title
Authorize the County’s contribution of $1,750 from the General Fund contribution allocated to District 3 to benefit the following organizations, including Pearls of Wisdom Educational Resources, Inc. ($1,000) and Solano County Library Foundation ($750)
body
Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
Supervisor Williams requests that the Board of Supervisors authorize the County’s contribution of $1,750 from the General Fund contribution allocated to District 3 to benefit the following organizations, including Pearls of Wisdom Educational Resources, Inc. ($1,000) and the Solano County Library Foundation ($750).
SUMMARY/ DISCUSSION:
District 3 has identified two (2) local non-profit organizations for which to contribute its non-county contribution allocation, including:
Pearls of Wisdom Educational Resources, Inc., $1,000
The Tau Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority Incorporated is a proud supporter of youth in North Solano County. Through their foundation, Pearls of Wisdom Educational Resources, and the chapter’s charter in 1993, they have provided over $200,000 in scholarship money to students who have the drive, passion, and commitment to further their educational career and give back to their community.
Tau Upsilon Omega Chapter’s Scholarship Committee takes a holistic approach in evaluating applications and is looking for well-rounded students who value academics, community involvement, and extra-curricular activities. This is a great opportunity for African American students who are in their senior year of high school in North Solano County while attending schools in: Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista and Vacaville. The scholarships are awarded at the AKA Sorority’s Annual Baccalaureate Ceremony at the end each school year.
These funds will be used by the Tau Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to support its Pearls of Wisdom Educational Resources in providing college scholarships to North Solano County students.
Solano County Library Foundation, $750
The mission of the Solano County Library Foundation is to support the programs of the Solano County Library and the literacy and lifelong learning needs of the community it serves. Since its establishment in December 1994, the Foundation has raised more than $3 million. The primary focus of its efforts is the Reach Out and Read program, which promotes early literacy by giving new books to young children and offering advice to parents about the importance of reading.
LEARN (Literacy in Education Access Resources Network) is the umbrella for all the Literacy Programs which the Foundation supports. It includes the following:
• Reach Out and Read is a pediatric literacy program we support in partnership with Solano County Library, small health clinics in the county and larger medical groups such as NorthBay Healthcare Foundation, Sutter Regional Medical Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. It makes literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric care.
• Solano Kids Read is a countywide reading program seeks to motivate children to read and experience a book together. It gives students in grades 4-8 in all the schools in the Solano County Library cities (Fairfield, Suisun, Rio Vista, Vacaville, and Vallejo) a chance to attend an event where a book author speaks at several libraries close to the participating schools and receive free books.
• Tutor.com provides a real tutor anytime, anywhere in the Tutor.com online classrooms with the Best Tutors. From Ph.D.’s and teachers, to doctors, professors and pilots, these tutors are the best. Every session is one-to-one and personalized to your subject (Variety of Subjects. From Algebra, Calculus, and Statistics to English, Chemistry, and Physics) and your question.
• Programs: (1) Adult Literacy: We provide support to services that help adults learn to read. (2) English as a Second Language: We provide support to services that help adults who are learning English. (3) Women's History: A yearly program that the Foundation hosts to support the purchase of women's history books and literacy programs in our libraries.
These funds will be used by the Solano County Library Foundation to support the County’s Literacy Programs.
Guidelines for Grant Funding Requests:
During the FY2024/25 Budget Hearings, the Board appropriated $75,000, $15,000 to each supervisorial district, to allow Board members to support community service programs. The Board directed County Counsel to provide guidelines on how to recommend funding for qualifying agencies or programs. The Guidelines are as follows:
1.) Each supervisor must submit the proposed expenditure to County Counsel and the Auditor-Controller for initial review.
2.) The Board must approve the expenditure by a majority vote.
3.) The Board must determine that the expenditure is for a public purpose.
4.) The Board may authorize an expenditure of public funds to a nonprofit organization so long as the County retains ultimate control over the exercise of judgment and discretion of the intended program.
5.) To ensure accountability, all expenditures are subject to periodic audit by the Auditor-Controller; and
a) If the recipient provides an activity, program or service (“activity”), it shall provide an activity report within 30 days of the activity that states the number of persons attending (if applicable) or participating activities carried out, feedback from participants (if applicable) and benefits of the activity. The recipient’s failure to provide a report may result in its being considered ineligible for future funding.
b) If the recipient is purchasing property or making improvements, it shall use the funds for only the specified purposes and allow representatives of the county to inspect and/or audit the purchase or the contractor’s performance, the facility or the portion improved with the funds and/or the records pertaining to the expenditures. The recipient shall retain for inspection and audit purposes any and all books, receipts, documentation and other records of the expenditures for three (3) years from date of receiving funds.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The expenditures totaling $1,750 in contributions are included in the Department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget. The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to authorize these expenditures; however, this is not recommended as this is consistent with Board policy.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The report was prepared in coordination with the County Administrator’s Office, County Auditor-Controller’s Office and County Counsel.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION