To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Board of Supervisors
Staff Name and Phone Number: Supervisor James Gore, 707-565-2241
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fourth
Title:
Title
Disbursement of Fiscal Year 26-27 Fourth District Community Investment Fund District Priorities Grant AwardsEnd
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Approve Community Investment Fund grant awards and authorize the County Executive, or designee, to execute an agreement with the following entities: 404 Found Code, $400; Children's Museum of Sonoma County, $1,000; Common Ground Society, $1,000; First Responders Resiliency, Inc., $1,000; Food for Thought, $400; Friends of Lake Sonoma, $3,000; Geyserville Chamber of Commerce, $3,000; Healdsburg Futbol Club Association, $2,000; Infinite Learning and Resource Center, $500; LandPaths, $500; Latino Service Providers, $2,000; LIME Foundation, $1,500; Listening for a Change, $1,000; Los Cien Sonoma County, $1,500; Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, $5,000; People4Parks (two grants), $20,850; Santa Rosa Quilt Guild, $400; Somos Windsor (Formerly Dia de Muertos Windsor), $3,000; Sonoma County Pride, $500; The Living Room, $500; Troop 21 - Boy Scouts of America, $17,000; and Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation, $1,000.
B) Authorize the allocation of $3,600 for the support of the Geyserville Municipal Advisory Council.
C) Authorize the County Executive, or designee, to amend these agreements to lengthen the time schedules and make minor modifications to the allowed uses that do not increase the amount awarded under the agreements.
D) Make a finding that the proposed expenditures are necessary to meet the social needs of the population of the County pursuant to Government Code Section 26227. (Fourth District)
end
Executive Summary:
The Board established the District Priorities category to fund local events and programs that will support businesses, culture, and organizations that provide a benefit to the community, or to award funding to County Departments to fulfill Supervisorial District priorities. Organizations may make requests throughout the year to one or more Supervisorial Districts.
The Fourth District has reviewed the applications and recommends the following grant awards:
1.) 404 Found Code for their coding, computer science, robotics, and cybersecurity education programs, grant award of $400.
2.) Children's Museum of Sonoma County to support the Access for All initiative offering discounted admission for low-income families, grant award of $1,000.
3.) Common Ground Society for the Momentum Refresh at the Sonoma County Fair, grant award of $1,000.
4.) First Responders Resiliency, Inc. to support trauma, chronic-stress, and burnout-prevention training for first responders and community-serving professionals, grant award of $1,000.
5.) Food for Thought for the annual Dining Out For Life event, grant award of $400.
6.) Friends of Lake Sonoma for the 2027 Lake Sonoma Steelhead Festival, grant award of $3,000.
7.) Geyserville Chamber of Commerce for the Fall Colors event, Tractor Parade, Geyserville Stampede, and May Day community event, grant award of $3,000.
8.) Healdsburg Futbol Club Association for their Celebrating Sports community event, grant award of $2,000.
9.) Infinite Learning and Resource Center to support Exploradores en SoCo outdoor education, conservation, and career-exploration outings, grant award of $500.
10.) LandPaths to support the Harvest Festival/Festival de la Cosecha at Bayer Farm, grant award of $500.
11.) Latino Service Providers to support the Promotores Profesionales Internship Program, grant award of $2,000.
12.) LIME Foundation to support the Believe in the Dream: Lasso the Dream fundraising gala, grant award of $1,500.
13.) Listening for a Change to support its online oral history curriculum and preservation of 600 Sonoma County interviews, grant award of $1,000.
14.) Los Cien Sonoma County for the 13th Annual State of the Latino Community Address, grant award of $1,500.
15.) Luther Burbank Center for the Arts to support the 17th Annual Fiesta de Independencia, grant award of $5,000.
16.) People4Parks for the annual Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Grove community event, grant award of $850.
17.) People4Parks to support the “Water Is Life” mural, grant award of $20,000.
18.) Santa Rosa Quilt Guild to support the Community Quilts Program, grant award of $400.
19.) Somos Windsor (Formerly Dia de Muertos Windsor) for the Windsor Taco Fest & Lowrider Show, El Grito de Windsor, and Dia de Muertos Windsor event, grant award of $3,000.
20.) Sonoma County Pride to support their annual Sonoma County Pride LGBTQ+ Festival and Parade grant award of $500.
21.) The Living Room Center to support the Loving the Living Room fundraising gala benefiting women and children experiencing homelessness, grant award of $500.
22.) Troop 21 - Boy Scouts of America to support their Facilities Improvement Project, grant award of $17,000.
23.) Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation for their Scholarship Program and Critical Needs Program, grant award of $1,000.
The Fourth District also recommends the following allocation to support ongoing costs associated with the Geyserville Municipal Advisory Council: $3,600.
Activities performed utilizing Community Investment Program funds provide public benefits that serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Discussion:
Transient Occupancy Tax Funding
The Sonoma County Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT or Hotel Bed Tax) was established in 1965 and is authorized under State Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7280. TOT, a general tax, is currently levied at a rate of 12%, a rate established in 2016 by the voter-approved Measure L. TOT revenue is allocated 25% to the General Fund; 50% to the Community Investment Fund; and 25% to the Measure L Fund.
Community Investment Fund Program and Policy
The Community Investment Fund Program, established in 1986 as the Advertising and Promotions Program, allocates a portion of the Transient Occupancy Tax to encourage economic development, community engagement, and culture in the County through a variety of grant award and funding avenues. The program provides grants to community-based organizations for a wide range of activities including economic development, community and countywide events, and advertising and promoting the county as a visitor destination with the goal of advancing economic growth through tourism. Additionally, the program provides grants to address impacts on safety due to tourism and to enhance community services throughout the county. The program provides funding to the Regional Parks Department, the Economic Development Collaborative, and additional county activities. Community Investment Funds are allocated per the Community Investment Fund Policy (Policy) (https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-administrators-office/community-investment-fund-program/community-investment-program-policy).
District Priorities Category
The District Priorities funding category provides funds to events, organizations, and Supervisorial District priorities. Funding may be distributed through grants or assigned to County departments. The funds available in this category include $100,000 for each supervisorial district ($500,000 total) from the Community Investment Fund and 10% of Measure L revenue to be allocated to each supervisorial district proportionate to the amount of Transient Occupancy Tax collected within the district in the previous fiscal year. Unused funds will be accounted for and available for use in future years. Organizations may make their requests directly to each Supervisorial District.
Funds in this category may be used for activities such as safety improvements, environmental impact mitigation, public safety, and other tourism mitigation activities, such as parking enforcement. Funds may be used for projects that benefit the community, or to support organizations that coordinate community improvements, such as the Municipal Advisory Councils. The Board may award funding to County Departments or to Supervisorial Districts to complete priority projects. Funding may be used to cover salary and benefit costs associated with changed or additional staff, and other costs associated with added staffing such as office space.
Funds will be distributed upon approval of these award(s) by the Board of Supervisors and execution of the Community Investment Fund grant agreement by the entity. The agreement(s) will be executed by the County Executive, or designee. The agreements require the County seal on promotional materials produced using the grant award.
Because a project may require modification as the work/project may not be completed within the fiscal year, an extension of time or modification of allowed uses for the organization to complete the project may be necessary. Therefore, it is recommended that the County Executive, or designee, be authorized to amend the contracts to lengthen the time schedules and make minor modifications to the allowed uses that do not increase the amount awarded under the agreement.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 26227, the Board of Supervisors may fund programs deemed by the Board to be necessary to meet the social needs of the population of the county, including but not limited to, the areas of health, law enforcement, public safety, rehabilitation, welfare, education, and legal services. Staff is recommending that the Board find that the activities performed utilizing Community Investment Program Funds provide public benefits that serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None for FY 26-27
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY26-27 Adopted |
FY27-28 Projected |
FY28-29 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$70,650 |
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$70,650 |
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$70,650 |
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$70,650 |
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Community Investment District Priorities Funds are included in the FY 26-27 budget.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Sample District Priorities Grant Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None