10% Administrative costs with remaining to Program expenses.
Funds will be assigned, budgeted, and available for expenditure in FY 2024-25. Any remaining balances not expended at the end of the fiscal year will be presented to City Council for approval of carryovers to FY 2025-26.
OC WIOA Regional Plan Implementation (RPI) 5.0
Fiscal
Year
Accounting Unit-
Account
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit,
Account Description Amount
FY 24-25 12418750-61000 OC WIOA OC WIOA, Salaries
Regular $25,880
FY 24-25 12418750 -62500 OC WIOA OC WIOA, Rent
Payments $1,000
FY 24-25 12418750 -65400 OC WIOA OC WIOA, Indirect
Costs $3,120
Total: $30,000
OC Regional Equity & Recovery Partnership (RERP)
Fiscal
Year
Accounting Unit-
Account
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit,
Account Description Amount
FY 24-25 12418752-61000 OC RERP OC RERP, Salaries
Regular $87,290
FY 24-25 12418752-62120 OC RERP
OC RERP, Training,
Transportation,
Meeting
$5,000
FY 24-25 12418752-62500 OC RERP OC RERP, Rent
Payments $5,000
FY 24-25 12418752-63001 OC RERP
OC RERP,
Miscellaneous
Operating Expenses
$1,900
FY 24-25 12418752-65400 OC RERP OC RERP, Indirect
Costs $10,810
Total: $110,000
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Agreement – RERP Grant
2. Agreement – Regional Plan Implementation 5.0
Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director of Community Development Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager