At its March 7 meeting, the Concord City Council allocated $7 million in one-time federal funds to 22 local nonprofits serving the Concord community. The funds come from the overall $27 million that Concord received as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
“As a City that benefits from the contributions of so many wonderful nonprofit organizations, we are grateful for this unique, one-time opportunity to make a significant investment in their work,” said Concord Mayor Laura Hoffmeister.
“Selecting the 22 recipients and allocating the $7 million was not an easy task,” she said. “There are many worthy organizations who make a big difference in the lives of our residents.”
The City received 70 eligible grant applications, with a combined funding request of $34.4 million.
In September 2022, Council appointed an ad hoc committee consisting of then-Mayor Dominic Aliano and Hoffmeister. The two reviewed all applications, which were submitted by Oct. 28, 2022. All applicants were then invited to participate in interviews with the ad hoc committee. Each ad hoc committee member scored each application based on a 100-point rubric, with 200 total points possible when scoring sheets were combined.
The 22 organizations selected for funding will receive grants ranging from $50,000 to $1.5 million; 80% will be distributed initially, with the remaining 20% at a later date. Funds must be spent by December 2024, and the City will require documentation and follow up to ensure the funds were spent as intended.
Awardees Include:
| Applicant | Project Name | Allocation |
| Bay Area Crisis Nursery | Bay Area Crisis Nursery | $75,000 |
| BD Performing Arts | BDPA Community Arts Programs | $100,000 |
| Cancer Support Community SF Bay Area | Cancer Support Programs | $50,000 |
| Community Youth Center (CYC) of Concord | Community Youth Center (CYC) of Concord Facilities Upgrade | $1,500,000 |
| Concord Historical Society | Concord Heritage Center and History Museum | $496,000 |
| Contra Costa Economic Partnership (CCEP) | Career Exposure Through Work-based Learning | $200,000 |
| Dentists on Wheels Pittsburg Free Dental Clinic at St. Vincent de Paul | Dentist on Wheels Expansion Plan | $200,000 |
| Diablo Ballet | Diablo Ballet Annual Season Programming and Educational Outreach in Concord | $139,000 |
| Friends Of Camp Concord | Outdoor Equity – Camp Concord | $180,000 |
| Futures Explored, Inc. | The Artist’s Den | $150,000 |
| Japanese American Religious and Cultural Center | JARCC & Diablo JA Club Building Renovation and Centennial Documentary Film 2026 | $215,000 |
| La Clinica de La Raza, Inc. | La Clinica Monument Medical Project | $58,000 |
| La Clinica de La Raza, Inc. | Monument Optometry | $500,000 |
| Leaven Kids | Leaven Kids Concord Centers | $105,000 |
| Meals on Wheels Diablo Region | Breakfast Bags & Cultural Cuisine | $700,000 |
| Mindful Life Project | Mindfulness for Concord Schools | $111,000 |
| Monument Impact | Monument Families Recovery Program (MFRP) | $1,500,000 |
| Mt. Diablo Education Foundation | Outdoor Educational Equity for Concord Students | $58,000 |
| Visit Concord | Visit Concord Non-Profit Application | $200,000 |
| Visit Concord, CA | Visit Concord Non-Profit Application-Accessible Concord | $50,000 |
| WHITE PONY EXPRESS | Food Rescue Program | $200,000 |
| Yours Humanly | Early Literacy Support for Concord Elementary Schools | $213,000 |
The City of Concord received $27 million in one-time federal ARPA dollars; $8 million has been spent on pandemic recovery efforts. In September 2022, the Concord City Council identified the funding categories, dollar allocations to spending categories, and the process for allocating the remaining $19 million within each spending category.
• $7 million: City Projects, Public Safety and Special Events – allocated Feb. 7, 2023
• $7 million: Grants for Nonprofit Organizations – allocated March 7, 2023
• $3 million: Support for the Unhoused – set aside for use upon the completion of the City’s Homeless Strategic Plan
• $2 million: Grants for Small Businesses – half allocated in December 2022; second half to be allocated in mid-2023
Sad that the Bay Area Crisis nursery gets 75k, while Visit Concord (2 groups?) gets 250k. The Diablo Ballet even got more than the nursery.
I agree. BACN should have received more. CYC should have received nothing as this is owned by Hoffman related companies. Too many back door deals being made with the city council. I am so fed up.
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These are ONE-TIME funds.
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Meaning, these non-profits should NOT count on any further funds as to perpetuate their dependence on “free” (taxpayer) monies.
Uhhhh Meals on Wheels? Nothing against them but they are run by the county, have a huge federal grant and a private foundation that covers the slack. And how so I know this? I was the program accountant 6 years before I retired
BINGO! It’s not so much for the Breakfast Bags as it is for the “Cultural Cuisine” … Alleviating hunger itself is no longer the issue, or the major goal. It costs more to make sure the food is ethnically suitable for the tastes of the recipient. Basic egg scramble? No No! We must serve huevos revueltos con pimientos —- or be called xenophobic and maybe lose all Fed allocations.
Whole lot of “equity” and finger-on-the-scale tax re-distribution in this. Laura has kept herself in charge of Federal grant monies for a very-very long while—and knows well where her voters are.
No Excuses
There are reasons for some cultural diets. Kosher and some Japanese diets are based on religion. Alot of the others are far more health than the standard American diet.
Also the program was NEVER geared to providing breakfast and if the program did require that it would be happening. As it is the program supplies none required things such as shelf stable emergency meals in case of earthquakes etc (there are records for these and the poeople are instructedt o “cook em up” when close to expiring so new ones can be deliverd) and weekend/holiday meals for home delivered.
If Cocnord wants to provide a breakfast under the flag of Meals on Wheel they will have to have a regisgtered dietition create the meal plan and it will have to be approved not only by the county but the federeal overseers of the AAA Senior Nutrition grant. But it’s Concord and they just do what they want no matter who or what might be jeopardized by their actions. I will haven’t talked to the current Sr Nurtrion manager at Public Health so I think it’s time I give her a call
So much wrong with the way these funds have been allocated. I can see huge red flags waving all over the place on this one.
Looks like the Monument Blvd area was the biggest winner, getting about 30% of the gifts.
Hopefully, it makes some sort of difference.
This of course hasn’t been paid for at the Federal level, as they put it on the tab. You know,
the one that has the National Debt at a staggering 30 trillion ($30,000,000.000,000) dollars.