Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Technology to enter into a grant agreement with GroundWork Group, Inc. for the Technology Assessment, Advancement and Evaluation Project (TAAP). This ordinance appropriates $25,000.00 from the Community Technology Grant Fund to the Department of Technology and authorizes the expenditure of these funds by directing the Director of the Department of Technology to provide grant assistance to GroundWork Group, Inc. for $25,000.00 for the purpose of providing funding for its Technology Assessment, Advancement and Evaluation Program (TAAP) for community non-profit service agencies. This legislation authorizes the 501c3 non-profit agency, GroundWork Group, Inc., 300 East Broad Street, Suite #490, Columbus, Ohio 43215 to administer and fund a technology grant assessment and evaluation program (TAAP) for its member non-profit social service agencies. GroundWork Group's goals for TAAP are for each member organization to have a written technology advancement plan, to have a level of hardware and software (IT Infrastructure) appropriate for its needs, for the infrastructure to be secure, documented and regularly maintained and for the technology to be dependable. By assisting these agencies GroundWork Group, Inc. partners with the City in supporting the technology goals of the non-profit community. GroundWork Group's 70 member organizations provide critical and direct services to the neighborhoods of the City of Columbus and include non-profits such as: the YWCA, St. Stephens Community House, Columbus Shelter Board, Columbus Urban League, Community Connections, Godman Guild, and CODA to name a few. GroundWork Group's TAAP process will help these organizations directly.
This grant fund was established with the passage of Ordinance 0722-2006 on April 27, 2006, and allows for the funds to be utilized for community-based technology projects as determined by the Director of the Department of Technology and approved by City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
A total of $25,000.00 has been allocated for this grant from the Department of Technology Community Technology Grant Fund. Funding for this grant agreement, in the amount of $25,000.00 is budgeted and available within the Community Technology Grant Fund for program development, administration and service delivery efforts for a one-year period.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION:
Emergency designation is being requested to immediately facilitate this agreement in order to maximize the benefits to the non-profit community social service agencies.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE:
Vendor: GroundWork Group, Inc. # 59-3808297 Expires: (Not Applicable) Non-Profit Organization
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Technology to enter into a grant agreement with GroundWork Group, Inc. for the Technology Assessment, Advancement and Evaluation Program (TAAP); and to authorize the expenditure of $25,000.00 from the Community Technology Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($25,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the Director of The Department of Technology to enter into a grant agreement with GroundWork Group, Inc. for the Technology Assessment, Advancement and Evaluation Program (TAAP) to social service agencies; and
WHEREAS, GroundWork Group, Inc. was formed to provide information management and technology assistance to non-profit agencies in the Central Ohio Area; and
WHEREAS, the proposed funding of the GroundWork Group, Inc. TAAP program is an opportunity to improve the efficiency of the local non-profit sector by assisting them in determining how to best use information and technology; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Technology requests to appropriate $25,000.00 from the Community Technology Grant Fund to provide assistance to the aforementioned non-profit agency for program administration and technology assistance delivery to Central Ohio non-profit social service agencies; and
WHEREAS, this expenditure of $25,000.00 is available within the Community Technology Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, GroundWork Group's TAAP program will enhance the capacity of participating non-profits, especially the smaller ones, to attract and retain quality personnel, improve their technology processes and therefore operate more efficiently and spend more time on direct service delivery; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation in that it is necessary to enter into a grant agreement with GroundWork Group, Inc. for the program administration and technology assistance delivery to Central Ohio non-profit social service agencies and daily operational activities for the public safety, health and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of The Department of Technology is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with GroundWork Group, Inc. for the Technology Assessment, Advancement and Evaluation Program (TAAP) to Central Ohio non-profit social service agencies.
SECTION 2: That the expenditure of $25,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be expended from:
Div.:47-01| Fund: 291|Grant: 447291| OCA Code: 447291| Obj. Level 1: 03| Obj. Level 3: 3337| Amount: $25,000.00.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contract and agreement modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby 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.