Issue Statement : During the September 20, 2023 Commission meeting, staff provided a presentation of the City Aid to Non-Profits Program.  After the presentation, the City Commission discussed potential changes to the process, including the application, scoring, and selection methodologies.  Consensus on some changes was reached and revisions to the program were requested by the Commission.  A revised application has been prepared for consideration, as has a modification to the scoring criteria.

Recommended Action: The City Commission approve the use of the proposed application and revised scoring criteria.

Background: The City of Oakland Park has budgeted $80,000 in FY 2024 to award to not-for-profit agencies as part of the City’s Aid to Non-Profits Program. This program is funded and operated directly by the City using General Fund revenues, including billboard payments, and the total budget for the program is determined as part of the annual budget process. No State or Federal funds are involved in this program and the City controls all parameters of the program.  Based on the Commission's direction, grants are only awarded in the flat amount of $10,000.  

The application period typically begins in October after the adoption of the budget. Notice is provided on the City's website and community e-mails; in addition, staff contacted previous applicants to both Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and City's Aid to Non-Profits programs to advise them of the grant funding opportunity.   

The applications received are reviewed by staff for completeness and then sent to Complex Systems Innovations (CSI) for review and ranking. CSI is a grants consultancy that provides evaluation, applied research, program development, grant application assistance, and other related services. The rankings are performed in accordance with a quality of proposal methodology which is attached.  Complex Systems has performed these evaluations for the past five funding cycles and has also provided evaluation services for the CDBG program.  The scoring criteria for the last cycle were updated to provide additional points based on the impact the City funding would have on the applicant's ability to leverage additional matching fund dollars for services.

The ranking and scoring of applications are provided to the City Commission in December. 

A history of funding awards is attached as reference.

On September 20, a presentation by staff was being made to provide an overview of the process and to allow the Commission the opportunity to review the proposed scoring methodology and application for FY 2024. General consensus was reached on the following:

• Scoring (location): the upcoming cycle will incorporate location/identify as part of the scoring process.  The external evaluation team will be advised to update their methodology to provide an additional point to applicants either physically located in Oakland Park, or incorporate Oakland Park in their name.  The total maximum points awarded among all categories will then increase from 21 to 22 points.
  
  
• Post-award reporting: the application has been revised to require organizations to provide post-award reporting of their project to the City to be eligible for future grant cycles.  Reporting requirements will include a narrative description of how the funding was utilized, in addition to identifying the number of Oakland Park residents served.  A copy of their own evaluation will also be required.  
  
  
• Overhead costs:  the application has been updated to include a new project budget section, which requires applicants identify how the grant funds will be expended and what administrative costs, if any, would be applicable. 

There was also discussion regarding the "Target Population".  As part of the application, organizations are required to provide the population to be served, but in demographic and geographic terms.  Applicants are also required to identify the estimated number of Oakland Park residents to be served, in addition to those located in other jurisdictions, if applicable.  

Based on the Commission discussion, staff will continue to utilize the external evaluations firm for review and scoring of applications.  The scores, ranking, and application information will be submitted to the Commission for review and selection.  The proposed schedule would be as follows:

• Release of Applications - October 9
• Applications due - November 10
• External evaluation and review during November
• Award of grant funding by Commission - December 6