TO: CRA Board of Commissioners
FROM: Alexina Jeannite, Grant Manager
THROUGH: Renée A. Jadusingh, Esq. CRA Executive Director
DATE: August 25, 2020
Title
FY 2020-2021 CRA A-GUIDE FUNDING REQUEST - DELRAY BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Direct staff to include funding for the Delray Beach Public Library in the CRA’s FY 2020-2021 Budget in the amount of $443,000.
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Background:
The Library applied for CRA A-G.U.I.D.E.: Achieving Goals Using Impact Driven Evaluation Funding for FY 2020-2021 under the category of Economic Development and Recreation and Cultural Facilities. Funding is requested for two programs: (Program “A”), which is the Library’s Sunday & Monday Operations and (Program “B”), which is the Technology, Training, and Innovation Lab Services. The specifics of the request are summarized below.
Funding Request Amount: $443,000
Organization Total Budget: $2,305,856
CRA Funds - Percentage of Budget: 19%
FY 2019-2020 Funding: $468,000
Program “A”: CRA Sundays & Mondays
Request Amount: $418,000
Program Budget: $418,000
Percentage of Program Budget: 100%
FY 2019-2020 Funding: $418,000
Program “B”: Technology, Training, and Innovation Lab
Request Amount: $25,000
Program Budget: $100,000
Percentage of Program Budget: 25%
FY 2019-2020 Funding: $50,000
This year’s Funding Evaluation Committee consisted of CRA Executive Director, Renee Jadusingh, Finance and Operations Director, Lori Hayward, and Arts Warehouse Manager, Grace Gdaniec. The Committee rated the application package based on the established A-GUIDE criteria. Criteria used in review of the application were grouped into six categories weighted to total 100% as follows:
Organization Capacity 20%
Need for Project/Program 20%
Project/Program Description 10%
Logic Model 20%
Evaluation Plan 10%
Budget & Sustainability 20%
The Application Evaluation Form has six categories and the majority of the items are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (worst to best possible response) with the exception of two items: Organizational Capacity - Demonstrated experience/success with similar programs/project rated on a scale of 1 to 15 (worst to best possible response); and Logic Model/Projected Results - Stated program/project goal clear and relevant to CRA Overall Need rated on a scale of 1 to 10 (worst to best possible response).
Please review the attached Application Evaluation Form (Exhibit A) that includes the rating of the committee members on each Project/Program. The outcome of the committee’s review is as follows:
Total Average Evaluation Score: 88%
Program “A”: CRA Sundays & Mondays and Technology, Training, and Innovation Lab
Evaluation Score: 89%
Program “B”: Technology, Training, and Innovation Lab
Evaluation Score: 87%
A-GUIDE Evaluation Committee Comments & Suggestions:
The committee recommends funding of $443,000 with no increase. The committee also expressed concerns that 65% of the Library’s proposed budgeted revenue ($2,305,856) is generated by the City of Delray Beach and the CRA. The committee recommends that as a 501(c)(3), the Library should pursue additional funding sources and not be as dependent on local government entities.
In addition to the attached Application Evaluation Form and budget forms, the following documents are available upon request:
A-GUIDE Application
A-GUIDE Logic Model
A-GUIDE Evaluation Plan
Strategic Plan
IRS Form 990
Audited Financial Statements
Refer to the funding request overview for more information.
As stipulated in the A-G.U.I.D.E. guidelines, the Funding Evaluation Committee reviews each application according to established criteria and makes preliminary funding recommendations to the CRA Board of Commissioners. Then the CRA Board considers and makes final decisions regarding the funding request. At this time, the Funding Evaluation Committee recommends funding the Delray Beach Public Library Association for fiscal year 2020-2021 in the amount of $443,000 ($418,000 to Program A and $25,000 to Program B).
Attachments: Exhibit A - Application Evaluation Form (Program A & B); Exhibit B - FY 2020-2021 Goals & Outcomes Report (Program A & B); Exhibit C - CRA Combined Budget Form and Narrative (Program A & B).
CRA Attorney Review:
N/A
Finance Review:
Reviewed by Lori Hayward, CRA Finance & Operation Director.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
$443,000 allocated from General Ledger #7376 - A-GUIDE Funding.