TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Michael Coleman, Director of Community Improvement
THROUGH: Chief Neal deJesus, Interim City Manager
DATE: January 10, 2017
Title
APPROVAL TO EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION CHANGE BENEFITING CARVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to Approve the Mayor's execution of a new grant agreement between the City of Delray Beach and the Council for Educational Change for the Partnership to Advance School Success (PASS) Agreement, and acknowledge the matching grant dollars will need to be encumbered in FY 2018 as outlined in the agreement.
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Background:
The City of Delray Beach executed a new matching dollar grant agreement for $100,000 in 2014 with the Council for Educational Change that benefits Carver Middle School. The PASS Grant program is designed for a top corporate executive to serve as a mentor to a school principal and to help enhance principal leadership skills by infusing business strategies into school improvement operations. Jeff Rubin, CEO of It's Sugar, served as the mentor to Kiwana Alexander-Prophete, Principal at Carver Middle School, for the past 3 years. Mr. Rubin worked with the students and staff to develop a candy that is currently being produced and distributed worldwide. The candy is known as the Carver Gummy Bear and proceeds will benefit Carver Middle School. The program has proven to be so successful that the Council for Educational Change has offered this new grant opportunity, if the City is willing to provide the $100,000 matching grant dollars.
The Mayor met with representatives from the Council for Educational Change and is supportive of the grant request of $100,000, which can be paid over a 3-year period. The first installment payment of $34,000 would be due in October 2018. If the agreement is approved, the Council can obtain the matching $100,000 Federal Grant dollars in 2017 to continue the program, which allows the City's funding to be delayed. Some of the grant dollars will be used by Carver to provide for the expansion of their existing program and the balance will be used to help develop articulation activities that could possibly result in a hospital CEO business partnership at Pine Grove Elementary School to develop a medical arts choice program (see attached PASS Business Plan).
The action now before the Commission is to approve the Mayor's execution of the new PASS grant agreement that will commit the City to the $100,000 grant with installment payments to be included in the FY2018-2020 budgets.
City Attorney Review:
Approved as to form and legal sufficiency.
Finance Department Review:
Finance recommends approval.
Funding Source:
A funding source is not necessary at this time. Community Improvement will add to the 2018/2019 budget.
Timing of Request:
Yes there is time sensitivity as the grantor is waiting for a signed agreement.