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Environmental Management Department recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the First Amendment to Funding Agreement 3883 with the Food Bank of El Dorado County extending the term of the Agreement an additional five months through September 1, 2021, with no other changes to Agreement.
FUNDING: Non-General Fund / State of California, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, Fiscal Year 2017-18 Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 42999(b)(4), and on behalf of the California Climate Investments, the State of California, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), is responsible for administering the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program (Food Waste Grant Program). The purpose of this competitive grant program is to lower the overall greenhouse gas emissions by establishing new, or expanding existing, food waste prevention projects (through source reduction or food rescue for people) in California to reduce the amount of food being disposed of in landfills.
In July 2017, the Environmental Management Department (Environmental Management), submitted an application to CalRecycle for the 2017-2018 Food Waste Grant Program in the amount of $277,140. On March 8, 2018, notification was received from CalRecycle advising the award of the Food Waste Grant Program to the County in the amount of $277,140 during Cycle 2 of the allocated grant funding program.
On April 24, 2018 (File No. 18-0500, Item No. 16), and in accordance with Board Policy A-6, the Board approved the acceptance of this Food Waste Grant Program, funded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, from CalRecycle in the amount of $277,140 and with a term of April 24, 2018 through April 1, 2021. As part of this item, the Board also delegated authority to the Director of Environmental Management, or designee, to execute the Grant Agreement and all Grant related documents including, but not limited to, amendments, requests for payment, reports, and all associated documents necessary to secure and expend the funds for the purpose of implementing the Food Waste Grant Program.
In order to maximize the efficiency of the funding through the Food Waste Grant Program, Environmental Management partnered with the Food Bank of El Dorado County (Food Bank) to purchase equipment to expand the collection and distribution of rescued food from donors to communities in need, provide public education and outreach efforts to encourage food facilities and other community partners to donate their unused but edible food, and provide reimbursement for the additional staff time necessary to implement the additional food rescue services.
On November 17, 2020 (File No. 20-1346, Item No. 16), the Board approved Funding Agreement #3883 (Funding Agreement) with the Food Bank for the purchase of and reimbursement for various equipment, supplies, and personnel expenses to further expand its food collection and donation programs, with funding provided by the CalRecycle Food Waste Grant Program.
The Funding Agreement term expires on April 1, 2021, which coincides with the term of the Food Waste Grant Program. On March 19, 2021, CalRecycle notified Environmental Management that the term of the Food Waste Grant Program had been extended to September 1, 2021, due to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Food Waste Grant Program recipients’ ability to fully implement the grant throughout the State.
Therefore, Environmental Management is recommending the Board Approve the First Amendment to the Funding Agreement with the Food Bank to align the term with the Food Waste Grant Program term, which will allow the Food Bank to fully utilize available grant funds.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to approve the proposed First Amendment to the Funding Agreement. This would result in the Food Bank not being able to fully expend the funding provided by CalRecycle’s Food Waste Grant Program thereby negatively affecting the Food Bank’s ability to fully expand food rescue and donation efforts to the residents of the County.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
File No. 20-1346, Item No. 16, November 17, 2020
File No. 18-0500, Item No. 16, April 24, 2018
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has approved the proposed Funding Agreement Amendment.
CalRecycle, Food Bank of El Dorado County
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with the proposed Funding Agreement Amendment and there are no matching funds required for the Food Waste Grant Programs. Funding for the reimbursement of the Food Bank’s expenses, as outlined in the Funding Agreement, as well as a portion of corresponding County staff time is included in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 adopted budget. It is not anticipated that funding reimbursement will carry over into Fiscal Year 2021-22.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on two (2) original copies of the First Amendment to the Funding Agreement.
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward one (1) fully-executed copy of the First Amendment to the Funding Agreement to the Chief Administrative Office, Procurement and Contracts Division, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Greg Stanton, REHS, Director
Environmental Management Department