Explanation
Background
2020 has exposed historical inequities our communities have been experiencing for generations. With the spread of COVID-19 and its corresponding response, it is necessary for the City of Columbus to provide additional funding focused on our youth and families, specifically in the areas of job readiness and educational empowerment. These funds will be invested in community groups providing direct assistance at the grassroots level for our youth and families in the City of Columbus.
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into grant agreements with Community Development for All People, Community of Caring Development Foundation, and Africentric Personal Development Shop in an amount up to $600,000.00 to add needed academic support services during COVID-19 for youth and families in the City of Columbus; this legislation also authorizes the expenditure of up to $600,000.00 for these services within the Department of Neighborhoods' allocation in Fund 2207.
The services included in this contract cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current responsibility and capacity to provide.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested to ensure that youth and family empowerment begins as the academic year school year begins.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is provided to the City of Columbus from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 27, 2020.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor’s vendor number is:
Community of Caring Development Foundation
vendor # 026987
contract compliance dates 3-15-2019 to 3-15-2021
CDFAP
Vendor # 008972
Contract compliance - pending
Africentric Personal Development Shop Inc.
Vendor # 033495
Contract Compliance - pending
Title
To authorize Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into grant agreements with Community Development for All People, Community of Caring Development Foundation, and Africentric Personal Development Shop, in a total amount of up to $600,000.00, to add needed capacity to address COVID-19 specific services for youth and family empowerment and to add needed academic support services during COVID-19 for youth and families in the City of Columbus; to authorize the expenditure of up to $600,000.00 for these services starting September 11, 2020 within the CARES Act Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($600,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the need for additional services to support academic achievement and job readiness; and
WHEREAS, these grants will support new approaches as well as the work of grassroots partners to empower youth and families in the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council are committed to lowering violence rates and lifting up all communities during this international pandemic; and,
WHEREAS, the federal CARES Act has provided additional resources for states and cities across the country to address community needs as a result of the COVID outbreak; and
WHEREAS, the expenditure of CARES Act funding to provide programming that will boost academic achievement and increase job readiness is necessary to address challenges caused by schools not holding in person classes and increased unemployment caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and,
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2020 Budget; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into grant agreements with Community Development for All People, Community of Caring Development Foundation, and Africentric Personal Development Shop to make additional supports available for youth as the school year begins, for the public health, safety and welfare; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is hereby authorized to enter into grant agreements with Community Development for All People, Community of Caring Development Foundation, and Africentric Personal Development Shop to allow them to begin providing job readiness and educational empowerment training for our youth and families as part of our COVID-19 response, in a total amount of up to $600,000.00 with the payment of expenses starting September 11, 2020.
SECTION 2: That the expenditure of $600,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 2207 (CARES Act Fund), Dept-Div 48-01, in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
Community Development for All People- $200,000
Community of Caring Development Foundation- $200,000
Africentric Personal Development Shop- $200,000
SECTION 3: 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 4: 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 legislation.
SECTION 5: That this agreement is awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code relating to the process for awarding not-for-profit service agreements.
SECTION 6: That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.