Agenda

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C. 28

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	October 12, 2021

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Grant Submittal for U.S. Economic Development Administration American Rescue Plan Act Build Back Better Regional Challenge in the Amount of $500,000

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 10/12/2021

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Sam Driggers, 925-655-2783

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: October 12, 2021
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to submit a final application and accept grant funding in an amount not to exceed $500,000 from the United States Economic Development Administration under the American Rescue Plan Act Build Back Better Regional Challenge to implement elements of the Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan to assist with economic recovery from COVID-19 business impacts.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant program has neither an allowed administrative cost component nor a match requirement. The personnel costs to apply for and administer the grant (if successful) will be absorbed by the Department of Conservation and Development.

BACKGROUND:

The United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) published a call for proposals under multiple new grant programs intended to relieve the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. Department of Conservation and Development staff reviewed the available programs, and recommends submitting a grant application under the "Build Back Better Regional Challenge" program, which is geared to regional approaches grounded in existing plans. The Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan (SAP), adopted by

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

the Board in 2019, provides the existing framework, and staff proposes to submit a grant application that pulls out selected projects from the SAP to implement with the assistance of the grant funding and technical assistance. Proposals can request up to $500,000 in funding for this phase of the grant program, which would be allocated toward the following projects, listed with their Action Item Numbers from the adopted Strategic Action Plan:

Complete, up to date business and industry data reflecting post-pandemic conditions (Actions 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 3.1.1, and 5.1.3): $100,000
Conduct a Bioscience incubator feasibility study on County-owned land in Hercules (Action 4.1.1): $100,000
Develop Regional Northern Waterfront target industry-oriented marketing materials including unified website, branding, and collateral (Actions 5.1.1 and 5.1.2): $150,000
Advanced transportation technology cluster support at one or both of two sites in the Northern Waterfront area: GoMentum Station (privately owned vehicle technology testing site) on the Concord Naval Weapons Station and Buchanan Airport (publicly owned commercial airport with aviation technology space available) (Actions 1.1.2 and 4.1.2): $150,000

These projects were chosen to provide balance across the county and the Northern Waterfront sub-areas, and a mix of types of actions.

If this grant application is successful, the County would be well placed to apply for a second phase of grant funding to continue implementation. Meanwhile, as part of a coalition coming together to support a different, complementary grant application under the EDA's Good Jobs Challenge, further work continues on multiple fronts to improve economic conditions and opportunities for County residents. The Good Jobs Challenge application is not due until January 2022 so will come to the Board for approval at a later date.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the Board does not approve this item, the County will not submit an EDA grant application for $500,000 to improve economic conditions.