Explanation
In the Fall of 2019, President Pro Tempore Elizabeth Brown, the Mayor’s Office, and the Columbus Women’s Commission were awarded a CityStart grant from Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) supporting the creation of a Financial Empowerment Roadmap to help women and families achieve financial security.
Since then, the city has partnered with CFE Fund on a variety of programs to support Columbus women’s and families’ financial stability. Most recently, the CFE Fund awarded Columbus a $150,000 grant for 2022 to plan and launch a Financial Empowerment Center (FEC). Additional funds supporting the Columbus FEC are anticipated for 2023.
In 2021, Columbus issued a Request for Proposals (RFQ019295) for the launch of a Financial Empowerment Center, and received two responsive proposals. An evaluation committee reviewed and scored both proposals and recommended that the Department of Development enter into contract with Jewish Family Services of Columbus (JFS).
JFS hired and trained three financial counselors and planned a launch in collaboration with the Department of Development, President Pro Tempore Elizabeth Brown, and the Columbus Women’s Commission. The Financial Empowerment Center launched in April of 2022 and has grown to supporting over a hundred clients since then, helping Columbus residents pay down thousands of dollars in debt and to set aside even more in savings.
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to modify a non-profit services contract with Jewish Family Services of Columbus by extending the contract period to December 31, 2023, and to add an additional $240,000.00 to the existing contract, and to authorize the expenditure of $240,000.00.
Columbus City Council voted on December 6, 2021 to pass Ordinance Number 3272-2021, which authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a non-profit services contract with Jewish Family Services to plan the launch and of and oper...
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