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Home My WebLink About8.2 CDBG & Comm Support GrantsSTAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL CITY CLERK File #480-10 DATE: September 20, 2011 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Joni Pattillo, City Manager SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Community Support Grant Programs Prepared by Amy Cunningham, Budget Manager/Assistant to the City Manager and Gaylene Burkett, Administrative Analyst EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider administrative changes related to the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Community Support Grant Programs, including the establishment of a streamlined grant program name. Additionally, the Mayor will appointment two City Councilmembers to the CDBG and Community Support Grant Program Subcommittee. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Adequate funding was budgeted in the Fiscal Year 2011-2012 operating budget for purchase of an online grant application program. RECOMMENDATION: Staff requests direction from the City Council on: (1) the proposed calendar; (2) formalization of a streamlined grant program name; (3) requirements for mandatory applicant attendance at a community meeting; and (4) establishment of minimum and maximum for all grant requests. Staff further requests that the Mayor appoint two City Councilmembers to the CDBG and Community Support Grant Program Subcommittee for the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 grant cycle. Submitted By Budget Manager/ Assistant to the City Manager Reviewed By Assistant City Manager Page 1 of 4 ITEM NO. 8.2 DESCRIPTION: Over the past three years Staff has been streamlining the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Community Support Grant programs to provide for: expansion of program outreach within the community; enhancement of the grant application and administrative processes; and preparation for the City's future designation as a CDBG Entitlement City. For Fiscal Year 2011-2012, the City Council approved three Budget Initiatives related to the CDBG and Community Support Grant Program: • Explore feasibility of a paperless /online grant application system similar to those used in neighboring communities. • Conduct outreach to potential grant applicants about grant availability. • Hold two community meetings in the fall to assist grant applicants in completing new application process. The implementation plan for achievement of these initiatives is outlined in this report. In preparation for the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 grant cycle, Staff is seeking direction from the City Council on several items, including the proposed grant cycle calendar, new applicant requirements, and appointment of this year's City Council Subcommittee. Staff has identified an online grant application system that meets the current and future needs of the grant program and is currently preparing the system for use in the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 grant funding cycle. The grant application will be accessed by applicants via a link of the City website. This new online system, ZoomGrants, has been implemented successfully in the cities of Pleasanton and Livermore. Proposed Calendar for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Grant Cycle In order to adhere to the County of Alameda's CDBG application submission timelines, Staff proposes the following calendar for the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 grant cycle. Attachment 1 provides an overview of the proposed calendar discussed below. Grant application cycle - • Opens: Monday, November 14, 2011, 12 noon • Closes: Friday, December 16, 2011, 5:00 PM Staff proposes holding three community meetings for the upcoming grant cycle, rather than the two targeted in the adopted budget initiative. The third meeting will provide an additional opportunity to inform potential applicants of the grant process for the year and will provide training and assistance with the online application system. Two meetings are proposed prior to the opening of the grant application cycle and the additional meeting is proposed once the application period has opened. Staff is also suggesting that applicant attendance at one of the three meetings be mandatory in order to qualify for grant funding. This requirement ensures that all applicants are provided with the most up-to-date information about the grant application process, requirements and reporting, and timeline, including the mandatory presentation dates. An attendance requirement at a meeting of this type is not uncommon in grant processes. Currently the City of Livermore has this mandatory attendance requirement and the City of Pleasanton strongly encourages attendance. Page 2 of 4 Proposed mandatory community meetings - • Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 3:00 - 4:30 PM • Thursday, October 20, 2011, 6:30 - 8:00 PM • Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 3:30 - 5:00 PM In addition to providing training for grant applicants, the City Council CDBG and Community Support Grant Subcommittee will require training on the online system. ZoomGrants provides for an online application review, eliminating the need to reproduce paper binders for the Subcommittee and Staff. ZoomGrants Trainina for Citv Council Subcommittee - • Week of January 9, 2012 (Date to be scheduled by