Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: 4/5ths
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Manager
Ken Cole, Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Acceptance of Grant Funding from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation to:
A) Adopt a resolution accepting a $700,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Donor Advised Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, to fund two time-limited fellow positions; and authorizing and directing the County Manager, Director of the Human Services Agency (HSA), or designees, to execute any subsequent agreements and amendments to agreements with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to accept the grant funding; and
B) Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request in the amount of $350,000, recognizing unanticipated revenue from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation grant to support one fellow position for the County Manager’s Office; and
C) Approve an Appropriation Request in the amount of $350,000, recognizing unanticipated revenue from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation grant to support one fellow position in HSA.
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BACKGROUND:
County of San Mateo leaders continue to affirm their commitment to delivering services and evaluating existing structures through a lens of equity and inclusion, making it imperative that equity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of County operations and services.
County leadership also continues to prioritize reaching functional zero homelessness and, therefore, it is important that inclusion initiatives be incorporated into the County’s homeless crisis response system. One such initiative is to include people with lived experience of homelessness in the County’s planning and implementation of the homeless crisis response system.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is partnering with the County to provide funding through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Donor Advised Fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which the County will use to expand the County’s work on equity and on engaging with people with lived experience of homelessness.
DISCUSSION:
This County will use the grant funding for two new time-limited positions and related costs. One position will be housed in the County Manager’s Office, Office of Equity, and will serve as the Equity and Inclusion Associate. The other position will be housed in the Human Services Agency, Center on Homelessness, and will serve as a Lived Experience Engagement Fellow.
The Equity and Inclusion Associate will bring important capacity as the County builds the new Office of Racial and Social Justice (ORSJ). The Equity and Inclusion Associate will support and enhance the engagement of community and staff to ensure ORSJ values and priorities, as they are developed, are informed by the wisdom and experiences of community and staff. The Equity and Inclusion Associate will also provide support to the Core Equity Team and its committees and will research policies and best practices to inform the development of ORSJ and its efforts.
The Lived Experience Engagement Fellow at HSA’s Center on Homelessness will enhance the ways that people with lived experience of homelessness inform and participate in the planning and implementation of the County’s homeless crisis response system. Working in close collaboration with homeless service providers and additional community partners, the Lived Experience Engagement Fellow will develop and implement strategies for people with lived experience of homelessness to contribute to system planning for the homeless crisis response system and to the implementation of homeless services throughout the County.
To expedite the process of receiving these grant funds, the County Manager’s Office and the HSA are requesting the Board authorize the County Manager, Director of HSA, or designees, acting in consultation with the County Counsel, to execute the applicable agreements and amendments.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
These grant funds will provide $350,000 to the County Executive’s Office towards a two-year Equity and Inclusion Associate position, and $350,000 to HSA towards a two-year Lived Experience Engagement Fellow position. There is no Net County Cost associated with accepting these grant funds.