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 blight remediation activities such as housing repair and vacant lot transformation to revitalize low-income neighborhoods
Entity Name: City of Newark
Entity Address: 920 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102
Grant Amount: $25,000.00
Funding Source: Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 Grant Program
Total Project Cost: $25,000.00
City Contribution: $0.00
Other Funding Source/Amount: $0.00
Contract Period Two (2) year period commencing on the official start date determined by the Corporation for National and Community Service
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:
body
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, on April 19, 2018 Cities of Service issued an invitation to the City of Newark to apply for grant funding from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program for staffing resources and technical assistance. Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program is a tested, high-impact service strategy through which city leaders engage community members in revitalizing their neighborhoods, one block at a time. The program supports cities working to prevent and eliminate blighted properties and the negative effects these have on communities by providing a combination of grant funds and 2 (two) 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 funding from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program as a member of the Cities of Service Coalition, formalized by the City's Declaration of Service, signed by Hon. Mayor Ras J. Baraka on February, 27, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the City has a need to obtain funding from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program to increase resident empowerment to prevent, remediate and eliminate blighted properties in the Clinton Hill and Lower West Ward neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the City also desires to utilize grant funds from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program to build upon the work of the Model Neighborhood Initiative and continue empowering local residents and community groups to engage in on-the-ground community revitalization projects by helping to prevent or eliminate property blight through home repairs, lot transformations, and community clean-ups; and
WHEREAS, on June 1, 2018, on behalf of the City, the Business Administrator submitted an application to the Cities of Service requesting from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program grant funding in the amount of $25,000.00 (Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents); staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members to provide on the ground support; and technical assistance and support for the purpose of preventing or eliminating property blight through home repairs, lot transformations, and community clean-ups in the City of Newark with no City funds required; and
WHEREAS, as a result of this application, the City of Newark has been awarded a grant in the amount of $25,000.00 (Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents); staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members to provide on the ground support; and technical assistance and support with no City funds required; and
WHEREAS, the City must execute a grant agreement with Cities of Service in order to obtain the grant award with no City funds required.
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 requesting grant funding in the amount of $25,000.00 (Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents); staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members to provide on the ground support; and technical assistance and support from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program to prevent or eliminate property blight through home repairs, lot transformations, and community clean-ups, with no City funds required (a copy of the application is attached hereto and made a part hereof).
2. The Municipal Council hereby ratifies its authorization of the application from the date of application submission, June 1, 2018, to the date of adoption of this authorizing resolution.
3. The grant award in the amount of $25,000.00 (Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents); staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members to provide on the ground support; and technical assistance and support from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program is hereby accepted (a copy of the award letter is attached hereto and made a part hereof).
4. The Mayor and/or his designee, the Business Administrator, are hereby authorized to enter into and execute grant documents with the Fund for Cities of Service, Inc., 120 Park Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10017, to receive and expend the grant award in the amount of $25,000.00 (Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents); staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members to provide on the ground support; and technical assistance and support to prevent or eliminate property blight through home repairs, lot transformations, and community clean-ups, with no City funds required for a period of two years commencing on the official start date determined by the Corporation for National and Community Service (a copy of the Agreement is attached hereto and made a part hereof).
5. No municipal funds are required for receipt or acceptance of this grant award.
6. 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 City Clerk.
STATEMENT
This resolution ratifies and authorizes the actions taken by the Business Administrator to submit an application for grant funding from The Fund for Cities of Service, Inc., also known as Cities of Service, for grant funding in the amount of $25,000.00 (Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents); staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members to provide on the ground support; and technical assistance and support from the Cities of Service Love Your Block 2018 grant program to prevent or eliminate property blight through home repairs, lot transformations, and community clean-ups, with no City funds required, and furthermore, authorizes the Mayor and/or his designee, the Business Administrator, to enter into and execute an agreement with and accept grant funding in the amount of $25,000.00 (Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents); staffing support from two (2) AmeriCorps VISTA members to provide on the ground support; and technical assistance and support from The Fund for Cities of Service, Inc. to carry out the above purposes, for a two year period commencing on the official start date determined by the Corporation for National and Community Service. No municipal funds are required.