Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into grant agreements with numerous non-profit organizations (see Exhibit A attached to this ordinance) in support of grassroots, community-oriented events and services.
Columbus City Council seeks to provide support to small, grassroots, community-oriented organizations through small, high-impact grants for programs that directly serve neighborhoods and communities in Columbus. A grant process was established to reach these organizations and achieve this goal.
The following criteria were established. All grants shall be in support of community-oriented events or services. No individual grant agreement shall exceed $20,000.00. Grants shall be paid out at two points in time to grantees, 50% in advance and 50% after the first tranche is spent or after the first three months of the grant term. All grantees must be not-for-profit organizations as defined in City Code 329.01(ff).
Many of the programs serve youth and other community members who are food insecure or otherwise host events with food-related costs. Therefore, this grant authorizes up to $50,000.00 of food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses.
An application for the grant was published on the City Council website. City Council received 35 applications for the grant program. A review committee read all of the applications and scored them on a scale of 0 to 50 based on four criteria:
• Alignment with City Council’s priorities of furthering: Affordable and Quality Housing, Good Jobs and Training, and Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods
• Provision of a direct service or benefit to local community members
• A clear plan and budget in place for the proposed program/event
• A plan to ensure that the community will be made aware of the program/event
Following an evaluation period and conversation, the committee narrowed down the group of top-scoring organizations for funding based on their geographic location, to ensure that a variety of neighborhoods and communities would be reached by the program.
The thirty five requests totaled approximately $625,000.00 across all proposals. Sixteen non-profit organizations were recommended for the $250,000.00 in available funding. Sixteen non-profit organizations will be awarded funding in this ordinance.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested as it is immediately necessary to appropriate funds for necessary expenditures which will begin in June.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into grant agreements with numerous non-profit organizations to support grassroots, community-oriented services and events; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($249,845.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council seeks to support small not-for-profit community organizations providing services on a grassroots level to their local neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the grants program seeks to support not-for-profit organizations whose programs align with City Council’s three priority areas in 2024 including safe and healthy neighborhoods, affordable and quality housing, and good jobs and training; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into numerous grant agreements with local not-for-profit organizations for the purpose of supporting grassroots, community-oriented events and services, totaling $249,845.00; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Clerk in that it is immediately necessary to transfer and appropriate funds for necessary expenditures starting in early June; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into grant agreements with the not-for-profit organizations listed in Exhibit A of this ordinance, which is incorporated herein by reference, for the purpose of supporting grassroots, community-oriented events and services, totaling up to $249,845.00, contingent upon the grantee being authorized to transact business in the State of Ohio prior to the execution of the respective grant agreement.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $249,845.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the City Clerk per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $249,845.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That up to $50,000.00 of said expenditure may be for food and non-alcoholic beverage purchases and that City Council finds such expenditure to be for a proper public purpose. No expenditure may be made for alcoholic beverage purchases.
SECTION 5. That expenses incurred on or after May 10, 2024 may be reimbursed. However, expenses for food and non-alcoholic beverage may be reimbursed only from and after the effective date of this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten (10) days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.