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Report regarding the City of South San Francisco receiving an Advancing Economic Mobility Grant from the National League of Cities to Provide Enhanced Outreach for the Promotores Program to the Asian American Community (Michael Guss, Economic Development Specialist)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Commission on Equity and Public Safety receive the report and provide comments on the implementation of the pilot program.
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BACKGROUND
The City created the Economic Advancement Center (EAC) in 2021 in response to the need for more economic mobility resources in the region. The focus of the EAC has been focused on assisting unemployed and underemployed residents, and small businesses impacted by, the Covid-19 pandemic. The City Council appropriated $2 million to support the EAC. This was later supplemented by $3.1 million in federal, state, county, and private grants.
The City contracts with two service providers, who provide workforce development services and small business assistance respectively. JobTrain, Inc. provides career counseling and job placement services. Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center provides entrepreneurship classes and small business counseling services.
In 2022, the City created the Promotores Program. The Program was a result of the Racial and Social Equity Action Plan of the Commission on Racial and Social Equity. The goal of the Promotores Program is to expand linkages and navigation support for people of color and other historically disenfranchised community members. The Promotores Program also seeks to build trust between community members, the City, other governmental service providers and nonprofit service providers. (South San Francisco Commission on Racial and Social Equity, Action Plan, Strategy 3.1, Page 32).
In 2023, the Promotores Program was co-located in the EAC to provide a better synergy between the Promotores Program and other equity efforts-specifically the work of JobTrain, Inc and Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center. The program has served over 500 individuals to date, and provides referrals to the San Mateo County Human Services Agency, nonprofit housing organizations, nonprofit legal services organizations, health care providers, MediCal and Covered California, workforce development organizations, small business counseling nonprofits and other organizations that can assist clients with their needs. Over five-hundred individuals have received services from the Promotores Program since its inception in 2022.
In Summer 2024, staff applied for a $20,000 grant from the National League of Cities (NLC) Advancing Economic Mobility Grant Program - a competitive, nationwide grant. The City of South San Francisco was one of 12 cities in the nation to receive the grant. The other 11 include: Aurora, IL; Burlington, VT; Chester, AR; Durango, CO; El Paso, TX; Frederick, MD; Grand Island, NE; Gustavus, AK; Lansing, MI; Linden, AL; and St. Peterburg, FL.
The goal of the Advancing Economic Mobility Grant Program is to assist cities in testing innovative ideas that boost the economic mobility of residents. The City applied for this funding to support the Promotores Program, which provides system navigation assistance to South San Francisco residents. To date, the Promotores Program has assisted 476 individuals by providing referrals to housing agencies, Medi-Cal, health care providers, and legal aid services, as well as making referrals to the City’s existing partners within the EAC. While 43% of South San Francisco’s population identifies as Asian American, the majority of clients served by the Promotores Program have been Latinx. This grant enables enhanced outreach focused on the Asian American community in South San Francisco. The work of the Promotores generates clients for service-focused agencies operating at the EAC and contributes to the economic security of clients. This grant will enhance those services and expand the client population which benefits from services at the EAC.
DISCUSSION
The grant will fund a pilot program to rapidly enhance outreach about the Promotores Program in Tagalog, Cantonese, and Mandarin to South San Francisco residents.
Staff is planning a minimum of three cultural outreach events to expand community engagement to the local Asian American community. These events have not yet been confirmed, however, staff is currently working with the Library on partnering on existing events in Tagalog and Cantonese, as well as upcoming events around Lunar New Year in early 2025.Two events-one focusing on Tagalog Speakers and one focusing on Cantonese speakers will be held in conjunction with library programming. And the third will be a Lunar New Year event at the Breezeway located adjacent to the Economic Advancement Center. Separately, staff also secured a small grant from Genentech to support a downtown event, which will be focused on a new Lunar New Year Night Market. Through the NLC Advancing Economic Mobility grant, the City plans to reach 100 individuals, and make referrals to the Promotores Program with a minimum of at least 10% of those contacted.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact related to this report.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that the Commission on Equity and Public Safety receive the report and provide comments on the implementation of the pilot program with the National League of Cities Economic Mobility Grant awarded to the City of South San Francisco.
Attachments:
1. PowerPoint Presentation