HomeMy Public PortalAbout12. 2024 Community Based Organization Program FundingClaremont City Council
Agenda Report
File #:4921 Item No:12.
TO:ADAM PIRRIE, CITY MANAGER
FROM:MELISSA VOLLARO, HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR
DATE:NOVEMBER 14, 2023
Reviewed by:
City Manager:AP
SUBJECT:
2024 COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION GENERAL SERVICES AND HOMELESS SERVICES
PROGRAM FUNDING (FUNDING SOURCE: AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUND)
SUMMARY
The Community Based Organization (CBO)Grant Program provides financial assistance to non-profit
agencies that deliver critical services to Claremont residents.Two funding categories exist,General
Services and Homeless Services.The General Services category funds programs which strengthen
the social,family,and/or economic fabric of the Claremont community.The Homeless Services
category funds programs that assist in the prevention of homelessness and/or provide services to
individuals who are currently homeless.
The Community and Human Services Commission has reviewed a total of thirty-one applications
between the two funding categories.The Commission recommends funding all organizations as
identified in Attachments B and C.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council review and approve the 2024 Community Based Organization
funding recommendations made by the Community and Human Services Commission,consisting of
$86,650 for General Services programs and $60,000 for Homeless Services programs.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the staff recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
·Amend the funding recommendations.
·Request additional information from staff.
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
The CBO Program was established by the Claremont City Council in 1989 and assigned to the
Human Services Commission (now the Community and Human Services Commission)to review and
allocate funds annually to nonprofits serving the Claremont community.The program was originally
funded with a combination of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)funds and the City’s
General Fund.In April 1993,the City Council approved funding the CBO program solely with General
Funds due to extensive CDBG reporting requirements.Funding amounts have since varied over the
years.In 2007,the City Council approved the funding of homeless programs in the amount of
$60,000.
In 2019,the City of Claremont faced a large budget deficit and funding for the CBO program was
discontinued.On May 10,2022,the City Council voted to authorize funding from the American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)to reinstate the CBO program,with $86,650 allocated for General Services
and $60,000 allocated for Homeless Services.ARPA funding funded the 2023 CBO program and will
continue to fund the 2024 CBO program.
The staff cost to prepare this report and administer the program is estimated to be $2,212 and is
included in the operating budget of the Human Services Department.
ANALYSIS
The City’s Community Based Organization Grant Program has two primary components,which are
an annual application process and an on-site evaluation for approved grant programs.
City staff distributed a request for applications in July 2023 to all grant applicants who had applied for
funding during the last two years the program was active.City staff also distributed applications to a
list of organizations who had contacted the City to express interest in applying for the program and to
a list of nonprofit organizations that serve the Claremont community.A press release was posted on
the City of Claremont’s website and sent to local newspapers,and the information was posted on the
City’s social media accounts.
Twenty-two agencies submitted twenty-five applications for General Service grants.They requested
a total of $231,000 for $86,650 in available funding.Five agencies submitted six applications for
Homeless Services grants.They requested a total of $45,000 for the $60,000 in available funding for
Homeless Service grants.
In September 2023,the Community and Human Services Commission was given agency
applications to review and submit requests for additional information from applicants.At its October
2023 meeting,the Commission was presented with its requested information from the agencies.At a
special meeting on November 1,2023,the Commission met to consider the grant proposals and
develop the funding recommendations outlined in the attachment.An excerpt of the draft minutes
from this special Commission meeting is included as Attachment A to this report.
Proposals were evaluated based on criteria that included the number of Claremont residents or
students served,how the proposed programs aligned with City Council priorities,and how well the
program fit the current needs of the community.While some of the recommended programs served a
large group of local residents or students,other programs served relatively few,but were considered
to be deeply impactful for those recipients.
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General Services
The current budget allocates $86,650 to General Services programs.The Community and Human
Services Commission has recommended funding all eligible programs for the 2024 calendar year.
Recipients, programs, funding requests, and funding recommendations are outlined in Attachment B.
Homeless Services
The current budget allocates $60,000 to Homeless Services programs.The Community and Human
Services Commission has recommended funding all eligible programs for the 2024 calendar year.
Recipients and details are outlined in Attachment C.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents
and finds that it applies to the following City Planning Documents:Council Priorities,General Plan,
2022-24 Budget, and the Youth and Family Master Plan.
CEQA REVIEW
This item is not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA).
