REPORT TO SUBCOMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Review of Community Events and Neighborhood Grants Program Cycle
Report
BACKGROUND
To facilitate the Subcommittee’s review of FY 2018/19 Neighborhood Grant applications, staff provided a two-year summary report of FY 2016/17 and FY 2017/18 grant recipients to the Subcommittee at its meeting on June 5, 2018. It was noted at that time that it was not possible to provide information for all grantees as not all final reports were due.
The Subcommittee indicated that they found the information provided to be very helpful but expressed concern that those groups whose scope of work had not been completed might be held at a disadvantage in future reviews. The Subcommittee requested that staff review the grants history to see whether a revision to the grants cycle to a two-year process might be useful.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.2.1, Community Engagement - Goals and Policies
Goal B: Achieve a community in which all community members can be actively involved in shaping the quality of life and participate in local community and government activities.
Goal C: Create a strong, positive community identity, rich in cultural diversity.
Council Policy 7.2.18, Special Events
D: Community Event Program
The City may fund community events through this program.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(4) in that is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.
DISCUSSION
The current grants process operates on a fiscal year basis. Each grantee is expected to complete its scope of work before June 1st and submit a final report within thirty days after the event and no later than June 14th, whichever comes first.
The Subcommittee conducts its review of proposed grants in the late May/early June timeframe with final approval by the Council in late June following the adoption of the proposed budget. As such, the current grants cycle does not allow for project updates to
be collected from all grantees prior to the Subcommittee’s review of proposed grants for the following year.
In accordance with the Subcommittee’s request, staff conducted a review of prior awards and found that the overwhelming majority of grants are completed well before the May/early June Subcommittee meeting. Staff also noted that despite having completed their scope of work, most grantees chose not to submit the final reports until the end of the fiscal year. While the grant guidelines provide that final reports should be submitted within 30 days following an event or no later than June 14th, whichever comes first, the practice has been for the majority of grant recipients to submit the final report to meet the June deadline.
In preparation for the FY 2019/20 review process, staff has taken a more pro-active approach in communicating with grantees to determine whether better communication might address the Subcommittee’s desire for more information. The results have been positive. Six of the ten grantees have completed their scope of work with all but one of the six having already submitted their final report (See Attachment A - Summary of FY 2018/19 Grants).
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact is anticipated with the proposed review of eligibility criteria as the amount of available funding will be addressed separately during the normal budget process.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Subcommittee agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board, on the City’s website, and the availability of the agenda and report in the Office of the City Clerk.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Continue with the annual grants cycle as currently outlined in the grant guidelines.
2. Recommend changes to the guidelines and bring to the full City Council for consideration.
3. Take other action as determined by Subcommittee.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Continue with the annual grants cycle as currently outlined in the grant guidelines with greater focus on ensuring compliance with the existing 30-day requirement for submission of final reports.
A shift to a two-year cycle would be a significant change in process. Based on staff’s review, enforcement of the current requirement to submit final reports within 30 days of completion of an event would advance the Subcommittee’s desire for more comprehensive status information without significantly altering the current process. As such, it is staff’s recommendation that the current process be maintained with an added focus on ensuring compliance with the existing 30-day requirement for submission of final reports.
Staff
Prepared by: Jennifer Acuña, Administrative Analyst
Reviewed by: Cynthia E. Bojorquez, Director, Library and Community Services
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Grantee Recap