City of Fresno Grant Solicitation
Office of Neighborhood Safety and Community Engagement (ONSCE)
Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative
Background
The City of Fresno’s (City) Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative provides programming, training and grant funding to support evidence-based violence intervention and prevention strategies to reduce violence. To support this work, the City has received $1.8 Million from the California Violence Prevention and Intervention Program (CalVIP); $300,000 of which is appropriated to provide Street Outreach Coalition Training Modules to Community Based Organizations (CBO’s). The remainder of the award is allocated to prevention programing including Fresno Summer Nights events and Camp Fresno.
The City has also appropriated $1,500,000 to implement violence prevention and intervention strategies which will be allocated through a competitive grant process. Grant funding will be awarded on a reimbursable basis for a one-year period with an option of a one-year extension. Up to 25% of funding may be provided upfront. The remaining funding will be issued quarterly upon submission of reports. The goal of the grant making process is to invest in innovative programming to prevent violent crime and intervene in the cycle of violence. Prioritization will be given to programming that serves populations most disproportionately impacted by violent crime, including youth and communities of color.
For more information and how to apply, please see below.
Goals
The goals of the Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative are to reduce gang violence through prevention and intervention, to include the following:
1. Expand the capacity of Violence Interventionists, especially those serving communities of color.
2. Interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation to reduce the incidence of homicide, shootings and aggravated assaults.
3. Invest in prevention efforts for youth and young adults that mitigate the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and trauma.
These goals are informed by lessons from community listening sessions including the Fresno Youth Summit which communicated the need for mentoring, mental health resources, trauma-informed care and safe spaces to build community. The goals of the initiative are also informed by feedback received from the ONSCE Street Outreach Coalition.
Grant funding will be awarded to projects which include one or more of these activities:
1. Increase the number of violence intervention workers to respond to gang related violent incidents.
2. Provide workforce development opportunities for formerly incarcerated and justice impacted individuals through mentorship by credible messengers.
3. Engage at-risk youth in structured, trauma-informed recreational programming, sports leagues and mentorship.
4. Provide stabilization services and case management to reduce barriers to housing, employment, banking and other essential resources that enable an exit from the cycle of violence.
5. Respond to traumatic events to provide conflict resolution and alternatives to retaliation. This may occur in a hospital-based setting, at funerals, repasses, etc.
6. Deliver individual or group therapeutic interventions by licensed clinicians.
7. Provide safe passage for youth to disrupt the influence of gang culture.
8. Provide safe spaces for violence impacted individuals to seek support.
9. Provide innovative services that meet the goals of the initiative.
Eligibility
CBO’s will be eligible to apply for grants to provide Violence Prevention and Intervention Services. To reduce barriers to participation CBO’s may act as fiscal agents. Entities awarded funding will be subject to insurance requirements.
Street Outreach, Training & Standard of Practice Requirements
Street Outreach Coalition Training is a requirement for all organizations receiving grant funding and will be provided at no-cost to CBO’s. Street Outreach will be focused on individuals with the highest propensity for violence as identified by the Fresno Police Department. All individuals serving as Street Outreach Workers must be interviewed and approved by an oversight committee prior to beginning work.
Evaluation Requirements
Performance measures will be finalized during the contract phase. Reporting will be required for all awardees.
Timeline
July 5, 2022 Release Grant Solicitation
July 19, 2022 Proposals due at 5pm
August 11, 2022 Award recommendations to City Council
August 12, 2022 Funding term begins
September 2022 Street Outreach Coalition training begins
June 30, 2023 One-year funding term ends, with option of one-year extension
Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions and responses are available related to the Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Solicitation:
1. Can you confirm whether these funds are from CalVIP or from ARPA?
RESPONSE: The $1.5 million allocated for the grant program is funded through a combination of City of Fresno Fiscal Year 2023 General Fund and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). CalVIP is not a funding source for the current grant solicitation.
2. When you say there is the option of a one year extension, does that mean the original grant amount may be able to be spent over two years or will there be an option to receive additional funds after one year?
RESPONSE: The original grant amount may be budgeted and spent through June 30, 2024, if an optional one-year extension is approved based on performance metrics.
Applicants may submit proposals that budget for services for any period through June 30, 2023 and/or June 30, 2024. Based on applications received by the posted deadline, the City will determine appropriate funding recommendations and timelines for the $1.5 million in the current grant solicitation.
Additionally, the Mayor intends to propose future funding opportunities for violence intervention and prevention services on an annual basis. The exact amount of proposed funding will be determined during the budget creation process.
3. Should we submit a budget with the assumption that we will be approved for a second year?
RESPONSE: Applicants should not assume the optional one-year contract extension will be automatically approved. Contracts beyond 6/30/2023 would be determined based upon performance and future budget availability.
4. What do you expect to be the average grant size?
RESPONSE: The City does not have an expectation of the average grant size.
5. Is there an application or should I follow the prompts provided in the solicitation document?
RESPONSE: To encourage a wide range of applicants, there is no application template required. Please refer to the grant solicitation’s ‘How to Apply’ section (page 3) for a numbered list of information to include in your grant proposal. During the contract negotiation phase, applicants recommended for award may need to provide additional information related to their project.
6. Do the projects have to be located with the City of Fresno?
RESPONSE: Yes, projects must be located in the City of Fresno and are intended to serve City of Fresno residents.
7. Is there a minimum page limit for the grant proposal?
RESPONSE: There is not a minimum or maximum number of pages for the grant proposal. Applicants are encouraged to provide detailed but concise responses that clearly convey pertinent information about their program, project and services in relation to the stated goals of the Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative.
