To: Board of Supervisors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator
Report Title: INNOVATION FUND GRANT RECOMMENDATIONS
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. RECOGNIZE and ACKNOWLEDGE all of the Phase 1 and 2 Innovation Fund applicants for their participation in this grant opportunity.
2. AWARD Measure X Phase 2 Innovation Fund awards totaling $1,962,455 to seven Phase 2 applicants indicated on Attachment 1 and AUTHORIZE and DIRECT the County Administrator to negotiate and execute grant contracts with each grantee organization.
3. AUTHORIZE the County Administrator to apply $12,455 from the unallocated Round 1 Innovation Fund balance to satisfy the Round 2 grant awards, and DIRECT that the resulting unallocated balance of $166,808 be maintained for project contingencies or future grant supplementation.
4. RECOGNIZE the time, expertise, and effort of the seven Innovation Fund panelists who volunteered their personal time and attention to this endeavor.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The $2,000,000 Innovation Fund derives from a second Board allocation of Measure X sales tax revenue. Ten Phase 1 planning grants of $5,000 each were awarded in December 2024, leaving a fund balance of $1,950,000. Note that there remains an unallocated balance from Round 1 of $179,263 which, if added by the Board to the Round 2 remaining allocation, leaves potentially $2,129,263 to be allocated in Round 2, Phase 2.
Recommended Phase 2 grants, if approved, will reduce the fund by $1,962,455, leaving an unallocated balance of $166,808.
BACKGROUND:
On November 16, 2021, the Measure X Community Advisory Board presented a report and funding recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for Measure X revenue. Among the many recommendations approved by the Board of Supervisors was a one-time allocation of $2 million to establish an Innovation Fund to seed pilot programs and innovative projects. The County Administrator was charged with admini...
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