Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to accept, on behalf of the City, $75,000 in 2025 Employment Grant (EG) funding from the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR). Budget authority for this grant's anticipated revenue and commensurate expenditures has already been included in the Community Development Division's adopted 2025 Operating Budget (Munis Project 84125). The resolution also authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a POS contract with JustDane, Inc. to carry out the goals of the grant program. This represents a continuation of EG-funded services provided by JustDane (through its Just Bakery program) during 2024. No additional appropriation is required.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to accept, on behalf of the City, a 2025 $75,000 Employment Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) to support creating equitable outcomes for homeless and other marginalized adults in training and vocational support services; and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a Purchase of Services agreement with JustDane, Inc. to provide services to implement these goals through its Just Bakery program. (Citywide)
Body
BACKGROUND
In December 2024, the City of Madison, in partnership with JustDane's Just Bakery program, re-applied and received grant funding through the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) Employment Grant program. The goal of the grant is to implement short- and long-term training programs and practices that will support equitable economic recovery and growth for homeless and marginalized adults who are interested in careers in the hospitality industry. JustDane, as an approved EG grant Subrecipient, provided these same grant-funded services via its Just Bakery program during 2024.
The Community Development Division (CDD) supports the Just Bakery program, along with other homeless and employment programs, and has existing partnerships with the Adult Employment training network and the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin. These ongoing partnerships allow for the further growth of vocational programming for residents. More specifically, these Employment Grant funds from DEHCR help bolster program outcomes for local participants and community-based agencies to target and improve outcomes for homeless adult participants returning to the community after incarceration. This supports the City's goal of building human capital by prioritizing the provision of employment-related services and support to unemployed or underemployed adults who face multiple barriers to employment, to help connect them to family-supporting jobs.
ACTION
WHEREAS, the City of Madison, through its Community Development Division (CDD), has applied for, and been awarded, a 2025 $75,000 Employment Grant (EG) from the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) to support connecting people experiencing homelessness with permanent employment; and,
WHEREAS, through this initiative, the City will again provide funding in support of approved EG Subrecipient JustDane's Just Bakery educational and vocational training program, to provide paid stipends to City of Madison adults participating in the program who experience homelessness and are returning to the community after incarceration; and,
WHEREAS, CDD's 2025 Adopted Operating Budget currently supports programming that focuses on economic mobility opportunities, such as employment training, financial literacy, and other community-based programming, as part of a broader strategy to support household stabilization; and,
WHEREAS, CDD continues to explore ways to improve these services and expand economic opportunity through collaboration with other government bodies, non-governmental funders, educational institutions, and financial institutions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council hereby authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to accept, on behalf of the City, a 2025 $75,000 Employment Grant from, and to execute a contract with, WI DEHCR, in a form approved by the City Attorney and Risk Manager; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Common Council hereby authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a Purchase of Services (POS) agreement with JustDane, Inc., to provide EG-funded paid stipends to homeless adult participants enrolled in the agency's Just Bakery educational and vocational training program during the period covered by the 2025 Employment Grant; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to accept future Employment Grant Program awards from the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources and, subject to the receipt and expenditure of each year's grant funds being recognized in CDD's operating budgets, enter into corresponding contracts in forms approved by the City Attorney and Risk Manager.