HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - HA Item 3Flores, Dora
From:Katherine Fuentes <kat@upwards.com>
Sent:Tuesday, March 26,
To:Flores, David
Cc:eComment; Garcia, Michael (CDA)
Subject:2024-2025 Draft Annual Action Plan Feedback
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
Hi David and Santa Ana Team,
Thank you for this opportunity to provide comment and feedback on the 2024-2025 CDBG Allocation Process
and Draft Annual Action Plan. We kindly ask that this comment make its way into the public record and be
used to improve the equity of future allocation processes.
Upwards is very excited to participate in this years allocation process and future processes, as we are
committed to supporting the hard working microenterprise childcare providers in Santa Ana with Special
Economic Development, Microenterprise Business and Technical Assistance.
The City of Santa Ana's Consolidated Plan outlines Economic Development as a Strategic Plan Goal that will
promote economic opportunity in the City. When we initially met with the Santa Ana CDBG Team, we were
instructed to apply through the Public Service RFP in an effort to receive equitable consideration for funding.
However, there seemed to be a lack of familiarity with for-profit organizations being eligible to apply for CDBG
funding under the Economic Development designation. After we applied through the Public Service RFP, we
were told that we were not eligible to receive funding.
The BOOST Program is an eligible CDBG program, as outlined in 24 CFR Part 570. We have worked with
various cities and counties all across the country using CDBG funding as a direct subrecipient, we are very
familiar with the federal guidelines and the eligibility of our program. When we asked the City why we were
administratively denied, we were told it was because we applied through the Public Service RFP, which is what
we were directed to do. We submit CDBG applications with hundreds of cities and counties across the country,
many of whom do not have a specific Economic Development RFP. Most open a Public Service RFP and ask
applicants to identify their program by National Objective and Program Type, in this case, Economic
Development.
Based on this information, it seems that the City of Santa Ana does not provide an equitable process for
programs like BOOST to be considered for funding. The City's ConPlan identifies Economic Development as a
priority need and strategic goal, but staff is not providing a vehicle for applicants who are eligible to provide this
service a method to be considered for funding.
Upwards kindly requests that this be considered in future CDBG NOFA processes. Either the Public Service
NOFA acts as a vehicle for all eligible applicants to apply for funding under any of the eligible strategic goals,
or a specific NOFA is created for Economic Development programs to allow for eligible programs to be
considered for funding by the elected body. Limiting an eligible applicant's ability to submit for consideration to
the elected body removes the communities visibility into programs that might be considered higher priority to
the community. Staff should also not administratively deny applications that are eligible under federal
guidelines, as this limits the Council's ability to speak on these policy issues. Applications that are not being
recommended for funding should still go before the City Council for their consideration as the policy makers of
the City.
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We understand the grant competition can be intense, and we appreciate the time and effort spent reviewing our
application. We firmly believe that our project aligns with the highest goals and objectives of the City’s Consolidated
Plan and we are committed to contributing and significantly improving the lives of the microenterprise childcare providers
and the working families they support. As always, we too welcome any feedback on our application and ways we
can improve in future funding allocation processes.
Katherine "Kat" Fuentes
Community Impact Senior Manager |
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Solving care for good in all 50 states!
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