Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into grant agreements with numerous non-profit organizations (see Exhibit A attached to this ordinance) in support of grassroots, community-oriented events and services.
Columbus City Council seeks to provide support to small, grassroots, community-oriented organizations through small, high-impact grants for programs that directly serve neighborhoods and communities in Columbus. A grant process was established to reach these organizations and achieve this goal.
The following criteria were established. All grants shall be in support of community-oriented events or services. No individual grant agreement shall exceed $20,000.00. Grants shall be paid out at two points in time to grantees, 50% in advance and 50% after the first tranche is spent or after the first three months of the grant term. All grantees must be not-for-profit organizations as defined in City Code 329.01(ff).
Many of the programs serve youth and other community members who are food insecure or otherwise host events with food-related costs. Therefore, this grant authorizes up to $50,000.00 of food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses.
An application for the grant was published on the City Council website. City Council received 35 applications for the grant program. A review committee read all of the applications and scored them on a scale of 0 to 50 based on four criteria:
• Alignment with City Council’s priorities of furthering: Affordable and Quality Housing, Good Jobs and Training, and Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods
• Provision of a direct service or benefit to local community members
• A clear plan and budget in place for the proposed program/event
• A plan to ensure that the community will be made aware of the program/event
Following an evaluation period and conversation, the committee narrowed down the group of top-scoring organizations for ...
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