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Home My WebLink About2026-09-08 Policy & Services Committee Agenda PacketPOLICY AND SERVICES COMMITTEE & HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Joint Special Meeting Tuesday, September 08, 2026 Council Chambers & Hybrid 6:00 PM Policy and Services Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option to attend by teleconference/video conference or in person. Information on how the public may observe and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda. The meeting will be broadcast on Cable TV Channel 76, live on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto, and streamed to Midpen Media Center https://midpenmedia.org. VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/94618744621) Meeting ID: 946 1874 4621 Phone: 1(669)900-6833 PUBLIC COMMENTS General Public Comment for items not on the agenda will be accepted for up to three minutes or an amount of time determined by the Chair. In-person comments will be heard at the beginning of the agenda and remote comments will be heard at the end of the agenda. In- person general public comment will be heard for 30 minutes. Additional in-person public comments, if any, will be heard at the end of the agenda. Public comments for agendized items will be accepted both in person and via Zoom for up to three minutes or an amount of time determined by the Chair. Requests to speak will be taken until 5 minutes after the staff’s presentation or as determined by the Chair. Written public comments can be submitted in advance to city.council@PaloAlto.gov and will be provided to the Council and available for inspection on the City’s website. Please clearly indicate which agenda item you are referencing in your subject line. Multiple individuals who wish to speak on the same item may designate a spokesperson. Spokespersons must be representing five or more verified individuals who are present either in person or via zoom. Spokespeople will be allowed up to 10 minutes, at the discretion of the presiding officer. Speaking time may be reduced if the presiding officer reduces the speaking time for individual speakers. PowerPoints, videos, or other media to be presented during public comment are accepted only by email to city.clerk@paloalto.gov at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Once received, the Clerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strong cybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are not accepted. Signs and symbolic materials less than 2 feet by 3 feet are permitted provided that: (1) sticks, posts, poles or similar/other types of handle objects are strictly prohibited; (2) the items do not create a facility, fire, or safety hazard; and (3) persons with such items remain seated when displaying them and must not raise the items above shoulder level, obstruct the view or passage of other attendees, or otherwise disturb the business of the meeting. 1 September 08, 2026 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.paloalto.gov/agendas. CALL TO ORDER IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda. 1-3 minutes depending on number of speakers. In-person comments will be heard at the beginning of the agenda and remote comments will be heard at the end of the agenda. In-person Public Comment is limited to 30 minutes. Additional in-person public comments, if any, will be heard at the end of the agenda. ACTION ITEMS 1. Recommend that City Council approve the HSRAP Grant Program expansion VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda. 1-3 minutes depending on number of speakers. In-person comments will be heard at the beginning of the agenda and remote comments will be heard at the end of the agenda. In-person Public Comment is limited to 30 minutes. Additional in-person public comments, if any, will be heard at the end of the agenda. FUTURE MEETINGS AND AGENDAS Members of the public may not speak to the item(s) ADJOURNMENT 2 September 08, 2026 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.paloalto.gov/agendas. PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email, teleconference, or by phone. 1.Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.council@PaloAlto.gov. 2.For in person public comments please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers and deliver it to the Clerk prior to discussion of the item. 3.Spoken public comments using a computer or smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, click on the link below to access a Zoom- based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully. ◦You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in-browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a current, up-to-date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 , Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer. Or download the Zoom application onto your smart phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter in the Meeting ID below. ◦You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. ◦When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. ◦When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. A timer will be shown on the computer to help keep track of your comments. 4.Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Council. You will be advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted. CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 946-1874-4621 Phone: 1-669-900-6833 Americans with Disability Act (ADA) It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to all. Persons with disabilities who require materials in an appropriate alternative format or who require auxiliary aids to access City meetings, programs, or services may contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at (650) 329-2550 (voice) or by emailing ada@PaloAlto.gov. Requests for assistance or accommodations must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, program, or service. 3 September 08, 2026 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.paloalto.gov/agendas. California Government Code §84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits an elected official of a local government agency from participating in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use if the official received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party or participant, including their agents, to the proceeding within the last 12 months. A “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” includes most land use and planning approvals and the approval of contracts that are not subject to lowest responsible bid procedures and have a value over $50,000. A “party” is a person who files an application for, or is the subject of, a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use. A “participant” is a person who actively supports or opposes a particular decision in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use, and has a financial interest in the decision. The Levine Act incorporates the definition of “financial interest” in the Political Reform Act, which encompasses interests in business entities, real property, sources of income, sources of gifts, and personal finances that may be affected by the Council’s actions. If you qualify as a “party” or “participant” to a proceeding, and you have made a campaign contribution to a Council Member exceeding $500 made within the last 12 months, you must disclose the campaign contribution before making your comments. 