Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Manager
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds - Supervisorial District Four
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $50,000, to Able Works for financial education and life skills programs for low-income residents of San Mateo County, and authorizing the County Manager, or his 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”) and County staff have conducted study sessions and community outreach efforts to inform priorities for Measure K spending for FY 2017-19.
On May 16, 2017, the Board approved the FY 2017-19 Measure K allocation plan in which the County anticipates Measure K receipts of approximately $81.6 million annually. The plan included $7 million in one-time loans or grants each year during FY 2017-19, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for district-specific needs and projects. District 4 has submitted a request to use its 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) - Able Works for financial education and life skills programs for low-income residents of San Mateo County |
$50,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to Able Works and resulting grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for financial education and life skills programs for low-income young adults and low-income single mothers living in resource-challenged communities in San Mateo County. The County Manager’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
Able Works is a non-profit organization founded in 2005. Its mission is to equip individuals with financial education, life skills and assets that enable them to live free from oppression and poverty.
Funding for Able Works programs will provide the seed money to enable them to bolster high-impact programming for 120 under-resourced female heads of households and young adults over the next year. Able Works’ LiveAble program helps young, low-income single mothers develop a path to financial stability through coursework on education and career management, financial management, parenting, life skills and one-on-one counseling. Able Work’s Post-Secondary pilot project will help 25 recent high-school graduates not attending college to successfully pursue a career goal and transition into a job with a livable wage through coaching, life skills, financial and career development. The 720 Initiative will provide 35 low-income San Mateo County residents a pathway to financial stability through one-on-one financial counseling and credit building, with a goal of elevating participants’ credit scores to 720.
Able Works has identified funding from the Sobrato Family Foundation, Perry Foundation, Heising-Simmons Foundation and individual donors. However, their proposed budget of $569,357 includes a funding gap of $50,000.
|
ABLE WORKS PROPOSED BUDGET |
|
Cohorts Budget (3 Single Mother Cohorts in LiveAble prorgam; 1 Student Cohort in Post-Secondary program) |
|
Payroll and Taxes |
$354,778 |
|
Benefits |
$37,020 |
|
Total |
$391,798 |
|
Program Expenses |
|
Cohort Meetings |
$25,593 |
|
Counseling and Curriculum |
$48,400 |
|
Training and Other |
$17,307 |
|
Scholarships |
$25,000 |
|
General and Administrative |
$43,259 |
|
Total Cohorts Expenses |
$159,559 |
|
Total Cohorts Budget |
$551,357 |
|
|
|
|
720 Initiative Budget (Credit Building and Repair - 35 Participants) |
|
Counseling and Curriculum |
$12,276 |
|
General and Administrative |
$5,724 |
|
TOTAL 720 Initiative Budget |
$18,000 |
|
GRAND TOTAL |
$569,357 |
|
|
|
|
REVENUE |
|
Sobrato Family Foundation |
$100,000 |
|
Heising-Simmons |
$75,000 |
|
Perry Foundation |
$50,000 |
|
Individual Donors |
$294,357 |
|
TOTAL |
$519,357 |
|
|
|
|
FUNDING DEFICIT |
$50,000 |
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $50,000
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:
John Liotti
Co-Founder and CEO
Able Works
1836 Bay Road, Suite B
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 328-1890
john@able.is
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
LiveAble program to help low-income single mothers learn the skills to enable financial stability |
Provide 36-week program for 60 women |
|
Post-Secondary pilot project for recent high-school graduates not attending college to successfully pursue a career goal and transition into a job with a livable wage |
Provide 24-month program for 25 young adults |
|
720 Initiative to elevate participants’ credit score to 720 |
Provide program for 35 young adults |
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
Funding for Able Works programs contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Prosperous Community by supporting financial literacy and life skills to enable opportunities for low-income San Mateo County residents.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2018-2019 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget.