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Ratify application, receipt of award, and approval of the contract for the Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program; Approve contract with Workforce Development Board totaling $552,786; Approve an Appropriations Transfer Request for $518,524 for FY2021/22 (4/5 vote required)
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No ____
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No ____
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The County Administrator’s Office recommends the Board of Supervisors:
1) Ratify application, receipt of award, and approval of the contract for the Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program;
2) Approve the current contract with Workforce Development Board totaling $552,786; and
3) Approve an Appropriations Transfer Request (ATR) for $518,524 for FY2021/22 (4/5 vote required).
SUMMARY/ DISCUSSION:
Solano County applied for and has been awarded $552,785.83 from the Office of the Small Business Advocate’s (CalOSBA’s) California Microbusiness Covid-19 Relief Grant Program. The program will be administered in partnership with the Workforce Development Board of Solano County (WDB) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), providing $2,500 grants to eligible microbusinesses throughout the county that have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This grant will be administered as 180 individual grants in the amount of $2,500 each to microbusinesses in Solano County (totaling $450,000). The County will partner with the WDB to administer the program, with their administrative costs totaling $102,785. The WDB will subcontract with SBDC for technical assistance and outreach totaling $22,000, with local chambers totaling $7,000 for technical assistance to applicants, with other costs for outreach and reporting totaling $8,786.
The grant required an active agreement to be submitted with the application. The County entered into a contract with the WDB contingent upon award approval and requiring the Board to approve an amount for this agreement. This action will approve an amount totaling $552,785 which will be administered in two parts. The amount of $450,000 will be provided upon approval of the selection of grant awards, which is scheduled for June of 2022. County will provide payment for program administration reimbursement totaling $102,785.83 to the WDB for work completed, on a monthly basis.
Grant awards are anticipated to be awarded and issued to selected businesses in September 2022, with selections made based upon a lottery.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2021/22 Adopted Budget. The County is contracting with the Workforce Development Board for administration of this grant, will pass through funding, and will retain no funds.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to accept this grant. This is not recommended, however, as the grant will assist up to 180 small businesses in Solano County who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Staff worked with the Workforce Development Board and the Small Business Development Center on this grant application.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION