Title
Authorizing the Office of Financial Services, in coordination with the Mayor’s Office, to accept a grant award of $120,000 from the Ford Foundation to support the City’s budget engagement sessions and related efforts to ensure reflective governance.
Body
WHEREAS, the Ford Foundation Core Program Support for Civic Engagement and Government supports the work of people outside and within government to help government represent, reflect, and deliver for communities that have historically been excluded and underserved; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the City’s budget engagement sessions is to engage residents in participatory governance, gather citywide feedback in regards to the City’s budget, foster community engagement, and facilitate discussions among members of the public around the City’s budget priorities; and
WHEREAS, these engagement sessions also create opportunities for residents to better understand the annual budget process, city trends, factors affecting each year’s budget decision, and timeline; and
WHEREAS, on November 6, 2024 the City Council adopted RES 24-1586 to authorize the Office of Financial Services, in coordination with the Mayor’s Office, to apply for a grant from the Ford Foundation’s Civic Engagement and Government program; and
WHEREAS, the Ford Foundation awarded the City of Saint Paul a $120,000 award over a two-year term on November 14, 2024; and
WHEREAS, The Office of Financial Services has procured a corresponding grant project code for accounting purposes; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor pursuant to Section 10.07.1 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul, does certify that there are available for appropriation funds of $120,000 in excess of those estimated in the 2025 budget; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council hereby:
1) authorizes the City to accept the Ford Foundation Civic Engagement and Government Core Program Support grant;
2) authorizes and directs the proper city officials to execute the grant agreement; and
3) acknowledges the certification of the Mayor that $120,000 is available for appropriation in the 2025 budget, and that said budget, as heretofore adopted by the City Council, is hereby amended as outlined in the attached Financial Analysis.
Financial Analysis
See Attachment