title
Authorize the County’s contribution of $5,500 from the General Fund contribution allocated to District 3 to benefit the following organizations, including Connections For Life ($1,000), Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity ($1,000), BayNorth Church of Christ ($1,000) and NorthBay Healthcare Foundation ($2,500)
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 $5,500 from the General Fund contribution allocated to District 3 to benefit the following organizations, including Connections For Life ($1,000), Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity ($1,000), BayNorth Church of Christ ($1,000) and NorthBay Healthcare Foundation ($2,500).
SUMMARY/ DISCUSSION:
District 3 has identified four (4) local non-profit organizations for which to contribute its non-county contribution allocation, including:
Connections For Life, $1,000
Connections For Life (CFL) is a dedicated nonprofit organization committed to empowering individuals with disabilities by providing person-centered support that fosters independence, equality, and integration, thereby enhancing their quality of life.
For over 30 years, CFL has been delivering life-enriching support to more than 230 clients through their Supported Living Services (SLS) and Independent Living Services (ILS) programs. Their initiatives have empowered individuals with disabilities to achieve significant milestones, such as transitioning from group homes to independent and supported living, starting families, attaining self-reliance, and becoming strong self-advocates.
Their services are instrumental in enhancing overall health by promoting living skills, facilitating access to healthcare resources, and providing personalized support that improves well-being. Through education, assistance with daily living activities, and social integration, they empower individuals to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives while reducing barriers to essential services and daily wellness.
These funds will be used to supplement their support services to disabled individuals in Solano County.
Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity, $1,000
Solano Habitat for Humanity (SHFH) was established in 1991 when a small grass-roots organization sought to establish a local affiliate for Habitat for Humanity International to address the shortage of affordable housing for low-income households in the area.
Over the years, SHFH organized the infrastructure and rallied the volunteers to begin building affordable houses, and using Habitat’s Partnership Housing model, by 2002 five families had partnered with SHFH to build their own affordable homes (in Fairfield, Vallejo, and Vacaville). In 2002, SHFH absorbed a fledgling Habitat affiliate covering Napa County, and in 2005, SHFH officially became Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity (SNHFH).
SNHFH continued to follow the traditional Habitat model of building single-family homes from the ground up in partnership with local low-income families, so they could be sold to those families with affordable financing (most often a 0% interest 30-year mortgage resulting in monthly payments of no more than 30% of the household income). Following the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, SNHFH and most other Habitat affiliates began applying its Partnership Housing model to repairing homes, so low-income homeowners could age in place, or so that vacant homes could be made available at an affordable price to low-income households.
These funds will be used by Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity to support its Solano County low-income home build projects.
BayNorth Church of Christ, $1,000
BayNorth Church of Christ located in the City of Fairfield was founded in 2001 and serves the Fairfield/Suisun/Cordelia areas of Solano County. Currently under the leadership of Pastor Sam Morris, BayNorth Church of Christ strives to be a beacon of light in Solano County. As education is the key to people having opportunities to make positive changes in not only their own lives but in the lives of those that they encounter, BayNorth is committed to being a benefit to help students achieve their academic goals and realize their dreams.
Annually, BayNorth Church of Christ co-sponsors a Golf Classic tournament to raise scholarship funds. BayNorth then awards scholarship dollars to students in Solano County to promote their access to education.
These funds will be used to award scholarships to Solano County students looking to further their educational endeavors.
NorthBay Healthcare Foundation, $2,500
NorthBay Health was born in Solano County and remains committed to delivering advanced medicine here to the community they serve. NorthBay continues to invest in modernizing and expanding their facilities, purchasing cutting-edge equipment and pushing the limits of technology alongside other health care pioneers, such as the Mayo Clinic. Their competence, capabilities and practice of collaborating with some of the nation’s most advanced clinical institutions enables them to manage extremely complex cases right here in Solano County.
NorthBay Health provides sophisticated health care services rarely seen in counties of this size, not only in their two hospitals - NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield and NorthBay’s VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville - but also in their primary care and specialty care practices. From oncology to open heart surgery, and from birth through the end of life, NorthBay Health has teams of medical experts ready to assist in care.
The NorthBay Health Heidi Y Campini Cancer Center is equipped with the latest PET/CT and linear accelerator, technology so advanced it can search and destroy cancer cells down to the size of a grain of salt. Additionally, NorthBay Health is a proud member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, allowing NorthBay oncologists to connect with Mayo Clinic experts for a second opinion on complex cases.
These funds will be used to support the NorthBay Heidi Y Campini Cancer Center in its continued commitment to updating and expanding its services which brings access to quality care to all those who live in Solano County.
Guidelines for Grant Funding Requests:
During the FY2026/27 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 $5,500 in contributions are included in the Department’s FY2026/27 Working Budget. The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2026/27 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:
This report was prepared in coordination with the County Administrator’s Office, County Auditor/Controller’s Office, and County Counsel.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION