To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: Contract, White Pony Express
Recommendation: Recommendation of the County Administrator
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to execute a contract with White Pony Express in an amount not to exceed $299,111, to provide Empowering Enrollment application assistance for safety net programs for the period October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% County (Measure X) allocations of which $149,555.50 is budgeted for FY 26/27 and $149,555.50 will be budgeted for FY 27/28.
BACKGROUND:
In February 2026, the Employment and Human Services Department issued Request for Proposals (RFP) #1230, Empowering Enrollment: Community Outreach and Application Assistance to Increase Safety Net Program Participation. The purpose of this RFP was to identify and fund organizations capable of delivering outreach and enrollment services across underserved districts throughout the county, supported by Measure X funding. The RFP allocates approximately $2.25 million over a period not to exceed 24 months to support these efforts, with the goal of ensuring that eligible individuals and families gain access to critical public assistance benefits.
This action seeks to execute a contract with White Pony Express to provide Empowering Enrollment application assistance for safety net programs for the period October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2028.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
The services provided under this contract supports all five of the community outcomes established in the Children’s Report Card: (1) “Children Ready for and Succeeding in School”; (2) “Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood”; (3) “Families that are Economically Self-Sufficient”; (4) “Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing”; and
(5) “Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.”
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Should the proposed action not be approved by the Board of Supervisors, the County will be unable to leverage the support of community-based organizations to conduct outreach to residents. Such outreach is essential to inform, empower, and encourage community members to apply for safety net services for which they may be eligible, thereby increasing participation rates in public assistance programs, including CalFresh, CalWORKs, and Medi-Cal.