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ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT $1.8M CALIFORNIANSFORALL YOUTH JOBS CORPS ROUND 3 GRANT
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution to:
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute a grant agreement amendment with California Volunteers to increase the amount of the contract from $1,773,664 to $3,618,275 (an increase of $1,844,611) and extend the timeline from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to appropriate grant funds for the CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps in the amount of $3,618,275.
It is also recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take any appropriate and necessary actions to carry out the purpose and intent of the resolution.
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Summary
California Volunteers has awarded a new round of CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps funding to support youth employment opportunities in the City of Stockton. The City will continue to build on the success of its Youth Employment Summer Success (YESS) program and expand partnerships to offer a range of workforce development pathways for underserved youth. To expedite the use of funds, the State is seeking to award this funding by amending the City’s current grant agreement to incorporate the additional funding; however, the amendment stipulates the funding may not be used until calendar year 2026.
DISCUSSION
Background
The CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps initiative is a statewide program launched by the Office of the Governor and administered through California Volunteers. Since receiving a $4.3 million Round 1 grant in 2021, and a $1.7 million Round 2 grant in 2024, the City of Stockton has established a proven track record in delivering innovative and impactful youth employment programming. The City’s Stockton YESS program has provided over 500 paid youth positions to date, along with professional development, mentoring, and training services.
Present Situation
The City of Stockton will receive an additional $1.8M under Round 3 of the CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps. This new round of funding will allow the City to host another year of the Stockton YESS program, continue support for a grant-funded Program Manager to oversee program execution, and expand partnerships through a competitive procurement process to engage external youth workforce providers.
This funding is available from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. Following past practice, subcontractors will be selected based on capacity to deliver high-quality employment programming in alignment with the requirements of the CFA program. Some of the parameters of the grant include:
• All jobs created through the grant must be 50-100% FTE
• Any programs created through the grant must meet one of the following goals: Increase youth employment, develop career pathways, or strengthen city/community capacity to address key areas of food insecurity, climate, education, and public service.
• At least 50% of grant funds must go toward wages for participants (excluding benefits, employment taxes, or other expenses).
• Up to 40% may be spent on "wrap around services", which includes transportation stipends, job readiness training, case management, etc.
• Participants may not work in fields that require high levels of safety precautions, or activities that require specialized training (unless the training is provided through the program)
• Participants may not work at for-profit organizations.
• Youth must be between 16-30 years old.
Staff estimate that roughly 50% of the funds are needed for YESS 2026, which includes funding for the full-time Program Manager position, as well as .25 FTE administrative support, to oversee implementation of the grant. The other 50% of the funds will go toward the external competitive RFP process, which will be conducted in 2025 so that the selected sub-grantees are ready to go on January 1, 2026.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The City and its subcontractors will pay for project-related expenses in full and then submit documentation for reimbursement through this grant. There will be no impact to the General Fund, all related costs will be supported by the grant funding. No matching funds are required for this grant. An appropriation of revenue and expenditures of $3,618,275 is necessary in the City Manager’s Special Grants Fund - Reimbursement, General Administration Division. This is an increase of $1,844,611 from the original grant agreement.