Fiscal Note
The 2020 Adopted Operating Budget includes $50,000 in the Mayor's Office purchased services budget (Service-Food Policy & Programming). No additional appropriation is required.
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Approving the allocation of $50,000 in previously authorized funds from Miscellaneous Appropriations to fund thirteen (13) proposals received during the 2020 Madison Food Policy Council “SEED” Grants funding process, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into agreements with the associated agencies, organizations, groups, and individuals to implement the designated projects or programs.
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WHEREAS, in the adopted 2020 City of Madison Operating Budget there is $50,000 in the Mayor’s Office budget (service: “Food Policy and Programming”) designated to the SEED Grants to deliver as grant funds and authorizes a working group of the Food Policy Council to deliver said funds; and,
WHEREAS, as part of the 2020 Madison Food Policy Council SEED Grants funding process, 19 proposals, which included $132,753.85 in total funding requests, were received by the Mayor’s Office; and,
WHEREAS, SEED Grants funding aligns with community-based projects on food education, access, and security; and,
WHEREAS, with the emergence of the novel coronavirus, spread of COVID-19, and implementation of social distancing measures under ‘Safer at Home’ orders, many communities and residents have suffered economic hardships related to COVID-19, including changes to food security status; and,
WHEREAS, in light of COVID-19, City staff created the “SEED Grants - COVID-19 Addendum” to allow 2020 SEED Grants applicants to provide additional information on actions their respective organizations were taking to assist community members with food-related concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic; and,
WHEREAS, after release of the “COVID-19 Addendum”, 16 (of the original 19) modified proposals, which included $124,699 in total funding requests, were received by the Mayor’s Office; and,
WHEREAS, the applications were subsequently evaluated by the SEED Grants Work Group of the Madison Food Policy Council, in order to recommend no more than the authorized amount of $50,000; and,
WHEREAS, the work group placed priority on applications that were serving immediate community food needs related to hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic; and,
WHEREAS, a total of thirteen (13) SEED proposals were recommended for funding (recommendations of the working group), totaling $50,000 (specific proposals and funding recommendations are shown below); and
WHEREAS, the availability of $50,000 under the Madison Food Policy Council SEED Grants is sufficient to cover the recommended program/project funding allocations for these 13 proposals, as specified below:
Grocery Boxes and FoodBridge Grocery Support, The River Food Pantry, Inc.
• Up to $5,000 to fund grocery boxes and FoodBridge Program packages (for seniors)
• Serves all of Dane County (Based in Alder District 12)
Local Meal and Produce Delivery: Connecting the Northside to its Community Farm, Rooted WI, Inc.
• Up to $4,500 to fund staff time, meal and delivery costs for home-delivered meals and food boxes using local produce
• Alder District 12
Providing Meals to Elders during COVID-19 Emergency, Independent Living, Inc.
• Up to $4,500 to fund home-delivered “Meals on Wheels” meals and staff time
• Serves City-wide (Based in Alder District 11)
COVID-19 Response Initiative, Urban Triage Incorporated
• Up to $5,000 to fund grocery gift cards, groceries, food truck expenses for pick-up meals, and delivery/admin costs
• Serves Alder Districts 6, 12, 17, 18 (Based in Alder District 6)
Just Feeding Madison, Madison-area Urban Ministry, Inc.
• Up to $3,000 to fund ingredients and staff time for Just Bakery to produce and donate >150 loaves of bread to area pantries
• Serves multiple pantries City-wide (based in Alder District 17)
FEED to Go: Feeding Lake View Community School Families during COVID-19, Fiscal: Madison Northside Planning Council, Inc. c/o Lakeview Elementary School
• Up to $5,000 to fund ‘Feed-to-Go’ meals prepared by local chefs and distributed to residents in Northside neighborhoods
• Serves Alder Districts 12 and 18 (Based in Alder District 12)
People on Premises (POP) COVID-19 Grocery Delivery Program, Mellowhood Foundation, Inc.
• Up to $5,000 to fund staff time and personal protective equipment related to grocery delivery in the Meadowood, Hammersley/Theresa Terrace, Park Ridge, Wexford Ridge, and Prairie Hills neighborhoods
• Serves Alder Districts 9, 19 and 20 (based in Alder District 20)
Enhancing Food Access and Establishing Healthy Eating Habit through Early Childhood Education, Young Men’s Christian Association of Dane County, Inc.
• Up to $2,000 to fund meals through the YMCA Brown Bag Meal Program
• Serves City-wide (Based in Alder Districts 15 and 19)
Darbo Pantry Project Expansion Plan, Center for Community Stewardship, Inc. c/o Darbo Pantry Project
• Up to $2,500 to fund staff time for a Project Manager and Distribution Coordinator for the expansion of the Darbo Pantry Project, which delivers bags of local produce to Darbo - and with the expansion - Truax residents
• Serves Alder Districts 6 and 15 (Based in Alder District 6)
COVID-19 Bayview Community Food Access and Distribution Program, Bayview Foundation, Inc.
• Up to $3,500 to fund pre-packaged meals provided to Bayview-area residents
• Alder District 13
Food Emergency Initiative in support of Early Childhood Healthy Eating, Kids Forward, Inc.
• Up to $4,500 to fund staff time and stipends for Early Childhood Education (ECE) providers to manage ECE food distribution program
• Serves City-wide (Based in Alder District 4)
Farm Manager Support for Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens’ Forward Garden Expansion, Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens, Inc.
• Up to $4,000 to fund staff time (farm manager) for food pantry gardens expansion
• Serves City-wide (Based in Alder District 10)
Creation of Mamie’s Garden, Urban League of Greater Madison, Inc. c/o ‘Mamie’s Garden’
• Up to $1,500 to fund “neighborhood harvest garden” establishment costs (materials, seeds, soil amendments)
• Alder District 14
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Madison Common Council approves these funding recommendations to provide funding for the programs and projects in the amounts detailed above; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to execute agreements with the above listed agencies, organizations, or companies (or their fiscal agents) for the described activities.