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THE CITY OF 15b m 1 uT f L-EASANTONO CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT June 16, 2009 Assistant City Manager TITLE: APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTED GRANTS WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING FUNDING AND PROCESSING CHANGES TO CITY GRANT PROGRAMS INCLUDING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS (CDBG) SUMMARY At your April 15, 2008 meeting, the City Council approved the formation of an ad hoc Council /Commission Grants Working Group (Working Group) to carry out a City Council priority to review the City's existing grant programs. Councilmembers Sullivan and Cook- Kallio represent the Council on the Working Group. The Working Group met four times from June through October 2008, developing recommendations for the Council consideration regarding opportunities to streamline and enhance the City's grant process. A summary of the Working Group's activities and recommendations are included in this report. WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION The Working Group recommendations are as follows: 1. Annually adjust the total funding for the City Grant program based on an increase in City General Fund revenue for the preceding fiscal year. 2. Adopt a one -year rollover provision for carrying over City Grant funding from a previous grant cycle. 3. Establish a coordinated /streamlined grant process with a new rebranded Housing and Human Services grant program that combines general fund City Grant funding for human services with federal grant funds (e.g., CDBG and HOME). The new process would be initiated for fiscal year 2010/11. 4. Recommend the City Council consider an update to the human services needs assessment study as part of its Annual Work Plan. RECOMMENDATION Staff concurs with the Working Group's recommendations. Related funding and processing changes would take place in late 2009 for fiscal year 2010/11. FINANCIAL STATEMENT The General Fund could be impacted by implementing the recommended annual adjustment provisions.