COMMISSION REVIEW
At its October 4,2023 meeting,the Community and Human Services Commission discussed the
CBO funding criteria process and at its November 1,2023 special meeting,the Commission made
funding recommendations and unanimously agreed to forward the 2024 calendar year funding
requests listed in Attachments B and C to the City Council for final consideration and approval.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to
interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by:Prepared by:
Melissa Vollaro Michelle Castillo
Human Services Director Management Analyst
Attachments:
A - Excerpt from the 11-1-23 C&HS Commission Special Meeting Minutes (Draft)
B - 2024 CBO General Services Category Funding Recommendations
C - 2024 CBO Homeless Services Category Funding Recommendations
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Draft of the Community and Human Services Commission Special Meeting Minutes
November 1, 2023
Page 1
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION (CBO) APPLICATIONS 2024 FUNDING
RECOMMENDATIONS
Management Analyst Michelle Castillo presented background information on the CBO grant
funding program and its annual process. She addressed a few questions from the Commission
regarding the minimum award to an organization and the process when an organization is not
funded at all.
Chair Silva invited public comment.
Vickie Noble, Treasurer of Claremont Meals on Wheels, addressed the importance of considering
the commissioners' comments with sensitivity when discussing funding recommendations for
different organizations within the City.
There were no more requests to speak.
Ms. Castillo initiated the recommendation process to reassign two applications from distinct
agencies that had initially applied under the general services category to the homeless services
category. The two agencies are the Newcomer’s Access Center, which submitted an applicati on
for their rental assistance program, and the Service Center for Independent Life, which submitted
an application for the Siobhan Newman Memorial Food Pantry program. The rationale for this
recommendation stems from the fact that these programs serve homeless or at-risk individuals.
Vice Chair Scott Toux moved to transfer Newcomer’s Access Center’s application for rental
assistance and the Service Center for Independent Life’s application for the Siobhan
Newman Memorial Food Pantry from the General Services category to the Homeless
Services category, seconded by Commissioner Roselle, and carried on a vote as follows:
AYES: Commissioner: Brower, Naticchia, Roselle, Scott Toux, Sifuentes, Silva
NOES: Commissioner: None
ABSENT: Commissioner: Glass
Moving on to the homeless services funding category, there are now eight programs requesting
funding. Ms. Castillo went over each agency's funding request line by line, comparing it to the
figures that the Commissioners had provided to staff, indicating their recommended funding
amounts for these organizations within this category. The Commissioners were tasked to make a
final recommendation and decided on the small amount of excess of $1,071.
The Commissioners engaged in a discussion regarding the allocation of the surplus funds.
Ultimately, the Commission reached a consensus to distribute the $1,071 among three agencies:
the St. Ambrose Shower Program under the St. Ambrose Shower Ministry, the Newcomer's
Access Center for the Rental Services program, and the Service Center for Independent Life for
its Siobhan Newman Memorial Food Pantry, as shown in the chart below.
Draft of the Community and Human Services Commission Special Meeting Minutes
November 1, 2023
Page 2
Commissioner Sifuentes moved to accept the averages on Homeless Services category
and forward them to the Claremont City Council for final approval, seconded by Chair Silva,
and carried on a vote as follows:
AYES: Commissioner: Brower, Naticchia, Roselle, Scott Toux, Sifuentes, Silva
NOES: Commissioner: None
ABSENT: Commissioner: Glass
The Commission shifted its focus to the topic of general services funding requests. Ms. Castillo
pointed out that, when combining all the Commissioner's recommendations to get the averages,
two agencies did not meet the minimum funding requirement of $1,000. In response to this,
Commissioner Naticchia proposed several alternatives for approaching the recommendations to
these agencies, with the aim of increasing the funding amount for the two agencies that fell below
the $1,000 threshold.
Ms. Castillo responded to a Commissioner's question about historical practices when making
funding recommendations, particularly when faced with the choice of not funding CBOs or
ensuring that all CBOs receive funding. Other Commissioners who have been involved in these
funding practices in the past shared their insights on their experiences and the ir personal criteria
they use to determine which agencies should receive funding.
Commissioners agreed to follow one of Commissioner Naticchia’s ideas to subtract $27 from each
agency's averages.
The Commission recessed at 5:55 p.m.
The Commission reconvened at 6:00 p.m.
After staff conducted the calculations, it was determined that the total funding exceeded the
available funds by $7. Subsequently, the commission engaged in a discussion to determine which
agency should have its funding reduced by $7, thus ensuring that the total allocation for gen eral
services would align with the available funds of $86,650. The Commission reached a consensus
to deduct the $7 from the agency that is being allocated the highest amount of funding, as shown
in the chart below.
