04 Staff Report - Community Grant Scoring Rubrics
PREPARED BY: Ryan Baker
Library Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 06/02/2020
ITEM NO: 4
DATE: June 2, 2020
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Approve the Scoring Rubric for the Town’s Community Grant Program
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the scoring rubric for the Town’s Community Grant program.
BACKGROUND:
The Town of Los Gatos has been awarding grants since 1992 to support community groups
working toward the benefit of Los Gatos residents. The program was administered by the
Town’s Community Services Department until the Department was dissolved in FY 2011/12. In
that year, program administration was transferred to the Town Manager’s Office with review of
applications and award recommendations passing through the Arts and Culture Commission
(ACC) and the Community and Senior Services Commission (CSSC) before final approval from
Town Council. In 2018, the ACC and CSSC revised and streamlined the application process.
On February 4, 2020 the Town Council approved revisions to the Community Grant program
which had been recommended by Town staff working in conjunction with the ACC and the
CSSC. These changes included establishing the total funding amount for community grants as
part of the regular budget process; moving the application cycle to begin after approval of the
annual budget; allowing grant applications for projects addressing Community Vitality and
Events in addition to the traditional categories of Human Services, Arts, and Education; and,
establishing three classes of grants: one-time grants focusing on assisting new projects for non-
profits, 2-year grants for sustaining non-profit projects that have been receiving funding
consistently for the past five or more years, and one-time innovation grants to assist individual
community members in launching a project for the community.
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SUBJECT: Approve the Scoring Rubric for the Town’s Community Grant Program
DATE: June 2, 2020
BACKGROUND (continued):
The revisions also included using a standardized fair and competitive process for scoring and
ranking applications. As part of that approval, Town Council requested a scoring rubric, once
developed, be brought back before Council for review.
DISCUSSION:
A committee consisting of two members of the CSSC and two members of the ACC worked
together to develop standardized rubrics (Attachment 1) to be used for ranking community
grant applications going forward. One rubric was developed for the one-time grants for non-
profits, a second rubric for the 2-year sustaining grants, and a third for the innovation grants for
community members. Applications (Attachment 2) were updated where needed to coincide
with the rubrics.
The scoring rubrics for the one-time grants for non-profits and innovation grants for community
members focus on the applicants’ ability to address the following areas in regard to their
proposed grant project: innovation, project sustainability, background (capacity to complete
the project), approach (project methodology), feasibility, budget, and project outcome
assessment methodology. These rubrics also award a small bonus for grant proposals that align
with stated Council priorities. The scoring rubric for 2-year sustaining grants incorporates
several of the areas listed above and additionally takes past performance of the organization
into account.
The rubrics are designed to be used consistently for all applications. Application scoring will be
done by a committee consisting of an equal number of members of the ACC, CSSC (recently
renamed to the Community Health and Senior Services Commission), and one representative
from the Youth Commission. Each committee member will score all community grant
applications individually, with the average of all individual scores giving the final scoring rank.
Grants will be awarded to the top scoring applicants in each of the three classes until budgeted
funds are fully allocated.
The scoring rubrics will be made available to the public when the application period opens in
order to assist grant applicants in crafting their proposals.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this item does not impact or alter funding already proposed in the Town’s FY 20/21
budget for Community Grants.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
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SUBJECT: Approve the Scoring Rubric for the Town’s Community Grant Program
DATE: June 2, 2020
Attachments:
1. Los Gatos Community Grant Scoring Rubrics
2. Community Grant Applications