Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to enter a grant agreement with Greater Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. (CSCI), a non-profit corporation, in an amount up to $225,000.00 to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program for the purpose of promoting business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Columbus Sister Cities as well as long term economic development. Funding will be advanced on a predetermined schedule.
The ten Sister Cities are: Accra in Ghana, Ahmedabad in India, Curtiba in Brazil, Dresden in Germany, Genoa in Italy, Hefei in China, Herzliya in Israel, Odense in Denmark, Seville in Spain and Tainan in Taiwan. City funding has been provided in previous years to support staffing and administrative cost of CSCI. CSCI has worked diligently to raise capital for its overall operation. Additional support is required to maintain a full-time Executive Director and to defray miscellaneous administrative cost.
EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION: This program provides vital connections locally and abroad. Requesting emergency designation to maintain continuity of service.
FISCAL IMPACT: $150,000.00 is budgeted in the Economic Development Division’s 2024 General Fund Budget, funding of $75,000.00 is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor number is 005482 and expires on 5/30/25.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Greater Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. in an amount up to $225,000.00 for the purpose of promoting business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Columbus Sister Cities; to authorize the expenditure of up to $150,000.00 from the 2024 General Fund Operating Budget; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $75,000.00 from the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to autho...
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