Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action, in an amount up to $210,000.00, for its “Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Sojourn” program.
According to Columbus, OH data, women are more likely than any other group to have attended some college or received an Associate’s degree. Despite their educational attainment, women are still the most likely to live in poverty, making up 24% of Columbus' poorest residents. The Coronavirus pandemic has put individuals, especially single female head of households at an increased risk of falling deeper into poverty. To lift women out of poverty, public, and private entities must join forces, and implement solutions that address the myriad ways that structural and societal racism uniquely burden women. It is imperative that we are intentional about programs and services that alleviate barriers. If not, the present trajectory perpetuates a lifetime of poverty for themselves and their children.
To lift women and children out of poverty IMPACT Community Action’s Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Sojourn will be a transformative program, resulting in job creation, reduction in poverty, and the elimination of barriers to employment for women in Columbus, OH. This program will impact a minimum of 20 women over 7 months. Research proves, investing in women with multiple barriers to self- sufficiency achieves lasting returns for families and the communities they reside within.
The structure of the Sojourn Women’s Initiative is to build a community that encompasses ideas, information, resources and structured projects that support rapport and unity among women who have been marginalized by circumstances, choices, systemic racist policies, and generational cultural norms, that have served to economically, socially, psychologically disadvantage them over decades. Before progress can begin to take place, certain truths have to be materialized, to assist participants in being the first champion in their economic recovery.
Emergency action is necessary to allow program services to be implemented without delay.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available in the Recovery Fund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 001447 and expires on 12/16/2021.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action, in an amount up to $210,000.00 for its “Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Sojourn” program; to authorize an expenditure of $210,000.00 from the Recovery Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($210,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, women are still the most likely to live in poverty, making up 24% of Columbus' poorest residents; and
WHEREAS, the Coronavirus pandemic has put individuals, especially single female head of households at an increased risk of falling deeper into poverty; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative that programs and services that alleviate barriers of structural and societal racism uniquely burdensome to women are implemented; and
WHEREAS, IMPACT Community Action’s Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Sojourn will be a transformative program, resulting in job creation, reduction in poverty, and the elimination of barriers to employment for women in Columbus, OH.; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action for its “Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Sojourn” program; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to execute a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action and to make the funds available so that program services can be implemented without delay 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 Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to execute a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action in an amount up to $210,000.00.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $210,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 2209 (Recovery Fund), subfund 220902, Dept-Div 4401 (Administration) Object Class 03 (Services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the agency identified in Section 1 is awarded a grant agreement pursuant to Columbus City Codes, 1959 Section 329.30.
SECTION 4. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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.