REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 04/05/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Fire Department
SUBJECT:
Title
ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF 2022 COMMUNITY FIRE-SAFE CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT OPPORTUNITY AWARD
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to authorize the acceptance of the 2022 Community Fire-Safe Capacity Building Grant Opportunity award in the amount of $20,000 and the approval and ratification of a Fiscal Sponsor Agreement with FireSafe Corona for the expenditure of the grant funds. The Community Fire-Safe Capacity Building Grant Opportunity provides funding from Edison International and the CA Department of Conservation to support capacity building, including media and communication development.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the acceptance of the 2022 Community Fire-Safe Capacity Building Grant Opportunity award in the amount of $20,000.
b. Authorize an appropriation of an expenditure and an offsetting revenue in the amount of $20,000 in a segregated account in the General Fund for the grant award.
c. Ratify the Fiscal Sponsor Agreement between the City and FireSafe Corona for the expenditure of the grant funds.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Edison International Fire-Safe Community Fire-Safe Capacity Building Grant Program (“Grant Program”) is a joint collaboration with California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) and Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE) to provide grants to communities in Southern California Edison service areas. The objective of this project is to provide small grants for community fire prevention and preparedness projects. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with their local community-based fire safe council.
Fire safe councils are grassroots, community-led organizations that mobilize residents to protect their homes, communities, and environments from catastrophic wildfire. In November 2022, using previously obtained grant funding, the Corona Fire Department initiated the steps necessary to form a local fire-safe council within the City known as FireSafe Corona. At the City Council meeting on November 2, 2023, the initial board of directors was introduced to the Council and the community. FireSafe Corona is currently awaiting final approval of their non-profit status.
ANALYSIS:
The California Fire Safe Council and Edison International provide small grants to support capacity building, including media and communication development. In November 2022, the Fire Department, on behalf of FireSafe Corona, applied for funding through the Grant Program to develop strategic planning and policy documents, website design and social media development for FireSafe Corona, and capacity-related workshops for FireSafe Corona Board Members.
On March 2, 2023, the Fire Department received notice of an award of $20,000 in Grant Program funding. The grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2023. The Fire Department is requesting Council authorization to accept this grant funding.
Pursuant to the terms of the Grant Program, the City is required to enter into a Fiscal Sponsor Agreement with FireSafe Corona. The Fiscal Sponsor Agreement is required because the grant funds will be used for the benefit of FireSafe Corona and FireSafe Corona does not yet have legal status as a non-profit organization. As the fiscal sponsor, the City becomes the recipient of the grant funds on behalf of FireSafe Corona and is responsible for ensuring that the grant funds are expended and reported in accordance with the requirements of the Grant Program.
Due to compressed deadlines with the Grant Program, the City was required to submit the Fiscal Sponsor Agreement prior to the date of this Council meeting. The Fire Department is requesting that the City Council ratify the Fiscal Sponsor Agreement executed by the Fire Chief.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation and estimated revenue increase in the amount of $20,000, in the General Fund, for the 2022 Community Fire-Safe Capacity Building Grant Opportunity Award. The grant has no cost share or matching requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the action is not subject to CEQA. This action merely authorizes the acceptance of grant funding that will be used for website and social media platform design, preparation of planning and policy documents and board member training, and there is no possibility this will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: CINDI SCHMITZ, FIRE MARSHAL
REVIEWED BY: BRIAN YOUNG, FIRE CHIEF
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 -2022 Community FireSafe Capacity Building Grant Opportunity Award Letter
2. Exhibit 2 - Fiscal Sponsor Agreement