For City Council Meeting [October 12, 2021]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Cynthia Alvarado-Crawford, Director of Community Services Department
Title
Request the City Council to Adopt Resolution No.7778 Approving the Application for $1,373,500 Outdoor Equity Grants Program Grand Funds through the California Department of Parks and Recreation Parks Office.
Body
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the Outdoor Equity Grants Program was enacted when Governor Gavin Newson signed Assembly Bill 209. The concept of the grant began with findings in the 2015 Parks Forward Commission Report stating that State Parks must expand access to parks for underserved communities and urban populations.
On July 1, 2020, the California Department of Parks and Recreation released the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Fiscal Year 2022 Outdoor Equity Grants Program (OEP). The due date for submission is October 08, 2021.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The purpose of the OEP is to increase the ability of residents in low income urban and rural communities to participate in outdoor experiences at state parks and other public lands. The program accomplishes this by providing financial grant assistance to eligible entities including the City of Rialto.
There is $57 million available for parks and recreation to be distributed through OEP. The maximum amount per grant application is $700,000 and multiple applications can be turned in for consideration by one agency. The minimum application amount is $20,000 per application. This is a competitive grant application where the City of Rialto will compete with many other cities throughout the state of California. The Outdoor Equity Grants Program does not require a local match. Competitive applications will create new recreational opportunities in low-income communities with a low ratio of public park spaces in a half mile radius.
Community Services staff have participated in viewing a mandatory grant admin...
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