REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: LANCE LIPPINCOTT, Director
Economic Development Department
BY: KELLY TREVINO, Economic Development Analyst
Economic Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Approve an award of $1,500,0000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation (FAHF) and authorize City Manager or designee to negotiate and sign an agreement for services.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends City Council approve an award of $1,500,000 million in ARPA funding to FAHF to provide fa?ade grants to small businesses in the City of Fresno that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic and authorize City Manager or designee to sign agreement for services.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno has allocated $1,500,000 in ARPA Funding for a Fa?ade Grant program to be outsourced to a local Community Based Organization (CBO). This program will provide funding to small businesses in the City of Fresno that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Special emphasis will be focused on outreach and funding in the downtown, Chinatown and the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) areas within the City. Fa?ade grant amounts shall be up to $25,000 for single storefront properties and up to $50,000 for properties with multiple storefronts. All funding must be allocated by December 31, 2024 and expended by June 30, 2025.
BACKGROUND
In 2021, the City of Fresno was awarded American Rescue Plan Act funding in the amount of $170,808,029. Of this funding, $1,500,000 was allocated to provide fa?ade grants to small businesses who were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through a formal request for proposals (RFP) process, a total of seven (7) proposals were submitted for this funding through the City's Planet Bids portal. All proposals were reviewed by a committee consisting of representatives from Planning and Development, Finance, the City Manager's Office and the Economi...
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