Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution amends the 2024 Adopted Operating Budget for the Community Development Division (CDD) to reflect up to $7,500 in additional grant revenue and commensurate expenditures in purchased services and supplies in fund 1220 (Other Grants) resulting from the City's acceptance, on behalf of the Madison Senior Center, of a 2024-2025 digital literacy grant award from the National Council on Aging (NCOA). This resolution also authorizes the Mayor to execute an agreement with NCOA to formally accept these grant funds.
Title
Authorizing the City of Madison, on behalf of the Madison Senior Center, to accept a 2024-2025 digital literacy grant award of up to $7,500 from the National Council on Aging (NCOA); authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement with NCOA to formally accept the grant funds; and amending the Community Development Division's 2024 Adopted Operating Budget, as appropriate (District 4).
Body
BACKGROUND
Earlier this summer, through a collaboration with AT&T, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) launched a nationwide effort to ensure older adults can engage in workshops and a self-paced online curriculum designed to improve digital literacy. Through this initiative, and as part of the organization's ongoing efforts to offer resources and tools to the aging network, NCOA will be contracting with up to 50 senior centers and community-based organizations in underserved communities to provide a minimum of four (4) in-person workshops each with older adults to focus on digital literacy. Each successful grantee will receive $7,500 and be required to serve at least 100 unduplicated older adults during the period of September 3, 2024 through April 30, 2025. Applications for this grant opportunity were accepted through July 11, 2024.
The City of Madison, on behalf of the Madison Senior Center, submitted an application for this grant opportunity, and was notified by NCOA on July 30, 2024, that the Madison Senior Center had been awarded one of these $7,500 digital literacy grants, as a result of the City's successful application. The funding will be used to provide digital literacy resources for older adults to help build skills and confidence using technology. Resources include offering self-paced course and in-person workshops from technology basics to online safety, including tips to recognize and avoid fraud and scams.
ACTION
WHEREAS, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) launched a nationwide digital literacy initiative earlier this summer to provide $7,500 grants to up to 50 senior centers and community-based organizations in underserved communities for the purpose of improving the digital literacy of older adults; and,
WHEREAS, the Madison Senior Center (MSC), a nationally accredited facility for Madison's older adults, promotes "successful aging" as a model for growing older, by encouraging cognitive and physical stimulation, by supporting engagement in the community, and by assisting people to avoid disease and disability; and,
WHEREAS, in furtherance of this mission, the City of Madison, on behalf of the MSC, submitted an application for NCOA's digital literacy grant opportunity described herein; and,
WHEREAS, on July 30, 2024, NCOA notified the City that the MSC had been successfully awarded one of the available $7,500 digital literacy grants;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council hereby authorizes the Mayor to execute an agreement to formally accept, on behalf of the Madison Senior Center, a digital literacy grant of up to $7,500 from the National Council on Aging; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Common Council hereby amends the 2024 Adopted Operating Budget of the Community Development Division to recognize the associated NCOA grant revenue and commensurate expenditures, as appropriate.