Explanation
BACKGROUND
Elevate Northland is a not-for-profit community development corporation in Columbus with a mission to uplift people to create opportunities by bringing together groups working on business development and by building community bonds. Elevate Northland will provide the Northland community with a new community center that will feature training space and a business incubator (the “Northland Community Center”). Ordinance No. 1833-2023 authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Elevate Northland in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00 to advance the planning, design, and construction of the Northland Community Center. Due to changes in leadership at Elevate Northland, the original grant agreement expired on January 1, 2025 with only $179,783.75 submitted for reimbursement. This legislation seeks to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a new grant agreement with Elevate Northland in the amount of the remaining original grant or $320,216.25. Grant funding will be used to pay for costs related to planning, designing, and constructing of the Northland Community Center. Approval is also requested for reimbursement of expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2023 prior to execution of the purchase orderThe new Grant Agreement authorized by this legislation will expire December 31 2026.
FISCAL IMPACTS
Funding in the amount of $320,216.25 is available through the Department of Development’s Northland TIF Fund. A transfer of cash is necessary to align spending with the proper projects, and the funds will need to be appropriated for expenditure.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Grant Agreement with Elevate Northland in an amount of up to $320,216.25 to advance payment for the planning, design, and construction of a new community center space to continue providing training and business incubation assistance to the Northland community; to authorize the transfer of funds with the Northland TIF Fund; to appropriate funds within the Northland TIF Fund; to authorize the expenditure of up to $320,216.25 from the Northland TIF Fund; and to allow for the reimbursement of expenditures prior to the purchase order with the Grant Agreement expiring on December 31 2026. ($320,216.25)
Body
WHEREAS, Elevate Northland is a non-profit community development corporation that seeks to uplift the Northland community including its entrepreneurs and small business owners; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to promote jobs training and creating pathways toward economic stability through entrepreneurship; and
WHEREAS, the City previously made a commitment of $500,000.00 to provide Elevate Northland with a capital grant supporting the Northland Community Center; and
WHEREAS, expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2023 prior to execution of the new purchase order will be reimbursable and the Grant Agreement expiring on December 31 2026; and
WHEREAS, due to changes in leadership at Elevate Northland, the original grant agreement expired on January 1, 2025 with only $179,783.75 submitted for reimbursement; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a new grant agreement with Elevate Northland in support of the Northland Community Center in the amount of the remaining original grant or up to $320,216.25; 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 with Elevate Northland in an amount up to $320,216.25 in support of the Northland Community Center. That such grant agreement may authorize expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2023 prior to the execution of the purchase order to be reimbursable with the Grant Agreement expiring on December 31 2026.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $320,216.25, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 7432 (Northland TIF Fund), from Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project P423001-100000 (Northland TIF) to Fund 7432 (Northland TIF Fund), Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project P200021-100000 (Elevate Northland) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $320,216.25 is appropriated in Fund 7432 (Northland TIF Fund), Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project 200021-100000 (Elevate Northland), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay), per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $320,216.25, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7423 (Northland TIF Fund), Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project 200021-100000 (Elevate Northland), in Object Class 06 Capital Outlay per the account codes in the attachment to this Ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, authorized for expenditure to carry out the purposes of this ordinance, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 7. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 8. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.