Item Description:
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Neg various agmts for Green Partners environmental grants for periods between 09/01/24-08/31/25 and 09/01/24-08/31/26, total NTE $248,700
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following Green Partners grant agreements during the period September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025 with a total amount not to exceed (NTE) $108,800:
• PR00006518 with East Side Neighborhood Services, Youth Green Jobs Pathways: Education, Employment, and Green Workforce Training, NTE $20,000;
• PR00006539 with Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, Lake Street Youth Labs, NTE $12,000;
• PR00006522 with Lyndale Neighborhood Association, Preventing Waste in Lyndale, NTE $12,000;
• PR00006519 with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Creating Future Leaders in Outdoor and Environmental Leadership, NTE $30,000;
• PR00006546 with Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, Mississippi Summer Exploration, NTE $12,000; and
• PR00006550 with Spark Youth, Green Campus Expansion, Youth Environmental Education at PYC Arts, NTE $22,800; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following Green Partners grant agreements during the period September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2026 with a total amount NTE $139,900:
• PR00006538 with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Nature from the Inside Out, NTE $50,000; and
• PR00006523 with Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, AAPI Green Team, NTE $39,900; and
• PR00006552 with YMCA of the North, Camp Ihduhapi Environmental Education Curriculum Update and Scholarships, NTE $50,000; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
The Green Partners grant program provides support and funding to organizations to implement projects that engage residents to protect and improve the environment. Since the program was established in 2012, the county has awarded 259 grants totaling more than $3.5 million. Funding for the program comes from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.
The program offers three types of grants: Youth Environmental Education grants for projects engaging young people in environmental education and stewardship, a grant program for Youth Green Jobs, and Environmental Action grants for projects that focus on motivating adults to take environmentally friendly actions.
Eligible organizations include:
• registered nonprofit organizations such as community groups, youth organizations, and congregations;
• park districts; and
• private and public schools, including community education programs such as early childhood family education.
The county released a request for proposals in March 2024. A total of 61 applications were received. Of the 33 Youth Environmental Education grant applications received, 17 are recommended for funding. Of the 12 Youth Green Jobs applications received, four are recommended for funding. Of the 16 Environmental Action grant applications received, six are recommended for funding. A total of 27 grants are recommended, for a grand total amount of $777,900.
Nine of the 27 agreements require board approval because these organizations have existing contracts with the county that exceed $100,000: East Side Neighborhood Services, Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, Lyndale Neighborhood Association, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, Spark Youth, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, and YMCA of the North.
The remaining 18 agreements, listed below by type, will be approved through administrative processes.
Youth Environmental Education grants
• PR00006537 Appetite for Change Inc, Youth Training and Opportunities Program, NTE $25,000, one-year grant;
• PR00006540 In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, Puppets Show Up for the Earth, NTE$50,000, two-year grant;
• PR00006541 Metro Blooms, Youth and Environmental Justice, NTE $50,000, two-year grant;
• PR00006542 Midwest Food Connection, Youth Food Waste Reduction Project, NTE $24,000, one-year grant;
• PR00006543 Minneapolis Nature Preschool, School-wide Forest Stewardship, NTE $19,600, one-year grant;
• PR00006544 Minnesota African Women’s Association, Engaging Pan-African Youth in Environmental Action, NTE $50,000, two-year grant;
• PR00006545 Minnesota Swahili Christian Congregation, Project Reuse-Reduce-Recycle, NTE $20,000, one-year grant;
• PR00006547 Pollinate Minnesota, Expansive Pollinator Education, NTE $25,000, one-year grant;
• PR00006549 Reuse Minnesota Incorporated, Reuse for the future: Youth reuse education, NTE $25,000, one-year grant;
• PR00006551Wilderness Inquiry Inc, Connecting Minneapolis Youth to Nature-Based Education and Exploration, NTE $19,400, one-year grant;
• PR00006548 Regents of the University of Minnesota, 4-H Environmental Learning and Capacity Building, NTE $50,000, two-year grant; and
• PR00006553 Youth Farm, Youth Farm Northside, NTE $12,000, one-year grant.
Youth Green Jobs grants
• PR00006517 Minnesota Renewable Now, Green Career Forum, NTE $30,000, one-year grant; and
• PR00006516 Restoration Incorporated Ministries, Living the Green Life Project, NTE $30,000, one-year grant.
Environmental Action grants
• PR00006526 Joint Action for Diversity and Engagement, Sustainability in Cultural Events, NTE $12,000, one-year grant;
• PR00006521 Northeast Minneapolis Tool Library, Overcoming Barriers to Repair, NTE $12,200, one-year grant;
• PR00006524 Off the Blue Couch, It’s Time to start Anew, $25,000, one-year grant; and
• PR00006520 Resilient Cities and Communities, Corcoran Phillips Home Weatherization Outreach, NTE $50,000, two-year grant.
Current Request: This request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate the following Green Partners environmental grant agreements, during the period September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025 with a total amount not to exceed $108,800.
Youth Environmental Education
• PR00006539 with Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, Lake Street Youth Labs, NTE $12,000
• PR00006546 with Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, Mississippi Summer Exploration, NTE $12,000
• PR00006550with Spark Youth, Green Campus Expansion, Youth Environmental Education at PYC Arts, NTE $22,800
Youth Green Jobs
• PR00006518 with East Side Neighborhood Services, Youth Green Jobs Pathways: Education, Employment, and Green Workforce Training, NTE $20,000
• PR00006519 with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Creating Future Leaders in Outdoor and Environmental Leadership, NTE $30,000
Environmental Action
• PR00006522 with Lyndale Neighborhood Association, Preventing Waste in Lyndale, NTE $12,000
Also, this request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate the following Green Partners environmental grant agreements during the period September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2026 with a total amount not to exceed $139,900.
Youth Environmental Education
• PR00006538 with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Nature from the Inside Out, NTE $50,000
• PR00006552 with YMCA of the North, Camp Ihduhapi Environmental Education Curriculum Update and Scholarships, NTE $50,000
Environmental Action
• PR00006523 with Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, AAPI Green Team, NTE $39,000
Impact/Outcomes: The Green Partners projects support the county’s goals of promoting environmental stewardship, engaging communities, enhancing quality of life, and protecting the environment for current and future generations.
Five of the applicants are first-time grantees with the Green Partners program. Of the 27 projects, 26 projects focus on engaging audiences that face disparities.
Organizations listed in this request will engage more than 9,400 people, including more than 8,100 youth, in becoming environmental stewards and taking action to protect the environment. More than 70 youth will be hired for green jobs exploration and training. These projects are expected to reach more than 116,000 people with environmental messages.
Hennepin County prioritizes environmental education and engagement with audiences that experience disparities and those audiences that contribute most to environmental problems that result in disparities. The Green Partners program also helps meet the county’s goals outlined in the Climate Action Plan by engaging with the public and supporting community driven solutions.
Organizations are required to report project outcomes. Research has shown that these models of environmental engagement are effective in motivating participants to take actions that have a positive impact on the environment.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval