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ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO AWARD AND ALLOCATE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG), AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) FUNDING TO ELIGIBLE RESPONDENTS TO THE 2026-27 CDBG/ESG NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY (NOFA)
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution to:
1. Subject to finalization of the City’s award of funding from Housing and Urban Development (HUD), approve the allocation of the following funding amounts specified:
CDBG
a. $150,000.00 - Children’s Home of Stockton - Catalyst
b. $150,000.00 - Emergency Food Bank - Golden Hearts Delivery Program
c. $ 75,000.00 - Second Harvest Food Bank - Food Assistance
d. $123,509.20- Friends Outside - Resiliency Lab Service Expansion
ESG
e. $131,767.60 - Central Valley Low Income Housing Corp. - Stockton ESG Homeless Prevention 2026-27 Program
f. $130,760.40- PREVAIL - Stockton Shelter Program
If HUD increases or decreases the City’s anticipated funding award, the aforementioned funding amounts may be increased, decreased, or reallocated among funding sources as appropriate by the City Manager or designee, in accordance with the final HUD funding award.
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to de-obligate and reallocate funding allocations awarded under this resolution if any project is unable to meet their program outcomes and timely expenditure as contractually obligated. If defunded, the City Manager is authorized to reallocate the funding to eligible projects that have competed in a City of Stockton CDBG/ESG NOFA that can meet HUD guidelines.
3. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to take actions that are necessary and appropriate to carry out the purpose and intent of this resolution, including the execution of contracts and reallocation of funding sources.
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Summary
On December 3, 2025, staff hosted a mandatory application workshop and issued the 2026-27 CDBG/ESG Public Services NOFA, making HUD funding available to be awarded to qualified nonprofits for eligible public service programs. The NOFA application period closed on January 15, 2026, with a total of 14 applications received (9 CDBG and 5 ESG) for a combined total request of $1.96 million.
The City’s Economic Development Division/Housing, Homelessness Initiatives, Events and Parking Department (EDD/HHEP) reviewed all proposals. All applications passed the initial document and eligibility review. A diverse scoring committee completed the scoring as required by the Council-approved NOFA process (Attachment A - Motion No. 2025-11-04-1601). The 6 CDBG and 3 ESG applicants that met the 70 percent scoring threshold were notified and asked to present to the Community Development Committee (CDC) on February 26, 2026. The scores from the Scoring Committee were combined with the presentation scores from the CDC.
Based on the total scores, the following projects are recommended for allocation:
CDBG
$150,000.00 - Children’s Home of Stockton - Catalyst
$150,000.00 - Emergency Food Bank - Golden Hearts Delivery Program
$ 75,000.00 - Second Harvest Food Bank - Food Assistance
$123,509.20 - Friends Outside - Resiliency Lab Service Expansion
ESG
$131,767.60 - Central Valley Low Income Housing Corp.
Stockton ESG Homeless Prevention 2026-27 Program
$130,760.40 - PREVAIL - Stockton Shelter Program
DISCUSSION
Background
On November 19 and 20, 2025, notice of the 2026-27 CDBG/ESG Public Services NOFA (Attachment B) was shared via multiple social media platforms and posted on the City’s official website. Additionally, a public media press release was issued and shared via email blasts sent both from the City and San Joaquin County’s Continuum of Care Constant Contact databases, reaching over 300 community stakeholder contacts. On December 3, 2025, the NOFA was released, and applications opened to all those who attended the mandatory application workshop on the same day. The 2026-27 CDBG/ESG NOFA made funds available to qualified nonprofits for eligible public service programs. In the following weeks, staff hosted two virtual NOFA application office hours to assist applicants with questions and provide necessary clarification.
The CDBG/ESG NOFA application resulted in a total of 14 applications received (9 CDBG and 5 ESG) for a combined total request of $1.96 million.
The NOFA selection criteria, based on HUD guidance (Attachment B, pg.12), used the following proposal scoring system:
• Design 28
• Budget 20
• Experience and Capacity 24
• Past Performance and General Compliance 4
• Collaboration 4
• Presentation (CDC score) 20
Total Points 100
The initial application eligibility and required documentation review was conducted by EDD/HHEP staff. All applications passed the initial requirements review and moved to the second phase for review by the Scoring Committee. A diverse Scoring Committee with homelessness and funding expertise included one (1) City staff member, one (1) consultant, and one (1) neighboring city staff member. The Committee reviewed all submitted proposals and scored them based on the scoring criteria listed in the NOFA application. EDD/HHEP’s funding recommendations from the NOFA process were formed after considering several organizational and program factors, including but not limited to:
• Program clearly identifies the urgency of the community need.
