December 2017

California Consulting LLC: "Putting Clients First"


Central Union Elementary School District Recieves High Return on Investment
 


Central Union Elementary School District was been a client since March 2013. In that short amount of time, California Consulting has written the following grant applications that have been awarded:

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Academic and Support Programs
$680,164
CDE SFP Equipment Grant
$20,000
CDE SFP Equipment Grant
$20,000
Monsanto America's Farmers Grow Rural
$25,000
CDE American Indian Early Childhood Education
$240,000
SJVAPCD Public Benefit New Alternative Fuel Vehicle Grant
$74,444
CalRecycle Tire Derived Product Grant
$149,795
CDE Equipment Assistance Grant
$33,021
SJVAPCD Public Benefit New Alternative Fuel Vehicle Grant
$41,291
CDE American Indian Early Childhood Education Program
$139,759
 
For a grand total of $1,423,474 which is a 1173% return on investment.


Grant Awards: 

CC LLC congratulates the City of Lynwood (a CC LLC client) for receiving the Urban Greening grant award in the amount of $2,853,000 from California Natural Resources. 

This latest achievement is another example of the commitment of Lynwood's leadership to promote the quality of life for its residents. 

It's also a reflection of the dedication and hard work by CCLLC Project Manager, Karen Simpson, who ensured a successful grant application. Thank you, Karen, and congratulations Lynwood


CC LLC congratulates the City of Westminster (a CC LLC client) for receiving the Urban Greening Grant in the amount of $2,324,140 from the California Natural Resource Agency. 

This latest achievement is another example of the commitment of City of Westminster's leadership to promote the quality of life for its residents. 

It's also a reflection of the dedication and hard work by CCLLC Project Manager, Diana Dinerman, who ensured a successful grant application. Thank you, Diana, and congratulations Westminster!


CC LLC congratulates the City of Lynwood (a CC LLC client) for receiving the Home for Good City Planning Grant for the amount of $50,000.

This latest achievement is another example of the commitment of Lynwood's leadership to promote the quality of life for its residents. 

It's also a reflection of the dedication and hard work by CCLLC Project Manager, Karen Simpson, who ensured a successful grant application. Thank you, Karen, and congratulations Lynwood!

California Consulting Secures Urban Greening Grant for Two Clients Totaling Over $5.1 Million Dollars
 
                         

California Consulting announced securing over $5.1 million in competitive grant awards for our clients. The Urban Greening Grant was awarded to  The City of Westminster who received $2,324,140 and the  City of Lynwood who received $2,853,000.
 
California Consulting Statewide Grants Manager Christina Gonzalez stated "On behalf of our California Consulting grant writing team I would like to congratulate the cities of Lynwood and Westminster. Whenever cities are  awarded highly competitive applications like these it is a testament to city staff and our grant writers at California Consulting. These applications were a team effort and we are thrilled these two applications were funded."
     
California Consulting is the state's largest and most effective grant writing company. Our grant writers have written over 850 competitive grant applications that have been awarded for our clients since opening in 2004. 


California Consulting Congratulates Linda Kaminski on Award

California Consulting congratulates Client, Azusa Unified School District and Linda Kaminski, Superintendent, for receiving Superintendent of the Year from the Los Angeles County Office of Education. 

Dr. Kaminski was nominated by Norma Camacho, principal of the district's Clifford Murray Elementary School and was chosen from a group of 21 candidates.

Linda received the award on November 24th in Pasadena CA.

Congratulations Dr. Kaminski!  


From the Desk of the Grants Manager: 
Chris Gonzalez

The end of the calendar year typically schedules some of the more popular grants for California Consulting clients. These include the Land and Water Conservation Fund, (LWCF) available from the California Department of Parks and Recreation. LWCF provides funding for cities and counties to acquire, develop, operate and maintain park and recreation areas and facilities. Priority development projects include trails, campgrounds, picnic areas, natural areas and cultural areas for recreational use. There is an extensive list of different park amenities the grant will fund. The potential for new design and expansion in parks and trails is encouraged. California Consulting Project Managers/Grant Writers have the experience and technical savvy to prepare, package and submit your city application.

The California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) released its RFP for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant. This fund encourages effective programs that mitigate and intervene in violence, and provide safer communities. Typical projects include diversion, education/after-school, mentoring, Community Resource Centers, employment and job training, Task Fores, and community/Police relations. For this fund, 2 cities with populations under 200,000 are guaranteed funding. A city must share 50% of the fund with a community based organization. A hybrid opportunity for either qualifying school districts, schools or child-care centers, as well as city or municipal daycare programs, is the CDE CA state Preschool Program Expansion Funding (CSPP). This grant, due December 19, 2017, proposes to expand access to quality child care services in the state.
The California Department of Education (CDE) has released the 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs), as well as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers - Elementary/Middle Schools. Both programs have deadlines due January 26, 2018 and are open to public or private entities. These grants have the purpose of providing capacity and expansion of community learning centers that provide a safe, learning environment for students of both age groups.

