Title
Authorize Recommended Changes to 2019 Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program Application Guide and Process
Description
This report requests City Council approval of changes to the 2019 Neighborhood Block Watch (NBW) grant application guide and program process, as recommended by the Neighborhood Block Watch Oversight Committee.
Report
Summary
The NBW 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 NBW Oversight Committee reviewed and approved requests to change the NBW grant application and program process during their meeting on Aug. 2, 2018. The NBW Oversight Committee is recommending the following changes become effective for the 2019 grant application process which opens on Nov. 1, 2018.
The following is a list of the significant NBW Oversight Committee recommended changes to the 2019 NBW Grant Application Guide (Attachment A):
1. Amend the application guide to open the grant application process on Nov. 1, 2018 and close it on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018 at midnight, Arizona time.*(see Staff Recommendation #1)
2. On page 5, under the Evaluation of Application section, delete the reference to the applicant being able to appeal the results if the application scores below 5.25 points out of 10 possible points.
3. On page 5, insert a hyperlink to the NBW Oversight Committee Scoring Criteria document (Attachment B).*(see Staff Recommendation #2)
4. On page 6, under the Budget Categories and Description section, Personnel, add the following, “Administration of the grant itself, including payment to an accountant or individual to complete quarterly reports or to pay Block Watch members for any services is strictly prohibited.” Also add, “Examples of personnel expenses that include crime prevention and safety."
5. On page 7, under the Volunteer Hour Contributions section, add the following to both Primary and Co-Applicant, “Describe volunteer contributions to include hours, supplies or funds provided by members of your organization to complete the grant project.”
6. On page 7, under the Operational Expenses section, change the sentence to the following, “Soliciting, and/or accepting funds, to post advertisements in a neighborhood newsletter, that is funded with Neighborhood Block Watch grant funds, is not permitted.” Also, add the words, “public transportation” to the bullet point related to transportation costs.
7. On pages 10-11, under the Required Documents section, add the following, “If there is a Co-Applicant Group, the Co-Applicant Group must submit the same documents as required for the Primary Applicant Group after being established for one year.” This applies to both sections of applicants requesting between $1 and $1,000, and also $1,001 and $10,000.*(see Staff Recommendation #3)
8. On page 12, under the Community Lighting Information section, add the following, “Lighting is encouraged to be directed and shielded so as to deter glare which can be a safety hazard to vehicles and pedestrians.” Also add language, “Lighting color temperature should be consistent with the lighting color temperatures approved and used by the City of Phoenix Streets and Parks Departments (2700 Kelvin).”
9. On page 13, add the word “kubotan” to the list of prohibited weapons.
10. On page 13, add to the prohibited item list, home alarm and/or vehicle alarm systems, and batteries and/or power sources used for mobility purposes.
11. On page 13, remove reference to grantees being able to provide an explanation for requesting a restricted item for more than the listed amount.
12. On page 14, under Restricted Items Chart, restrict Promotional Items to a total of $3,000, and restrict Crime Prevention Tools/Items to a total of $3,000.
13. Delete all references to an appeals process from the application guide. As referenced in the guide, on page 16, if the applicant scores below a 5.25 out of 10 possible points, the application is disqualified.
A grant process change proposed by the NBW Oversight Committee regarding reviewing and possibly changing the NBW Grant Application Guide. "The Neighborhood Block Watch Oversight Committee will review, and possibly make changes to, the grant application guide, every other year."*(see Staff Recommendation #4)
For clarification purposes to assist applicants in successfully completing the grant application, the following changes are recommended to the Definition of Common Grant Terms document (Attachment C):
1. Create separate definitions for crime prevention items and promotional items.
2. On page 1, define crime prevention items as actual physical items which implement crime prevention techniques that deter, delay and/or prevent crime. Also on page 1, define promotional items as products or merchandise that market and promote the grant applicant neighborhoods, block watches, and/or crime stop, and/or 911, and/or the Phoenix Police Department.
For clarification purposes to assist applicants in successfully completing the grant application, the following changes are recommended to the Frequently Asked Questions document (Attachment D):
1. On page 5, include examples of crime prevention/safety tools/items as follows, but not limited to: (a) locks (window, door, steering wheel, and padlock); (b) timers; (c) lighting (motion sensors, dusk-to-dawn, indoor/outdoor emergency lighting); (d) alarms (small/individual door, pool, carbon dioxide, smoke, window, or personal); (e) document shredders; (f) individual RFID sleeves only.
2. On page 5, include examples of program promotional items as follows, but not limited to: pens/pencils, letter openers, mugs, Frisbees, auto-window shades, wrist bands, mouse pads, key chains, kitchen products, microfiber cloths, bags, calendars, lanyards, and note pads.
*Staff Recommendations:
1. To ensure applicants have City staff assistance, close the application process on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. This is how the process has been done for the last several years to ensure City staff, in the Neighborhood Services Department, and the Police Department, are available to assist grant applicants with successfully submitting their grant application electronically by the deadline.
2. Add language to the Oversight Committee Scoring Criteria document that line item vetoes on grant applications are prohibited. Remove all reference to vetoes from the application guide.
3. On pages 10-11, remove the co-applicant meeting agenda requirement to make the application process less restrictive for applicants.
4. Recommend that the Neighborhood Block Watch Oversight Committee review and/or make changes to the grant application guide every three years to give grant applicants more consistency in the annual application process.
Contract Term
The funding period for the 2019 NBW grants is July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
Financial Impact
No matching funds are required.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was unanimously approved, as corrected through accepting all staff recommendations, by the Public Safety and Veterans Subcommittee at its Sept. 12, 2018 meeting, by a vote of 4-0.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Police Department, on behalf of the Neighborhood Block Watch Oversight Committee.