To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Kellie Noe, 565-5849, Oscar Chavez 565-3812
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Dissolution of the Upstream Investments Portfolio Review Committee
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution to dissolve the Upstream Investments Portfolio Review Committee and transition the functions to designated staff of the Human Services Department.
end
Executive Summary:
For more than a decade, the Upstream Investments Portfolio Review Committee (PRC) has served to review submissions by community-based organizations and County agencies for programs to be added to the Portfolio of Model Upstream Programs (Portfolio). The PRC reviews applications submitted and makes recommendations for Portfolio inclusion in accordance with the procedures outlined in the PRC bylaws.
Over the last two years, submissions of new applications to the Portfolio have decreased to fewer than five a year. The decrease in Portfolio application submissions has led to a natural shift in priorities over time. In order to meet this shift in priorities, the Human Services Department (HSD), on behalf of Upstream Investments, recommends eliminating the 8- to 15-person committee that meets quarterly to review and approve Portfolio application submissions. Moving forward, new applications to the Portfolio will be reviewed by analysts on HSD’s Planning, Research, Evaluation, and Engagement team in accordance with previously established protocols. The new application review model will be consistent with the current process implemented by the PRC.
Discussion:
Upstream Investments, sponsored by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors starting in 2010, seeks to promote effective prevention-focused approaches that ultimately help uproot poverty and reduce monetary and societal costs to our community. The Portfolio is a collection of evidence-based and evidence-informed programs implemented by local organizations and County departments that have applied outcomes driven approaches for program design and implementation. Currently there are 109 programs on the Portfolio and it continues to remain an important pillar of Upstream Investments’ mission. A list of current programs can be found here: <https://upstreaminvestments.org/find-search-for-programs/apply-to-the-upstream-portfolio>.
One of the original goals of Upstream Investments was to increase our community’s understanding and use of evidence-informed programs and practices. The PRC, made up of 8 to 15 Board appointed community members with expertise on program planning and evaluation, set standards for Portfolio inclusion and reviewed submissions to the Portfolio. At the height of their work, the committee met monthly and reviewed upwards of 36 applications annually. In 2016, Upstream Investments contracted with Learning for Action to perform a systems change evaluation to determine the impact of the Portfolio and the Upstream Investments initiative. Key findings indicated that Upstream Investments, the Portfolio, and the training and technical assistance provided to Portfolio applicants had contributed to a significant culture change in Sonoma County. Evidence-informed strategies were becoming the new way of doing business across Sonoma County non-profits and departments.
In the last two years, Upstream Investments has successfully reached a critical mass of organizations implementing evidence-based programs. Additionally, Sonoma County has experienced a series of natural disasters that have contributed to a shift in the way non-profits and local funders partner. The Portfolio continues to offer a process that supports organizations to develop and implement their ongoing program evaluations. For the programs already included, the Portfolio continues to be a valuable resource for long-term program sustainability.
A result of these shifts has been a substantial decrease in applications to the Portfolio. In 2021, no new programs were added to the Portfolio. Meanwhile, the interest from County and community partners to build capacity around adopting and implementing a Results-Based Accountability (RBA) framework to support continuous quality improvement in programs and services continues to grow. The foundation laid by the Portfolio has led to a successful launch and implementation of RBA for community partners. Organizations can now apply the RBA framework to continue to not only assess the impacts of their programs, but also make data-driven decisions for the betterment of the services provided to their clients.
While RBA implementation is a key focus for Upstream, the Portfolio will remain an important component of Upstream’s offerings. Portfolio application review requires an understanding of best practices for program planning and evaluation as well as training in Portfolio application criteria and review process. With the decrease in Portfolio applications it is unnecessary to maintain and train a committee of volunteers to support the Portfolio application process.
On August 19, 2022 members of the Upstream Investments Policy Committee voted to dissolve the Portfolio Review Committee and adopt a new model for application review and Portfolio inclusion. In order to meet the shift in priorities, HSD, on behalf of the Upstream Investments, recommends eliminating the 8- to 15-person committee that meets quarterly to review and approve application submissions. Dissolving the Portfolio Review Committee will enable Upstream Investments to redirect resources towards applying RBA County-wide as an accessible tool that allows county funded organizations to demonstrate the breadth of their service, how well the service is implemented and if the service has positive client outcomes.
Moving forward, new applications to the Portfolio will be reviewed by analysts on the HSD’s Planning, Research, Evaluation, and Engagement team. In accordance with previously established protocols, two existing analysts will review each application using criteria set by the PRC. If both agree it meets the requirements for Portfolio inclusion, the program and the implementing organization will be added to the Portfolio. If neither analyst finds that the program application meets requirements for Portfolio inclusion standards, the application will be recommended to Upstream Investments staff for technical assistance. If the analysts disagree over the program’s readiness for Portfolio inclusion, the application will be reviewed by a third analyst who will offer the deciding decision. The new application review model will be consistent with the current process implemented by the PRC.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
On November 8, 2011, the Upstream Ad Hoc Board Committee made a progress report to the full Board that described the Committee’s accomplishments and requested Board approval of recommended next steps including chartering a Board appointed Portfolio Review Committee to support the development of the Portfolio of Model Upstream Programs.
Fiscal Summary
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FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY 23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
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Total Sources |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Portfolio Review Committee Bylaws, Amended 1/15/20
Attachment 2 - Portfolio Review Committee Roster, Updated 8/13/21
Attachment 3 - Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None