Title
Dept/ Agency: Administration/Office of the Business Administrator
Action: (X) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Application/Acceptance of Grant Funds
Purpose: To implement an Impact Volunteering Initiative that engages resident volunteers in disaster preparedness, and community resiliency building activities that improve Newark's ability to respond to extreme weather events
Entity Name: City of Newark
Entity Address: 920 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102
Grant Amount: $25,000.00
Funding Source: Cities of Service Prepared Together Program
Total Project Cost: $25,000.00
City Contribution: $0.00
Other Funding Source/Amount: $0.00
Contract Period: Funds to be expended by April 30, 2018
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor ( ) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale (X) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
Additional Information:
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WHEREAS, Cities of Service is a national nonprofit organization that supports mayors and city leaders in their efforts to engage local communities and residents, identify challenges, and solve problems together. Specifically, they work with cities to build city-led, citizen-powered initiatives that target specific needs, achieve long-term and measurable outcomes, improve the quality of life for residents, and build stronger cities; and
WHEREAS, Cities of Service issued a solicitation to eligible communities to receive grant funding and staffing resources through their Prepared Together Program on January 25, 2017. The Prepared Together Program focuses on increasing disaster preparedness among low-income communities so as to improve the City's ability to respond to extreme weather events by providing a combination of grant funds, technical assistance, and two (2) AmeriCorps Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) members to build capacity in nonprofits and government entities to assist in bringing individuals and communities out of poverty; and
WHEREAS, the City is eligible for Prepared Together Program a member of the Cities of Service Coalition, formalized by the City's Declaration of Service, signed by the Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka on February 27, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to obtain funding to build the City's resilience to urban flooding and extreme heat by planting trees, and installing rain barrels and "cool roofs" throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to leverage the in-kind staffing support resources made available by Newark Resiliency Action Plan partners (including Clean Water Action, Ironbound Community Corporation and the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance), which have offered to coordinate education and outreach efforts to expand the reach of on-the-ground projects in targeted neighborhoods to make Newark more resilient to the effects of climate change, including flooding, extreme weather, and excess heat; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to further the public interest by obtaining funding from the Cities of Service Prepared Together Program to address urban flooding and extreme heat by planting trees, and installing rain barrels and "cool roofs" throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, on February 28, 2017, on behalf of the City, the Business Administrator submitted an application to the Cities of Service Prepared Together Program requesting grant funding in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00), for the purpose of addressing urban flooding and extreme heat by planting trees, and installing rain barrels and "cool roofs" in the City of Newark with no City funds required; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the application, the City of Newark has been awarded a grant in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00), with funds to be expended by April 30, 2018, with no City funds required; and
WHEREAS, upon notification of the receipt of a grant award in connection with this application, the Business Administrator desires to accept the grant award and execute a grant agreement governing said award; and
WHEREAS, upon notification of the receipt of a grant award in connection with this application, a copy of the grant agreement shall be submitted to the City Clerk and the Acting Corporation Counsel and Business Administrator for review, approval, and signature.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The Mayor and/or his designee, the Business Administrator, are hereby authorized to submit an application to the Cities of Service Prepared Together Program requesting grant funding in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00) to address urban flooding and extreme heat by planting trees, and installing rain barrels and "cool roofs" throughout the City (a copy of the application is attached hereto and made a part hereof).
2. The Municipal Council hereby ratifies its authorization of this application from the date of application submission, February 28, 2017, to the date of adoption of this authorizing resolution.
3. Upon notification of the receipt of a grant award in connection with this application, the grant is hereby accepted.
4. Upon notification of the receipt of a grant award in connection with this application, the Mayor and/or his designee, the Business Administrator, are hereby authorized to enter into and execute grant documents with the Cities of Service Prepared Together Program to receive and expend the grant award.
5. Upon notification of the receipt of a grant award in connection with this application, the Mayor and/or his designee, the Business Administrator, are hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Cities of Service Prepared Together Program to also receive technical assistance and staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members.
6. Upon notification of the receipt of a grant award in connection with this application, a complete copy of the grant agreement and any associated documents shall be filed with the City Clerk.
7. No municipal funds are required for receipt or acceptance of this grant award.
8. The Business Administrator shall file a fully-executed copy of the grant application, the grant award letter, and the grant agreement in the Office of the City Clerk.
STATEMENT
This resolution ratifies and authorizes the Mayor and/or his designee, the Business Administrator, to submit an application for, accept, and enter in an agreement for grant funding in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00) and receive staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members from the Cities of Service Prepared Together Program to address urban flooding and extreme heat by planting trees, and installing rain barrels and "cool roofs" throughout the City, with funding to be expended by April 30, 2018. No municipal funds are required for receipt or acceptance of this grant award.