Explanation
Background
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into grant agreements with Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, Columbus Fashion Initiative (dba Columbus Fashion Alliance), Community Development for All People, Community for New Direction, Community of Caring Development Foundation, Community Refugee and Immigration Services, Inc, Directions for Youth & Families, Education Foundation for Freedom, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, Girls L.E.A.P., Greenleaf Job Training Services, Inc, Highland Youth Garden, IMPACT Community Action Agency, Lead with Purpose, Legacy Youth Sports Academy, Lower Lights Ministries, National Skilled Trades Network, Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation, New Birth Christian Ministries Inc, Somali Community Association of Ohio, South Side Hope Community Development Corporation, Inc, St Stephen Community Services Inc, The Center for Healthy Families, The Hardy Center, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Kingdom Knowledge Foundation, Made for Medicine, Ohio State University, Think Make Live Youth, Women's Leadership Academy DBA Girl Code Girls for the purposes of providing summer youth employment and programming. This ordinance authorizes an expenditure from the general fund. Grant funding for programming including the purchase of food and/or beverage items, which serve the public for the purpose of administering summer youth employment and programming. Food and/or beverage purchases will be subject to what is allowable in the respective grant agreements. Costs will not exceed $15.00 per person and any purchase of alcohol is strictly prohibited.
The City of Columbus intends to provide young people with safe opportunities to learn, grow, and form healthy, positive relationships which can reduce the likelihood of their involvement in and/or being impacted by crime, violence, and other unsafe behaviors. As such, the City is keenly focused on supporting summer programs that are most likely to serve vulnerable, at-risk, and/or underserved youth who are disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and related challenges as well as young people who are not often afforded opportunities to participate in high-quality programming.
The services included in this agreement cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current responsibility and capacity to provide.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested to ensure that students can benefit from summer employment and programming opportunities.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $2,633,818.00 from the General Fund.
Contract Compliance:
Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio CC-019703 valid thru 10/2/2026
Columbus Fashion Initiative (dba Columbus Fashion Alliance) CC-031541 valid thru 8/23/2025
Community Development for All People CC-008972 valid thru 5/17/2026
Community for New Direction CC-005361 valid thru 7/22/2026
Community of Caring Development Foundation CC-026987 valid thru 5/30/2025
Community Refugee and Immigration Services, Inc CC-005773 valid thru 08/09/2026
Directions for Youth & Families CC-006112 valid thru 9/10/2026
Education Foundation for Freedom CC-033225 valid thru 5/24/2025
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services CC-001255 valid thru 5/14/2026
Girls L.E.A.P. CC-049077 valid thru 5/7/2026
Greenleaf Job Training Services, Inc CC-043400 valid thru 9/26/2026
Highland Youth Garden CC-031348 valid thru 7/26/2026
IMPACT Community Action Agency CC-001447 valid thru 11/8/2025
Lead With Purpose CC-035890 valid thru 4/16/2026
Legacy Youth Sports Academy CC-032983 valid thru 5/30/2025
Lower Lights Ministries CC-032902 valid thru 8/5/2026
National Skilled Trades Network CC-045241 valid thru 4/27/2025
Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation CC-029921 valid thru 11/29/2025
New Birth Christian Ministries Inc CC-030578 valid thru 5/23/2026
Somali Community Association of Ohio CC-005537 valid thru 8/28/2025
South Side Hope Community Development Corporation, Inc CC-045516 valid thru 5/30/2025
St Stephen Community Services Inc CC-006082 valid thru 12/9/2026
The Center for Healthy Families CC-011320 valid thru 3/22/2026
The Hardy Center CC-039855 valid thru 2/13/2027
Columbus Metropolitan Library Exempt
Kingdom Knowledge Foundation CC-045960 valid thru 7/16/2025
Made for Medicine CC-051708 valid thru 2/11/2027
Ohio State University Exempt
Think Make Live Youth CC-028007 valid thru 4/15/2027
Women's Leadership Academy DBA Girl Code Girls CC-044816 valid thru 5/7/2026
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into advance-pay grant agreements with Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, Columbus Fashion Initiative (dba Columbus Fashion Alliance), Community Development for All People, Community for New Direction, Community of Caring Development Foundation, Community Refugee and Immigration Services, Inc, Directions for Youth & Families, Education Foundation for Freedom, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, Girls L.E.A.P., Greenleaf Job Training Services, Inc, Highland Youth Garden, IMPACT Community Action Agency, Lead with Purpose, Legacy Youth Sports Academy, Lower Lights Ministries, National Skilled Trades Network, Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation, New Birth Christian Ministries Inc, Somali Community Association of Ohio, South Side Hope Community Development Corporation, Inc, St Stephen Community Services Inc, The Center for Healthy Families, The Hardy Center, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Kingdom Knowledge Foundation, Made for Medicine,Ohio State University, Think Make Live Youth, Women's Leadership Academy DBA Girl Code Girls in support of summer youth employment and programs; to authorize the expenditure from the General Fund for programming, including the purchase of food and/or beverage items, which serve the public for the purpose of administering summer youth employment and programming; and to declare an emergency. ($2,633,818.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Mayor and City Council are committed to creating safe opportunities for youth to learn, grow, and form healthy positive relationships over the summer; and,
WHEREAS, the grant funding of $2,633,818.00 by passage of this ordinance will be used to support not-for-profit agencies to provide support youth employment and programming; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has been accounted for within the 2025 Budget; 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 to enter into advance-pay grant agreements to allow the agency to immediately provide summer employment opportunities; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is authorized to enter into advance-pay non-profit grant agreements with the agencies below to support summer youth initiatives:
Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio $17,000.00
Columbus Fashion Initiative (dba Columbus Fashion Alliance) $250,000.00
Community Development for All People $175,000.00
Community for New Direction $150,000.00
Community of Caring Development Foundation $57,000.00
Community Refugee and Immigration Services, Inc $27,000.00
Directions for Youth & Families $120,000.00
Education Foundation for Freedom $50,375.00
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services $163,612.00
Girls L.E.A.P. $60,000.00
Greenleaf Job Training Services, Inc $10,500.00
Highland Youth Garden $88,430.00
IMPACT Community Action Agency $70,000.00
Lead with Purpose $65,000.00
Legacy Youth Sports Academy $112,500.00
Lower Lights Ministries $25,000.00
National Skilled Trades Network $100,000.00
Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation $192,208.00
New Birth Christian Ministries Inc $96,119.00
Somali Community Association of Ohio $75,000.00
South Side Hope Community Development Corporation, Inc $40,000.00
St Stephen Community Services Inc $114,114.00
The Center for Healthy Families $141,760.00
The Hardy Center $96,350.00
Columbus Metropolitan Library $75,000.00
Kingdom Knowledge Foundation $11,275.00
Made for Medicine $2,000.00
Ohio State University $100,000.00
Think Make Live Youth $88,575.00
Women's Leadership Academy DBA Girl Code Girls $60,000.00
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $2,633,818.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is authorized in Fund 1000, Dept-Div 48-01, in object class 05 (Grants) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses are authorized, not to exceed $15 per person per meal, and are declared to be for a proper public purpose.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 6. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.