AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Resolution 2022-279R, allocating to non-profit agencies Human Services Grant funding of $500,000.00 from the City’s General Fund; authorizing the City Manager, or her designee, to act as the Official Representative of the City in matters related to said grant funds, including authorization to execute fundings contracts with selected agencies on behalf of the City; and declaring an effective date.
Body
Meeting date: December 14, 2022
Department: Planning and Development Services
Amount & Source of Funding
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Fiscal Note:
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Background Information:
Annually, the Human Services Advisory Board, a council-appointed board, reviews applications for approximately $500,000 allocated to the Human Services Grant through the City’s budget. This year applications for 38 programs and $1.6 million were received from 32 agencies.
Funding Requirements are as follows:
1. Funding must be spent on the program that was approved. Proof of expenditures will be required as part of quarterly reporting.
2. The program for which funding is requested must provide services to residents of San Marcos. (It may also provide services to residents of other communities.)
3. Funding requested cannot be more than 50% of the funding for the agency
4. Program must have measurable outcomes.
5. Agency or Organization:
a. must be a Human Services Agency as defined below.
b. must be overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors.
c. must execute an agency agreement with the City of San Marcos.
d. must agree to undergo periodic program evaluations by the Human Services Advisory Board or City of San Marcos staff.
Human Services Agency Definition - A human services agency is an organization that seeks to improve the quality of their clients’ lives by providing, facilitating, or recommending support for an array of basic social, physical health, housing, and mental health services to needy clients in the community. (from HSAB Bylaws, Article VIII)
In order to provide for additional objectivity in the selection of agencies, all applications were scored by the members of the Board. Each Board member scored each application on the following. A copy of the evaluation criteria sheet is attached.
1. Community Need and Justification (Applications that addressed a City Council Strategic Initiative were to receive a higher score.)
2. Impact and Cost Effectiveness
3. Implementation Readiness
4. Community Support
In addition, each Board member conducted a Risk Assessment of each application based on the following factors. A copy of the risk assessment criteria sheet is attached.
1. Program Complexity
2. Project Experience
3. Program or Project Funding Sources
4. Organizational Tenure
5. Recipient History
Each applicant except two made a five-minute presentation to the board, which was followed by a five-minute question and answer period. HOME Center and Hands of Hope were inadvertently skipped in the presentation scheduling.
Applications, agency questionnaires, meeting minutes, and videos can be viewed here:
<https://sanmarcostx.gov/3051/City-Human-Services-Grants>
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
The Human Services Advisory Board members scored all 38 applications, then met to discuss and determine which agencies provided the best combination of these factors, and are pleased to provide the attached recommendation for the City Council’s consideration: Please see attached pdf list of recommendations for funding, ranked by average score. The Board voted to fund the top 15 average scorers with 55% of their funding request, and the rest 20% of the funding request, then discussed and tweaked the amounts for individual agencies. Reasoning for the amounts that varied is as follows: Community Action of Central Texas, San Marcos Senior Center received 73% instead of 55% - made a good case for needing more funding than they were awarded last year, so they were adjusted up Hays Caldwell Women’s Center Sexual Assault and Abuse program received 100% instead of 55% and Non-Residential Family Violence received 46% instead of 55% - the first program is longstanding and the Board felt more funding was needed to be consistent with prior years; the latter program was reduced slightly since the request was high relative to other programs. Greater San Marcos Youth Council’s program received 43% instead of 55% because their request had been high compared to other programs. Pet Prevent a Litter (PALS) received 60% instead of 20% because the program is the only one that serves animals. Cenikor Foundation, Youth Recovery Community received 30% instead of 20% to add some funding since the amount was so very low and it is used to support staffing Hill Country MHDD received 8% instead of 20% since their request was very large compared to other agencies. This year when the Board adopted the standard bylaws requested by the Council for every board and commission, it was recognized that an appeals process had been in existence in the Board’s bylaws, and this process was moved to the Board’s Rules and Regulations. All applicants were notified of the appeals process and appeals were received for ten of the programs: a.Hays County Food Bank - Food Distribution b. San Marcos Youth Services Bureau-Teen Network/Active Community Teens c. Court Appointed Special Advocates - Child Advocacy Service d. Greater San Marcos Youth Council - Family and Youth Success e. Greater San Marcos Youth Council - Children’s Shelter f. Nosotros La Gente - "Viva Zapatos" Shoe Drive g. Nosotros La Gente - Coats Program h. San Marcos Housing Authority - Resident Services - Service Coordination i. Southside Community Center - Emergency Shelter/Transitional Shelter j. Southside Community Center - Specific Assistance. The Board heard the appeals at the December 5, 2022, Board meeting, and unanimously approved the following motion: That the Board’s recommendation for the $500,000 stand as it is, and that the Board notes that the appeals process is flawed as it is currently written since it could create the situation of endless appeals as funding is adjusted, and that the Board is requesting an additional $158,854 to fully fund the programs that appealed. The Board plans to discuss the flawed appeals process on a future Board agenda.
Alternatives:
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Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the Human Services Advisory Board’s recommendation of funding the programs as presented, plus an additional $158,854 to fully fund the programs that appealed.