City Council Subcommittee members) As in the past, grant applicants will be required to complete a short presentation about their organization and the specific project for which they have requested funding. Mandatory Applicant Presentations to City Council Subcommittee - • Week of January 23, 2012 (Date(s) to be scheduled by City Council Subcommittee members) This year the City's Council's CDBG grant award recommendations are due to the County of Alameda by the end of February 2012. The Subcommittee's funding recommendations will be considered by the City Council at the second meeting in February with the final recommendation forwarded to the County prior to their deadline. City Council CDBG funding recommendations - • Tuesday, February 21, 2012 The City Council Subcommittee's recommendations for Community Support Grant funding will be considered by the City Council at the first FY 2012-2013 Budget Study Session. City Council Community Support Grant funding recommendations - • TBD Final grant funding would be considered by the City Council at the Budget Hearing in June 2012. Further Direction from City Council In addition to the key dates outlined above, Staff is requesting that the City Council provide direction on several other items for the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 grant funding cycle: Page 3 of 4 Formalization of grant program name - As the CDBG and Community Support Grant program have continued to evolve as a combined grant program pursuant to past City Council direction, the lengthy title of the program has become awkward. To continue efforts to streamline the program, Staff proposes that the City of Dublin Community Development Block Grant and Community Support Grant Program be renamed the "City of Dublin Community Grants Program". Establish minimum /maximum for grant requests - As the application and reporting requirements for the grant process continue to evolve, it would be appropriate to institute a minimum amount for grant applications. This minimum threshold would ensure that administrative time in monitoring grant awards is in line with funding levels. Attachment 2 provides historical detail on the minimum grant awards for CDBG and Community Support Grant funding for the past five years. Based on an analysis of historical grant awards, Staff recommends that a minimum requirement of $3,500 be instituted for all future grant requests. It should be noted that currently a $25,000 maximum grant request exists for the Community Support Grant Program. To provide for further consistency in the grant guidelines, it is suggested that this maximum be extended to CDBG requests as well. Establish mandatory attendance at one Community Meeting - Staff is requesting that the City Council establish that grant applicant attendance at one of three Community Meetings be mandatory to qualify for a grant award. The detail related to this item is discussed above. Appoint City Council Subcommittee - The City Council's CDBG and Community Support Grant Subcommittee is responsible for reviewing grant proposals and making a recommendation to the full City Council regarding funding. Each year two members of the City Council are appointed to serve on the Subcommittee. Appointment of the two Subcommittee members will provide an opportunity to establish the Mandatory Presentation Meeting date prior to the opening of the grant application cycle. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: Not Applicable. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Master Calendar 2. 5 Yr History Page 4 of 4 J'- CITY OF DUBLIN GRANTS PROGRAM PROPOSED CALENDAR FISCAL YEAR 2012-2013 2011 September Friday, September 30 Mail Community Meeting /Workshop Postcards Publish Notice of Funding Availability in Newspaper October Tuesday, October 18 - 3:00 PM Community Meeting /Application Workshop #1 Thursday, October 20 - 6:30 PM Community Meeting /Application Workshop #2 November Monday, November 14 - 12 Noon Grant Application Period Opens (30+ days) Tuesday, November 29 - 3:30 PM Community Meeting /Application Workshop #3 December Tri-Valley Grant Application Workshops Tuesday, December 6 -Pleasanton Wednesday, December 7 -Livermore Friday, December 16 - 5:00 PM Grant Application Period Ends Friday, December 16 to Thursday, December 29 Staff Review of Applications 2012 January Week of January 9 Subcommittee members receive Staff Report and training on online grants system Week of January 23 Public Meeting: Mandatory Grant Applicant Presentations to Subcommittee Each applicant will be limited to a 3-minute presentation. All applicants must be present at the beginning of the meeting. February Tuesday, February 21 City Council Meeting -Staff presents Subcommittee recommendations for FY 2012-2013 CDBG funding TBD City Council Budget Study Session #1 -Staff presents Subcommittee recommendations for FY 2012-2013 Community Grants Tentritive 11laster Crilendar as of 09/1 ~ 71 L J,, CITY OF DUBLIN Minimum Grant Awards Five Year History Following is historical data relative to the minimum grant amounts awarded through the Community Support Grant and Community Development Block Grant Programs: Fiscal Year 2007-2008 CSG $3,500 CDBG $4,967 Fiscal Year 2008-2009 CSG $3,550 CDBG $3,488 Fiscal Year 2009-2010 CSG $3,550 CDBG $3,488 Fiscal Year 2010-2011 CSG $5,000 CDBG $4,000 Fiscal Year 2011-2012 CSG $4,000 CDBG $4,950 CSG =Community Support Grant CDBG =Community Development Block Grant