The City of Napa was granted $12.15M in American Rescue Plan Act Funds, which provided financial support for the community in response to economic and public health impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. To help support local organizations, the City allocated $1.125M to a “Community Recovery Bank” (CRB) as part of the FY22-23 Budget. At the February 21, 2023 City Council meeting, the Council approved the recommended funding allocations to award 21 local organizations CRB funds.
To determine the funding priorities for the CRB, the City conducted an online survey—available in both English and Spanish—in April 2022. The survey received a total of 402 responses and focused on five areas: Housing Assistance, Addressing Homelessness, Childcare, Support for Local Businesses, and Workforce Development.
Survey results showed that residents prioritized addressing homelessness as the most important area for funding, closely followed by housing assistance and childcare support. Within each of these categories, respondents also ranked specific types of assistance programs that might best address the needs in Napa.
"The City took numerous steps to engage with the community in the Community Recovery Bank selection process, allowing us to support local organizations in a way that is consistent with resident priorities,” said City Manager Steve Potter. “It was a transparent and equitable process that will make a real difference in our community."
The City invited local nonprofits and small businesses to apply for the CRB funds via a grant application process last fall. A total of 78 applications were received, with requests for funding exceeding the available funds by over $9 million. To ensure fair distribution of the limited funds, a review panel consisting of City staff and community members was established to evaluate the applications and make recommendations to the City Manager. Recommendations were then presented to the City Council for ultimate approval.
The panel's assessment of the applications was based on several criteria, including organizational need, alignment of the proposed project or program with community survey results, level of community benefit, extent to which the funds would go toward those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, whether the proposed budget was reasonable, and whether the organization or small business demonstrated the necessary capacity to effectively administer the proposed use of funds.
After an extensive review and scoring process, 21 applicants were recommended for funding. Individual award amounts were aligned with each applicant's total score and consideration for the needed funds for the proposed project or program. These recommendations were presented to the City Council, who voted to approve 20 of the recommendations. Another vote will be taken at the March 7th meeting, when a quorum can be reached, to approve one remaining grant recommendation.
The selected awardees are announced and categorized below.
Addressing Homelessness & Housing:
- Mentis: $110,000
- Abode Services: $185,000
- NEWS: $100,000
- On the Move: $150,000
Community Assistance & Nonprofits:
- Feeding it Forward, Inc: $125,000
- Community Action of Napa Valley: $20,000
- Wayfinder Family Services: $15,000
- Ag 4 Youth-Up Valley Ranchers INC: $50,000
- Napa County Bicycle Coalition: $15,000
- Teacher Resource Center of the North Bay: $10,000
- Downtown Napa Farmers Market Corporation: $25,000
Childcare & Preschools:
- Boys & Girls Club of Napa Valley: $100,000
- Nahar Montessori, LLC: $15,000
- Dreher Family Childcare: $15,000
- Napa Valley (Cooperative) Nursery School: $15,000
- First Presbyterian Church and Congregation of Napa: $15,000
- Hopper Creek Napa Valley, LLC: $15,000
Supporting Local Businesses & Workforce Development:
- Wine Country Bicycle Adventures Inc: $35,000
- Napa Valley Historical Society: $25,000:
- Solano County Private Industry Council: $85,000
- Napa Downtown Merchants and Professional Association: $25,000
“The City of Napa is committed to supporting our local businesses, families, and individuals as we continue to navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mayor Scott Sedgley. "The Community Recovery Bank represents a key investment in our community's future, and we are excited to see the positive impact these grants will have on our residents and our city as a whole."
With the Council’s recent approval and allocation of funding, City staff will now work with the CRB fund recipients to execute funding agreements and craft reporting mechanisms. This ensures that the funds are used effectively, transparently, and provide the most significant benefit to the community.
To learn more about the City of Napa’s ARPA funding allocations and Community Recovery Bank awardees, visit https://www.cityofnapa.org/1161/ARPA-Community-Recovery-Bank