| AGENDA ITEM #: 3. DATE: 05/17/2021 AI #:234 |
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CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
| SUBJECT: | FY2022 COMMUNITY FUNDING PROGRAM |
| STAFF PRESENTER(S): | Jenna Goad, Assistant to the City Manager and Christina Panaitescu, Grants and Neighborhood Services Supervisor |
SUMMARY:
Council discussion related to the city’s investment in the health and wellness of our residents in the form of support to non-profit organizations through Goodyear’s Community Funding program.
Recommendation:
Staff will seek input and direction on Council’s vision and priorities for the Goodyear Community Funding program, to include the role of the Community Funding Review Subcommittee. (Jenna Goad, Assistant to the City Manager and Christina Panaitescu, Grants and Neighborhood Services Supervisor)
FISCAL IMPACT:
The ongoing base budget for the Community Funding program is $114,400. This year the City Manager’s FY2022 Recommended Budget includes a one-time supplemental of $100,000 which would bring the total available for FY2022 to $214,400.
BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS:
The Goodyear Community Funding program provides direct monetary grants to non-profit agencies and organizations that provide health/human services and quality of life programs to Goodyear residents. A three-person council subcommittee, established in FY2006, evaluates applications and makes a funding recommendation to the full Council. Grants are awarded to organizations or programs with focuses ranging from arts and quality of life to core human and social services. Historically, award amounts vary from $1,000 to $15,000.
In 2019, the city engaged consultants Pinnacle Prevention to conduct a Community Assessment to establish a baseline of indicator measures and help identify where the city can have the greatest impact on the health and wellness of our community through investment in non-profit human and social services. The results of that assessment and community reinvestment best practices were presented to Council on March 2, 2020.
The Community Funding Review Subcommittee modified the application for funding in May 2020 based upon the findings of the assessment and the priorities identified therein. The Subcommittee reviewed the FY2021 grant submissions and made award recommendations on July 1, 2020.
Council approved the grant awards for the FY2021 Community Funding program on July 13, 2020.
At the budget work session on April 19, 2021 Council requested a future work session to discuss the FY2022 Community Funding program.
In 2019, the city engaged consultants Pinnacle Prevention to conduct a Community Assessment to establish a baseline of indicator measures and help identify where the city can have the greatest impact on the health and wellness of our community through investment in non-profit human and social services. The results of that assessment and community reinvestment best practices were presented to Council on March 2, 2020.
The Community Funding Review Subcommittee modified the application for funding in May 2020 based upon the findings of the assessment and the priorities identified therein. The Subcommittee reviewed the FY2021 grant submissions and made award recommendations on July 1, 2020.
Council approved the grant awards for the FY2021 Community Funding program on July 13, 2020.
At the budget work session on April 19, 2021 Council requested a future work session to discuss the FY2022 Community Funding program.
STAFF ANALYSIS
During the two Council retreat sessions held in November 2020 and February 2021, staff heard a clear desire to assist our community during the pandemic, and the City Manager’s FY2022 Recommended Budget includes a one-time supplemental of $100,000 to get in the hands of our non-profit partners to forward this effect. Additionally, staff heard that Council would like to consider entering into providing direct human services as identified in the FY2022-2024 Strategic Plan. The first opportunity for further discussion will be at the upcoming work session to discuss the federal funding made available through the recently passed American Rescue Plan.
Identified Priority Areas
The 2019 Community Assessment analyzed both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the community’s health and well-being according to social determinates of health factors illustrated in the Vitalyst Health Foundation Elements of a Healthy Community framework. The assessment identified the following five priority areas for action (pages three and four of the assessment):
Community Services – expand services (including prevention services) available in the community with a focus on services that are specifically designed to meet the needs of minority populations, people in crisis or at risk of being in crisis, and the homeless.
Community Spaces to Foster Social and Cultural Cohesion – in the general city plan, include more community spaces that create space and opportunities for children and youths; support and grow local culture.
Mental Health Care – identify innovative solutions to bring more mental health care services into Goodyear with an initial focus on supporting efforts in schools to link students to care.
Regional Solutions – recognize resident mobility across city borders when planning community investment, allowing for a regional approach by some service providers, when appropriate, to expand the variety and options of available services.
Transportation – invest in innovative transportation solutions, with an initial focus on supporting residents who have challenges with transportation to meet their health care needs.
