To: Board of Supervisors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator
Report Title: 2nd Quarter Innovation Fund Status (Through June 30, 2024)
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. RECEIVE report on the second quarter progress of the five grant projects from the first allocation of Innovation Funds through June 30, 2024.
2. PROVIDE direction to staff on the parameters for the second allocation of Innovation Funds:
a) Any changes to funding categories? Current categories are:
o Safe & Engaged Communities
o Agriculture and Food Systems
o Economic Vitality
o Clean & Sustainable Environment
o Reliable & Accessible Infrastructure
b) Any changes to funding priorities? Current categories are:
o Projects that improve equitable access to public services
o Projects that remove structural barriers that cause inequities and poverty
o Projects that have the potential to provide the greatest impact for every dollar spent
o Projects that have potential for transformative change rather than simply replicate safe, established programs
c) Any change to eligibility requirements: specifically,
o Shall the Innovation Fund continue to be limited to California tax-exempt nonprofit corporations?
o Shall first allocation grantees be eligible to apply for a new grant to continue their original projects or shall the second Innovation Fund allocation be limited to only new projects?
d) Any changes to Review Panel composition? Current composition of 7 panelists (as geographically and racial/culturally diverse as can be achieved):
o 2 members of the Contra Costa Funders’ Forum
o 1 member of the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation
o 1 County staff person from a discipline relevant to the grant proposals
o 4 representatives from any of the following County advisory bodies: Alcohol and Other Drugs Advisory Board, Commission for Women and Girls, Council on Homelessness, Economic Opportunity Council, Family and Children’s Trust, Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Mental Health Commission, Racial Justice Core Committee, Workforce Development Board, or Measure X Community Advisory Board.
e) Any other direction to staff?
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact. This is an informational report with no recommended action.
Of the $2M allocated for the Innovation Fund, $30,000 was awarded and spent for five planning grants and $1,790,737 was awarded for five project grants, leaving an unallocated balance of $179,263. To date, $662,530 has been expended from the project grants, leaving an allocated balance of $1,128,207. Grantees can expend funds through December 31, 2024.
BACKGROUND:
On October 17, 2023, at the conclusion of a year-long competitive bidding process, the Board of Supervisors awarded Measure X Innovation Fund grants totaling $1,790,737 to five promising projects. Contracts with each grantee were executed by the County Administrator effective December 1, 2023, since which time the projects have been underway.
What follows is a short description of each project, Innovation Funds spent per project through June 30, 2024, and a summary of progress made towards project goals. Also noted are any challenges or impediments reported by the grantees and any anticipated impacts those impediments may have on the project outcomes or timeline.
The County Administrator’s Office will continue to monitor progress, do what can be done to support the grantees, and report to the Board quarterly.
2nd QUARTER UPDATE
Smart Food Lockers Project, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
Contract Award: $717,500
Paid thru June 30, 2024: $82,327 (11%)
Program Summary: Purchase of food lockers to enable eligible individuals to retrieve food anonymously and at their convenience. Like the Amazon Hub Locker model, banks of 20 climate-controlled lockers can be placed either inside or outdoors at locations around the county. Food orders are placed electronically, and user codes are granted for food pick-up. Distributions will begin with a standard set of food staples, with a long-term goal of customizing selections for dietary preferences or restrictions. There is capacity for up to three locker fills daily, so each 20-locker bank can potentially serve 60 families/households daily.
2nd Quarter Status Update
The project team has selected the locker vendor, Click n Collect. This vendor provides a high-quality product customized for food banks at a lower cost than projected in the proposal budget. In early June, the project team placed a 50% deposit on four banks of lockers, which are now in production and expected to be delivered within 16 weeks or sometime in October.
The team has engaged with 20 partner agencies that expressed interest in becoming locker sites. Staff visited multiple sites to evaluate accessibility and feasibility. Following is the status of the four likely locker sites:
• Refuge Food Pantry in Concord (Central County): Signed MOU, completed site visit in May to take measurements. Next steps are to determine ethernet needs, install/move ethernet as needed to locker location, and wait for locker installation.
