HomeMy WebLinkAboutLocal Government Commission - CivicSpark Climate Action Corps Fellows - 2021
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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR HOSTING
CIVICSPARK CLIMATE ACTION CORPS FELLOWS
THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING is made and entered into as of January 1, 2021 by and between
the City of Fresno ("Partner”) and the Local Government Commission (“LGC"), a non-profit organization.
RECITALS
LGC is implementing the Fellowship portion of the California Climate Action Corps program through our
CivicSpark program, which is a federal AmeriCorps program.
The CivicSpark Climate Action Corps provides climate action support to organizations in California
through service provided by CivicSpark AmeriCorps Fellows (“Fellows”). Fellows can only work on
contracted and allowable service activities (implementing climate action projects, engaging volunteers,
and transferring knowledge to organization staff).
Partner desires to be a host for two Fellows, and LGC desires to provide Fellows’ service to Partner. This
document is to establish the basic guidelines and expectations between The Partner and LGC.
AGREEMENT
I. Contracted Performance Measures and Prohibited Activities
LGC has contracted with the Corporation of National and Community Service to implement CivicSpark as an
AmeriCorps program. Fellows can only work on service outlined in performance measures approved by the
Corporation for National and Community Service and must abide by Federal guidelines for AmeriCorps
program implementation. Performance measures define how CivicSpark will provide service to local
governments by: conducting assessments; implementing planning, research or implementation projects; engaging
volunteers; and transferring knowledge to local government staff. The project scope in Part 2 below must align
with the measures below:
1) Capacity Building – Fellows’ service hours should be spent assisting one or more organization to develop
or implement climate action projects that they would otherwise not be able to complete.
2) Volunteer Engagement – Fellows will also spend time engaging, recruiting, and supporting volunteers.
3) Training and Professional Development for Fellows – Fellows can spend up to 20% of their service term
(~200 of their 1200 total hours) on training. Training includes orientation at the start of the service term,
continued monthly trainings, and professional development and networking opportunities.
Federal guidelines further restrict certain activities, which cannot be engaged in by CivicSpark Fellows or
Supervisors while charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise
performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program or the Corporation for National and Community
Service, this includes direct fundraising or grant writing which are not allowable activities in CivicSpark. In
addition to only working on contracted performance measure service activities, the following activities are
prohibited (see 45 CFR § 2520.65):
1) Attempting to influence legislation;
2) Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes;
3) Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing;
4) Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements;
5) Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an
election to any public office;
6) Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against
political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials;
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7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program
that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to
religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious
instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization;
8) Providing a direct benefit to—
a) A business organized for profit;
b) A labor union;
c) A partisan political organization;
d) A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 related to engaging in political activities or substantial amount of
lobbying except that nothing in these provisions shall be construed to prevent participants from
engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and
e) An organization engaged in the religious activities described above, unless CNCS assistance is not
used to support those religious activities;
9) Conducting a voter registration drive or using CNCS funds to conduct a voter registration drive;
10) Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services; and
11) Such other activities as CNCS may prohibit.
Fellows, like other private citizens, may participate in the above listed activities on their own time, at their own
expense, and on their own initiative. However, the AmeriCorps logo must not be worn while doing so.
Per Federal Guidelines and LGC policies, CivicSpark Programs and activities must follow equal opportunity
employment requirements and be accessible to persons with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodation.
In support of this.
1) LGC and Partner will comply with Equal Opportunity Employment guidelines.
2) LGC and Partner will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental
limitations of qualified AmeriCorps members with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose
an undue hardship on the program operations.
3) LGC and Partner will endeavor to accommodate the sincere religious beliefs of AmeriCorps Members to
the extent such accommodation does not pose an undue hardship on the Organization's operations.
4) LGC and Partner will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who raise issues of equal
employment opportunity or reasonable accommodation.
II. Scope of Services
LGC will perform the following services:
1) General Program Responsibilities
a) Recruit Fellows.
b) Provide clear guidelines to Fellows regarding AmeriCorps regulations and expectations.
c) Work to provide support and guidance for Fellows, addressing any concerns that might develop during
the service year.
2) Fellow Responsibilities
a) Pass a state, national, and National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) background check before
starting their service year.
b) Participate in a program orientation and complete at least 70 hours of training.
c) Serve an average of 40 hours per week for 7.5 months, serving a minimum of 1200 total hours, with at
least 900 hours dedicated to Partner project activities (see below).
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d) Comply with guidelines for performance measures and abide by regulations on prohibited activities
described in Section I above.
e) Complete accurate project reporting in a timely manner as required by the Corporation for National
Community Service (CNCS), including: assessments, implementation, hours served, and volunteers
recruited or supported.
f) Avoid participation in prohibited activities.
g) Identify as a Fellow and wear AmeriCorps lapel pins or gear during service hours.
h) Participate in days of national service.