Draft of the Community and Human Services Commission Special Meeting Minutes
November 1, 2023
Page 3
Commissioner Sifuentes moved to approve the general services averages and forward to
Claremont City Council for final approval, seconded by Commissioner Brower, and carried
on a vote as follows:
AYES: Commissioner: Brower, Naticchia, Roselle, Scott Toux, Sifuentes, Silva
NOES: Commissioner: None
ABSENT: Commissioner: Glass
Agency Name Program 2023 Award 2024 Request
Commission
Recommendation
Average
2024 Final
Recommendation
AbilityFirst AbilityFirst Claremont Center 5,000$ 3,067$ 3,040$
AgingNext Memory Care Center 4,378$ 6,300$ 3,295$ 3,268$
AgingNext Resource Specialist 6,810$ 10,000$ 4,897$ 4,870$
Anthesis Flourish: Anthesis Learning Labs for Life 10,000$ 1,324$ 1,297$
California Botanic Garden Growing WaterWise at CalBG 3,485$ 13,000$ 3,791$ 3,764$
Children's Foundation of America ChariTea Event 2,000$ 571$ 1,000$
Claremont After-School Programs, Inc.
(CLASP)CLASP Connects with Claremont Students 13,630$ 15,000$ 11,098$ 11,064$
Claremont Community School of Music Music Specialist Enrichment Porgram 4,951$ 10,000$ 4,086$ 4,059$
Claremont Educational Foundation Slice of Summer Full Day Enrichment Program Camps for 1st-6th Grade 7,697$ 10,000$ 5,814$ 5,787$
Claremont Forum Farmers Market Development Program 20,000$ 4,231$ 4,204$
Claremont Heritage, Inc.Claremont Heritage 3rd Grade Local History Program 2,082$ $ 2,500 1,593$ 1,566$
Claremont Lewis Museum Of Art Project ARTstART 7,888$ 10,000$ 4,594$ 4,567$
Claremont Meals on Wheels Claremont Meals On Wheels 10,683$ 16,200$ 9,157$ 9,130$
ConductAbility, Inc.Conductive Education 17,000$ 1,751$ 1,724$
Girls Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, La Casita
Day Camp Campership & Financial Aid for Underserved Girls 4,961$ 10,000$ 4,886$ 4,859$
Inland Valley Repertory Theatre, Inc.Camp IVRT (Broadway musical theatre workshop for youth)3,485$ 5,000$ 3,053$ 3,026$
Newcomers Access Center Summer Enrichment Programs 2,000$ 857$ 1,000$
Ophelia's Jump Productions Theatre for Good People 15,000$ 4,105$ 4,078$
Service Center for Independent Life (SCIL)Health and Wellness Hour 5,000$ 1,448$ 1,421$
Shoes That Fit Emergency Warehouse 4,519$ 5,000$ 3,229$ 3,202$
Sustainable Claremont Residential Urban Forest Renewal 5,427$ 8,500$ 3,936$ 3,909$
Vineyard Touring Opera Company Broadway and operatic recitals, performed at senior centers, retirement
and assisted living facilities and community centers 2,050$ 3,000$ 1,540$ 1,513$
VNAcare Charitable Care "free care and services to underserved patients and
families"4,602$ 7,500$ 4,329$ 4,302$
$ 208,000 86,650$ 86,650$
City of Claremont
Community Based Organization General Services Funding Requests FY 2024
Agency Name Program 2023 Award 2024 Request
Commission
Recommendation
Average
2024 Final
Recommendation
Crossroads, Inc.Enhancing Women's Re-Entry 7,000$ 7,000$ 6,393$ 6,393$
Foothill Family Shelter, Inc.Stepping Stones-Helping unhoused families
overcome housing and food insecurities 7,500$ 7,500$ 6,238$ 6,238$
Inland Valley Council of Churches, dba Inland
Valley Hope Partners Food Security 8,500$ 8,500$ 8,284$ 8,284$
Inland Valley Council of Churches, dba Inland
Valley Hope Partners Our House 3,500$ 3,411$ 3,411$
Pacific Lifeline Women's Program 5,000$ $ 6,000 5,705$ 5,705$
St. Ambrose Shower Program St. Ambrose Shower Ministry 8,500$ $ 12,500 10,896$ 11,253$
Newcomers Access Center*Rental Assistance 18,000$ 11,756$ 12,113$
Service Center for Independent Life (SCIL)*Siobhan Newman Memorial Food Pantry 10,000$ 6,246$ 6,603$
Unassigned 1,071$
$ 73,000 60,000$ 60,000$
*moved from General Services
City of Claremont
Community Based Organization Homeless Services Funding Requests FY 2024