Title
Human Services Department recommending Chairman be authorized to sign the El Dorado County Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Recovery Act Local Plan submitted to the California Department of Community Services and Development on May 11, 2009 as required to enable the County to receive an allocation of federal (CSBG) Stimulus funding in an estimated amount of $175,375 for (CSBG) activities during an expected period of July 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010; and recommending the Acting Director's signature be ratified on the Recovery Act Local Plan for same.
FUNDING: Expected Federal (CSBG) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: No change. There is no cost associated with submittal of the Local Plan. Estimated revenue from this grant is $175,375
Reason for Recommendation:
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) provides for approximately $89 million dollars in additional funds to the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program for California. The California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) is the agency responsible for administering the CSBG Program in California. CSD allocates regular federal CSBG funding annually to Community Action agencies throughout the State for provision of Community Action services to benefit low-income populations.
El Dorado County is the designated Community Action Agency for this jurisdiction, and Human Services, as the County department designated to administer Community Action programs and activities, receives an annual allocation of approximately $175,000 in regular CSBG funding, which has historically supported provision of services to low-income, elderly and disabled persons. CSBG provides core funding support of this Department's administrative, accounting and direct service functions, as outlined in the 2008-2009 CSBG Community Action Plan, approved by the Board on June 19, 2007.
The announcement of availability of CSBG Recovery Act funds was distributed to Community Action Agency administrators via email, was received by Human Services on May 4, 2009 and included the requirement that each agency submit a CSBG Recovery Act Local Plan by May 11, 2009 to be eligible to receive this federal stimulus funding. While the Department was able to develop a viable Local Plan Plan in accordance with CSD instructions and requirements and submit it to CSD by the deadline, the extremely short timeframe did not allow for obtaining necessary authorization for the Chairman of the Board to sign the cover page. As all governmental Community Action Agencies faced this time constraint, during a Webinar conducted on May 8, 2009, CSD instructed that these agencies must submit their Local Plan signed by the Executive Director and follow up by providing a cover page signed by the Chairman of the governing board once said signature was obtained. Not submitting a Local Plan by the required deadline would have forfeited El Dorado County's ability to receive this CSBG Recovery Act funding.
The CSBG Recovery Act funds may be used for carrying out activities of the Community Services Block Grant Act with a focus on job retention and creation activities in a manner that will best serve the needs of each community. The El Dorado County CSBG Recovery Act Local Plan presents a strategy to use the estimated $175,375 to retain administrative staff that support a variety of low-income programs administered by the Department. Outreach will be increased to ensure that community members most severely affected by the recent economic decline are connected with appropriate services to ensure that their basic needs are met and to assist individuals, families and the community in meeting their short-term and long-term economic and employment goals. 2.32 FTE existing administrative positions will be supported through the use of the Recovery Act funds, which is expected to avert the loss and ensure the retention of an equivalent number of staff that provide direct services to low-income individuals and families and are at risk of loss due to the economic decline and reductions in available funding.
CSD will be compiling information received from each Community Action Agency to develop and submit a CSBG Recovery Act State Plan to the Federal government for California's receipt of this funding. CSD anticipates that grant contracts will be issued to each Community Action Agency by the end of June to become effective July 1, 2009. Once this grant contract is received with the actual allocation, Human Services will return to the Board to request execution of the contract and approval of a budget transfer request to incorporate new revenues and corresponding appropriations into the FY 09-10 County budget.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
Board Clerk to provide Human Services at Briw Road with two copies of the CSBG Recovery Act Local Plan cover page signed by the Chairman.
Human Services to distribute as appropriate.
Contact: Janet Walker-Conroy, Acting Director, 642-7275, Jasara Bento, 642-7312
Concurrences: N/A