Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Grant Agreement in an amount up to $31,771.00 with The Homeless Families Foundation, DBA Home for Families, one of six not-for-profit social service agencies that were awarded within the 2024 Flourish Grant as part of the department’s Elevate! program. Additional ordinances will be forthcoming as part of this award for the other agencies. The total awarded to each agency is an amount up to $50,000.00 for a total award amount of $280,000.00 for the program. The term of each Grant Agreement shall be from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.
On June 24, 2024, the Department of Development disseminated the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the 2024 Flourish Grant, to the 112 Non-Profit agencies within the Elevate! Grant Program. The NOFA extended an invitation to these organizations to collaborate and apply for grants of up to $50,000.00 for fostering innovative partnerships to improve and strengthen the non-profits’ capacities which then will better serve their clients. The NOFA specified there was a total of $230,000.00 available. Later, $50,000.00 in additional funding was reallocated to the Department of Development, expanding the total funds available to $280,000.00.
In response, a total of fifteen proposals involving 32 non-profit organizations were received, collectively requesting $716,407.00. These submissions were subsequently narrowed down to 6, and each collaborating partner was invited to present their ideas during FlourishFest '24. This three-day event provided a platform for each collaboration to pitch their proposals and receive feedback from an audience comprising reviewers, fellow applicants, and guests. Each collaboration was instructed to incorporate that feedback into their final proposals, which were due on August 30, 2024. An eleven-member review team was assembled and tasked with evaluating and scoring these proposals.
The proposal received from Home For Families, in collaboration with YWCA Columbus & New Directions Career Center, was one of the six proposals selected by the review team to be funded by this initiative. The agencies will work together to build on an existing history of organizational partnership and help eliminate the immediate barriers that low-income families and individuals face in securing safe and stable housing. The proposed funding will be allocated directly to Home for Families but will be utilized by both agencies involved to further their collaboration and provide services to their constituents.
The grant will allow the grantee to receive up to 10% of the award towards administrative costs.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is needed to assure that funding is in place by the start of the grant in order to provide a support system for our city’s vulnerable populations.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this expenditure is allocated within the Elevate! Program’s General Fund budget, in an amount up to $31,771.00. ($31,771.00)
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 025439 and the expiration date is 09/07/2025
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement in an amount up to $31,771.00 with The Homeless Families Foundation, DBA Home for Families, one of six not-for-profit, social service agencies awarded funding, for the provision of human services programming for a 12 month period from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, as part of the 2024 Flourish Grant; to authorize the advancement of funds on a pre-determined schedule during the term of the agreement; to authorize the expenditure of up to $31,771.00 from the Elevate! Program’s General Fund budget; and to declare an emergency. ($31,771.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Development disseminated the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the 2024 Flourish Grant, to the 112 Non-Profit agencies within the Elevate! Grant Program. The NOFA extended an invitation to these organizations to collaborate and apply for grants of up to $50,000.00 for fostering innovative partnerships; and
WHEREAS, the Department received 15 applications with requests for funding totaling $716,407.00, of which six programs were selected for funding in 2025; and
WHEREAS, the grant agreements will be funded utilizing Elevate! Program’s General Funds; and
WHEREAS, the expenditure in the amount of $31,771.00 will be needed; and
WHEREAS, the grant agreements will include advance payments to the organizations; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is necessary authorize the Director to enter into a Grant Agreement with The Homeless Families Foundation to assure that funding is in place by the start of the grant in order to provide a support system for our city’s vulnerable populations, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is authorized to enter into a grant agreement in an amount up to $31,771.00 with The Homeless Families Foundation, DBA Home for Families, a not-for-profit, social service agency, for the provision of human services programming for a 12-month period from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, as part of the 2024 Flourish Grant; and to authorize the advancement of funds on a pre-determined schedule during the term of the grant agreement.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $31,771.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.