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 4
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $50,000, to Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center to conduct a feasibility study regarding establishment of a Business and Family Resource Center in North Fair Oaks to support local small businesses and residents, and authorizing the County Manager, 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.
On March 9, 2021, and March 23, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and anticipated revenue for fiscal years (FY) 2021-23. The Board-appointed Measure K sub-committee, consisting of Supervisor Pine and Supervisor Canepa, convened the study sessions to, among other things, work with staff to facilitate the Board’s development of Measure K priorities and continuing initiatives for FYs 2021-23. The Board approved $5 million in one-time loans or grants for the FY 2021-23 budget cycle, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for 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) - Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center: to support a feasibility study to bring a Business and Family Resource Center to North Fair Oaks to support local small businesses and residents |
$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 the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center (Renaissance) (and corresponding grant agreement) in an amount not to exceed $50,000. This grant would fund a study by the contractor of the feasibility of establishing a Business & Family Resource Center in North Fair Oaks to support local small businesses and residents. The County Manager’s Office would enter into an agreement with Renaissance for preparation of this study and would administer and manage the proposed agreement.
Renaissance aims to transform lives and communities through entrepreneurship. Renaissance’s mission is to empower and increase the entrepreneurial capacities of socially and economically diverse individuals, thereby strengthening the communities they serve through the creation of sustainable new businesses, new jobs and the promotion of financial self-sufficiency. Since 1985, this organization has supported over 32,000 individuals who have started and grown more than 18,000 businesses. And in fulfilling its mission, Renaissance works at the intersection of racial, social, and economic justice.
In response to the pandemic, Renaissance had to rapidly transform their services, moving their programs online and also serving clients by phone. They did this to help their 3,000 clients find the capital needed to pivot business models to meet COVID safety requirements and customer needs, and to enhance their technology training so these clients could participate in the digital economy. What they learned during this time is that unless local residents are encouraged to start and grow their own businesses, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, there is a significant risk that some economically disadvantaged local residents may never to raise their standard of living to the level of self-sufficiency.
This request for $50,000 in Measure K district-discretionary funds will allow Renaissance to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether a Business and Family Resource Center located in North Fair Oaks can help to end the cycle of poverty for existing low-income households and the newly unemployed. This study will determine whether there should be a center, what services it would provide, the location within North Fair Oaks, and how such a center can foster and facilitate community-wide infrastructure necessary to the success of Renaissance’s initiatives.
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:
Timothy Russell
Program Director
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
1848 Bay Road
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 321-2193 x1102
trussell@rencenter.org <mailto:trussell@rencenter.org>
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Conduct feasibility study beginning September 1, 2021 with final report by December 31, 2021. |
Complete |
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2021-22 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2021-22 Approved Recommended Budget.