To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: M. Christina Rivera, Christel Querijero 707-565-2431
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
USDA Grant-Funded Department Analyst - Project
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Budget Resolution adjusting the County Executive’s Office FY 2025-26 budget by $1,462,291 which represents the revised grant project work for the remainder of this fiscal year. (4/5th vote)
B) Adopt a Personnel Resolution amending the Department Allocation List of the County Executive’s Office.
end
Executive Summary:
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) grant was originally awarded to the County in 2023 under the USDA’s Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program, with an original grant amount of $10 million. The amount was subsequently increased to $10,753,500 to further support grant projects. The PCSC program was cancelled in early 2024 and recast as AMP. The County, with subrecipient partners, successfully reapplied to retain the balance of their original award under the AMP program. The County Executive’s Office is requesting a budget adjustment to reflect the reinstated grant funding, with $1.4 million anticipated to be expended in fiscal year 2025-26.
The Department Analyst position that served as project manager under PCSC was deleted at the end of fiscal year 2024-25; this item requests reinstatement of project manager capacity under AMP. The position’s salary and benefits are fully reimbursed by the grant. The County Executive’s Office is requesting a 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) Department Analyst - Project position to manage and coordinate the grant through September 30, 2028, in alignment with the grant timeline.
Discussion:
The County received a five-year, $10 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program in August 2023. On August 22, 2023 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6318629&GUID=58B9B9B1-1073-4F8F-827C-410C7B90B48E&Options=&Search=>, the Board of Supervisors accepted the grant and approved Resolution 23-0418 to amend the position allocation for the County Executive’s Office by adding a Department Analyst - Project to support the grant work. The County received an additional $753,500 in January 2025 to support the grant projects. In April 2025, the federal government canceled the PCSC program, and at the same time, offered grantees the opportunity to retain their funding by reapplying to a renamed and modified Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) program. The County, in consultation with the four largest PCSC grant subrecipients, began the reapplication process in June 2025.
The AMP program retains much of the purpose of the original PCSC program -- to increase adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices -- but significantly alters how the grant dollars can be used. The new program requirement that 65% of the total grant award be paid directly to agricultural producers (farmers and ranchers) necessitated a revised program scope and reduced the number of County partners from nine to four. Ultimately, the County’s reapplication was accepted, the grant termination under the PCSC program was rescinded, and the modified scope of work was accepted as an amendment under the AMP program and approved by the USDA in December 2025, with the total grant award of $10,753,500 remaining unchanged. The County received a fully executed contract on January 22, 2026.
The Department Analyst - Project allocation associated with the original grant was deleted as an outcome of FY 2025-26 budget hearings. At the time, the original grant program was canceled, and the status of the amendment application was unknown.
The County Executive’s Office is requesting a 1.0 FTE Department Analyst - Project position to manage and coordinate the grant. The position will be the project manager throughout the grant period and act as the main point of contact for USDA/NRCS. The project manager will compile all reporting requirements for USDA/NRCS including progress reports, financial reports, and final reports. They will manage all funds distributed from the County to grant subrecipients and producers and will liaise with all partners on progress and status. The salary and benefits cost for this three-year grant program is fully covered through grant reimbursement, including a cost-of-living adjustment for years 2 and 3. The period of performance of the grant ends June 1, 2028. The Department Analyst - Project position would end on September 30, 2028, to utilize the 120 days per the Code of Federal Regulations (<https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR682eb6fbfabcde2/section-200.344>) to close out a federal grant.
A summary of the grant award and projected expenditures is included in the Fiscal Impact section below.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Climate Action and Resiliency
Goal: Goal 5: Maximize opportunities for mitigation of climate change and adaptation through land conservation work and land use policies
Objective: Objective 2: Develop policies to maximize carbon sequestration and minimize loss of natural carbon sinks including old growth forests, the Laguna de Santa Rosa, and rangelands. Encourage agricultural and open space land management to maximize sequestration
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
• FY 2025-26 Budget Hearings: deleted the original Department Analyst - Project position associated with the USDA SMACCC grant due to grant termination
• 1/28/25 Accepted a funding amendment for the USDA SMACCC grant
• 8/22/23 Accepted the USDA Climate Smart Commodities Grant for the Sonoma-Marin Ag and County Climate Coalition (SMACCC)
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$3,509,497 |
$3,509,497 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$1,462,291 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
$1,462,291 |
$3,509,497 |
$3,509,497 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$1,462,291 |
$3,509,497 |
$3,509,497 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
|
Total award (unchanged by grant transition) |
10,753,500 |
|
Expensed/reimbursed under original PCSC grant |
1,394,841 |
|
Available under AMP program |
9,358,659 |
The AMP grant expenditures are broken out as follows:
|
Projected AMP expenditures |
|
|
Personnel + benefits |
697,056 |
|
Supplies |
39,775 |
|
Subrecipients |
1,534,346 |
|
Producer incentives |
6,989,775 |
|
Indirect costs / overhead |
97,707 |
|
Total under AMP program |
9,358,659 |
In addition to project costs, the grant amendment includes full salary and benefits for a 1.0 FTE, Department Analyst - Project allocation through September 30, 2028. Costs were calculated at the highest step level and include an annual cost-of-living adjustment. Revenue and appropriations will be included in the County Executive’s Office recommended budget in forthcoming fiscal years.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Department Analyst - Project |
$8,268.47 - $10,051.22 |
1.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
A three-year Department Analyst - Project position, fully funded by the grant, will manage the grant and to serve as the main point of contact for County partners and the USDA. This position will end on September 30, 2028. The department will work with Human Resources to conduct a recruitment to fill the position.
Attachments:
Attachment A - Personnel resolution
Attachment B - Budget resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
AMP Grant Amendment