Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to execute grant agreements with numerous not-for-profit, social service agencies for the third and final year of the department’s Elevate! 1.0 program. See attached Exhibit A for the list of 45 not-for-profit social services agencies included in this ordinance. The total amount awarded to these agencies is $4,675,000.00. The term of each Grant Agreement shall be either a 12-month or an 18-month period beginning July 1, 2024. Additional Elevate! 1.0 dollars are being allocated to other agencies in separate pieces of legislation.
Columbus, renowned as America's Opportunity City, remains a beacon of potential and hope for its residents. Nevertheless, a significant portion of the population faces challenges stemming from personal, societal, structural, and economic factors, which impede their full participation in the city's myriad opportunities. Acknowledging the complexity of these challenges, the City is committed to implementing a comprehensive solution and is responsible for driving transformative changes to establish equitable opportunities for all residents.
The Elevate! Initiative plays a pivotal role in effecting this transformative change. This initiative allocates funding to support 112 distinct non-profit organizations categorized into two programs, denoted as 1.0 and 2.0, collectively addressing 16 of the 21 aspirations outlined in The Mayor’s Opportunity Rising. Through various means, the Elevate! Initiative promotes and provides opportunities for collaboration, learning, and resource sharing among member agencies, ensuring that every community member they serve can access the services needed based upon their unique circumstance.
The Elevate! 1.0 NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability) was advertised from April 22, 2022, through May 13, 2022, on the City’s Website (Department of Development webpage), the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County’s website, and by press release. The City received 86 proposals for $9,875,000.00 in requests. Forty-eight community agencies were recommended for the $5,000,000.00 in available funding.
Funding will be advanced to each agency on a predetermined schedule. Advancement of funds is needed because many of the organizations do not have funding available to be reimbursed for program expenses. The first advance will occur after confirmation of the Purchase Order. Before the second advance is made, the agency shall provide reports and documentation indicating how the funds were used to fulfill the scope of services in the grant agreement. Additionally, these programs/grant agreements may include reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverages for participants of the programs of the below listed organizations only, in which the expenditure is hereby deemed a valid public purpose in that such purchase will address the immediate needs of program participants. Funding of food and non-alcoholic beverages is hereby deemed an operating expense of the following organizations:
• Catholic Social Services, Inc.
• Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center
• Columbus Early Learning Centers
• Community Development For All People
• Directions For Youth & Families, Inc.
• Faith Mission, Inc.
• Freedom A La Cart
• Huckleberry House, Inc.
• Jewish Family Service
• Jordan Rieser Legacy Foundation
• Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Inc.
• Lower Lights Ministries
• Lutheran Social Services Of Central Ohio
• Make A Day Foundation
• Maryhaven, Inc.
• National Church Residences
• Neighborhood Services, Inc.
• Reeb Avenue Center
• Riverview International Center, Inc.
• Sanctuary Collective
• Star House
• The Center For Healthy Families, Inc.
• The Homeless Families Foundation
• The Young Women's Christian Association
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for these expenditures is allocated within the Emergency Human Services Fund 2024 budget (Fund 2231), in an amount up to $825,000.00, and the Administration Division’s 2024 General Fund budget, in an amount up to $3,850,000.00 (Fund 1000).
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: See attached Exhibit A for a list of social services agencies and the vendor registration and contract compliance data.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute grant agreements with numerous not-for-profit, social service agencies in an amount up to $4,675,000.00 for the Elevate! 1.0 Program; to authorize the provision of services for 12 and 18 month periods beginning July 1, 2024; to authorize the advancement of funds on a pre-determined schedule during the term of the agreement; and to authorize the expenditure of up to $825,000.00 from the Emergency Human Services Fund and up to $3,850,000.00 from the General Fund. ($4,675,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Elevate! 1.0 NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability) was advertised from April 22, 2022, through May 13, 2022, on the City’s Website (Department of Development webpage), the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County’s website, and by press release; and
WHEREAS, the City received 86 proposals for $9,875,000.00 in requests. Forty-eight community agencies were recommended for the $5,000,000.00 in available funding; and
WHEREAS, 45 organizations are included in this piece of legislation, with authorization for others agreements being submitted as separate pieces of legislation; and
WHEREAS, the grant agreements will be funded with a combination of the Emergency Human Services Fund and the General Fund; and
WHEREAS, the grant agreements will include advance payments to the organizations; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Development is authorized to execute grant agreements with numerous not-for-profit, social service agencies in an amount up to $4,675,000.00 for the Elevate! 1.0 Program; to authorize the provision of services for a 12 or 18-month period beginning July 1, 2024; to authorize the advancement of funds on a pre-determined schedule during the term of the grant agreement.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $825,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized in Fund 2231 (Hotel Motel Bed Tax Fund), Dept. 44-01 (Administration), in Object Class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure in an amount up to $3,850,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund), from Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), object class 05 (Other) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. Payments are expressly contingent upon the availability of sufficient monies in the Hotel Motel Bed Tax Fund (Fund 2231) to cover the obligation set forth in these agreements and in no case shall payments exceed available cash in this fund. In this event that there is not sufficient cash in the fund to cover the obligation set forth in this contract, the City Auditor shall have the authority to make all necessary adjustments at her discretion.
SECTION 5. Under the authority of Columbus City Code Chapter 111.14, the Department of Development is authorized to execute grant agreements for the purpose as stated in Section 5.
SECTION 6. 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 7. 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 8. That Columbus City Council acknowledges and defines as operating costs inherent to the mission of this non-profit the purchase of food and non-alcoholic beverages for populations experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and/or food insecurity. Any or all of the expenditure authorized by this ordinance may be spent toward payment of food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses for such populations. Expenses incurred prior to the creation of a purchase order may be reimbursed. However, in no case may food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses incurred prior to the effective date of this ordinance be reimbursed. City Council declares that the expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses authorized by this ordinance to be for a proper public purpose for the listed organizations within the background section only.
SECTION 9. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.