Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with The United Way of Central Ohio in support of the Boys and Young Men of Color Collective.
The Boys & Young Men of Color Collective (The Collective) exists to center the stories, genius, and bodies of Columbus and Franklin County boys and young men of color (BYMOC) in the places and spaces that shape their communities, institutions, and systems that serve them. The goal is simple: to co-create communities of belonging where the lived experiences of, and equitable outcomes for, BYMOC rival that of their peers.
The collective is composed of BYMOC and those who support their success. Toward that end, The Collective seeks to become the go-to organization for BYMOC data and policy. The Collective works alongside its youth board to connect with Columbus BYMOC to engage in annual data collection to understand their stories, priorities, and ideas for solution. The Collective is being co-constructed with and by BYMOC as they develop to build consensus amongst themselves as priorities evolve, and collectively implement policy and investment practices that achieve measurable and equitable change for this group and the community-at-large.
The Collective invests heavily in adolescent leadership development and civic engagement through incentivized youth board and in-house career exposure, mentorship, and apprenticeship model. For example, youth board members were trained on how to conduct focus groups through which they collected data for the first round of data collection and analysis in 2023-2024. Youth board members shared their experience and findings with Columbus City Council members at the first community event in May 2024. Additionally, youth board members participated in branding workshops to shape The Collective’s branding kit. As such, The Collective’s work directly supports Columbus City Council’s funding priorities of building safer and stronger neighborhoods and promoting workforce development.
Additionally, The Collective incentivizes its youth board members for their active participation in civic/leadership development programming. Youth board members were paid for the training they received on conducting focus groups, leading effective meetings, and for sharing the findings with City Council President Hardin and Members Bankston and Wyche. In this way, The Collective also provides job training and execution in these areas.
Fiscal Impact: Funding to support this grant agreement is available in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to provide the resources necessary to mitigate any risk in the maintenance or deployment of programming.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with United Way of Central Ohio, Inc. in support of the Boys and Young Men of Color Collective; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($125,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Boys & Young Men of Color Collective (The Collective) exists to center the stories, genius, and bodies of Columbus and Franklin County boys and young men of color (BYMOC) in the places and spaces that shape their communities, institutions, and systems that serve them; and
WHEREAS, The Collective works alongside its youth board to connect with Columbus BYMOC to engage in annual data collection to understand their stories, priorities, and ideas for solution; and
WHEREAS, The Collective invests heavily in adolescent leadership development and civic engagement through incentivized youth board and in-house career exposure, mentorship, and apprenticeship model; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of the city in that it is immediately necessary to authorize a grant agreement in order to provide the resources necessary to mitigate any risk in the maintenance or deployment of programming, 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 City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with United Way of Central Ohio, Inc. in support of the Boys and Young Men of Color Collective.
SECTION 2. That the appropriation and expenditure of $125,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1, is authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.