4 September 08, 2026 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.paloalto.gov/agendas. Policy & Services Committee Staff Report From: City Manager Report Type: ACTION ITEMS Lead Department: City Manager Meeting Date: September 8, 2026 Report #:2608-6685 TITLE Recommend that City Council approve the HSRAP Grant Program expansion RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Policy & Services Committee, with feedback from the Human Relations Commission (HRC), recommend Council approve the Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) grant program expansion and associated funding levels and timeframe. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Policy & Services/HRC Joint Meeting Purpose Outcomes The purpose of the joint meeting is to facilitate a discussion on the proposed community-wide grants, focused on policy guardrails that will make the expansion clear, fair and administrable. A proposed agenda and key questions include: Who should the expansion serve? Define and recommend broader community-wide priorities for Council consideration (e.g., arts and culture, environment and sustainability, economic vibrancy) Evaluation rubric Confirm clear governance roles (HRC, P&S, FC, Council) Confirm recommended funding approach Expansion success metrics – what would we consider a success for the proposed expansion Following the discussion, the Policy & Services Committee will deliberate and make a formal recommendation to the City Council. Item 1 Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 5 of 11 BACKGROUND 1 the City Council reviewed the purpose of the NPW Phase I pilot and discussed potential improvements for FY 2027. As part of that discussion, staff presented an inventory of nonprofit grants and service agreements over $10,000 to provide a broader overview of City funding relationships with nonprofit organizations beyond NPW Phase I grants. The inventory illustrated the range and complexity of those relationships, which total approximately $6.6 million in FY 2027 across multiple funding sources. The Council discussion generally reflected interest in a transparent, equitable, and consistent framework for nonprofit funding, including clearer guidance regarding how different types of nonprofit requests should be categorized, reviewed, and funded. Multiyear service agreements are a significant body of work that will be brought to the Committee later this fiscal year. 2 Council also recognized the City’s fiscal constraints, including projected FY 2027 budget pressures. In that context, Council supported proceeding without the NPW Phase I grant process and funding in FY 2027 and indicated that grant and award funding should, where appropriate, be considered through HSRAP. Council also acknowledged that some nonprofit requests considered through Phase I may not fit within current HSRAP eligibility criteria and expressed interest in evaluating whether HSRAP funding levels, eligibility, or scope should be modified to address this in the future. 1 April 6, 2026 City Council Meeting: https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=87042&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 2 May 11, 2026 City Council Meeting: https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=88043&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto Item 1 Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 6 of 11 On August 11, 2026,5 the Policy & Services Committee provided feedback on a proposed process to expand HSRAP, including funding levels and scope. Below is a description of the revised grant expansion process for discussion with the HRC and, ultimately, for a recommendation to Council. ANALYSIS HSRAP Expansion 5 August 11, 2026 Policy & Services Committee Meeting: https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=897064&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto Item 1 Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 7 of 11 The single application process is key to avoiding nonprofit confusion as to which funding path to apply. When applications are received, staff will sort through applications that meet the priority needs grants and those that would fit under the community-wide grants. Likewise, the evaluation criteria will not change for both funding paths with the differentiating factor being whether the application meets the priority of needs. Evaluation considerations which are currently defined by the HSRAP process include: Demonstrated community need from the needs assessment or other credible evidence; Palo Alto resident benefit; Non-duplication of City-funded services or another funding mechanism; Clear public value—e.g., equity, reach, coordination, prevention/early intervention, or improved outcomes; Organizational readiness, realistic budget and timeline, and measurable outcomes. Item 1 Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 8 of 11 HSRAP Expansion Funding Options HSRAP Priority Needs Grants 7 Given the City’s projected financial constraints, staff recommends maintaining the existing HSRAP funding practices, with annual CPI adjustments. For the FY 2028-29 funding cycle, staff anticipates recommending Council approval of $998,992 in FY 2028 and $1,027,620 in FY 2029. HRAP Community-wide Grants 7 FY 2026 Nonprofit Service Agreements, Page 9: https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=87042&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto Item 1 Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 9 of 11 27) HSRAP recipients also awarded Phase I funds, additional Council priority direct allocations, and “Other” category summarized in the table below. The $305,000 recommendation includes the Additional FY 2027 Direct Allocations ($235,000) and the Other ($70,000) categories, as these would be considered requests outside of an established process at the time these were awarded. The organizations listed below are listed to show how the funding was previously allocated and does not indicate the assumption of future grant awards (with the exception of the Ongoing Appropriations groups). Nonprofit Ongoing Appropriations FY26-27 HSRAP Recipients Additional FY27 Direct Allocations Other Ada’s Cafe $10,000 CalAve Events $40,000 Children’s Health Council $10,000 Environmental Volunteers $10,780 JobTrain $45,000 Karat School Project $20,000 LifeMoves $48,366 Magical Bridge $150,000 Momentum for Health $15,000 Musical Memories $5,000 Neighbors Abroad $17,500 Palo Alto PTA $5,000 Pathwise $15,000 Peninsula Healthcare $20,000 UNAFF $45,000 YCS/YCI $50,000 Total $78,280 $123,366 $235,000 $70,000 $504,646 Item 1 Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 10 of 11 expansion, including how the expanded applicant pool would be evaluated and incorporated into the City’s broader human services funding framework. Month Proposed HSRAP Expansion Key Milestones August P&S to discuss HSRAP expansion opportunities Survey nonprofits & clients on human service needs September October HRC sets Priority of Needs Council to approve HSRAP expansion funding levels and sets HSRAP community-wide grant priorities November Nonprofit engagement on HSRAP expansion process Application period opens December January February March April May P&S reviews HRC award recommendations Finance Committee review overall budget allocations June FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW APPROVED BY: Item 1 Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 11 of 11