8. Would a group that gathers at a community center to deliver their programming be ineligible to apply for funding?
RESPONSE: Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) are eligible to apply for funding. Projects must be located in the City of Fresno and serve City of Fresno community members. Proposing to offer programming at a Community Center would not disqualify a CBO from applying for grant funding. Space at Community Centers may be limited based on existing programming. A contract or reservation for use of the Center would be required prior to beginning programming.
9. Can you explain more about how the funding reimbursement works, specifically, does my organization need seed funding to begin the work?
RESPONSE: Grant funding will be dispersed on a reimbursable basis. To reduce barriers to participation for CBO’s, up to 25% of funding may be provided upfront to initiate your organization’s project.
10. How will performance measures be determined?
RESPONSE: Performance measures will be determined based on ARPA Compliance and Reporting Guidelines, as well as the City of Fresno Violence Intervention and Prevention goals the project is designed to address. Performance measures will also be based on the types of activities included in the project. Measures will be determined in consultation with the Grantee organization(s) during the contract phase.
11. Are for-profit entities eligible to apply for funding?
RESPONSE: Yes, under the Department of the Treasury’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds final rule which defines eligible uses of funding allocated under ARPA, for-profit entities are eligible subrecipients and may apply for funding (see page 4394). For-profit organizations will be subject to the Federal Uniform Guidance, including guidance for program income (2 CFR 200.307). Any program income generated from ARPA funding must be used for the purposes and under the conditions of the Federal award.
12. Are pre-apprenticeship programs for high-risk youth and/or formerly incarcerated individuals eligible for funding?
RESPONSE: Yes, workforce development opportunities are identified in the grant solicitation as an eligible project type. Workforce development may include, but is not limited to, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships and training that prepares individuals for the workforce.
13. Is there a maximum amount of funding that can be requested?
RESPONSE: A total of $1.5 million has been appropriated to the grant program. The City intends to make several awards under the grant solicitation and does not have an expectation on the maximum amount of funding that can be requested.
14. How many organizations do you expect to award funding to?
RESPONSE: The City intends to award grant funding to multiple organizations to provide as many of the eligible services identified in the solicitation as possible.
15. What factors will be used to evaluate the grant proposals received?
RESPONSE: Proposals will be evaluated based on their demonstrated alignment to the goals of the program. Prioritization will be given to programming that serves populations most disproportionately impacted by violent crime, including youth and communities of color. The goals of this grant program were created based on the Federal requirements outlined in the Department of the Treasury’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Final Rule which describes the regulations associated with ARPA funding. An overview of the Final Rule is available here.
16. In the grant solicitation it says that administrative costs are limited to 5% of the project costs. Would staff time be considered an administrative cost?
RESPONSE: Administrative costs refer to costs commonly known as “overhead” or “indirect costs.” Examples of administrative costs include, but are not limited to, general operating expenses for insurance, human resources personnel, leases, utilities, etc. Staff time can be included as an administrative cost if those personnel are responsible for general operations. On the contrary, any staff engaged in direct delivery of services would not be considered part of the administrative costs and could be included in the budget as a programming cost.
17. Is there a cover letter or coversheet template CBO’s should use to demonstrate their proposal is signed by an official authorized to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the CBO?
RESPONSE: There is no required template for a cover letter or coversheet. CBO’s should include the signature of an official who is authorized to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the CBO in their proposal. This may be done in the form of a cover letter, cover sheet, written statement or another equivalent document.
18. Can more than one organization apply for funding as a partnership?
RESPONSE: Yes, multiple organizations may apply for funding as a partnership. If awarded funding, a lead agency will need to be identified for the purposes of the grant agreement.
19. Are there any costs that are not eligible for funding, for example, purchasing food?
RESPONSE: ARPA funding provides broad flexibility for expenditures associated with COVID-19 recovery. The Treasury Department has identified restrictions on use of funding under ARPA. Funding cannot be used to offset a reduction in net tax revenue, for deposits into pension funds, debt service, replenishing reserves, settlements or judgments. Providing food assistance may be eligible for funding as part of stabilization services and wrap-around supports for violence impacted individuals. Incidental meals provided as part of programming may also be eligible if costs are reasonable and proportional to the overall scope of work.
20. In the “How to Apply” section of the grant solicitation the City is requesting information about key personnel and their experience. Are we required to submit resumes and job descriptions for all staff?
RESPONSE: Applicants should submit information that identifies who the key personnel assigned to the project will be and the experience of those key personnel to perform the proposed scope of work. This may be provided in the form of a resume, statement of experience, professional profile or another similar document. If licenses or credentials are required to perform the proposed scope of work, organizations will be required to provide proof of licenses prior to entering a grant contract.
Last updated 7/18/22. FAQs and responses will continue to be updated through 7/19/2022.
How to Apply
Proposals should include the following:
1. Project name and applicant contact information
2. Scope of work which lists tasks to be accomplished
3. Timeline
4. Line-item budget for staff and supplies. Administrative costs are limited to 5%
5. A plan to evaluate the reach and impact of your project
6. Key personnel and their experience
7. Proposal must be signed by an official authorized to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the CBO
Submit proposals to PARCSContracts@Fresno.gov by July 19, 2022, at 5pm.
Electronic proposals are preferred. A hard copy will be accepted but is not required, and can be delivered to:
PARCS Administration
Dickey Youth Center
1515 E. Divisadero
Fresno, CA 93721
Contact
For questions, please contact:
Shelby MacNab, MPA
Business Manager
Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services
Phone: 559-621-2957
Email: Shelby.MacNab@Fresno.gov