Explanation
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the City Clerk to enter a grant agreement with Epic Youth to provide upfront financial support for the organization's Girls Will! event in honor of the International Day of the Girl. Funding support from Council will be provided upfront to defray the cost of pre-event planning and contract procurement, including for the following services:
1. Venue deposits and vendor payments (including workshop facilitators, audio/visual support, and security);
2. Transportation and supplies for over 400 student participants;
3. Marketing, printing, and event materials that must be procured in advance; and
4. Honoraria for speakers and partners.
The Girls Will! Summit, held in honor of International Day of the Girl, is a large-scale youth leadership, empowerment, and STEM exposure experience designed to inspire middle school students to become builders, leaders, innovators, and future professionals.The summit will support approximately 200 students in grades 7-8 through a dynamic day of hands-on learning, leadership development, career exploration, entrepreneurship exposure, wellness conversations, and direct engagement with leaders and professionals across industries including technology, business, media, healthcare, beauty science, and entrepreneurship. Students will participate in interactive breakout sessions, panel discussions, team activities, and motivational experiences that build confidence, communication skills, self-worth, and future readiness. Funding will support student access, transportation, workshop materials, speakers, event production, program staffing, and culturally responsive experiences that ensure students from under-served communities can participate. Columbus City Council deems this a proper public purpose of funds so long as the event is open to all, regardless of gender identity or expression.
The intended outcomes of the Girls Will! Summit are to increase leadership confidence, career awareness, STEM exposure, self-esteem, communication skills, and future readiness among participating students. The summit seeks to empower students to view themselves as capable leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, creators, and decision-makers while exposing them to tangible pathways for academic, personal, and professional success. Specific goals include:
1. Increasing student confidence and leadership development;
2. Expanding awareness of STEM, entrepreneurship, and career pathways;
3. Strengthening communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills;
4. Encouraging positive identity development and self-worth;
5. Providing mentorship and positive representation through diverse leaders; and
6. Inspiring attendees to pursue future educational and workforce opportunities.
Success will be measured through attendance and participation data, student surveys, workshop engagement, feedback forms, school partnerships, and post-event evaluations assessing confidence, inspiration, leadership growth, and career exposure.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding in the amount of $35,000.00 is available in the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund, Subfund 100018.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Clerk to enter a grant agreement with Epic Youth to provide upfront financial support for the organization's event, the Girls Will! Summit, commemorating the International Day of the Girl; and to authorize an expenditure from the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund. ($35,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the mission of Epic Youth is to empower youth to live purposeful lives through the development of skills and talents, positive character, self-improvement, and leadership; and
WHEREAS, Epic Youth is once again hosting its annual Girls Will! Summit to commemorate the International Day of the Girls; and
WHEREAS, the event is a large-scale youth leadership, empowerment, and STEM exposure experience designed to inspire middle school students to become builders, leaders, innovators, and future professionals; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to enter a grant agreement with Epic Youth to provide upfront financial support for their Girls Will! Summit to commemorate the International Day of the Girl.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $35,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 4. Columbus City Council finds the grant agreement authorized under SECTION 1 of this ordinance to be a proper public purpose of funds so long as the event is open to all, regardless of gender identity or expression.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.