Title
Approval of the 2023 Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program Oversight Committee's Recommendations for the 2023 Grant Program Awards (Ordinance S-49888)
Description
This report requests City Council approval of the recommendations from the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program (NBWGP) Oversight Committee to fund 140 grant applications for the 2023 grant cycle.
Report
Summary
The Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program (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 is administered by the Police Department.
The 2023 NBWGP grant application process opened on Nov. 1, 2022 and closed on Dec. 5, 2022. The NBWGP Oversight Committee scored the grant applications based on the following criteria:
- Crime Prevention/Quality of Life Factors: 50 percent
- Budget Evaluation: 20 percent
- Community Involvement: 20 percent
- Project Viability/Feasibility/Ability to Complete the Project: 10 percent
A total of 144 grant applications were received. On April 6, 2023, the Oversight Committee voted unanimously to fund 142 applicants. However, in a subsequent meeting held April 18, 2023, the original recommendation to fund 142 applicants was rescinded. A revised recommendation (to fund 140 applicants, disqualifying those applications that scored below the minimum of 5.25) was made. The recommendation passed with five in favor, two opposed, and three abstained.
Of the 144 applications received, 140 applications ($1,646,829 in grant awards) are recommended for full or partial funding and four applications are not recommended to receive funding.
Of the 140 applications recommended for funding, 130 are recommended for full funding and 10 are recommended for partial funding. The 10 applications recommended to receive partial funding requested amounts above the outlined cap and/or included prohibited items, as well as failing to submit required meeting documents.
The four applications not recommended to receive funding scored below the minimum requirement of 5.25 out of 10 points. Also, one of the four applicants requested funding for unallowable items which are outlined in the grant application guide, making them ineligible to receive funding regardless of their score.
See Attachment A for a full list of the 144 grant applications and proposed award amounts.
Additionally, during the Oversight Committee meeting on April 6, 2023, the Committee voted unanimously to recommend the following change related to annual funding for the Block Watch Grant Program, "Increase funding for the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program from $1,500,000 to $1,750,000 annually." The program's fund balance allows for the recommended increase.
Contract Term
The award period is July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
Financial Impact
No matching funds are required.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
On May 10, 2023, the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend City Council approval of the Oversight Committee's recommendations.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and the Police Department.