Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Beneficiary Agreement with Dress for Success Columbus, in an amount up to $100,000.00, using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support and increase the organizational capacity of non-profit organizations that experienced revenue losses such as cancelled fundraising events, decreases in donor support, and increased expenditures such as PPE, virtual meeting licenses, and related hardware caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ordinance 1201-2021 authorized the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate approximately $187,030,138.00 of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as signed into law by the President of the United States on March 11, 2021.
The Notice of Financial Award (NOFA) was advertised from April 22, 2022, through May 13, 2022, on the City’s Website (Dept. of Development webpage), the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County’s website, and by press release. The City received 86 proposals for $9,875,000.00 in requests. Forty-eight community agencies were recommended for the $5,000,000.00 in available funding. Forty-five community agencies are listed in Ordinance 2070-2022, two community agencies are listed in Ordinance 2083-2022, and one community agency is included in this ordinance. Pending future funding availability and City Council approval, this Beneficiary Agreement may be renewed for two additional years.
The City of Columbus continues to see increases in the number of residents who lack access to affordable housing. Advocates report that anywhere between 300-600 people are living unsheltered in Columbus every day; the majority desire safe and affordable housing. Additionally, infant mortality rates in Columbus and Franklin County remain alarmingly high for black babies. Immigrants and refugees relocate to Columbus because we are a welcoming city. Columbus’ limited supply of housing, lack of knowledge about services and programs that support renting and homeownership, and lack of access to those services cause housing instability among immigrant and refugee residents. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated all these conditions for Columbus residents. Every agency that was recommended for funding provides services in at least one of the following Elevate! NOFA focus areas: Increasing Infant Vitality, Reducing Unsheltered Homelessness, or Increasing Housing Stability Among Immigrant and Refugee households.
It is expected that the guidance from the U.S. Department of Treasury will be modified while this Beneficiary Agreement is in effect and it is requested that the Director of Development be given the authority to modify the terms and conditions of the Beneficiary Agreement without seeking additional Council approval in order to align with the most current version of the laws, regulations, and guidance.
Emergency action is requested to address the impacts of the COVID-19 health emergency.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided to the City of Columbus from the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 11, 2021.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor number is 001406 and expires 12/7/2022.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Beneficiary Agreement with Dress for Success Columbus, in an amount up to $100,000.00, using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support and increase the organizational capacity of non-profit organizations that experienced revenue losses such as cancelled fundraising events, decreases in donor support, and increased expenditures such as PPE, virtual meeting licenses, and related hardware caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; to authorize the Director of Development to modify the terms and conditions of the Beneficiary Agreement as needed without seeking further City Council approval in order to align with the most current version of the laws, regulations, and guidance; to authorize the expenditure of up to $100,000.00 of ARPA funds; and to declare an emergency. ($100,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, in the City received 86 proposals with over $9.8 million in requests; and
WHEREAS, 48 programs were selected for up to 3 years of funding through the City’s competitive funding process, with 1 program included in this ordinance and 47 in two other ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in negative economic impacts on non-profit organizations; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of ARPA funding to support non-profit organizations is necessary to alleviate the negative impacts caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2022 Budget; 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 enter into an agreement with Dress for Success to address the impacts of the COVID-19 health emergency, such immediate action is necessary for the preservation of 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 authorized to enter into a Beneficiary Agreement with Dress for Success Columbus, in an amount up to $100,000.00 using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support and increase the organizational capacity of non-profit organizations that experienced revenue losses.
SECTION 2: That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the Director of the Department of Development is authorized to modify the terms and conditions of the Beneficiary Agreement as needed without seeking further City Council approval in order to align with the most current version of the laws, regulations, and guidance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $100,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2209 (ARPA), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.