• Contra Costa College in San Pablo (West County): Committed. Sent MOU on 5/7/24, which is under review by the Dean, the Board, and college management.
• Los Medanos College in Brentwood (East County): Committed. In the final stages of MOU approval with their Dean and Board after several rounds of requested changes. Have selected a location for the bank of lockers, which already hosts Amazon lockers, so infrastructure already exists.
• DVC San Ramon (South County): Very interested. MOU is under review (no feedback yet). Currently scouting locations on campus in coordination with administration and IT support. Once they have a proposed location, the Food Bank will do a site visit.
The team’s internal designer has the locker dimensions for the branding and is working on the design to send to the manufacturer, who will brand the lockers prior to shipping.
In partnership with Click n Collect and Feeding America, the project team has outlined the training that sponsors will need to undergo for both the lockers and the Order Ahead system that will be utilized to place food orders. Next steps include finalizing the menu of food items, ordering food, training partner sites, and advertising the program.
Impediments. The turnaround time for the lockers is 16 weeks, twice as long as vendors projected in August of 2023. This additional processing and shipping time will push back the locker installation, branding, and food distribution by approximately two months, to October. The team has also encountered some reluctance of partner agencies to host lockers 24/7 due to concerns about crime and vandalism, and in recognition of ongoing annual locker maintenance costs. Despite protracted MOU negotiations, the issues are being addressed up front rather than once the lockers are on site. The team expects to have all concerns resolved and all MOUs signed within the next few weeks.
Site visits revealed one oversight in that the team did not budget for any site preparation work. Thus far, none of the sites have required any significant work. Should sitework be needed, the Board may want to consider augmenting this project grant from the unallocated grant reserve to keep the project moving forward.
Pittsburg Mobile Family Resources Program, Lincoln Families
Contract Award: $330,000
Paid thru June 30, 2024: $95,940 (29%)
Program Summary: The Pittsburg Mobile Family Resources (PMFR) brings resource coordination and direct services together with community engagement. Through a network of service providers, the PMFR promises to provide youth and families with coordinated intake, direct services, resource navigation, and strengthened informal support/community engagement. For the project to succeed, the PMFR requires a strong community champion to lead the project.
2nd Quarter Status Update
The project team hired Jewell Bachelor as the project manager. Ms. Bachelor has rich experience in community work, multi-generational family programming, building positive school-site school culture and climate, youth development, and holistic healing. She has a reputation for being an innovative problem solver, DEI leader, and strategic culture advisor known for partnering with stakeholders to advance organizational-wide solutions that address systemic social-emotional, academic, equity, and inclusion issues.
The project team also hired Bilingual Program Coordinator Lisette Huerta to provide family case management services. Ms. Huerta focuses on back-to-school (getting families and children prepared for school) as well as providing critical support. To date, the Bilingual Program Coordinator has supported five families with family case management services and seven individuals with individual case management services.
The project team identified 11 potential community-based organizations (CBOs) as potential partners for the PMFR project located in Pittsburg and Antioch, and an additional 9 CBOs throughout East Contra Costa County. MOUs are expected to be finalized by early September.
The project team expected to convene a Community Leadership Council of 5 to 7 individuals in late July. Outreach has been focused on organizations in Pittsburg who serve "hard-to-reach" populations such as transitional-aged youth, African-American families, and multi-generation families.
Impediments. No impediments reported during this period.
Hispanic Outreach Manager Project, Support4Recovery (S4R)
Contract Award: $143,237
Paid thru June 30, 2024: $59,262 (41%)
Program Summary: The program will facilitate addiction treatment in the Hispanic community. It is modeled off BiBett's Pueblo del Sol program, which offers a residential detoxification program to Spanish speakers. The program goals are to increase awareness that recovery services are available in Spanish and help individuals overcome barriers to getting substance abuse treatment, such as obtaining U.S. identification.
2nd Quarter Status Update
The project team reports that it continuously measures the Hispanic community’s needs for substance abuse and detoxification services to better tailor their efforts to address obstacles to such services in a timely and effective manner. S4R is collaborating with community partners to develop personalized exit plans for individuals who qualify for sober living housing, whether they are in custody or undergoing treatment.
The project team established a partnership with the County Public Defender’s Office to plan and conduct, in collaboration with Reentry Success Support, workshops in local jails to provide information and guidance specifically tailored for Spanish-speaking inmates who are struggling with substance abuse issues. During Quarter 2, the project team conducted three workshops within the Marsh Creek Detention Facility and three more workshops are scheduled before the end of September. Efforts are underway to expand services to female inmates in the West County Detention Facility setting.
The team has secured 24 sober living placements for Spanish speaking individuals thus far: 12 through the Innovation Fund and 12 through an arrangement with John Muir Foundation.
The project team provided counseling assistance for bilingual counselors seeking state certification. Three individuals are progressing towards achieving their certification goals: one has passed the state test for certification, and two are enrolled in the curriculum required for certification.
On June 20th, the project team accompanied four clients to the Mexican consulate to assist them in obtaining their legal forms of identification required at the Department of Motor Vehicles to acquire a driver's license or a California ID. This initiative not only streamlines the documentation process for clients but also ensures that they can drive legally to work, visit their children, and effectively engage in their recovery journey within a sober living environment. The ability to access these documents fosters a sense of independence, empowerment, and stability for clients as they work towards their recovery goals.
On June 29th, the project team, in collaboration with John Muir Health, organized and hosted a 2½ hour women's focus group tailored to provide information and support to 16 Hispanic women affected by substance abuse or with loved ones facing these challenges. The feedback received from these women has informed S4R’s ongoing commitment to establishing monthly support groups to provide a safe and inclusive space for Hispanic women to seek assistance, share their stories, and access the support they need.
Impediments. The project team cites myriad challenges to providing resources to the Hispanic inmate population. The team reports that many inmates feel they are not being properly assessed for their substance abuse treatment needs, leading to lower levels of care being assigned and, thus, a lower probability for residential treatment, hindering their recovery journey.
The project team continues to report a limited availability of beds for detox and treatment for Hispanics in Contra Costa County. Moreover, there remain no treatment beds for Spanish speaking women. This lack of resources has made it difficult to accommodate the growing awareness and demand for support services within the Hispanic community. In response to the shortage or absence of treatment beds, S4R has engaged with an established organization outside of Contra Costa County in the substance abuse field but, so far, without success.
S$R Related Activities Outside of the Innovation Fund Grant
S4R reports that it is exploring the potential development of its own substance abuse treatment program. Factors such as program design, staffing, funding, and operational logistics are being carefully evaluated to determine the viability and potential impact of this initiative. Such an initiative is beyond the scope of the Innovation Fund grant and would require significant other investment to become feasible. The Board may wish to consider allocating some or all of the current Innovation Fund balance to this effort.59
S4R is funding the registration of one staff person to obtain substance abuse disorder (SUD) counseling training to enhance her ability to provide effective and culturally sensitive services to the Hispanic community.
S4R has established a new collaboration with The Gemma Project, an organization dedicated to providing and promoting gender-responsive jail and prison reentry programming for justice-involved women. The partnership aims to advocate for policy changes, focus on effective strategies to reduce recidivism, break the cycle of incarceration, and foster healthier communities. This collaboration represents a significant step towards enhancing gender-responsive reentry programming for women in correctional facilities.
Digital Inclusion Program, Tech Exchange
Contract Award: $500,000
Paid thru June 30, 2024: $375,000 (75%)
Program Summary: The program promises to source used computer devices from environmentally responsible businesses and individuals and refurbish and distribute devices to persons who receive public benefits and complete 8 hours of free digital skills training, and to nonprofit organizations that serve disadvantaged groups. Training will be offered in multiple languages. The program will employ STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) interns.
2nd Quarter Status Update
During this period, Tech Exchange collaborated with ten Contra Costa CBOs to advance its digital equity programs and service. This includes the continuation of partnership with West Contra Costa County organizations like DeJean Middle School (DJMS) and Richmond Public Library (RPL), as well as new collaborations in East Contra Costa County. Multilingual digital literacy classes continued at DJMS and were launched at RPL Main Branch and RPL Bayview Branch.
In May 2024, Tech Exchange also started a partnership with the Antioch-based First Page, New Chapter, a tutoring service that offers programs for students of all ages in Contra Costa County. Other East County collaborations included Opportunity Junction, an Antioch nonprofit organization that helps individuals develop their careers, Antioch Community Center, Contra Costa Library Antioch Branch, and Pittsburg Youth Development Center (PYDC), a youth club that provides recreational and educational activities for the community. To date, the project team has trained and issued devices to 148 recipients: 12 during Quarter 1 and 136 during Quarter 2.
By partnering with educational organizations, the project team provided free devices to the community members who need them most. Many of the devices were distributed to high school and college students, and some were distributed to Hijas Del Campo for career exploration and to Contra College for its Next Up Program, benefiting foster youth enrolled in the program. To date, the project team has distributed 296 devices: 45 during Quarter 1 and 251 during Quarter 2.
Tech Exchange also continued to collect used computer equipment from Contra Costa County businesses. To date, the project team collected 626 devices: 365 during Quarter 1 and 261 during Quarter 2.
Tech Exchange has been able to achieve significant success in digital skills class enrollment and graduations, free computer distribution, and partnership growth in Contra Costa County, providing direct service or devices to nearly 450 individuals in six months. The project team has laid a strong groundwork for increasing equipment donation pickups in the county, and for working collaboratively to enroll residents in affordable internet service in newer and more challenging circumstances.
Impediments. The actual number of computers collected continues to be lower than expected, as the original projection of 5,000 assumed that contributions from West Contra Costa Unified School District, which donated thousands of computers in 2022 and 2023, would continue to grow instead of taper off. Tech Exchange will follow up on new leads at the Contra Costa County Public Works Department and the Contra Costa Library system to increase its equipment pickups in the remainder of 2024.
Food Rescue Hero (FRH) Program, White Pony Express
Contract Award: $100,000
Paid thru June 30, 2024: $50,000 (50%)
Program Summary: The FRH application (app) is a pioneering technology solution that connects food producers’ surplus with available volunteer food-runners. It works like Uber, only for free food distribution. FRH provides real-time food delivery, connecting volunteers with smaller food donors like restaurants, caterers, schools, and cafeterias. The app allows food donors to signal when they have excess food. Available volunteers are then pinged via the app and can claim the run, electing to pick up and deliver the food immediately to a matching recipient organization registered in the program. This ground-breaking technology facilitates the dual goals of feeding hungry people and reducing food waste.
2nd Quarter Status Update
The project team continued to build and use FRH app to connect fresh, healthy food to organizations that feed the hungry. The grant helped the team move the program forward in several ways. The team crafted a marketing strategy and outreach materials to raise awareness and engage local businesses as food donors. They contacted restaurants, markets, and other food purveyors to invite their participation in the initiative. They used media outlets, published the initiative in newsletters and bulletins, visited businesses, attended events, and collaborated with community partners and volunteer organizations. They educated the community, public officials, and decision makers, raising awareness about food waste, food insecurity, the new law, and how to take action. The team conducted training for food donors, volunteers, and recipients on how to best use the FRH app.
During Quarter 2, the project team:
• Engaged 10 new food donation suppliers.
• Registered 31 new volunteer food runners on the app.
• Made 892 deliveries via the app.
Impediments. The challenge continues to be signing up new food donors. The project team assumed that with the rollout of SB 1383, there would be a sense of urgency but there has been confusion instead. Food producers and restaurants are unclear about reporting and accountability, and some have signed exclusive agreements for their donations that mean that certain foods will still end up in landfills. Although the legislation is in place, funding for implementation is not. This is another reason why the Innovation Fund Grant is so critical.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Not applicable.