20211117 VCFGC MinutesMINUTES
VERNON COMMUNITY FUND GRANT COMMITTEE
REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2021
REMOTE LOCATION VIA ZOOM
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Lopez called the meeting to order at 10:02 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Chair Lopez led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Leticia Lopez, Chair (via remote access)
James Chang, Committee Member (via remote access)
Ronit Edry, Committee Member (via remote access)
Frank Gaviña, Committee Member (via remote access)
Mark Gonzalez, Committee Member (via remote access)
Michelle Ybarra, Committee Member (via remote access)
ABSENT: Steven Froberg, Committee Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Zaynah Moussa, Interim City Attorney (via remote access)
Lisa Pope, City Clerk (via remote access)
Scott Williams, Finance Director (via remote access)
Diana Figueroa, Administrative Analyst (via remote access)
Frances Jemmott, City Consultant (via remote access)
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Member Gaviña moved and Member Chang seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The
question was called and the motion carried 6-0, Member Froberg absent.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
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PRESENTATIONS
1. Selection of Chair and Vice Chair
Recommendation: Select one member to serve as Chair and one member to serve as Vice
Chair for the term ending June 30, 2022.
City Clerk Pope presented the staff report.
MOTION
Chair Lopez moved and Member Edry seconded a motion to appoint Frank Gaviña to serve
as Chair for the term ending June 30, 2022. The question was called and the motion carried
6-0, Member Froberg absent.
MOTION
Member Lopez moved and Member Chang seconded a motion to appoint Mark Gonzalez
to serve as Vice Chair for the term ending June 30, 2022. The question was called and the
motion carried 6-0, Member Froberg absent.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION
Member Lopez moved and Member Ybarra seconded a motion to approve the Consent
Calendar. The question was called and the motion carried 6-0, Member Froberg absent.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following item:
2. Approval of Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the May 19, 2021 Regular Vernon CommUNITY Fund Grant
Committee meeting minutes.
NEW BUSINESS
3. Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Docket I Vernon CommUNITY Fund Direct Service Grants
Recommendation: Award Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022 Docket I Direct Service Grants
totaling $373,325 to the following applicants: 1) Alzheimer's Greater Los Angeles
(Returning Grantee) - $20,000; 2) CA Derby Dolls (Returning Grantee) - $15,000; 3)
Centinela Youth Services, Inc. - $15,000; 4) Chicas Rockeras Southeast Los Angeles
(Returning Grantee) - $25,000; 5) East Los Angeles Women's Center (Returning Grantee)
- $50,000; 6) Girl Scouts Greater Los Angeles (Returning Grantee) - $20,000; 7) Helping
Hands Society of Los Angeles - $15,000; 8) LA Family Housing Corporation (Returning
Grantee) - $50,000; 9) Las Fotos Project (Returning Grantee) - $20,000; 10) Southeast
Churches Service Center (Returning Grantee) - $50,000; 11) Southeast Community
Development Corporation (Returning Grantee) - $23,325; 12) Southeast Los Angeles
Collaborative - $40,000; and 13) Woodcraft Rangers (Returning Grantee) - $30,000.
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Administrative Analyst Figueroa and Frances Jemmott, City Consultant, presented the staff
report.
In response to Vice Chair Gonzalez, Consultant Jemmott explained that Puente Learning
Center was not recommended due to its ability to access other funding sources. She further
explained that Via Care was not recommended, nor any major clinics, due to the
expectation that they would have funding reinforcements.
Vice Chair Gonzalez expressed concern that the proposed recipients were mainly from the
southeast area. He suggested removing Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles and East Los
Angeles Woman’s Center since they had large budgets and access to other funding and
allocating those funds to Via Care.
In response to Chair Gaviña, Consultant Jemmott explained the $20,000 grant to
Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles would be used toward its Spanish language access
project.
In response to Member Edry, Consultant Jemmott explained that organizations were
required to follow auditing guidelines established for charitable foundations which were
highly scrutinized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the City required biannual
reports from the grantees.
Vice Chair Gonzalez suggested reallocating the $20,000 from Alzheimer’s Greater Los
Angeles and $100,000 from East Los Angeles Women’s Center to Via Care. Consultant
Jemmott explained that Via Care requested $60,000 for dental services to low-income
families.
MOTION
Vice Chair Gonzalez moved to reallocate the $20,000 proposed to Alzheimer’s Greater
Los Angeles to Via Care contingent on positive due diligence.
Member Edry suggested using a portion of the Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles funds for
Via Care.
Vice Chair Gonzalez withdrew the motion based on the direction that staff encourage Via
Care to apply for the next round of grants.
MOTION
Vice Chair Gonzalez moved and Member Edry seconded a motion to: Award Fiscal Year
(FY) 2021-2022 Docket I Direct Service Grants totaling $373,325 to the following
applicants: 1) Alzheimer's Greater Los Angeles (Returning Grantee) - $20,000; 2) CA
Derby Dolls (Returning Grantee) - $15,000; 3) Centinela Youth Services, Inc. - $15,000;
4) Chicas Rockeras Southeast Los Angeles (Returning Grantee) - $25,000; 5) East Los
Angeles Women's Center (Returning Grantee) - $50,000; 6) Girl Scouts Greater Los
Angeles (Returning Grantee) - $20,000; 7) Helping Hands Society of Los Angeles -
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$15,000; 8) LA Family Housing Corporation (Returning Grantee) - $50,000; 9) Las Fotos
Project (Returning Grantee) - $20,000; 10) Southeast Churches Service Center (Returning
Grantee) - $50,000; 11) Southeast Community Development Corporation (Returning
Grantee) - $23,325; 12) Southeast Los Angeles Collaborative - $40,000; and 13) Woodcraft
Rangers (Returning Grantee) - $30,000. The question was called and the motion carried 6-
0, Member Froberg absent.
ORAL REPORTS
Administrative Analyst Figueroa offered orientation to the new Commissioners.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, Chair Gaviña adjourned the meeting at 11:53 a.m.
________________________
FRANK GAVIÑA, Chair
ATTEST:
_______________________
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
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