REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: AARON A. AGUIRRE, Director
Parks, After School, Recreation & Community Services Department
BY: ALDI RAMIREZ, Assistant Director
Parks, After School, Recreation & Community Services Department
EDWARD CHINEVERE, Projects Administrator
Parks, After School, Recreation & Community Services Department
SUBJECT
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***RESOLUTION - Authorizing the Director or Designee of the Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS) Department to Submit a Grant Application to KABOOM! to Fund and Implement Community Engagement, Project Management, Design, and Community Organizing for the Construction of a New Play Structure at University Park, and Authorizing Execution of the Grant Agreement and Any Related Documents with KABOOM! By the PARCS Director or Designee (Subject to Mayor’s Veto) (Council District 4).
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RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the PARCS Department’s submission of a grant application to KABOOM! to fund community engagement, project management, design, and community organizing for the construction of a new play structure at University Park, and authorize the execution of the grant agreement and any related documents with KABOOM! by the PARCS Director or designee, subject to review as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff requests authorization to submit a KABOOM! grant application to fund community outreach, project management, design, and community organizing efforts for the construction of a play structure at University Park. The exact dollar value of KABOOM!’s contribution to the project is unknown until the project is approved and awarded by KABOOM!, but is not expected to exceed the City’s contribution of $450,000 toward the project. Authorization is also requested to allow the PARCS Director or designee to execute the grant agreement and any related documents with KABOOM! should the project be selected for award.
BACKGROUND
The City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget on June 30, 2022, which included a motion to appropriate $450,000 of general funds to be added to the PARCS Department toward the construction of a new play structure at University Park. In fiscal year 2021, the City completed a new play structure at Tollhouse Park, which was completed in partnership with KABOOM!, a non-profit organization committed to ending playspace inequity by uniting with communities to build kid-designed playspaces. The success of the KABOOM! project at Tollhouse led the City to inquire as to whether a similar process could be implemented at University Park, leveraging the City’s funding as matching dollars.
KABOOM! provides community outreach, design, and construction of playspaces at eligible communities through a rolling grant application process. KABOOM! funds the design and construction of playspaces by combining local organization funding with charitable contributions from foundations and donors. Playspaces are designed and constructed in close collaboration with communities by working hand-in-hand with a community’s kids and adults to design, plan, and then build new community playspaces. This level of intensive community engagement builds relationships, fosters trust, and creates collaboration between KABOOM! and the communities and organizations partnering to design, plan, build, and maintain playspaces.
KABOOM! was founded over 25 years ago, and in that time has built or improved over 17,000 playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million community members and served over 11.5 million kids. The organization recently launched its ’25 in 5’ initiative to raise $250 million to address the urgent, unprecedented challenges facing children today. By seeking partnerships with funders, communities, nonprofits, municipal agencies, and other organizations, KABOOM! plans to drive resources to local places with limited access to quality playspaces for the kids and communities that are too often denied opportunities. On April 5, 2022, the organization announced Baltimore as their first official partner in this initiative.
KABOOM! has confirmed that University Park is an eligible location under KABOOM!’s grant requirements. As part of all grantmaking efforts, KABOOM!’s experienced team garners additional charitable contributions and leads fundraising efforts to provide grant funding that will maximize amenities and community benefit. The total amount of in-kind and grant funding provided for projects depends on the scope and scale of the project, which is determined during the community-led design process.
The PARCS Department proposes to submit a grant application to KABOOM! for a tot lot at University Park. If awarded grant funding, KABOOM! will raise funds for and provide community engagement, project management, design services, and community organizing for the development of the new play structure at University Park which will be provided to the City in-kind. The City’s $450,000 contribution would be utilized for site preparation, equipment purchase, and construction costs. The resulting play structure will integrate more amenities that would not otherwise be feasible with the funding available, including, for example, a soft-fall safety surface, shade sail structures, seating, and additional pathway and landscape improvements. The specific amenities included in the tot lot design will be determined in consultation with the community through KABOOM!’s community engagement process.
To maximize resources, community engagement and youth-led design of park facilities, staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the PARCS Department’s submission of a grant application to KABOOM! to fund community engagement, project management, design, and community organizing for the construction of a new play structure at University Park, and authorize execution of the grant agreement and any related documents with KABOOM! by the PARCS Director or designee, subject to review as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
A resolution applying for grant funding is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable as this resolution does not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
University Park is in Council District 4. The $450,000 City contribution for the construction of the play structure was appropriated in the FY23 budget.
Attachments:
Resolution
Kaboom! Grant Application