Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds -Supervisorial District 4
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $54,000, to Vida Verde Nature Education to sponsor three overnight trips for schools located in District 4, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
The Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and approved funds for the fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 budget cycle, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for one-time district-discretionary needs and projects. District 4 has submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
|
District/Project |
Amount |
|
District 4 (Supervisor Warren Slocum) - Vida Verde Nature Education to sponsor three overnight trips for schools located in District 4 |
$54,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018. District 4 indicates that this organization is either a public agency operating within the County or a nonprofit organization registered and in good standing with the California Attorney General. District 4 indicates that the sponsoring Board member, member’s family, and member’s supervisorial staff do not serve as an officer, director, or play a policy role for the grantee organization.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to Vida Verde Nature Education and resulting grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $54,000 to sponsor three overnight trips for schools located in District 4, providing educational equity in the outdoors for local students. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
District-discretionary Measure K funding for this organization has previously been provided as listed below:
• On May 14, 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved district-discretionary Measure K funding to Vida Verde Nature Education in the amount of $100,000, towards pre-construction work, including permits and surveys, to build a barn to support their outdoor education program and provide farm worker housing.
Vida Verde Nature Education is a non-profit organization founded in 2001 whose mission is to promote educational equity by providing free, overnight environmental learning experiences for students who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity. Vida Verde Nature Education has served over 14,000 students from low-income schools, including students from schools within San Mateo County, with a 3-day, 2-night program on their property in San Gregorio that is specifically designed to positively and powerfully impact their connection to the outdoors, academics, and social and emotional learning.
Only six percent of children (6-13 years old) are spending time playing outside each week, while youth 8-18 years old are using media entertainment an average of over seven hours per day. Low-income youth of color have much less access to outdoor/nature spaces and receive the least amount of environmental education programming. Numerous studies have now proven that people living near more green space have lower rates of depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes and asthma.
Vida Verde programs work to immerse youth in nature for multiple days, allowing them to experience the benefits described above. In addition, the overnight program allows youth to engage in safe risk taking that pushes them outside their comfort zones while leading them to deeper interpersonal connections. This program is available to low-income youth to address the equity gap in immersive outdoor experiences.
Each classroom camping trip at Vida Verde is a three-day overnight, activity-packed experience that takes place at Vida Verde’s 100-acre site and farm, as well as at nearby state parks and beaches. Many of the students have never been to the beach or in a forest before. The class trip centers around five core components: (1) Nature Hike in the Redwoods, (2) Goat Milking and Cheese Making, (3) Tidepool, Beach and
Marsh Exploration, (4) Night-time Hike and Trust Walk, and (5) Organic Farm Tour and Taste. The trip also includes cooking and cleaning up as a class, teambuilding games, exercise, a campfire, camping, and more.
This is a request to authorize a grant to Vida Verde Nature Education and resulting grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $54,000 to sponsor three overnight trips for schools located in District 4, providing educational equity in the outdoors for local students.
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $54,000
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
Shawn Sears
Executive Director
Vida Verde Nature Education - A Home for Educational Equity
3540 La Honda Road
San Gregorio, CA 94074
(650) 747-9288
shawn@vveducation.org
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Three overnight camping trips to Vida Verde from schools located in District 4 by December 31, 2025. |
Complete |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2024-25 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget.