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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Michele Clark, Director Equity Diversity & Inclusion
DATE: 08/20/2024
SUBJECT:
Request approval to accept the Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant from the National League of Cities in the amount of $20,000.
PURPOSE:
With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, NLCl's Advancing Economic Mobility Grant program provides cities with coaching and grant funding to help them test innovative ideas that will boost the economic mobility of residents.
BACKGROUND:
Advancing the upward economic mobility of city residents directly impacts the financial health and long-term viability of municipalities. Research indicates that economically secure families with as little as $250 in savings are better able to weather the ebbs and flows of income drops and unexpected expenses. They are also less likely to rely on local services for housing support and cash assistance.
Municipalities can apply for grants of up to $20,000 designed to spark new ideas or leverage additional funding to promote economic mobility and equity. Up to 12 municipalities will receive funding. Cities applying for the grant were asked to concentrate on one of three areas.
Creating quality employment opportunities for residents
Equitable support to strengthen or start small businesses.
Helping residents connect with services or public benefits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit .
DISCUSSION:
Funding obtained through this grant will support City of Aurora’s Government Contracting Beginners Bootcamp. This capacity building program aligns with NLC’s focus area Equitable Support to Strengthen or Start Small businesses and Mayor Irvin’s S.E.E. initiative. It will target local Spanish- speaking entrepreneurs and seeks to build capacity, increase competitiveness and provide a framework for doing business at the local, state and federal level.
City of Aurora will partner with the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) to develop and deliver content for the bootcamp. The WBDC’s mission is to support and accelerate business development and growth, targeting women and serving all diverse business owners, to strengthen their participation in, and impact on, the economy. The WBDC envisions a diverse world where all business owners have an equitable opportunity to compete and succeed in the marketplace and achieve economic independence.
Workshops will be delivered in Spanish and focus on these specific procurement related topics:
Understanding Government Contracting
How to Obtain M/WBE certification
How to Leverage your Certifications
Intro to Bonding and Insurance
How to Access Capital
How to Find Government Contracting Opportunities/Navigating Bid
Databases
Financing to Scale Business Operations
The Estimating and Bidding Process
The grant provides 100% of the funding and there is no local cost matching involved with the project.
The revenue account for this grant is 101-1404-337.30-40
The expenditure account for this grant is 101-1404-419.32-99
A budget amendment will be necessary because this grant was awarded after the 2024 City of Aurora budget cycle.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The disparity study conducted in 2022 noted business owners found the complexity of information and procurement procedures as one of the main barriers to small businesses contracting with the City of Aurora. Another challenge some small business owners face is the language barrier. Aurora has a Spanish-speaking population of almost 40%, but little procurement related information is provided in Spanish. This deters many small businesses from working with the city.
The Government Contracting Beginners Bootcamp will mitigate the barriers small business face in obtaining MWBE certification and in doing business at the local/state/federal level by creating a series of training sessions, in Spanish, dedicated to helping small business owners better understand procurement procedures. Regularly scheduled training sessions will be offered for free to small business owners in Aurora. Business owners will be allowed to attend as few or as many workshops as necessary to meet their needs.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Request City of Aurora accept the $20,000 Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant award from the National League of Cities.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution to accept the $20,000 Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant award from the National League of Cities.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, National League of Cities has approved a grant award of $20,000 under their Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant program to the City of Aurora; and:
WHEREAS, the delivery of the City of Aurora Government Contracting Beginners Bootcamp will help eliminate procurement barriers for Spanish-speaking business owners; and
WHEREAS, this grant provides 100% of the funding and there is no local cost matching involved with the project; and
WHEREAS, expenditures under this grant will be tracked and follow the city's revenue and expense requirements; and
WHEREAS, a budget amendment will be submitted for the revenue account # 101-1404-337.30-40 and the expenditure account # 101-1404-419.32-99.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: the City of Aurora accepts the $20,000 Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant award from the National League of Cities.