Title
Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to apply for, and if awarded, enter into a grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to accept up to $350,000 in one-time Youth at Work grant funds for the Right Track Program.
Body
WHEREAS, The Parks and Recreation Department is requesting permission to apply for up to $350,000 in one-time grant funds from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to support expansion of employment and training services for youth of color and at-risk youth as part of the Right Track program; and
WHEREAS, the one-time competitive grant funds would supplement existing resources, and help further the Right Track program's efforts to offer meaningful training, work, and career exploration opportunities so Saint Paul youth are prepared to thrive in the workforce; and
WHEREAS,the Right Track program currently receives funding from the ongoing Youth at Work program from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and this one-time funding would be in addition to that ongoing funding; and
WHEREAS, this funding would specifically be used to expand the number of available jobs as part of the Right Track YJ01 program in 2017, and also used to further training efforts to better prepare YJ01 youth workers for the Right Track YJ02 program; and
WHEREAS, funds do not currently exist to support this one-time program enhancement and expansion; and
WHEREAS, this grant requires leveraging existing non-state funding to meet minimum qualifications, so the Right Track program would use existing non-state funding to meet those qualifications; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council of Saint Paul hereby authorizes the Parks and Recreation Department to apply for and if awarded, enter into a grant agreement with Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to accept up to $350,000 in one-time grant funds.