Application Description

The City of Santa Monica (“the City”) invites competitive proposals from eligible nonprofit organizations through the Human Services Grants Program (HSGP) for programs that respond to clearly identified community needs in Santa Monica. Grant agreements will be executed for a term of four years, with annual funding contingent upon available funds, satisfactory outcomes, effective program performance, and City Council approval.

Applicants should demonstrate how their programs use evidence-based and data-driven approaches to address the community needs identified in this Request for Proposal (RFP). Agencies applying for the HSGP should have established policies and procedures around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and should demonstrate how they will provide coverage and outreach to underserved populations or geographies within the City. This RFP is open to all qualifying nonprofits with experience administering human services programs, including agencies that have not applied for the HSGP in the past, and/or that have not historically operated within the City, but have developed a robust plan for effectively providing services to Santa Monica Program Participants (SMPP).

The Funding Guidelines for the FY 2023-27 HSGP RFP were approved by City Council on August 24, 2022 and are incorporated throughout this RFP.

Background

Overview of the Human Services Grants Program

The Housing & Human Services Division (HHSD) of the City of Santa Monica Community Services Department oversees a variety of programs and services that help Santa Monicans thrive. Notably, the City has contributed approximately $8 million annually through the HSGP to local public and non-profit organizations to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of vulnerable and low-income Santa Monica residents including children/youth & families, seniors, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness. The HSGP helps to ensure an effective, strong safety net for the City’s most vulnerable residents. In addition, the HSGP provides stable funding to fill gaps in federal, state, and county programs and resources. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22, the HSGP funded 19 community-based agencies and 35 distinct programs. Additional information about the HSGP is available at www.santamonica.gov/hsgp.

Program Expectations & Guiding Principles

The following expectations are aligned with the scoring criteria for this RFP. See the Evaluation section for affiliated scoring components and required application documents. The City expects that funded programs will:

  1. Model and implement services that are data-driven, evidence-based, and/or promote innovation. An evidence-based practice is an intervention or treatment protocol that has been researched, evaluated, and documented to be effective. Alternatively, programs can draw upon innovative approaches, including models that have not launched at scale but show promising outcomes or that have been successful in other regions. Proposed programs and practices should be adjusted to serve the needs of vulnerable Santa Monicans while still maintaining the integrity of the studied model. Agencies should design and revise their programs based on findings from data analysis and interpretation.
  2. Operate from within a highly collaborative and coordinated service delivery system. The challenges facing vulnerable Santa Monicans are often complex and multi-faceted, such that no single agency can meet all needs. Successful collaborative networks share goals, data, information, and accountability. Agencies are also expected to be integrated into their respective systems of care, such as the Coordinated Entry System (CES) for homeless services providers and the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) for youth providers.
  3. Achieve high impact outcomes that demonstrate specific and substantial change in the community and lives of participants. Evidence-based research and Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals should guide programs towards achieving outcomes that reflect lasting effects in the lives of the people they serve. Outcomes should be tracked through established data collection methods and should capture how many of the total individuals or households served are positively impacted and how that impact is measured. Outcome data should be shared with program participants and other internal & external stakeholders and findings should be incorporated into decision making processes. See the Program Evaluation Framework section in Scope of Work for additional information.
  4. Implement a holistic and person-centered approach to programming. Programs that are based on ongoing client engagement are expected to implement an approach incorporating assertive case management; clinically trained staff; interdisciplinary teams; and/or low-barrier and trauma-informed programming.
  5. Demonstrate a commitment to equity. Agencies should have established Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies and procedures, including regular cultural competency training for agency staff and board members. Outreach and marketing efforts should demonstrate an intent to reach underserved populations or geographies within the City and agencies should leverage data to ensure that their programs achieve equitable outcomes.
  6. Multi-year funding: Funding equates to services and jeopardizing the availability of services every cycle creates disruptions in service delivery to people in need. Program participants need the assurance of knowing that services will be available for more than a year should they need them. Multi-year funding allows for stability in hiring and programming and reduces administrative burden so agencies can focus on service delivery.
  7. Ability to serve Santa Monica Program Participants (SMPP) as defined by the City. HSGP includes a specific definition of who can be served with City grant funds to ensure local resources are serving local needs. As one of 88 cities in Los Angeles County, the City expects local agencies to use regional resources first to serve SMPP. City funding ensures that SMPP are prioritized by these programs, creating set-aside slots specifically for Santa Monica eligible households, and allowing flexibility in services where County funds are more restrictive. City funding is also used to fill gaps in services for SMPP when non-City funding is fully expended or insufficient due to time/service limits or eligibility issues.
  8. Leveraging non-City resources: The HSGP requires a minimum 30% cash match requirement, meaning City funds can only be used to cover up to 70% of the cost of services to SMPP and agencies must secure non-City funding for the balance of those costs.
  9. Operate locally: The City is interested in funding programs that meet the expectations above, regardless of whether the agency has direct experience operating in Santa Monica and serving SMPP. Agencies not currently providing services in Santa Monica must demonstrate a robust plan for effectively serving SMPP, including a regularly scheduled physical presence and/or access to remote services.

Funding Availability: Operating Grants

Funding awarded through the HSGP comes from multiple sources both locally and nationally, including the City’s General Fund, Los Angeles County Proposition A, and federal entitlement and competitive grant funds [Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Continuum of Care (CoC)]. At the time of award, grantees will be notified of the source of their grant funds. Grantees must be prepared to comply with all applicable regulatory requirements, terms, and conditions, including those associated with non-City funding sources (see attached Draft Grant Agreement Template for details).

Approximately $8 million annually in operating grants is projected to be available in FY 2023-27 for new and existing programs that support a City initiative or meet a priority need (see Program Evaluation Framework section in Scope of Work). Grant funding is available for qualified programs beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027, and agencies may submit proposals for more than one program. The City employs a multi-year funding strategy to encourage service continuity; however, annual funding levels during the four-year grant cycle are contingent upon available funds, satisfactory outcomes, effective program performance, and City Council approval.

At any point during the four-year funding cycle, City Council may determine the need for significant program changes, including finding that a program is unable to meet its administrative, program or fiscal requirements and should not receive continued funding.

City funds and the designated cash match must be used to serve eligible Santa Monica program participants (SMPP) as defined in this RFP (see Eligible Santa Monica Program Participants section in Scope of Work). Furthermore, City funds should be used as leverage for non-City grants from private or public sources and these non-City funds should also be used for eligible SMPP.

Submission Requirements

All proposals must be submitted electronically through the City’s OpenGov procurement site. All official communications regarding this RFP, including addendums, will be available on OpenGov. Please visit the City’s Procurement Overview page for complete information about the City’s procurement process, including vendor registration instructions for the City’s OpenGov Procurement site.

  • Proposal materials should be completed to reflect one-year programs.

  • Completed applications must include all items on the attached 2023-27 HSGP Proposal Checklist.

  • If funding is being requested for more than one program, a fully separate proposal with all required sections and attachments must be completed for each program.

  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the Virtual Bidders Workshop on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 from 9am-11am. The workshop will be recorded and will be made available online for applicants that are unable to attend. Once finalized, details of the bidders workshop will be communicated to all OpenGov registrants and be made available at www.santamonica.gov/human-services-grants-program.

Community Needs and Priorities

The City has completed several assessments of local needs and evaluations of the human services offered directly by the City, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and local community non-profits. The HSGP represents a significant City investment to address the findings of these assessments and evaluations. The following reports provide information on the documented needs in Santa Monica (if you would like a hard copy of any of the below documents, please contact the Housing and Human Services Division at humanservices@smgov.net or (310) 458-8701):

Other Funding Opportunities

Agencies that do not meet the eligibility criteria listed in this RFP are encouraged to seek other local and regional funding sources. Below is a list of other available funding sources and grant resource hubs:

3. Contact Information

The City has designated Setareh Yavari, as its contact (the “City Contact”) for this request for proposals (this “RFP”). The City Contact’s information is listed below:

Any inquiries or requests regarding this procurement should be submitted via ProcureNow. Other City officers, agents, employees or representatives do not have authority to respond on behalf of the City. Contact with unauthorized City personnel during the selection process may result in disqualification.

Setareh Yavari
Manager - Housing & Human Services Division
1685 Main Street
MS22
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Email: humanservices@santamonica.gov
Phone: (310) 458-8701

Department:
Community Services Department

Department Head:
Andy Agle
Director

4. Timeline

Proposal Calendar

The following is a list of key dates:

Release Project Date:

September 28, 2022

Virtual Bidders Workshop (9-11am):

October 25, 2022

Question Submission Deadline:

November 30, 2022, 3:00pm

Question Response Deadline:

December 8, 2022, 5:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline:

January 18, 2023, 3:00pm

Council Consideration of HSGP Funding Recommendations:

April/May 2023

City Council Adopts Annual Operating Budget / HSGP Funding:

June 2023

Start of New Funding Cycle:

July 1, 2023

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