TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary, including any amendments, to enter into an agreement with FUSE Corps, a non-for-profit corporation of San Francisco, CA, to participate in the FUSE Corps Fellowship Program, for the period of September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017, in an amount not to exceed $300,000; and
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the City Manager Department (CM) by $300,000, offset by grant funds from the California Community Foundation, the Irvine Foundation and up to $100,000 in savings from the Fiscal Year 2016 election expense. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach (City) was recently selected as a 2016 FUSE Corps Fellowship (Fellowship) Partner City. FUSE Corps (FUSE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that enables local government to more effectively address the biggest challenges facing urban communities. The Fellowship places fellows in local government host cities to help enable local government to more effectively address the biggest challenges facing urban communities. The Fellowship is paid for through a combination of grants from foundation partners and a modest allocation from the City. The City’s portion of the Fellowship cost will be covered by the savings from the FY 16 elections. This year’s election did not utilize the entire amount budgeted for the election.
FUSE partners with civic leaders to identify pressing strategic challenges and then recruits entrepreneurial, mid-career professionals to serve in executive-level fellowships across local government. The fellows help cities to achieve transformative impact across issue areas such as education, health, poverty, economic development and the environment. For Long Beach, selection as a Partner City also means that 75 percent of Fellowship costs are covered by Foundation partners, such as California Community Foundation and the Irvine Foundation.
Under direction of the City Manager, one fellow will work with City departments to help coordinate, support and accelerate the City’s efforts on Safe Long Beach. The fellow will develop a coordinated implementation plan for achieving the goals of the Safe Long Beach vision and the Homeless project. The fellow will work across City agencies, partner agencies and institutions, and nonprofit organizations along the continuum of service to better integrate related efforts and identify strategies for achieving the plan’s goals using existing resources and programs. The fellow will conduct research of best practices and conduct an analysis of existing programs and services in order to put forth recommendations for sustainable, aligned service-delivery models. The leadership capacity that will be provided by this fellow over the coming year represents a vital necessity to putting the Safe Long Beach plan into action by 2017.
Under the direction of the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, the second FUSE fellow will develop a strategic roadmap for best serving the City’s homeless population. The City conducts a biannual survey of the number, characteristics and service needs of individuals, families and children experiencing homelessness. The fellow will use this data and develop tracking tools to gain a more robust picture of the homeless population and metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of current service providers. The fellow will also research best practices across the country and evaluate alternate funding models for the services supported by the Continuum of Care. The fellow’s research and analysis will inform the City’s allocation of resources for homeless services.
The City Manager’s Office will work with FUSE staff to carry out the scope of the Agreement, ensure the success of the residency, support fellows throughout the project, and participate in team meetings, trainings and other meetings, as needed.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on June 3, 2016 and by Revenue Management Officer Julissa José-Murray on June 6, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on June 21, 2016, to allow FUSE and the City to begin collaboration on recruitment of the fellows, and the creation of the project specifications. FUSE requires all documents to be executed before July 1, 2016 to secure funding for the 2016 Fellowship Program.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City’s cost to participate in the FUSE program is $300,000, and will be funded by a combination of grants from the California Community Foundation, the Irvine Foundation, and a $100,000 contribution from the City. The City’s portion of the Fellowship funding will come from savings in the General Fund for the FY 16 City elections. An appropriation increase is requested in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the City Manager Department (CM) in the amount of $300,000. Approval of this recommendation will provide valuable resources to help continued support to the local economy.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER