Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Finance and Management Director to contract with the United Way of Central Ohio (UWCO) to develop and administer a grant program for community-based organizations (CBOs) to conduct outreach for the 2020 Census. The City of Columbus and Franklin County established the joint “Columbus Counts” 2020 Census Complete Count Committee (CCC) to ensure an accurate count in the 2020 Census. The CCC is made up of a broad spectrum of government and community leaders from education, business, non-profits, and other community organizations and UWCO serves as the Columbus Counts Human Services Subcommittee Chair.
To further the CCC initiative, the UWCO will develop, in consultation with the City, an expedited RFP process for CBOs to apply for census outreach, community engagement, and communications grants. The City would select a small committee to review applications and make funding decisions in consultation with UWCO staff. This grant process will need to be expedited to ensure CBOs have the necessary financial resources to conduct adequate census awareness building and education before the count starts in early March 2020. CBOs will conduct a second phase of engagement once counting has started in March through the summer of 2020 to motivate residents to self-respond to the census.
The official Census Day is April 1, 2020 and households can begin responding to the questionnaire in early March 2020. The count will run until an undetermined date in the summer of 2020 when the Census Bureau determines that the count has been finalized. To support these outreach efforts, the Department of Finance and Management is seeking authority via a separate ordinance (Ord. 3262-2019) to enter into contract with the Saunders Company for its census marketing and communications work. The Saunders Company will be available to support UWCO’s Columbus Counts Grant Program. It should also be noted that the County will be contracting with UWCO for a similar grant program in support of the CCC.
United Way of Central Ohio, FID: 31-4393712, CC# CC006101, expires 4/3/2021
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $150,000.00 from the General Fund with the United Way of Central Ohio to develop and administer a grant program for community-based organizations (CBOs) to conduct outreach for the 2020 Census. The Department of Finance and Management budgeted $150,000.00 in the General Fund for this contract.
Emergency action is requested so that a contract can be entered into immediately and the grant program for community outreach activities can begin without delay.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to enter into contract with the United Way of Central Ohio to develop and administer a grant program for community-based organizations to conduct outreach for the 2020 Census; to authorize the transfer of $150,000.00 between divisions within the General Fund; to authorize the expenditure of $150,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($150,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the 2020 Census Day is April 1, 2020 and the Census Bureau will count residents through the summer of 2020; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus and Franklin County established the joint “Columbus Counts” 2020 Census Complete Count Committee (CCC) to ensure an accurate count in the 2020 Census; and
WHEREAS, the CCC is made up of a broad spectrum of government and community leaders from education, business, non-profits, and other community organizations and UWCO serves as the Columbus Counts Human Services Subcommittee Chair; and
WHEREAS, according to prior census data, 24% of Franklin County’s residents or approximately 300,842 people are “hard-to-count” (HTC). HTC communities require more costly in-person counting by the Census Bureau and are more likely to not be counted. Example HTC communities include: racial and ethnic minorities; immigrants and New Americans; individuals with limited access to internet; older adults, and young children (ages 0-5); and
WHEREAS, the UWCO will develop, in consultation with the City, an expedited RFP process for CBOs to apply for census outreach, community engagement, and communications grants; and
WHEREAS, this contract is awarded pursuant to provisions relating to non-profit services of City Code Chapter 329; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with the United Way of Central Ohio to develop and administer a grant program for community-based organizations to conduct outreach for the 2020 Census in support of the Columbus Counts initiative, to ensure that a complete count of all residents is obtained thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Finance and Management Director is hereby authorized to enter into contract with the United Way of Central Ohio to develop and administer a grant program for community-based organizations to conduct outreach for the 2020 Census.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 General Fund, from Dept-Div 4501 Financial Management, Object Class 10 - Transfer Out to Dept-Div 4550 Finance-Director's Office, Object Class 03 - Contractual Services per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
See Attached File: Ord 3285-2019 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of up to $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized in the General Fund 1000, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
See Attached File: Ord 3285-2019 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 4. That the monies in the foregoing Sections shall be paid upon order of the Director of Finance and Management, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 ordinance.
SECTION 7. That this contract is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 relating to awarding not-for-profit service contracts exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00).
SECTION 8. 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.