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Approve an agreement for $80,000 with Learning for Action from April 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 for nonprofit capacity building; and Authorize the County Administrator to sign the agreement and future amendments that have no fiscal impact
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _ _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _ _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
First 5 Solano/County Administrator’s Office recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve an agreement for $80,000 with Learning for Action (LFA) from April 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 for nonprofit capacity building and authorize the County Administrator to sign the agreement and future amendments that have no fiscal impact.
SUMMARY:
The agreement with LFA is for the development and administration of a 10-month nonprofit capacity building cohort for Solano nonprofit agencies to build their skills in the “Visioning and Impact” dimension of nonprofit capacity. The cohort will be attended by eight Solano nonprofit agencies selected by an application process. Eligible applicants must be a contractor of First 5 Solano and/or Solano County Health & Social Services (H&SS).
In addition to facilitating the cohort, LFA will summarize their aggregated experience coaching the eight nonprofits, and provide a recommendation of next steps for continued nonprofit capacity building support.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This contract will be jointly funded by First 5 Solano and H&SS and administered by First 5 Solano on behalf of both Departments via a Memorandum of Understanding. Funding for this contract is included in both Department’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budgets and FY2019/20 Requested Budgets.
DISCUSSION:
In 2017, the First 5 Solano Commission and H&SS launched efforts to support capacity building for Solano nonprofits. In the fall of 2017, a cohort of 25 nonprofit leaders participated in the UC Berkeley Extension four-month Professional Program in Fundraising and Volunteer Management, an intensive hands-on training and certificate program. Participants completed a final project that directly impacted their agencies’ efforts in either fundraising and/or volunteer management.
At the same time, First 5 Solano and H&SS engaged the services of LFA to complete a Solano Nonprofit Capacity Assessment, which was reported to the Board of Supervisors in June 2018 in a report entitled “Solano County Nonprofit Capacity Diagnostic Findings.” First 5 Solano and H&SS also presented these findings to over 75 nonprofit leaders. The report recommended that Solano County focus on a set of intentional capacity-building efforts in the following core nonprofit capacity dimensions: 1) Vision and Impact Model; 2) Internal Evaluation and Learning; and 3) Board Governance and Leadership.
Based on LFA’s recommendations and the feedback from nonprofit leaders, First 5 Solano has engaged with LFA for the development and administration of a nonprofit capacity building cohort for Solano agencies to build their skills in the “Visioning and Impact” dimension of nonprofit capacity. Over the ten-month cohort, participating nonprofits will participate in three, all-day group learning sessions, group coaching, and tailored individual coaching. Topics will cover why a vision and impact model is important and help each nonprofit develop or refine their theory of change. Nonprofit agencies will be guided through a process to set clear organizational goals and indicators of progress which are foundational for board development and strategic planning.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could request clarification or remand this agreement back to First 5 Solano for revision. These actions are not recommended because they would result in the delay of services to nonprofits in Solano.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
This agreement has been reviewed by County Counsel.