• Project has eligibility requirements that align with the federal funding source and have clear procedures to collect, maintain, and report client demographics.
• Budget proposal corresponds to the project scope and fits within the total project budget.
• Application indicates a proposed plan for leveraging funds for CDBG applicants.
• Applicant demonstrates sufficient staffing experience to carry out the described program.
• Applicant demonstrates clearly how their scope of service collaborates with other organizations to serve all the needs of the client.
• ESG applicants must demonstrate a 100% match.
The Scoring Criteria for CDBG (Attachment C) and ESG (Attachment D) are included. After the ratings were compiled, averaging each of the three raters’ scores, those that exceeded the 70 percent threshold - 6 CDBG applicants and 3 ESG applications - were asked to present to the Community Development Committee (CDC) on February 26, 2026. The scores from the Scoring Committee were combined with the presentation scores from the CDC. As an additional measure, the City enlisted artificial intelligence (AI) programming services to run a full analysis of the submitted applications and supporting documents, which was factored along with the three human raters. While the AI-generated scores varied slightly, when factored as a fourth rater and averaged with the three human ratings, the ranking of the projects did not change. A full listing of all projects and their ratings is attached as Attachment E - Scoring Matrix.
Present Situation
CDBG/ESG Public Service NOFA Results
After careful review and analysis of each proposal, the funding recommendations from the NOFA process are as follows:
CDBG Funding:
Applicant: Children’s Home of Stockton
Funding Request: $ 150,000 Funding Recommendation: $ 150,000
Council District: 5 Target Population: TAY (18-25yrs old)
Golden Hearts Delivery Program - Food As Medicine for Seniors
Applicant: Emergency Food Bank of Stockton
Funding Request: $ 150,000 Funding Recommendation: $ 150,000
Council District: 5 Target Population: Seniors
Applicant: Second Harvest Food Bank
Funding Request: $ 75,000 Funding Recommendation: $ 75,000
Council District: 5 Target Population: Stockton residents
Resiliency Lab Service Expansion
Applicant: Friends Outside
Funding Request: $ 150,000 Funding Recommendation: $ 123,509.20*
Council District: 5 Target Population: Justice impacted
ESG Funding:
Stockton ESG Homeless Prevention 2026-27
Program Applicant: Central Valley Low Income Housing Corp.
Funding Request: $ 131,767.60 Funding Recommendation: $ 131,767.60
Council District: 3 Target Population: At-risk of homelessness
Program Applicant: PREVAIL
Funding Request: $ 157,800 Funding Recommendation: $ 130,760.40*
Council District: 5 Target Population Served: Families
*Note the lowest recommended project in each funding category is recommended at slightly lower funding levels than requested, due to available funding in each category.
The proposed projects are consistent with the City’s Annual Action Plan (Attachment F - 2026-27 Annual Action Plan) priority needs 2, 3, 4 with the associated goals (listed below), identified in the Five-Year Consolidated Plan (Attachment G - 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan).
Priority Needs and Goals:
2. Reduce Homelessness
Associated Goal 2: Provide Funding for Service Providers to Prevent & Reduce Homelessness
3. Resilient & Healthy Communities
Associated Goal 4: Healthy Neighborhoods & Residents
4. Strengthen Local Economy
Associated Goal 6: Increase Access to Economic Opportunity
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The proposed resolution will have no financial impact on the General Fund or any other unrestricted fund. The Annual Action Plan includes appropriations from HUD to the ED/HHEP Department’s FY 2026-27 budget for: CDBG and ESG funds. These have been budgeted as part of the FY2026-27 Budget Development process.
Attachment A - Motion 2025-11-04-1601
Attachment B - 2026-27 CDBG/ESG Public Service NOFA
Attachment C - CDBG Scoring Criteria
Attachment D - ESG Scoring Criteria
Attachment E - Score Matrix
Attachment F - 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan
Attachment G - 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan