Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into grant agreements with City of Refuge Goodlife Foundation, Elevate Northland, and the Columbus Urban League in the amount of $55,000.00 each for the purpose of awarding grants in support of the 2026 Clean & Safe Corridors Initiative and to declare an emergency.
City of Refuge Goodlife Foundation is a community development organization with a mission to administer a wholistic approach to lifting residents out of poverty by providing skills, resources, and knowledge to help families and individuals to achieve and sustain productive living. City of Refuge Goodlife Foundation serves the local community through support of stable and sustainable home environments.
Columbus Urban League is a community driven organization with a mission to create opportunity and access for all people through economic, educational, and social progress. With a vision of a region that maximizes its economic growth, where everyone is supported, can achieve their full potential, and contribute to the greater good. An organization whose values are opportunity and access, high performance, innovation, integrity, and empowerment.
Elevate Northland is a community development corporation with a mission of bringing groups together to work on business development and build community bonds. The organization uplifts people of diverse backgrounds and creates new opportunities while working to provide strong partnerships to achieve dramatic results within a connected community.
The purpose of the 2026 Clean & Safe Corridors Initiative is to build partnerships with residents, businesses, and service providers along three target corridors by providing direct, flexible support to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and first-time homebuyers. To achieve this purpose, grantees will manage outreach, review applications, and disburse funding to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and first-time homebuyers. The program area of focus for City of Refuge will be Refugee Rd from Winchester Pike to Noe Bixby Road. The program area of focus for the Elevate Northland will be E Dublin Granville Rd from Karl Rd to Cleveland Avenue. The program area of focus for Columbus Urban League will be E Long Street from Hamilton Avenue to Taylor Avenue.
Funds will be advanced to the grantees in order to initiate services. This legislation seeks to allow for the reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to the purchase order date but not before March 1, 2026.
Fiscal Impact: The funding of $165,000.00 for this agreement will be transferred from the General Fund Citywide Account to the Department of Neighborhoods General Fund Budget.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is requested to prevent delays in the disbursement of grants funds in accordance with the Clean & Safe Corridors Initiative.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into advance payment grant agreements with the City of Refuge Goodlife Foundation, Columbus Urban League, and Elevate Northland in support of the 2026 Clean & Safe Corridors Initiative; to authorize a transfer of $165,000.00 within the general fund Finance Department Citywide Account and the Department of Neighborhoods; to authorize the expenditure of $165,000.00 from General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($165,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Refuge Goodlife Foundation is a community development organization with a mission to administer a wholistic approach to lifting residents out of poverty by providing skills, resources, and knowledge to help families and individuals to achieve and sustain productive living, and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Urban League is a community driven organization with a mission to create opportunity and access for all people through economic, educational, and social progress; and
WHEREAS, and Elevate Northland is a community development corporation with a mission of bringing groups together to work on business development and build community bonds; and
WHEREAS, the Department seeks authorization for reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to the date of the purchase order but not earlier than March 1, 2026; and
WHEREAS, grants will consist of advance payments; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into advance payment grant agreements with the City of Refuge Goodlife Foundation, Columbus Urban League and Elevate Northland to provide the funding necessary for the implementation of services that align with the 2026 Safe & Clean Corridors Initiative for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is hereby authorized to enter into an advance payment grant agreement with City of Refuge Goodlife Foundation, Columbus Urban League, and Elevate Northland in support of the 2026 Clean & Safe Corridors Initiative.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $165,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund) from Dept-Div 45-01 (Financial Management), Object Class 10 (Transfer Out Operating) to Dept-Div 48-01 (Neighborhoods), Object Class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $165,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund) from Dept-Div 45-01 (Financial Management), Object Class 10 (Transfer Out Operating) to Dept-Div 48-01 (Neighborhoods), Object Class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That expenses incurred prior to the date of the purchase order but not before March 1, 2026, are reimbursable.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are deemed appropriated, 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 legislation.
SECTION 7. 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 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.