The grant availability announcement and application for the FY2021 Community Funding program included information about these priority areas. Information about which priority area(s) would be addressed by each proposal was collected during the application process and shared with the Subcommittee. The attached DRAFT FY2022 Community Funding Application has only been revised to reflect the updated dates for the FY2022 grant cycle.
Since the completion of the needs analysis, additional related needs and priorities were identified as a part of the recently completed stakeholder engagement and analysis used to develop the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Five-Year Consolidated Plan. Across the methods of outreach and broad representation from residents and stakeholders, multiple priorities emerged as the most needed public services in Goodyear:
It has been requested that the city consider establishing a process for allowing non-profit organizations to collect donations of tangible goods (ex. toys, canned food, school supplies, etc.) at city events. If there is consensus to establish such a program, this could be incorporated into the Community Funding application process. Non-profits could indicate their interest in participating on their Community Funding application and then the Subcommittee could make recommendations on which non-profits should be selected. If there is consensus to create such a program, staff recommends starting with a few of our largest events such as Star Spangled Fourth, Ballet Under The Stars, Camp Go Back, and Fall Festival. Staff would need to create rules for participation in the program and selected non-profits would need to abide by the city’s standard terms and conditions for vendors at these events.
Tentative Timeline
May 17 – City Council work session
May 21 - Application released
May 24 - Optional pre-application webinar
June 11 – Application deadline at noon
June 16 – Applications distributed to Subcommittee
Week of June 21 – Subcommittee reviews applications and makes recommendations
July 12 – City Council considers grant awards
August – Funding is provided to selected non-profit organizations
Identified Priority Areas
The 2019 Community Assessment analyzed both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the community’s health and well-being according to social determinates of health factors illustrated in the Vitalyst Health Foundation Elements of a Healthy Community framework. The assessment identified the following five priority areas for action (pages three and four of the assessment):
Community Services – expand services (including prevention services) available in the community with a focus on services that are specifically designed to meet the needs of minority populations, people in crisis or at risk of being in crisis, and the homeless.
Community Spaces to Foster Social and Cultural Cohesion – in the general city plan, include more community spaces that create space and opportunities for children and youths; support and grow local culture.
Mental Health Care – identify innovative solutions to bring more mental health care services into Goodyear with an initial focus on supporting efforts in schools to link students to care.
Regional Solutions – recognize resident mobility across city borders when planning community investment, allowing for a regional approach by some service providers, when appropriate, to expand the variety and options of available services.
Transportation – invest in innovative transportation solutions, with an initial focus on supporting residents who have challenges with transportation to meet their health care needs.
The grant availability announcement and application for the FY2021 Community Funding program included information about these priority areas. Information about which priority area(s) would be addressed by each proposal was collected during the application process and shared with the Subcommittee. The attached DRAFT FY2022 Community Funding Application has only been revised to reflect the updated dates for the FY2022 grant cycle.
Since the completion of the needs analysis, additional related needs and priorities were identified as a part of the recently completed stakeholder engagement and analysis used to develop the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Five-Year Consolidated Plan. Across the methods of outreach and broad representation from residents and stakeholders, multiple priorities emerged as the most needed public services in Goodyear:
- Eviction and foreclosure prevention
- Financial literacy
- Housing and fair housing counseling and education
- Housing, facilities and services for domestic violence survivors, low-income families with children, seniors, and veterans
- Mental health services, and
- Transportation
It has been requested that the city consider establishing a process for allowing non-profit organizations to collect donations of tangible goods (ex. toys, canned food, school supplies, etc.) at city events. If there is consensus to establish such a program, this could be incorporated into the Community Funding application process. Non-profits could indicate their interest in participating on their Community Funding application and then the Subcommittee could make recommendations on which non-profits should be selected. If there is consensus to create such a program, staff recommends starting with a few of our largest events such as Star Spangled Fourth, Ballet Under The Stars, Camp Go Back, and Fall Festival. Staff would need to create rules for participation in the program and selected non-profits would need to abide by the city’s standard terms and conditions for vendors at these events.
Tentative Timeline
May 17 – City Council work session
May 21 - Application released
May 24 - Optional pre-application webinar
June 11 – Application deadline at noon
June 16 – Applications distributed to Subcommittee
Week of June 21 – Subcommittee reviews applications and makes recommendations
July 12 – City Council considers grant awards
August – Funding is provided to selected non-profit organizations
Attachments
- 2019 Community Assessment
- DRAFT FY2022 Community Funding Application
- DRAFT FY2022 Community Funding Financial Worksheet
- Presentation