A very unique and highly customized service that California Consulting offers its clients, is our ability to seek and research traditional federal, state, and local government funding opportunities, while identifying and matching our clients with non-traditional funding sources This includes exciting opportunities for shade structures, tree canopy and nature trails, fruit orchards and other relevant funds that can help your city, county, school district or nonprofit. Call one of our Project Managers or Associates to learn more about our professional grant writing and grant administration services. Have a Great Holiday Season! 


Major League Baseball Foundation: Baseball Tomorrow Fund

 

Deadline : Quarterly (January 1, April 1, July 1, & October 1)

Amount: $40,000 average award size

Match: 50% or more of total project cost

Eligibility: Tax exempt organizations including municipalities, school districts, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits  

 

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund is a joint initiative between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association designed to promote and enhance the growth of youth participation in baseball and softball around the world by funding programs, fields, coaches' training, uniforms, and equipment. Grants are intended to finance a new program, expand or improve an existing program, undertake a new collaborative effort, or obtain facilities or equipment necessary for youth baseball or softball programs. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund supports projects that meet the following evaluation criteria: increase the number of youth participating in baseball and softball programs; improve the quality of youth baseball and softball programs.


California Consulting Welcomes Derek Rojas as New Associate 

California welcomes Derek Rojas as our newest Associate. Derek has been in the solid waste industry for over 27 years, the majority of that time spent with Valley Vista Services, serving in various capacities.  He began as their sales and Marketing Manager, with his role evolving to focus on business development and public relations. Derek enjoys the process of promoting and growing a business through positive representation at various trade shows and government organizations.  

He enjoys the responsibility of maintaining, improving, and creating new business relationships with school districts, city, county, state, and federal officials.

He has served on several chamber boards and philanthropic committees and currently volunteers his time with Meals on Wheels and local service clubs in the San Gabriel Valley. 

Derek and his wife live in Corona and have one daughter wo is away at college.


Julie St. Jean Joins California Consulting as Project Manager

California Consulting is pleased to welcome Julie St. Jean as our newest Project Manager.  She has worked in the housing and community development field for more than 20 years and has written HUD, CDFI and local funding applications for clients across the country.
 
In addition to writing grant applications, Julie also has served as a grant reviewer for CDFI FA, TA, NACA and NMTC programs; US Department of Health and Human Services; US Department of Labor; Econometrica; NeighborWorks America; Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS); and the Community Services Block Grant Program. She has also overseen the application design and scoring process for national housing counseling programs and conducted grantmaking with NeighborWorks America. As a reviewer and administrator for several programs, Julie is knowledgeable of scoring processes, program priorities and back-end analyses related to how funders determine grantee pools. She also helps clients measure impacts and determine strategic and growth goals to strengthen their applications.
 
Julie holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Communication from The George Washington University, and a Master's degree in Political Science with a concentration in Quantitative Methods from the University of California at Riverside. She has held Public Policy and Public Relations positions with the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, Fannie Mae, NeighborWorks America and local elected officials.



Municipal Grant Opportunities: 

Education Grant Opportunities: 


Welcome, New Clients!
    
  California Consulting welcomes Warner Unified School District, City of Mendota,  and the City of Bakersfield  as our newest clients. We look forward to working with you strategically to meet the needs of your communities.



ON THE GO:


11/30/17- California Consulting had the pleasure of exhibiting at the CSBA AEC conference in San Diego CA. 





11/30/17- California Consulting Associate, Derek Rojas, attended the Carson Snow Day event.  During the presentation Council Member Hilton recognized California Consulting for the snow and th e entire city council of Carson thanked California Consulting for serving as a sponsor for their event. Pictured is the Carson Snow Day Children's Performance.

11/30/17-  California Consulting, LLC Associate for Southern California, Harout Harry Semerdjian, attended the Los Angeles Regional Holiday Mixer of the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC)  MMASC is a 700-member organization within a nine-county area of Southern California representing local governments and their private sector counterparts and serving an estimated 22 million residents. 

11/30/17- California Consulting Senior Associate, Maryann Marino, attended the OPCAA event. Maryann is pictured with Tara Campbell, Councilwoman for City of Yorba Linda. CC LLC is pleased to provide grant writing services to the City of Yorba Linda. 


11/30/17- Maryann Marino, Sr. Associate, California Consulting with Aliso Viejo Councilmember Mike Munzing, at the OPCAA event. CC LLC is happy to provide grant writing services for the city of Aliso Viejo.


