191804

The City of Portland ordains:

Section 1. The Council finds:

1. The House Appropriations Committee has identified recipients for the "Community Project" Funding for Fiscal Year 2024. This new initiative allows Members of Congress to target federal funds towards projects and programs in their respective congressional districts that will address the most significant needs facing the communities they represent.
    
2. H.R. 4366 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 provides funding to the Small Business Administration for local governments and nonprofits in support of small business, including but not limited to entrepreneur training, workforce development, counseling, research and construction or acquisition of facilities.
    
3. U.S. Small Business Administration has notified the City of Portland that it has been awarded a grant in the amount of $500,000 under the FY24 Community Project Fund.
    
4. Portland’s locally owned small businesses are the driving force behind the city’s dynamic, sustainable future economy. As Portland re-envisions its identity post-pandemic, a greater appreciation for small businesses as the cornerstone to Portland’s economy and cultural identity becomes more evident. Though barriers persist, the continued growth of small businesses makes Portland a more inclusive place to live and work and inspires household wealth building. 
    
5. The City aims to ensure that all local entrepreneurs have equitable access to resources that support launching and maintaining a successful business, which necessitates removing barriers to participation and competitiveness in the digital marketplace. 
    
6. This grant will support the policy and goals of the City’s Digital Equity Action Plan, specifically those related to workforce development, education, and economic opportunity.
    
7. Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) will utilize this grant to launch a competitive grant opportunity that will allow community-based organizations that serve historically underrepresented communities who own or are looking to establish a small business in Portland to apply for funding to help them expand and start new digital training and support programs.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:

1. The Director of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is hereby authorized to accept on behalf of the City of Portland a grant from U.S. Small Business Administration in the amount of $500,000.
2. The FY2024-25 budget is hereby amended as follows. BPS will incorporate $500,000 in grant revenue into the Broadband & Digital Inclusion functional area program budget. Unspent funds will carry over to the subsequent year budget. The scheduled end date for the grant is December 31, 2027.
   
   Grant Fund
   Fund: 217
   Business Area – PN00
   Bureau Program Expenses - $500,000
3. BPS and the Office of Management & Finance Grants Division are authorized to perform all administrative matters in relation to the grant application, grant agreement or amendments, requests for reimbursement from the grantor, and to submit required grant documents on the Director’s behalf. 
4. The BPS Director is authorized to execute contracts and grant agreements directly related to professional services requests and grant opportunities implemented as a result of  this grant award. 
5. The BPS Director is authorized to execute amendments to contracts and grant agreements, provided such modifications do not increase the City’s financial obligation or risk. Any modifications that increase the City’s financial obligation or risk must be authorized by the City Council.

Section 2. The Council declares that an emergency exists because ​a delay would jeopardize the City’s ability to timely perform its obligations under the grant agreement​; therefore, this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Council.