City of Phoenix - File #: 24-1285

Date	Action By	Action	Action Details	Details	Video
5/29/2024	City Council Formal Meeting	adopted	Action details	Details	Not Available

Title

American Rescue Plan Act Phoenix Resilient Food System Programs - Enter into Agreements for Food System Transformation Grants (Ordinance S-50942)

Description

Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into individual agreements with the Al-Hamka Farm and Bakery, Diana Gregory Outreach Services, Farm to School Procurement Consulting, Homer Farms, Juntos Phoenix, Knead Technologies, Let’s Go Compost, Recycled City, and TigerMountain Foundation to disburse funds for the Food System Transformation Grant program. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. Funding is available through the City’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funding and is in the Phoenix Resilient Food System category of the strategic plan. The additional aggregate expenditures included will not exceed $350,000.

Report

Summary

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Office of Environmental Programs (OEP) staff developed a food assistance plan to address the food needs of vulnerable populations and communities impacted by COVID-19. The plan provides: 1) access to healthy foods for impacted populations; 2) infrastructure assistance regarding transportation and delivery with a focus on home delivery; 3) support for food banks, food pantries and community agencies; 4) support for increased local food production; and 5) business and employment opportunities throughout the food system spectrum.

Economic Development and Innovation - Food System Transformation Grant Program

This Food System Transformation Grant Program is designed to encourage small businesses across the food system to implement projects with the potential to transform the City’s food system into a more resilient, sustainable, equitable, healthy, and thriving system.

OEP conducted an open grant application process for 30 days and received 14 eligible applications for a total request of $547,674. The grant awards were selected following criteria identified in the grant application, including the ability to complete the project work by Nov. 30, 2024. Applications were evaluated by a panel consisting of City staff and external stakeholders. OEP is recommending to award the Food System Transformation grant funds to nine food system businesses and non-profits that were impacted by COVID and/or are providing food to COVID-impacted individuals/households. The projects also accelerate the transition and transformation of the local food system.

The following are recommended for funding:

Al-Hamka Farm and Bakery will use grant funds to grow, harvest, clean, and package a variety of summer and fall seasonal produce, including Armenian cucumbers, basil, zucchini, eggplant, okra, shishito peppers, garlic, red/yellow watermelon, melons, tomatoes, and green onion. The produce will be distributed to multiple St. Mary’s Food Bank locations to enhance food security in the community.
Diana Gregory Outreach Services (DGOS) will use grant funds to expand services to more seniors, grandchildren, families, and veterans living in food deserts. DGOS will expand food production and on-site distribution of fresh, nourishing fruits and vegetables to improve community health and address transportation challenges.
Farm to School Procurement Consulting (FSPC) will use grant funds to purchase an oven and vegetable cutting equipment, benefiting both a school catering company and small local farmers. The grant funded project will enhance access to local foods in schools and strengthen connections between producers and school communities. By introducing more local food options into schools, FSPC will serve 2500 students and involve up to 10 farmers in the process.
Homer Farms will use grant funds to establish an on-site post-harvesting facility within their current warehouse. The new post-harvesting facility will use advanced automation to process up to 1,100 pounds of leafy greens per hour, serving up to 3,500 local customers daily.
Juntos Phoenix will use grant funds to host a series of free Local Food Workshops to address the needs surrounding food in the Edison Eastlake Community (EEC). Juntos will increase access to local, heirloom, and sustainable foods within the EEC by offering a series of learning, cooking, and dining workshops in Spanish and English.
Knead Technologies (Knead) will use grant funds to partner with Phoenix-based Kitchen on the Street to develop a circular food system pilot by collecting surplus edible food and compostable waste from local farms, grocery stores, and cafes. Knead will distribute rescued food to those in need and send waste to compost partners, closing the loop on waste and building community resilience.
Let’s Go Compost will use grant funds to support 14 schools in disadvantaged communities in the City with a kindergarten through 12th grade science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) classroom composting program. The project will integrate local food systems, school gardening, and circularity practices into Phoenix classrooms, offering comprehensive environmental education and hands-on activities.
Recycled City (R.City) plans to utilize grant funds to acquire essential farming equipment, including a cultivating tractor, and associated tools. This equipment will be instrumental in supporting young, beginning, and disadvantaged farmers working on R.City's farm. By investing in this equipment, R.City aims to reduce the need for manual weeding, minimize labor costs, boost production yields, decrease vegetable production expenses, and ultimately improve accessibility and affordability.
TigerMountain Foundation (TMF) will use grant funds to build an agrivoltaics project at the Garden of Tomorrow in South Phoenix. Shade from the agrivoltaics panels will create microclimates that will increase crop production by 20 percent by reducing temperatures, evaporation, and overall stress of the plants. The solar panels will power an advanced irrigation system devised for water conservation and provide power for a wireless internet connection for those visiting the community garden.

Procurement Information

Services may be procured, as needed, in accordance with Administrative Regulation 3.10 to implement and administer programs intended to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contract Term

The term of the agreements will begin on or about June 3, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024.

Financial Impact

There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding is available through the City's allocation of ARPA funding to the Phoenix Resilient Food System Program by the ARPA Strategic Plan approved by the Mayor and Council.

The funding breakdown is as follows:

$50,000 - Al-Hamka Farm and Bakery
$50,000 - Diana Gregory Outreach Services
$39,250 - Farm to School Procurement Consulting
$50,000 - Homer Farms
$8,886 - Juntos Phoenix
$48,500 - Knead Technologies
$13,500 - Let’s Go Compost
$39,864 - Recycled City
$50,000 - TigerMountain Foundation

Concurrence/Previous Council Action

The City Council approved the ARPA Strategic Plan on June 8, 2021, and the ARPA Phoenix Resilient Food System allocation for the second tranche on June 7, 2022.

Department

Responsible Department

This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson and the Office of Environmental Programs.