TO:
FROM:
FOR:
SUBJECT:
Amended Agenda Item No. 5
CITY OF YUCAIPA
AGENDA REPORT
Honorable Mayor and City Council
Jennifer Crawford, Assistant City Manager
Kimberly Everts, Deputy Rent Administrator/Records Technician CMC City Council Meeting of March 14, 2022
Community Activity Grant Program Guidelines for Fiscal Year 2022/23 RECOMMENDATION:
That City Council:
1. Review the Community Activity Grant program guideline options and provide direction as appropriate; and
2. Provide direction to maintain the current on the appropriate Fiscal Year 2022/2023 funding levels of $40,000 for in-kind/fee waiver grants, $40,000 currently, and $8,979.38 for financial grants, $17,500 - $8,979.38 (due to previous award) _ $8,520, or adjust the funding levels as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
In 2001, the City Council approved a non-profit application process that would provide guidelines to local non-profit agencies seeking financial and/or in-kind assistance from the City. Pursuant to Council direction, applications were to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis throughout the year until the annual budgeted allocation was depleted. This funding process proved to be less functional than originally anticipated, since it did not require an application submittal deadline. Consequently, the application process required only the completion of a Special Event Permit or a direct request to City Council.
To provide some structure to the process, on February 22, 2010, staff recommended a Community Activity Grant (CAG) program to ensure that projects/programs that benefit the community were funded; and to enhance the overall accountability and justification of how City funds were spent. Staff proposed an annual date -specific grant deadline; however, City Council elected to allow some flexibility in the deadline to address unforeseen requests that could come up later in the year. With the flexibility added by Council, the CAG program was approved by the City Council.
On April 13, 2015, the City Council reviewed the CAG program and consented to continue with the CAG program with a firm deadline for all financial requests and consider in-kind requests until budgeted funds are depleted. Also, per Council direction, staff was also directed to return to Council with proposals for funding certain community programs directly through the budget process and explore the possibility of amending the CAG guidelines to allow Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipients to also apply for CAG
funding. CAG guidelines were revised for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015/16 that allowed CDBG recipients to apply for CAG funding.
On April 27, 2015, the City Council approved allocating funds for certain community organizations through the budget process versus the CAG program, since the program(s)/event(s) were held on an annual basis and benefit City services. The community organizations and program(s)/event(s) that are currently funded in the Fiscal Year 2021/2022 Adopted Budget include:
Organization
Chamber of Commerce
4`11 of July Celebration
Chamber of Commerce
Family Service Association
Interfaith Community Support
Cali-Caipa Nooners Lions Club
Yucaipa Animal Placement Society
Family Services
Rotary Club
Program/Event
Operations
Moving funds to Act#8500 FY 22.23
Visitor Center/Merchandise
Senior Nutrition Program
Food for the Needy
Veterans Day Ceremony
Spay & Neuter Voucher Program
Yucaipa Outreach
Christmas Parade
Amount
$ 27,500
35,000
13,500
8,500
3,000
500
10,000
5,000
1,000
$ 104,000
On June 11, 2018, City Council reviewed the program and amended the guidelines to make the programming for and rental of the Equestrian Center, Yucaipa Performing Arts Center (YPAC) and Uptown Park facilities ineligible for financial and in-kind grant requests.
On March 8, 2021, City Council reviewed and approved the CAG program guidelines for the FY 2021/22 as follows:
Groups/Programs that are Ineligible
• Organization is not an established 501(c).
• Organization is located in another community.
• Organizations that have received financial grant awarded funds for three grant cycles beginning with the FY 2020/21 grant cycle.
• New proposed program, service, or event that is already being provided for in the community. • Program/event will take place in another community.
• Programming for and rental of the Equestrian Center and the Uptown Park facilities. • Programming for and rental of the Yucaipa Performing Arts Center (YPAC), apart from the Yucaipa High School (YHS) Music and Art Department (production equipment and personnel ineligible).
Requirements and Funding Limitations
• The application must be complete and contain applicant information, amount of request, proof of eligibility, clear statement of need, target population, program description/scope, outcome measurement, applicant background, experience in program area, and financial capabilities/budget is required to ensure grant funds are used to subsidize and not supplant the program. • The grant program will be reviewed on a yearly basis during the budget process to analyze funding availability for the upcoming fiscal year. If Council determines that the budget priorities have changed and funds need to be reallocated, the grant amount may be increased, decreased, or deemed unavailable for that fiscal year.
• Grant applications requesting financial support will have a firm deadline.
• Applications will not be considered when grant funds are depleted. • Grant applications requesting in-kind support will be reviewed and considered as received until funds are depleted.
