oakland-npp-2014-15-rfp

Oakland Neighborhood Partnership Program 2014-15 Request for Proposals Released March 24, 2014 About the Neighborhood Partnership Program The goal of Pennsylvania’s Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP), administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), is to foster collaboration among business firms, neighborhood organizations, local government entities and residents to encourage high impact long term investment(s) in distressed areas. The objective of this collaboration is to produce a comprehensive, asset-based and relationship-driven approach to community development. This approach, when applied over the long term, not only produces an enhanced quality of life in the community, but also builds the capacity of communities to sustain development efforts and to adapt to changing economic and social conditions.

The Oakland Neighborhood Partnership Program is a coordinated program of comprehensive community development activities focused on addressing the following needs in Oakland:  Unequal access to economic opportunity;  Blight and disinvestment; need for quality affordable housing;  Challenges to public health and safety; congestion and disconnection;  Coordinated master plan implementation; community cohesion, image, and identity.

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation is the convening agency awarded the DCED contract and responsible for its fiscal and administrative management.

Overview of this Funding Opportunity In order to develop the best possible set of programs that address critical community needs, serve low-income individuals, and revitalize distressed areas in Oakland, OPDC is issuing a focused request for proposals. This RFP is open to current Oakland NPP partner agencies as well as other providers who meet the eligibility criteria outlined below. These criteria and this RFP process will ensure that proposed programs can be appropriately evaluated based on their measurable positive impact in the designated focus areas. The time period to perform the proposed activities is July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015.

Eligibility Criteria Providers interested in NPP funding through OPDC must demonstrate that their proposed projects meet the following eligibility criteria: A. Achieve measurable impact in addressing Oakland’s critical community needs through one or more of the following NPP eligible activities: 1. Affordable Housing Programs: The renovation, repair, rehabilitation, construction or preservation of housing for low-income households (including expenses for predevelopment, land acquisition, site control and clearing title, market studies,

environmental costs, energy conservation and green building services, design services and legal and other technical assistance services).

2. Community Economic Development: Activities that revitalize or stabilize distressed areas, through one or more of the following: (1) The construction or rehabilitation of commercial or industrial buildings that will result in employment opportunities; and/or (2) the removal or elimination of physical blight.

3. Community Services: Any type of counseling and advice or direct services, including emergency assistance, food assistance or medical care furnished to individuals or groups in a distressed area, that has a primary or secondary benefit to the stabilization or revitalization of the area.

4. Crime Prevention: Activities to help reduce crime in a distressed community.

5. Education: Scholastic instruction or scholarship assistance for an individual residing in a distressed area, which enables the individual to prepare for better life opportunities.

6. Job Training: Instruction for an individual residing in a distressed area that enables that individual to acquire vocational skills to become employable or be able to seek a higher grade of employment.

7. Neighborhood Assistance: Financial assistance, labor, material or technical advice furnished to aid in the physical improvement of any part or all of a distressed area.

8. Neighborhood Conservation: Project or service that addresses the decline of a neighborhood or the needs of a vulnerable population and which has a primary or secondary benefit to the stabilization of a distressed area B. Ensure that members of Oakland’s low income population benefit. A low-income household is defined as a person and his or her immediate family for which, during the twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for services: (1) total income does not exceed 150% of the federal poverty level as established annually by the federal Office of Management and Budget; or (2) total income does not exceed 80% of the median income of the targeted area; or (3) total income meets the income requirements of another applicable government program.

C. Document outcomes directly related to activities supported by NPP funding. Reports must be submitted quarterly to OPDC, and will include quantitative reporting on metrics required by DCED.

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D. Show consistency with The Oakland 2025 Master Plan: A Vision for Sustainable Living and Mobility and indicate collaboration opportunities with OPDC and/or other neighborhood partners.

E. Provide a detailed project budget with costs itemized per unit of activity directly related to each proposed activity.

Questions: 1. Describe, with specific details, your proposed activities. Please see the list of eligible activities above. Only activities consistent with this list are eligible for NPP funding.

How do your proposed activities serve a low-income population? What percentage of those you intend to serve are Oakland residents? Please describe the distressed portion of Oakland that your proposed activities target. Are the activities new or a continuation of existing programming?

2. Describe how your proposed activities support priorities in The Oakland 2025 Master Plan and how you will collaborate with OPDC and/or other organizations to ensure coordinated plan implementation. If applicable, please describe your activities to date related to Oakland 2025 plan implementation.

3. Provide detailed quantifiable outcomes you will deliver because of your proposed activities. How will you measure the outcome? What data will you use? If this is a continuation of existing programming, please describe the outcomes you have achieved to date.

4. Describe how you will involve the Oakland community in your proposed activities. Will you collaborate with a partner on community engagement? Which populations will you involve (employers, residents, businesses, etc.)? What role will they play? By what means will you communicate with them? Briefly describe a similar project about which you engaged the community to describe your experience and track record with community engagement.

5. Provide a detailed budget for your proposed activities. Include specific per unit costs and overall cost. Include detailed line items of each cost category. Provide total cost and portion to be funded by NPP. If staff costs are included, provide job description of the staff NPP funds will be used to support along with number of hours and total NPP cost. Describe specifically the activities NPP funds will support. You may include a spreadsheet as an attachment beyond the six-page narrative limit.

6. Briefly provide evidence that your agency is financially sound, well-managed, and governed by a voluntary board that utilizes best management practices.

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Selection Process and Timeline Applicants will submit their proposal for review by a subcommittee of OPDC’s board with NPP investor partners, who will evaluate them against criteria and questions in this RFP and against other Oakland 2025 implementation projects that meet critical community needs. Criteria in this RFP are based on DCED NAP/NPP program guidelines.

For those who are awarded funding, agreements will be contingent upon DCED funding and approval of the Oakland NPP renewal application. Successful applicants will enter year-long contracts with OPDC. Proposal narrative should be no more than 6 pages. Job descriptions, if applicable, may be included as an attachment in excess of the narrative page limit. A one-page budget worksheet may also be included in addition to the narrative page limit. Submit your proposal as a single document in PDF format sent via email attachment to Wanda E. Wilson at wwilson@opdc.org

by Friday, April 25, 2014, at 5:00 pm.

Contact Wanda Wilson at wwilson@opdc.org or Bryan Perry at bperry@opdc.org with questions or to review and comment on a draft prior to the deadline.

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