To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Lois Hopkins - 565-2431
Vote Requirement: Informational Only
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Quarterly County Grant Program Update
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive the fourth quarterly report (October to December 2023) on the County’s Grant Program.
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Executive Summary:
The Board of Supervisors has requested that County departments make a concerted effort to proactively pursue external funding to support County priorities. In response, the County Administrator’s Office (CAO) developed the County Grant Program last fall to coordinate activities with an initial cohort of departments. The CAO regularly reports to the Board of Supervisors on efforts to pursue external funding, including via these quarterly updates. This is the fourth quarterly status report, covering the period from October to December 2023
Discussion:
Each department has prepared a report on the objectives of its Grant Program, which includes grant-seeking priorities, grant activity, and major funding sources being monitored These reports have been compiled and are attached. Below is a brief summary of departmental activities.
Ag + Open Space The department is researching (1) a grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy for acquisition of a conservation easement on a property that includes priority public access and watershed and fire prevention protection; (2) a grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board for acquisition of conservation easements on three adjoining priority properties with significant agriculture, wildlife and watershed prevention resources. In addition, the department postponed submitting two applications to the CA Department of Conservation pending the completion of land valuations, and the department is researching a $1.9 million grant from CalFire/California Climate Investments for wildfire prevention funding for identified fire-threatened communities.
County Administrator’s Office. The Climate Division within the CAO partnered with Sonoma Ecology Center and applied for a $1.75 million grant for Community Partners for Resilience in Sonoma County to build capacity of local organizations working on climate-related issues in four of Sonoma County’s most under-resourced communities.
Economic Development applied for a $17 million grant from the Public Utilities Commission for infrastructure projects to connect unserved Californians. In August 2023, your Board selected four priority areas: East Cloverdale, East Santa Rosa, Jenner and Walsh Landing The department is researching two grants for potential application (Broadband, Equity Access, and Deployment Program and the California Advanced Services Fund Adoption Account).
Emergency Management was awarded two grants from CalOES: the Homeland Security Grant Program ($535,157) and Emergency Management Performance Grants ($220,474) and two grants from Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative ($136,669 for Cyber Incident Consequence Management Annex and $210,727 for Fire and EMS Emergency Radio Equipment Upgrade and stabilization. The department also applied for four new grants through the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative (two for the Sheriff’s Critical Communication System [$117,000], and two for Emergency Management Training & Conferences [$200,000] and for one new grant through the State of California’s Small Community Drought Relief Program ($125,000).
Health Services was awarded two grants this quarter: $90,000 for Child Passenger Safety and $18,484 for Sonoma County Animal Disaster Preparedness & Response Grant. Both these items were heard by your Board on January 9, 2024. In addition, the department applied for a $1,268,217 grant from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative Round 3 Early Childhood Wraparound Services.
Human Services was awarded a $711,800 grant from the CA Department of Rehabilitation for student training and employment program (enhanced services to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act for youth with disabilities) which will be coming to your Board to accept the revenue in May 2024. The department has applied for a $217,444 grant from the CA Office of Emergency Services for Continuation of Elder Justice, to fund the Family Justice Center’s services for victims of elder abuse.
Public Infrastructure has transitioned to an annual grant strategy which involves fully developing project materials, studies, community outreach, etc. before seeking out grant opportunities. SPI has identified 8 priority projects (Asti Bridge design and construction; Villa Grande construction; Airport Compost Facility design; Veterans Buildings Seismic/Energy/ Facility Improvements; Donald Gap design and construction; Moorland Bike & Ped Project design and construction; Sebastopol Ragle Road Bike and Ped Project design and construction; and Fleet EV Charging Network design and construction) and is currently developing these projects in anticipation of upcoming funding opportunities. During this quarter, the department completed two projects that were FEMA/CalOES HMGP funded (Villa Grande Drainage Study and the Forestville Generator).
Regional Parks was awarded a $75,000 grant from USFWS for the Doran Dune and Stockhoff Creek Restoration Project, which was heard by your Board on July 11, 2023. The department has applied for a $2.9 million grant from NOAA for derelict vessel removal, which, if awarded, will be presented to your Board.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Organizational Excellence
Goal: Goal 4: Seek out grant funding to enhance programs and improve infrastructure
Objective: Objective 1: Secure a total of $60 million in grant funding by 2026 for strategic priorities, including technology tools, climate resiliency, and other capital projects.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
§ On March 2, 2021, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Sonoma County Strategic Plan, which established the priority of securing $60 million in grant funding by 2026.
§ On April 18, 2023, August 15, 2023, and December 5, 2023, the Board of Supervisors received quarterly status reports.
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this quarterly report. However, grant activity efforts described in the report increase revenue capacity to meet County priorities.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
There are no staffing impacts associated with this quarterly report.
Attachments:
Quarterly Grant Department Reports
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None