11/24/17- Steve Samuelian, CEO, CC LLC, was pleased to attend the Orange County Business Council Red Tape event. Steve is pictured with    Steve Jones Al Murray Jose Martinez  and  Peter Kim .


11/28/17- Steve Samuelian, CEO California Consulting was a panelist at the NAWBO event on November 28, 2017. The event was held a City Club in DTLA. Steve is pictured with  Jihee Kim huh, Vice-chairwoman of Pacific Fish Company and Yvette Chappel-Ingram, President and CEO of the African American Board Leadership Institute.


11/20/17-California Consulting Associate, Francine Castanon, attending the Santa Barbara Special District meeting on November 20th in Buellton,CA.





 
11/15/17- California Consulting, LLC Director of Operations,  Dan Rodriguez, and Statewide Senior Director,  Holly Choon Hyang Bachman, attended  Contract Cities Association Board of Directors Meeting. California Consulting is proud to serve as the state's largest and most effective grant writing company.

11/14/17- California Consulting Statewide Sr. Director, Holly Bachman, at the initial needs assesment for Warner Unified School District. 





11/13/17- California Consulting Statewide Senior Director, Holly Bachman, attended the Association of the San Bernardino County Special Districts Meeting.  California Consulting, LLC is a proud sponsor of the  California Special Districts Association and we provide grant writing services for many special districts across the State.



11/9/17- California Consulting Statewide Senior Directer, Holly Bachman attended the SGVCA on November 9th. Congratulations to Ed Rendon and his team for hosting a successful Inaugural Business Circle of Champions Reception that featured LA County Supervisor Kathryn Brger, James Lin of UNIS Company, Ernest Camacho of Pacifica Services, and Silho Light  that took place at the stunning   Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology  in  Pasadena, California.

11/9/17-  California Consulting, LLC Associate, Matthew Park, attended the ACSA Region 11 Chapter meeting today at Hodel's in Bakersfield. California Consulting is pleased to provide grant writing and grant administration services for dozens of school districts across the State. 

11/02/17-  California Consulting, LLC  CEO, Steve Samuelian, was honored to be a Co-Chair and Master of Ceremonies at a reception honoring California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Special guests in attendance included Los Angeles City Council President Herb J. Wesson Jr., and community leaders George Pla,  Maria Mehranian Rafael Bernardino Hal Dash Steve Bullock Harout Harry Semerdjian Araz Parseghian  LACCD Board Member  Mike Fong , and others. Steve is pictured here with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Regional San Gabriel Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO  Anthony Duarte .

Issue: 24
In This Issue

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: 

 


California Consulting is excited to spotlight the City of Blythe. Blythe is a city in Riverside County, California that is located in the Palo Verde Valley and close to the Colorado River. Blythe was named after San Francisco financier, Thomas Blythe who established water rights to the river in 1877. The City was incorporated in 1916.  Some interesting facts about Blythe are below: 

  • Tourism is a major component of the local economy. 
  • The winter months bring visitors avoiding the colder climates of the north, when the population of the area within 50 miles (80 km) of Blythe has been known to exceed 500,000.[28]
  •  
  • Con-Way freight has a large facility here. It is used mainly at night for cross dock operations, as there is seldom a need to make deliveries here.
  • Blythe also contains 24 churches, one library, two newspapers (Palo Verde Valley TimesThe Desert Independent), two museums, two radio stations, three banks, a three-screen movie theater (now closed), one funeral home and an 18,500 sq ft (1,720 m2). recreation center. The area is popular with campers and hikers and has six parks, seven campgrounds, seven RV parks, 3 boat ramps onto the Colorado River, and an 18-hole public golf course.
  • Blythe hosts the Blythe Blue Grass Festival annually the third weekend of January.
  • Dove hunting is popular in Blythe. The hunting season starts every September 1.
California Consulting is proud to serve the City of Blythe as we help transform their vision into their legacy.

Team Member Spotlight: Ann Vermel

Ann Vermel is California Consulting, Senior Project Manager in Central California. Ann is is an executive coach and professional writer serving the Community Benefit sector.  She has extensive experience in development and executive management of nonprofit organizations, with special emphasis on the arts, higher education and community service organizations.

Her background includes service as Executive Director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, Artistic Administrator at the San Francisco Opera and Director of Development for the General Libraries at the University of California Berkeley, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for Menlo College and Director of Development for De Anza College.  She was a founding officer of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, and has served as a grants reader for the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Department of Justice.

Since returning to the Central Valley, she has worked with a broad cross section of the Valley's community service organizations.   As a development professional and consultant her leadership has raised more than $72 million for her clients.  Ann has an AB from Barnard College and an MFA from California State University Fresno.  She has a Certificate in Arts Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business and is retired as a Certified Fund Raising Executive.  She is currently a fellow of Creating the Future.  She lives in Fresno, California.