3) Project Specific Scope of Work
4) In support of urban greening and beautification projects, the fellow will support the City of Fresno’s Beautify
Fresno initiative by assisting with monitoring projects that include the planting of over 500 trees to increase
urban tree canopy and the building of three new community gardens and orchards to increase access to fresh
and healthy produce. Other projects include supporting the planting of over 950 trees to increase urban tree
canopy, assisting with the construction of two miles of bicycle lanes, and assisting with the construction of a
new nine and a half acre public park.
5) The fellow will also be tasked with supporting creation of a landscape index to identify critical needs for
future urban greening projects and landscaping improvements in underserved communities in Fresno, and
help plan and present public outreach programs to get feedback on those needs.
a) This project will include: 1) an initial gap assessment conducted by the Fellow, 2) a volunteer
engagement component, and 3) a transitional support activity.
i) Minor changes to the scope following the requisite gap assessment process may be needed.
ii) The project will comply with AmeriCorps service guidelines including prohibited activities described
in Part 1 above.
III. Partner Responsibilities
Partner will perform the following services:
1) Support Responsibilities
a) Identify one staff member to act as the “Site Supervisor” for the project, and point person for both the
Fellow and CivicSpark staff.
b) Site Supervisor shall support project implementation and professional development by:
i) Setting aside at least 1 hour/week to check in with each Fellow and provide assistance for each
approved project.
ii) Familiarizing Fellows to the host organization (including safety procedures and protocols), resources,
and project scope.
iii) Completing an initial performance assessment of each Fellow (survey and goal setting) within 1
month of the start of the service year; conducting a mid-year performance review; and completing a
final performance review survey prior to the end of the service year.
iv) Seeking opportunities to integrate Fellows’ professional goals into project activities.
v) As appropriate, facilitating Fellows’ transition at the end of their service year by introducing Fellows
to relevant colleagues and networks.
vi) Provide adequate professional workspace for Fellows (e.g., desk, computer, phone), and ensure that
site and workplace are accessible to individuals with disabilities if needed or if needed due to
COVID requirements, be able to support remote service for Fellows (e.g. remote access to
files, plans for remote check-in and support, technology support for remote work)
vii) As applicable to project activities Fellow role, Partner is required to follow state and local public
health guidelines to ensure appropriate COVID related training, support, and protection for Fellows,
and to avoid placing them in unsafe conditions or asking them to conduct activities without
appropriate safety management protocols in place.
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c) Develop defined project scope(s) and identify goals to be completed in agreed upon timeframe.
i) Ensure key staff for each defined project completes a pre-service capacity assessment survey before
the start of the service year and a post-service capacity assessment towards the end of the year.
ii) Ensure key staff for each defined project participates in a project interview early on in the service
year (within the first 2-3 weeks), a part of the CivicSpark gap assessment process.
d) Support implementation of project(s) consistent with scope above and in line with CivicSpark program
goals (including supporting volunteer engagement activities and participating in transitional event)
e) Keep LGC staff apprised of project developments and/or challenges, and working to redefine project
scope(s) and goals as necessary.
f) If challenges arise (related to professionalism, work products, etc.) provide specific written feedback to
the Fellow and share with LGC staff in a timely manner so LGC staff can assess the challenges and
intervene as needed.
g) Assist with occasional site visits to Partner by LGC staff.
h) Not displace Partner staff or volunteers through the use of CivicSpark Fellows, nor have CivicSpark
Fellows perform any services or duties that would supplant the hiring of employed workers.
i) Not offer the CivicSpark Fellow part time work that is substantially similar to their CivicSpark scope of
work, nor offer them full time employment with a start date prior to the service year-end date.
j) Support any additional project reporting defined as requested by LGC program staff.
k) Allow CivicSpark to share results of all reporting with California Volunteers and CNCS, for required
grant reporting.
IV. Reimbursable Expenses
LGC does not cover project related expenses related to the service project. All project related expenses are the
responsibility of Partner.
Should partner wish to have Fellow incur project related expenses, those expenses shall be submitted to Partner in
writing for approval prior to Partner being charged for reimbursement for an expense incurred during the
completion of activities outlined in the Scope of Service (Section II).
V. Timeline
All tasks enumerated in Section II are to start on January 11, 2021 and should be completed by October 30, 2021.
DATED:
Wilma Quan, City Manager
City of Fresno
DATED:
Kif Scheuer, Program Director
LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
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DATED:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DOUGLAS T. SLOAN
City Attorney
By:
Aaron Zaheen Date
Deputy City Attorney
ATTEST:
YVONNE SPENCE, MMC CRM
City Clerk
By:
Deputy
DocuSign Envelope ID: CEEBCCF3-8AAF-4190-8E66-819D656A3592
12/9/2020
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