Title
Approval of the Neighborhood Block Watch Oversight Committee's Recommendations for the 2024 Grant Program Awards (Ordinance S-50933)
Description
This report requests City Council approval of the recommendations from the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program (NBWGP) Oversight Committee to fund 157 grant applications for the 2024 grant cycle.
Report
Summary
The NBWGP Oversight Committee was established to solicit, evaluate, and recommend to the Mayor and City Council appropriate proposals to expend funds for the expansion of the Block Watch programs within the limits of the Neighborhood Protection Ordinance. This ordinance, known as Proposition 301, was adopted at a special election on Oct. 5, 1993. The City Council adopted the format and guidelines for this process on April 26, 1994. The NBWGP program is administered by the Police Department.
The 2024 NBWGP grant application process opened on Nov. 1, 2023 and closed on Dec. 7, 2023. The NBWGP Oversight Committee scored the grant applications based on the following criteria: Crime Prevention/Quality of Life Factors for 50 percent, Budget Evaluation for 20 percent, Community Involvement for 20 percent, and Project Viability/Feasibility/Ability to Complete the Project for 10 percent.
A total of 165 grant applications were received. Of those evaluated, 157 applications are recommended for funding by the Oversight Committee totaling $1,897,632. Eight applications are not recommended for funding. All eight applications not recommended to receive funding scored below the minimum requirement of 5.25 out of 10 points for various reasons to include lack of neighborhood participation, lack of documentation or requesting items the grant does not cover.
On April 4, 2024, the Oversight Committee voted to fund 157 applicants (8 in favor, 1 opposed, 0 in conflict, 0 abstained).
See Attachment A for a full list of the 165 grant applications.
Also, at the April 4, 2024 Oversight Committee meeting, the committee voted (8 in favor, 1 opposed, 0 in conflict, 0 abstained) to recommend the following change related to annual funding for the program:
Increase funding for the Neighborhood Block Watch Program from $1,750,000 to $2,000,000 annually. The program’s fund balance allows for the recommended increase.
Contract Term
The award period is July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
Financial Impact
No matching funds are required.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was recommended for approval by the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee at the May 1, 2024 meeting.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and the Police Department.