MUNICIPAL OPPORTUNITIES:

State Water Resources Control Board: Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP)

Deadline: 
Accepting applications via FAAST system on a continuous basis.

Amount:
$75,000 (for Planning Grants); $15-$20 Million (for 
Construction Grants)

Match:
50% (for Planning Grants); 35% (for Construct ion Grants)


Financing:
For Construction applications Interest at 1/2 General Obligation Bond Rate; 30 year term; Allowance following the CWSRF Policy

Eligibility:


The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) provides funding for the planning, design, and construction of water recycling projects that offset or augment state fresh water supplies.  There are two programs within this fund:
  • Planning Grants: The purpose of the planning grant is to assist agencies or regions with completing feasibility studies for water recycling projects using treated municipal wastewater and/or treated groundwater from sources contaminated by human activities.  Only local public agencies are eligible to apply for planning grants.
  • Construction Grants: The Water Recycling Funding Program provides grants and financing to eligible applicants for the construction of water recycling facilities. Construction projects may be funded with grants and low interest financing from a state bond, a CWSRF financing agreement, or combinations of funding sources.  Eligible applicants are local public agencies, nonprofit organizations, public utilities, state & federal recognized Indian tribes, and mutual water companies.

CalRecycle: FY2017-18 Tire Derived Aggregate (TDA) Grants

Deadlines:
February 1, 2018

Amount:  Individual grants up to $300,000

Eligibility: 
California local government entities (including cities, counties, and cities and counties); Special districts (including transportation districts); Joint Powers Authorities (JPA) (where all JPA members are also otherwise eligible applicants); Public school districts; Institutions of higher education; for-profit entities, nonprofit entities.


The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) administers a program to provide opportunities to divert waste tires from landfill disposal, prevent illegal tire dumping, and promote markets for recycled-content tire products. The Tire-Derived Aggregate (TDA) Grant Program (Program) provides assistance to civil engineers in solving a variety of engineering challenges. TDA, which is produced from shredded tires, is lightweight, free-draining, and a less expensive alternative to conventional lightweight aggregates.  Projects must be located in California and use California waste tires.  Projects generally fall into one of four categories :

1)     Category 1: Lightweight fill (slope stabilization, embankment fill, landslide repair, and retaining walls).

2)     Category 2: Vibration mitigation (under rail lines).

3)     Category 3: Low impact development/storm water management.

4)     Category 4: Landfill application (aggregate replacement projects such as leachate and gas collection systems, drainage layers, leachate injection).  Projects that are currently underway or that have been completed at the same location within the same facility within three years of application are not eligible. Landfill application projects do not include use of shredded waste tires as alternative daily cover or alternative intermediate cover. Additionally, these landfill application project(s) are not eligible for consideration as a Very Large Project (see below for definition).
 


EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

CA Dept of Education Funding: 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens

Due Date: J anuary 26, 2018

Amount:
$50,000-$250,000 (Allocation of $10/per student)

Match: 
None

Eligible Applicants:
institutions of higher education, local educational agencies, nonprofit organizations, other organizations or agencies


Required Eligibility Criteria:
  Public or private entities are eligible to apply for 21st Century Community Learning Centers funds (20 United States Code §7173[a][3]) provided that they propose to serve Title I schools that have schoolwide programs, or a Title I school with at least 40 percent of the students eligible for Free or Reduced Price Meals and the school is 1) either in Program Improvement, or 2) been determined by the local educational agency to be in need of intervention and support, and all programs must serve the families of students at these schools.

Funding Description: 
The purpose of the 21st Century High School ASSETs Program is to provide local flexibility in the establishment or expansion of community learning centers that provide students in grades nine-twelve with academic enrichment opportunities and activities designed to complement the students' regular academic program and that support college and career readiness, assist with literacy and related educational development services for families of these students, and provide a safe environment for students participating in their programs.


 


21st Century Community Learning Centers Elementary/Middle Schools

Due Date: January 26, 2018

Amount:
$50,000 - $150,000

Match:
None

Eligible Applicants:
institutions of higher education, local educational agencies, nonprofit organizations, other organizations or agencies


Required Eligibility Criteria:
Public or private entities are eligible to apply for 21st CCLC funds (20 United States Code §7173[a][3]) provided that they propose to serve Title I schools that have schoolwide programs, or a Title I school with at least 40 percent of the students eligible for Free or Reduced Price Meals and the school is 1) either in Program Improvement, or 2) been determined by the local educational agency to be in need of intervention and support, and all programs must serve the families of students at these schools.

Funding Description: 
The purpose of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Elementary/Middle Schools program is to support the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The program helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs; and offers educational services to the families of participating children. Programs must operate during every regular school day and may operate during summer, weekends, intercession, or vacation periods (California Education Code [EC] Section 8484.7).




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