More money and resources are now available to help young people in Sacramento, with the City providing increased funding for academic and mental-health services, violence intervention and workforce development. Additional support also will be going toward fulfilling basic needs of kids, including access to meals and Wi-Fi for remote learning.
The new resources are part of the City’s recent $6 million investment to support children and youth, which the City Council adopted in February as part of the mid-year budget.
“This use of funds reflects the City’s goal to address the urgent needs of children and youth as rapidly as possible,” said Lindee Lane, the City’s Youth Development Policy Manager.
A one-time allocation of Measure U monies to advance the goals of the Citywide Youth Development Plan, the new funding has been earmarked to address the impacts of the pandemic, distance learning and systemic racism.
To help provide these services, the City on Friday released a $4.1 million request for proposals (RFP).
Through the RFP process, the City will provide funding to a diverse group of children and youth services, projects and programs, officials said. The remaining funds will be used to manage and process the proposals and grants and enhance existing City youth programs.
“Our competitive solicitation process will further the goals of the Citywide Youth Development Plan and reflect timely, community-driven priority spending recommendations,” Lane said.
To gather input about the current needs and identify spending priorities for Sacramento children and youth, Vice Mayor Jay Schenirer held a series of working groups in January and February with community-based youth service providers.
“The process to engage youth-service providers in helping shape how the funding should be spent was truly a community-driven effort,” said Schenirer. “The individuals who work with our youth day in and day out, as well as youth themselves, are best positioned to give the City guidance on where funds are most needed.”
The City is looking for proposals that provide programs and services to children and youth in Sacramento (particularly the most vulnerable) that advance the Citywide Youth Development Plan and reflect the areas of need identified by the community: academic support, mental wellness, violence intervention and workforce development.
The City also acknowledges that the basic needs of youth must be addressed, especially access to food and high-quality Wi-Fi and applicants are encouraged to address those needs in their programs.
Interested applicants are advised to review the City of Sacramento Youth Development Plan Funding (SYDPF) Request for Proposals and the Citywide Youth Development Plan before beginning the application submission process.
Respondents may access this submission portal when ready to apply for the RFP.
Applicants must submit proposals using the portal by 5 p.m. April 12, 2021. The City will not consider proposals received after this due date or submitted via a different method.