• Beginning with the FY 2020/21 grant cycle, financial grant awarded funds will be reduced each year for a returning applicant that has been awarded financial support in the previous year(s) by the following percentage: 1st Year = 100% funded, rd Year = 75% funded, and 3rd Year = 50% funded and 0% thereafter.
• Grant awarded funds must be spent during the grant awarded fiscal year. • The awarded grant recipients must submit a detailed follow-up financial accountability report within one month following the event/project in order to remain eligible for future funding.
DISCUSSION:
Since the creation of the CAG program, the guidelines have been reviewed and refined annually, as necessary, by the City Council. The purpose of this agenda item is to afford the City Council with an opportunity to review the CAG program, as required by the established guidelines, and direct staff as appropriate.
The overall intent of the CAG program was not to sustain local ongoing programs or services but to supply the "seed money" to support the creation and launch of new programs, services and/or events in the community.
Based on the intent of the program, in FY 2020/21 Council established a program guideline that sets the term limit and percentage reduction for financial awards granted to returning organizations. At the beginning of the FY 2022/23 grant cycle, some returning organizations will be entering their 3rd Year funding level, whereby the financial grant award is reduced to 50% of the total amount requested by the applicant. At this time, this program funding limitation is restricted to financial grant awarded funds.
The table below shows the funding level for each applicant should a financial grant request (application) be received by the Council for the FY 2022/23 CAG grant cycle.
CAG Applicants
FY 2020/21
FY 2021/22
FY 2022/23
(If an application is
received)
FY 2023/24
Family Service Assoc. of Redlands
Funded thru CARES
Act Program
$3,587
75% funded
50% funded
Gardenworksforkids
$2,500
$1,875
50% funded
0%
Smiles for Seniors
Funded thru CARES
Act Program
$3,587
75% funded
50% funded
Yucaipa Community Foundation
$4,000
Did not apply
75% funded
50% funded
Valley Elementary School
$1,000
$750
50% funded
0%
Yucaipa Elks Lodge #2389
$1,000
(unable to hold event due
to COVID-19
restrictions)
$1,000
(unable to hold event
due to COVID-19
restrictions)
100% funded
fig% funded
75% funded
0%
Yucaipa Family Assistance
$2,500
$1,875
50% funded
0%
Yucaipa Valley Gem & Mineral
Society
$2,500
$1,875
50% funded
0%
Yucaipa Womans Club
$3,935
$2,951
50% funded
0%
Beginning with the FY 2020/21: 1st Year = 100% funded, 2nd Year = 75% funded, and 3rd Year = 50% funded and 0% thereafter.
At the meeting of February 14, 2022, City Council approved an application for financial support from Yucaipa High School (YHS), requesting $10,000 to send the YHS Baseball Team to USA Baseball's National High School Invitational (NHSI) to complete in the NHSI championship tournament. With a remaining balance in the FY 2021/22 CAG program financial budget of $1,000, City Council matched Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District's contribution of $9,979.38, by allocating the remaining $1,000 from the FY 2021/22 CAG program financial budget and $8,979.38 from the FY 2021/22 General Fund Contingency Account.
Additionally, City Council directed staff to return to Council to consider a reduced FY 2022/23 CAG program funding amount of $8,979.38, to offset future funding.
In addition, staff has reached out to the Yucaipa Valley Historical Society to ascertain whether they may be supportive of using a portion of the remaining Kramer House fund balance in partnership with the Womans Club in order to complete additional needed improvements to their facility and/or the property owner for the restoration and preservation of the Casa Blanca House.
The CAG program guideline options (or combination of options) for Council to consider for FY 2022/23, include, but are not limited to:
Options:
A. Keep the current guidelines process in place and authorize the funding levels in the amounts of $8,979.38 for financial awards and $40,000 for in-kind awards.
B. Keep the current guidelines process in place and amend the funding levels.
C. Eliminate the CAG program. Review the funded agencies over the past three grant cycles, prioritize, and include funding in the annual budget process. Set aside funds for unforeseen requests that may arise during the budget year.
D. Eliminate the CAG program and allocate no funding for local, non-profit organizations.
E. Other possibilities, as may be suggested by Council.
Direction provided by City Council pertaining to the CAG program guidelines will be implemented during the FY 2022/23 CAG Cycle. Also, community programs funded through the budget process versus the CAG will be included in the FY 2022/23 Draft Budget for Council consideration. If approved by City Council, the FY 2022/23 CAG Program will be announced, and applications will be brought before Council in June for review and consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no further fiscal impact related to this item.
Attachment: Awarded CAG's 2010 to Current (financial only) Approved by: